Happy 62 years Birthday BOY!

This is the Birthday boy. Born Dec. 4, B.C.

Happy 62 Senior (citizen, that is!)
Grandpa muggen' on Baby Zane. It is one of Gramp's specialties...

Grandma is the other (specialty~ that is)

mmmmm....

Grandpa couldn't resist this beautiful child (isn't he?) and so he gave him one of his favorite cowboy hats. McKay will treasure it always, knowing a real (wanna-be) cowboy wore it and loved it...

When I grow up I wanna be just like you!

62 years ago... on a chilly winter day... the world ~as we know it~ was made better... because my dad was born! He was an amazingly beautiful baby and Grandma always said, "he was perfect" and "he was potty trained by the time he was 1!" Bless him. Of course I don't remember much from an angelic state, watching over him and making sure my turn on earth wasn't at all disrupted, but the stories are endless even in his beloved mother's absence.

Dad is an amazing ball player. He could have been pro (if not for a mission) and Grandma always said that he grew up on the ball field. He was raised by a baseball? One of my favorite stories about the ball fields was that one when his buddies and him all decided to try chewing tobacco. They talked one of the "lesser" genius boys into going first. He chewed. He puked. None of the rest of the kids ever tried the stuff. I love that! I was always proud to watch my dad hit the ball over the ball park fence in church ball and then run the bases like he might get out (even though the ball wasn't coming back!) I know he was showing off for me! And I was PROUD of it! I vowed to marry a ball player. (although I've never seen Nate hit the ball over the fence... he still loves the game. So that counts.) When I was little I would play out scenarios with my dad. Usually things that would NEVER happen, making it easy to answer! For example: "If you got tickets to the 7th game (of your home team) in the world series but it was on Sunday, would you go?" At the time we lived in UTAH (there is no pro baseball team there~ unless you consider church ball pro... which most ELDERS do...~ or the Buzz??). My dad answered, "No. My mom told me 'No baseball on Sunday'. So I wouldn't go." Years later we were standing in the hall at church and guess who was offered tickets to the 7th game of the world series... D backs vs NY Yankees (NOVEMBER BALL) ? My dad. And though I would have never held it over his head, he didn't even bat an eye... He passed them up~ but I think he secretly went into the nursing lounge and cried after that. At least I did! (Don't worry, My most righteous husband scored on his loss! Bless his heart.)

Dad has worked in the temple for as long as I can remember. Countless times we have WAITED for him to get home so we could go somewhere because he takes the job so darn serious and can't miss a day! Serious! And from that I have learned so many things... like... EVERY old man temple worker has diabetes and he treats it homeopathically with cinnamon and Cayenne pepper. They also have other "Unmentionable" bodily oddities and they treat those with Cayenne pepper, chili powder, ginko bible (something like that) and St. John's wart. Not only that, but roast and biscuits and gravy taste better at the temple than any where else. The basement restrooms stink like rotten eggs early in the morning, and white jumpsuits are not for everyone. And people actually try to sneak past the front desk men. Go figure? Dude... get a recommend! I must thank him for putting my name on the prayer roll every week for the past 20 years. DEDICATION from him for the much needed help in my behalf! My dad LOVES his calling at the temple. And I love to see him when I go inside.

WORKER GUY! Dad owns his own little copier and business machine business. Sun Country Technologies. He is a one man show. SMALL but MIGHTY! He worked for years for crooked, ladder climbing and secretly disgusting people until his work ethic and morals got to him and he branched off on his own. What would it take to get up and going each day if you had NOBODY to be accountable to? Well, accountable to his customers... but now days you can do everything with a mobile phone! Let me tell you... it takes a passion and devotion for one little lady waiting at home. Dad works his booty off to provide a good life for family... but mostly for mom. He loves her with complete devotion and obvious dedication.

Growing up with a dad like this created that CINDERELLA effect on us kids. (you know: grow up, marry prince charming, live HAPPILY EVER AFTER...) We thought all men were like him. So it has been an eye- opener (to say the least) to find that not to be the case ~ ( I would never publicly admit that this might not be the case for the first 10 years of my own marriage... couldn't be!) whether in the life of close friends or other family members~ SHOCKING actually! You mean trial is real?! You have to work at marriage?! Dad always made mom comfy first (as comfy as you can be with 6 hoo raws controlling the homestead) but made us think we were the ones! And we were the ones in deed! The ones who.... (take your pick!) Mom frequented the bathtub with coke and popcorn and a television next to the sink... Door locked. Death to anyone who went within speaking distance. And then dad would haul all 6 of us to Macey's (the local grocers) for a station wagon load of food... NO GUM! (unless we promised not to tell mom) JUST good for the body, healthy food. (no donuts from the bakery either~ unless we in hailed them before we arrived in the driveway).

This story continues. It goes on for 35 years of my life, and additional 27 years of his... The memories I have are pretty amazing. I hope that when my kids are 35 they are able to recall something... anything... exceptional about me. If there is but one who has touched my life for good more than any other, I would have to credit my dear old dad. As I get older I see my friends parents age and even some of them step on to greener pastures. To think of this inevitable event makes me more grateful for the time I am gifted in mortality with my dad. So each one of his birthdays are special to me because it means one more magical year with him in my life has passed. This past year he coached McKay's ball team. And I'm telling you... it was MAGICAL! I hope I have a whole life ahead of me with him in it.

Happiest Birthday dear dad... I wish you most happiness, the best year to come, MANY more+ one to grow on, and endless JOY! I love you.