Dad's Favorites

My dearest and only father is 77 years old today. We love him dearly around here. He is a great dad, a fabulous father-in-law, and a wonderful grandpa. He lives 800 miles away from us, so we don't get to see him as often as we would like. We try to keep him informed of our family happenings. He enjoys hearing from us, especially when we have funny stories to share. Here are some of his favorite stories about our kids:

ANNICA: We attended Expo 86 in Vancouver shortly after moving to Washington. We rented an RV and drove with Grandpa and Grandma and Mom and Dad to Canada. Annica was 16 months old and an active toddler. She enjoyed the fair attached to us by a "kid leash." We all sat in the front row of a crowded theater to watch something akin to Disney's California Adventure "Soaring Over California," only it was "soaring over British Columbia." As she watched, Annica exclaimed--in her loudest, little voice--"WOWEE!" We all laughed, especially her grandpa. Her grandpa took great delight in everything Annica did. He was especially proud that she could name all colors (even aqua), letters of the alphabet and numbers at the tender age of 16 months.

RACHELLE: Dad always enjoyed cuddling with a very affectionate Rachelle. We've often said that Rachelle looks like a cross between my dad and Lance's mom. Dad particularly enjoys this "Rachelle" story. Rachelle accompanied me to the grocery story one day when she was three. Our courtesy clerk had Downs Syndrome, and I was very worried that Rachelle would make an innocent, but hurtful remark to this boy (because she often embarrassed me like that). However, Rachelle kept her thoughts to herself. When we were safely inside the car away from the ears of this clerk, I asked Rachelle, "Did that guy look like a regular person--just like you and me?" "No," she replied, "He looked just like a pig; but I didn't tell him that."

SARA: Dad and Mom have stayed with us on numerous occasions. The kids enjoyed snuggling with their grandparents when they awoke each morning of their visit. One morning as Sara cuddled with her grandpa, Grandpa asked for a kiss: "Give me a smack, Sara." It was obvious Sara didn't know the alternate meaning of "smack" when she slapped her grandpa across the face. That was the last time he asked for a kiss that way.

ZACHARY: Dad has especially delighted in Zachary's naivete over the years. Zachary attended Rosie's Preschool as a 4-year-old. One day as I waited outside the school with the other parents, Rosie came out ahead of the kids to tell a classmate's father that his son had wet his pants that day. While driving home, I asked Zachary, "Did John wet his pants today?" Zach answered, "No. He just got water in his shoes."

MARK: I really don't know what Dad's favorite "Mark story" is. There are so many. So, I will just let him comment on this post to list his favorite story and then I will post it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Dad!!!

Afternoon at the Lake

Rachelle, Sara and I headed to the lake yesterday to enjoy the scenery and beautiful, warm sunshine. Sara was tempted to take a little swim if I had given her $500. I declined.

R.I.P., R.V.

Call me sentimental, but I'm having a hard time parting with our recently totaled car (red van or "RV"). Though battered and bruised, patched and repaired, she served us well for many years. Now she sits in an auto body repair parking lot waiting to be transported to her final resting place. Here is a little poem I wrote in her honor.

With a tear in my eye,
I bid you, "Good-bye"
Our trusty Windstar--
The ugly, smashed car.

Stinging Singing Lesson

"I was sitting in church yesterday and we were singing the closing song, and I had to hold the hymn book over my ear so I couldn't hear you messing up the last line," Sara told her father tonight at Family Home Evening.

She proceeded to tell him how he "messed up" by alternating between the bass, melody and alto parts and how he sang so loudly she couldn't even hear the music. "You messed up four times," she continued. She showed him the song in the hymn book, the particular half-note he missed, and sang the notes correctly for him to hear.

"Shall the youth of Zion falter? No!" Their parents might, though, especially when it comes to singing.