My Parents

I have the best parents in the world. Sometimes I take for granted all they have done for me, but I try to tell them and show them how much I appreciate them. The older I get, the more I realize the sacrifices they made for me. My mom is one of the most talented people I know. She can make just about anything - - I remember growing up how teachers would always say how lucky I was to have such an artistic mother. She made so many clothes for me, often staying up all night to finish. I know I wasn't grateful enough at the time, but I am now. (Especially since I don't make any of my kids' clothes and I hardly ever stay up all night doing anything!) My mom also has incredible stamina. She works so hard every day in the house and yard, and like the energizer bunny, she just keeps going and going. I remember when we catered a dinner for OneHeart and by the end of the day I thought I was going to just die from exhaustion. But Mom had been working right along with me and she was still going strong. Of course anyone who can give birth to and raise 6 children has to be pretty tough.

My dad can strike up a conversation with just about anyone. He has an exuberant love for people and they can feel it when they talk to him. I think his job at Ricks/BYUI was perfect for him, because he got to work with people constantly. When he retired I helped put together a scrapbook of letters from fellow employees and students he had worked with and it was wonderful to see how many lives he had touched. Dad is so fun to be with, I love talking to him about everything. He is always supportive of me, and always expresses his love for me and Scott and my kids.

The best thing about my parents is their love for the gospel. It is the center of their lives and the way they live is a beautiful example. They worked so hard to teach their children correct principles, by their actions and their words. I am so thankful for that, and for the fact that our relationship is so loving. I know they've always wanted the best for me, and they've done so many things to make a good life possible for me. As a child I thought all adults made good choices. Now that I'm "grown-up" I see so many other parents and adults making selfish decisions that negatively impact everyone around them. How lucky am I that my parents put their children's needs first - - and realized what those needs really were (not so much material things, but spiritual, intellectual and emotional things). Well I'm ranting and I'm not as eloquent as I'd like to be, but I did want to express my deep love and endless appreciation for great parents. Thanks Mom and Dad!