Happy Birthday to Dad

I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell all of you how much I love your Dad. As you all know, he had a birthday on Sunday. We gathered all the locals here on Friday, July 4th to celebrate the holiday and also Dad and Joni's birthdays. Then on Sunday Doug and Jodi invited us to their house for a birthday dinner for Dad. Knowing how much he loves tacos, Jodi had prepared an array of Mexican food fit for our King. It was a feast and a half. Dallas was there too. Anyway, your Father felt he had been very much honored on his birthday with all of your calls and expressions of love. I had wanted to have a few minutes to pay tribute to him with all of you there, but the time just never was appropriate. So I will take a minute, and hope some of you check this great blog occasionally, and tell you how much I love and adore your Father. He is truly the hero of our family. I have always leaned heavily on him for the answer to any problem and question, knowing that his wisdom would make everything OK. He has been a remarkable patriarch in our home and I will always be so very grateful for that. He walks the walk of a noble bearer of the Priesthood of God. He has always been the spiritual leader in our home. How grateful I have been all of our lives to be able to feel so secure with his great knowledge and understanding of the gospel and his ability to express so well the gospel truths. He has always been my favorite teacher. I have learned so much from him. He has been so influential in others lives not only through his chosen profession, but through his Church callings and interest in others. He has been able to counsel and guide and help those who are in need of help and advice. I have loved watching him as a brand new Daddy to Scott and continuing on with the same tender and affectionate concerns for each of you down to Joni. I think he has been a remarkable Father. He has provided for us and allowed us so many privileges and such a full and happy life. I have been so grateful for his ambition and desire to rise to the top in his profession. I have always had the thrill of seeing him being honored with the top awards and the admiration and respect of his business associates. This is because of his desire to be the best educated in his business. He is a sponge for knowlege and has an incredible ability to remember and absorb. I have always admired his love to read and study. He has an amazing memory and can quote scripture, find it by chapter and verse, remember who said what and on what occasion. He can quote the brethren at any given moment on any given topic. I just love being able to turn to him for understanding of gospel principles. I consider myself very lucky and very blessed to have been his companion all these years. I love him with all my heart and will ever be grateful to the Lord that he saw to it that we are eternal companions and sweethearts. Each of you are the product of our love and devotion to each other. Each of you are so important and dear to us. You have blessed our lives immeasurably and continue to do so. My prayer and my desire is that you will be like your Dad. Follow his example in every way. Look and seek him for counsel and advice and then take his advice. Be honest, true, faithful, honorable, loyal, kind, wise, humble, generous, patient, loving, humorous, tender, hard-working, studious, devoted to the Lord and the gospel, well dressed, sensitive,use appropriate language, deserving of respect - - I could go on and on. He does know the meaning of propriety! All these things are character traits of your wonderful Father. I love him with all my heart and just want each of you to know that. Love, Mom