Challenge # 3 Blog About Your Parents

This is a picture of my cute dad just a few months ago at Brenden's baptism.  My dad is an amazing person he has done a lot of really cool things in his life - he played football at the University of Utah and was a nose guard - he also graduated from the U of U law school and had his own legal practice for a number of years.  He went from his legal practice to being a Judge pro tem and a Prosecutor for Salt Lake County.  He was involved a number of very high profile cases including the prosecution of Arthur Gary Bishop.  In fact he witnessed the death penalty being metted out to Mr. Bishop - I don't know too many people who have witnessed that! 

My dad also served in the army during the Korean War but was sent to Vienna because he could speak Dutch.  He was there during the time when the city was occupied by three different governments and each day they would have the changing of the guard.  He has some amazing stories of his time there and his service to his country.  Before he was drafted he served a mission for the LDS church in Holland (thus he spoke Dutch), this was an amazing thing because both of his parents were born in Holland and he was able to go and see his grandpa before he died.  My brother has three brothers and all of them were also able to serve their missions in the Netherlands. 

My dad was called as a Bishop for the LDS church at the young age of 28 - I was 3 years old.  He served as Bishop in the Ivins Ward for almost 10 years - I have so many fond memories of that time.  Although my dad was busy starting a law practice and being a bishop he took the responsibility of Father very seriously.  He was an amazing dad.  He has a great sense of humor, he is very smart and was always willing to help with homework, he always took some time in August for a family vacation, and it was always a treat to go fishing with him. 

My dad is someone that I look up to and try to emulate - he very rarely displays a temper, I have only heard him use one swear word my entire life, and he tries to always be happy.  In June my dad will be 80 years old...WOW!  I still see him as my strong handsome daddy and I am so grateful for the love that he has always shown me.  I am grateful too that he loves my children, if you ask any of his grandchildren they will tell you that they are his favorite.  He has a way of making everyone feel loved.  I am so blessed to have such an amazing dad!

My mom is also an amazing person - she is always smiling and she tries so hard to make everyone feel loved and appreciated.  My mom and dad met in high school and my mom waited for my dad while he was serving his mission.  When he returned home they were married and when my dad was sent to Vienna she followed him and spent a good portion of her first pregnancy in a foreign country, with foreign food, and foreign doctors.  The sad thing for my mom is that when she gets pregnant she gets SICK!  You can imagine that kind of sickness along with home sickness and it truly makes you appreciate the sacrifice she made to bring her children into this world.

My mom has always been the quiet support to my dad - she took care of the kids in church every Sunday while my dad was Bishop.  She taught us to be kind, loving, caring, and happy individuals.  She loved to play with us and read us stories.  She also loved to encourage us to use our imaginations and would support us as we put on neighborhood plays, sold lemonade, built forts, wrote stories, and had the best childhood imaginable.  She was an amazing housekeeper and always told us that there was a place for everything and everything should be in its place.  She also taught us to love the finer things in life, good music, plays, dance, good food, a beautiful table, literature, and art.  She encouraged us to follow our dreams and to use our talents.  I can't thank her enough for giving me the confidence to believe in myself and to stretch and grow into the person I am today. 

My mom is also very talented she can draw amazing pictures and has done some beautiful paintings, she wrote a children's book that was published, and she also wrote a hymn.  She has taught herself how to use many programs on the computer and she is an amazing seamstress; she has used all her  talents to bless us.  I am grateful for my mom and for all of her hard work raising her children and being an amazing wife to my dad.  She is such a great example to all of us.  My mom is another person I try to emulate and I am grateful for her patience and love over the years.