Thinking of my Daddy

(Here's Dad and me in Rome during our little post-mission tour of Italy. He's so cute!)

I read my mom's blog post about my dad and got all teary-eyed as I thought with gratitude of all the moments he's been a hero to me. Once when I was really young and we were living in Italy I asked him a question with the basic idea of, "Why do you always have to leave and go to work? Why can't you stay home with us?" I'll never forget how he turned to me and said, "Shell, I wish I could stay home with you. I only go because our family needs money. I would much rather stay home to play with you." I don't know why that's such a vivid memory for me, but I never doubted his sincerity. It meant to a little 6-year-old that my dad wanted to spend time with me, that he loved me, and that he was making a sacrifice to serve our family.

When I read the The Family: A Proclamation to the World I think of my dad every time I read the words "fathers ... are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families." He was a stunning example of that principle. And in my gratitude for a father like that I was determined to find a man who would offer the same security and devotion to my children.

Dad's example of what it meant to provide changed me in a lot of ways. Yes, he took us t.p.-ing, and encouraged pyrotechnics, and brought home junk food for us all to consume during family movie nights. But he also took time off work to chaperon choir tour every year, taught us the principles dearest to his heart, and told us constantly that he loved us. On my wedding day I had a moment where I just looked at him for a minute and suddenly I was flooded with dozens of happy memories with this good man who had helped to keep me safe for the past 24 years.

Oh, Daddy, how I love you so!