10 REASONS THAT MY DAD IS AWESOME
One.
Because he is the one driving this car. Is there really anything else I need to add here?
Two.
When I was younger we would make half a loaf of bread into peanut butter toast and eat it all. To this day I can't eat peanut butter toast without thinking about my dad and how I am ever thankful to him for sharing this delicacy with me.
Three.
My dad is the most generous person I know. While I was spending a year and a half in France as a missionary, he would send me packages full of my favorite American things (like peanut butter and Orange Crush) even despite financial difficulties. These packages were so special to me and made me feel ridiculously loved though I was far from home.
Four.
Golfing champion. I think his clothes say it all here.
Five.
Even when I am a junior in high school, he still insists that I sit on his shoulders so I can see the cars over the fence. If this isn't real love, I don't know what is.
Six.
My dad and I haven't always seen eye to eye. We have said a lot of things that didn't go over well... but I think we taught each other about forgiveness and what happens when you love someone -- you forgive and you move on and try to make new memories. Being family doesn't entitle you to a relationship with someone, genuine love and concern earns you that trust and respect. I'm really grateful that we have been able to "figure stuff out" and have a super great relationship even from across the country.
Seven.
I love this picture of my dad because it proves to me something I have known my whole life. My dad has ALWAYS been proud of me and what I have done with my life even if I feel like I don't deserve it. He sports this t-shirt like a true BYU dad even though he has never set foot on campus (not yet anyway!) and I think that's really rad.
Eight.
I think the most important lessons I learned from my dad are one, to be considerate of others and two, to not judge them. This is never something he sat me down and told me, but something I have observed. My dad has always been mindful of the little things like cleaning up after yourself if you spill on the counter or changing the toilet paper roll (you know, basic stuff) but this branches off into the fact that we can't judge people for being human.
I'm not perfect at this (and I'm not saying my dad is either) but he has shown me in the way he talks about people, even people I know he really dislikes, that he does not hate them for what they do or say -- but that they are that way and sometimes there isn't much we can do about it and talking badly about them won't make it any better. I think this is the quality I admire the most about my dad and the one that I am trying to emulate all the time.
Nine.
My dad is living proof that having really hard times all the time doesn't mean you have to be a bad person. Sometimes I am still heartbroken at some of the things my dad has experienced but still he is one of the best people I know. So often I meet people that are unkind to others or incredibly negative because of their trials, but it doesn't have to be that way and if you disagree I'll let you chat with my dad a minute so he can prove you wrong :)
Ten.
The best part about doing this is that my dad is really humble so... he won't believe anything I say and will maybe deny it to anyone who mentions it so just take my word -- IT'S ALL TRUE. Even if he doesn't think so.
Thanks, dad, for being the greatest!
