Happy Father's Day

What kind of a daughter would I be if I neglected to wish the Mayor a Happy Father's Day?

What kind of a daughter wouldn't thank this man for being everything she needed him to be when she needed it? It's funny, but I find the greatest peace in knowing that he believes in me--that he trusts my judgment & cares about what I think. I find joy in his approval and a great deal of inspiration from his example. I love that he will dance with my mom in the kitchen & play game after game of UNO--even when he's rather have a root canal. I admire his down-to-earth nature & genuine desire to do/be good. I consider him to be one of my greatest blessings.

Though I could write pages and pages about my dad--I think I'll leave that to a more private setting & tell you a few things about the man from whence I came:

Did you know that the Mayor. . .

1. Has a paper route? He gets up early every morning and delivers his 15-20 papers. He usually rides his bike. Rain, snow (lots of it this year), or holiday--the paperboy delivers. On Sundays he delivers his customers a candy bar. When the Mayor is out of town, it's not unusual that his substitute might receive more compensation for a week's work than the Mayor makes for the month.
2. Is extraordinary with a vacuum? When he vacuums a rug, there are no lines. It's absolutely amazing! When I was little, we had this shag carpet & he'd us a special race to get the carpet to lay in the right direction. To this day, I'm still trying to figure out how he does it.

3. Is built? Yep--a vigorous regimen of early morning swimming, walking, and biking leaves the Mayor with a sleek physique.

4. Loves to watch boxing, eat ice cream, wash cars, and sleep outside? Oh, and he supports the Girl Scouts of America. Pictured below signing a proclamation naming March 9-15th as Girl Scout Week in Blackfoot.

5. Is brilliant? Always a numbers man, the Mayor is my personal calculator, financial advisor, and tax man.

6. Is popular? Yep--our trips to the Blackfoot social center (a.k.a. Wal-Mart) are full of handshakes and hellos. The Mayor really cares about the city & the people who live there. He loves his responsibilities & takes a great deal of pride in being someone who listens & leads with reason & thoughtfulness. Pictured below speaking at Memorial Day event honoring veterans.
7. Makes us laugh? He is pretty stinkin' funny--always has been.

8. Likes to bake cookies, wear nice clothes, and mow the lawn? I used to love Friday nights in the summer. It meant dad would mow the lawn in his sneakers. If it was hot, I'd take him a tall glass of cherry cool-aid & he's always make me feel like I'd rescued from certain death due to dehydration. Mom would make finger steaks & fries and we'd sit down for a fried Friday night feast.

9. Gets better and better? I've always loved and appreciated my dad. One of the things I've recently come to admire about him is that he's better. He just keeps getting kinder, softer, more thoughtful, and smarter. He is still learning and working on becoming his best self. I think you're getting close, dad!

10. Really loves me? I've always known it. I knew it each time he left work or a church meeting to attend a parent-teacher conference. I knew it every weekend when he'd spend time with us rather than hanging out with his friends. I feel it each time he calls me at work just to say "hi." He reminds me often & isn't afraid to say it aloud. It's usually a sweet quiet moment--always tender and sincere . . .always what I need when I need it.

Happy Father's Day, dad. I love you more and more.