Letter From A Daughter To Her Dad

Dear Dad,
This year I bought a card for you, but the days slipped past and it never got mailed.
I tried to call you on the phone last night, but couldn't get through and then it was too late.
Now, here I am, the day after Father's Day, thinking of you and how very much you mean to me.

I want you to know how much I love you and how glad I am that you are my Dad. All my life you have been there for me, and that is huge. When I was a little girl you provided for me, kept food on the table and shoes on my feet, even though I'd have chosen much less practical ones at the time. You made sure I got the medical care I needed when I had my eye surgery. I remember at times how you got up in the night and comforted me. You were the first to teach me to appreciate good music like Scheherizade and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. You cared about me enough to tell my very first elementary teacher and the school principal to be firm on discipline if it was needed, so it never was. I loved going places with you like Yellow Creek and Martin's Beach. I loved riding on your back and dancing on your feet, but mostly, I love that you took me to church.
There are no words to express how my heart is full of love for you and gratitude for sharing with me your most precious possession, your testimony. You opened the door and introduced me to my Father in Heaven, allowing me to have a priceless relationship with Him as well, and you were never jealous.
You are the first man I ever loved. You showed me what it means to love by holding true to The Lord's way, working on being the best I can be and never quitting. I have seen through your actions how to stand in holy places no matter where you are, and to serve whenever and wherever possible. You never waste anything because you take seriously your stewardships. And you use your resources wisely.
I want to be like you, Dad. I want to be able to one day stand before my Heavenly Father and hear him say, "Well done, my beloved and faithful servant".     
So, in spite of my unmailed card and my unanswered call, I want to tell you Happy Father's Day and I love you, Dad; always and forever.

Now, this very afternoon, I was able to talk to my Dad on the phone and I read him this letter. I'm so glad.

A Tribute From A Son To His Father

Our oldest son, Sam wrote this on his blog on September 11th 2009:
"As I've thought about this topic, it occurred to me how much T.V. shapes our lives, for better or for worse. I'm thinking about some of the programs that have been my favorites over the years and what lessons I learned from each one.
Stat Trek- "Space, the Final Frontier..." These words were as much a part of my childhood as church. And almost as sacred. No talking during church, and no talking during Star Trek, unless it was a commercial. Episodes of the original series still remind me of my dad. My dad was handsome and cool, like Captain Kirk, smart like Spock, witty (and sometimes a little irritable, though not as much) like Dr. McCoy. _And then there was Scotty, "I'm giving her all she's got Capt'n. But she can't take much more of this!"
That's my father, through and through. I watched my dad work hard for his family, "givin' her all she's got" to keep his wife and kids out of harm's way. I remember times he worked three jobs at once. I remember watching him bundle up like an Eskimo in several sweaters and the best coat he had and ride his bike into downtown Ogden, Utah in the brutal cold of winter to work over nights at the radio station, after spending his day studying at Weber State College and working at whatever the other job was he had at the time. I remember thinking that, surely, he "can't take much more of this."
I didn't appreciate my dad's hard work at the time. I'm not sure I fully appreciate it now. But, I do know this...the USS Enterprise never carried a better hero than my dad."

I too am grateful for the love, service and sacrifice David has given our family. At 16 I created a list of important qualities I was looking for in a future husband. There were only 2 things on that list. I wanted someone who was truly temple worthy, and I wanted someone who loved kids and would make a great father. David has measured up to those qualities in every way. Happy Father's Day to my Mr. Right. I love you, David.

My ABC Soup. YUM!

So here's the recipe for ~ Everything From A-Z Soup

Pour undrained into large crock pot:
3 Cans Black Beans                   1 Can White Beans
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes            1 Can Kernels of Corn  
1 Can Peppers, mild green chili         1 Can Tomato Paste
1 T. Heinz Ketchup                1 T. Mustard
2 t. Cumin                               1 t. Italian Salad Dressing
½ t. (or to taste) Salt                ¼ t. Xylitol
1 Dash Japanese Curry Powder        1 drop Lemon Juice
1/3 C. Onion, dehydrated, to reconstitute in juices

Saute and add to crock pot:
2 lbs Ground Meat (I used Turkey)    ½ Yellow Bell Pepper, diced

To thicken a bit, blend in blender, and add:
1 sm. piece Unleavened Bread (or ½ sm. flour tortilla) torn into bits
1 sm. Can V-8

Cook in crock pot for 2-3 hours.
During the last 20 minutes of cooking add:
2 Noodles                        2 pcs. Ziti Pasta
2 pcs. Fettuccini              2 pcs. Elbow Macaroni
1 T. Rice                          1 T. Quinoa

Serve hot and garnish with a slice of Avocado

Foods Used, A - Z:

Avocado   
Black Beans
Cumin
Diced Tomatoes
Elbow Macaroni *
Fettuccini*
Ground Meat
Heinz Ketchup*
Italian Salad Dressing*
Japanese Curry Powder* 
           or jalapenos to taste
Kernels of Corn
Lemon Juice*
Mustard*
Noodles*
Onion
Peppers
Quinoa*
Rice*
Salt
Tomato Paste
Unleavened Bread
V-8
White Beans
Xylitol, a sweetener used here to offset acidity*
Yellow Bell Pepper
Ziti*

Nothing more, nothing less.
* Of course some of those ingredients aren't necessary at all, except to get all of those letters!!

Birthday Fun

...sounds like the title of a children's book, but really, I had a great time for David's birthday yesterday and I just want to share the event. He got two books and of course, dinner.

This was actually a regular-sized cupcake! It's tiny look here in the picture must be from the angle. Hmmm, I wonder if that'd work for me? ha!
Oh by-the-way, Happy Birthday, David!!