Day Nineteen

Evie and her Gaffer

Today is all about my parents. Like my siblings, they are the best in the world and you should be jealous.

I still picture my dad as the young, geeky, dark-haired guy I knew growing up. He looks different now, of course. His hair is a very distinguished white and grey, and he's lost some weight. And for a while he was rocking a goatee, which is something I never saw on him when I was a kid. But my mental image of him hasn't changed as much as he has. Maybe it's because even though he looks different, he's still the same amazing guy he's always been.

This is how he kept my dates on their best behavior.

My dad worked for the Air Force when I was little, then switched to working for the State Department around the same time I got to middle school. This is why we moved so much when I was growing up! But it wasn't until my senior year of high school that I really found out what my dad's job was. Turns out that he did a lot of counter-terrorism stuff in the Air Force. I was incredibly impressed. My dad is like Jack Bauer on 24!

So obviously, my dad is very smart. But he's also got a great sense of humor. I remember one time when my mom and I were trying to write a melodrama parodying "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and we were having trouble finishing our song lyrics. We had the dwarfs singing, "Ho hi, ho hi, the queen's really a guy!" But we didn't know where to take it from there.

Suddenly, from behind us, my dad busts out, "She's not a hag, just a guy in drag! Ho hi! Ho hi, ho hi, ho hi!"

Dad wants to be a gymnast when he grows up

It was brilliant and hilarious. No wonder I still remember it so clearly, 15 years later.

Underwater geek chic

My dad is a lot of fun. Last year we had a family reunion in Park City, UT, and he brought an underwater camera. Who has an underwater camera??? So random! But my dad has one. And we had a blast, taking underwater pictures. It was incredibly fun, and we have lots of pictures to help us remember it for years to come.

Most importantly, my dad is a spiritual guy. He loves the Savior, and set a great example for me and my siblings. He lead our family with love. Any time I needed a blessing, I knew I could ask him and he would give me one. He made sure we went to church, and he showed us how to live a righteous life.

Ziplining!

My dad is sweet, thoughtful, generous, and genuinely one of the best people I've ever met in my life. I feel incredibly blessed to be his daughter, and so grateful that my children have him for a grandfather.

My mom is my hero. As a mother, I'm trying very hard to emulate her parenting style, because it was fantastic. It still is, for that matter!

Getting ready to go ziplining

My mom almost never lost her temper with us. She never yelled. She got angry sometimes, yeah, because we were often doing stupid things, but she always seemed very calm about it, even in her frustration. That's one thing I really struggle with, because I'm more of a yelling type. But her calmness was so effective that it got to the point where I dreaded getting into trouble, just because I knew I would see the disappointment on her face. I never want my mom to have to look at me like that.

Hop in, kids, we're going to the store!

As I got older and started noticing boys, my mother took a very smart approach. She would never tell me I was too young to notice boys, or that I was making a mistake being interested in any particular one. She never lectured me or fought with me about it. She just showed interest in my life, and asked questions, and kept her concerns inside. If she did feel the need to say something, she was very thoughtful and gentle about it. As a result, I felt like I could talk to her about things. Now that I'm an adult, I can look back and see how much restraint she had! Some of the things I did must have made her panic with worry, but she didn't let it show. She just trusted me that I would make good choices. And as a result, we had - and still have - a very close relationship. I just hope I can do the same thing when my daughter starts dating. I'm not as good at keeping my thoughts to myself as my mom is.

Mom is the queen! ...er, pharaoh!

I think this picture says it all. 

Like my dad, my mom is also a lot of fun. I remember her dancing in the kitchen with Alyssa and me over Christmas several years ago. She also would tell us "your mama" jokes, which still makes me laugh. She introduced me to musical theater, and directed a lot of the plays I was in during my high school years. I'll always be grateful for that!

My dad was the spiritual head of the family, but my mom was the heart. She was every bit as faithful as my dad, and set just as great an example for me. She taught me about Jesus; about being an example; about serving others; about charity and kindness. Faith begins at home, and that's where I learned it - at my mother's feet. She set an amazing example, and I want to emulate her in every way. If I can get to the point where I'm as good a mother and a person as she is, I know I'll be doing well.

Mom takes air hockey very seriously

Most importantly, though, is that my mom always made me feel loved. No matter how much I screwed up, I never doubted her love for me. And now that I'm grown up and have a family of my own, I can see that love even more clearly. I miss her a lot, and I look forward to the day when we can live near each other again so I can see her all the time.

My parents are wonderful. They're truly amazing. And I'm so grateful to be their daughter, and to be sealed to them forever. It's such a blessing to know that, when this life is over, they will still be my parents. We can be a family forever. Heaven wouldn't be the same without my own little family of Ben and Evie, but it also wouldn't be the same without my parents and siblings. I'm so grateful for my forever family, and for my incredible parents. I love them forever.

Mom, Joseph, Lyssa, Dad, and Evie. Hang ten.