My Dad

Today my Dad turns 83.

But he could pass for 63, easy.

It helps that when he got married at 21,

he looked like he was 12.

(of course, Mom looked 10!)

Aren't they adorable?

This might be my favorite picture of him in forever.

(only 60 years later...)

He is so full of life and laughter.

When I was MUCH younger and still living in Calgary,

he made it a point to meet me for lunch every Tuesday

in the summer for a "lunch time concert".

Downtown has several large churches

complete with fancy organs.

That summer (and maybe every summer, I don't know)

they had a lunch time organ concert at several of them.

We met there for the concert and then grabbed a bite

someplace close by.

I hated my job that year.

I hated everything about it.

But lunches with Dad made it bearable.

At least the Tuesdays.

It was my last summer in Calgary.

It might have been one of the best.

Ok, nope.

I had LOTS of great summers in Calgary!

They usually landed on a Thursday.

(sorry - old joke)

There were camping trips.

Complete with renegade squirrels raiding the

peanut stash in the trunk of the car

and "toes" that kicked out teeth.

There were trips to Waterton.

There were canoe trips on the dam.

There were horseback rides.

There were day trips to Banff.

Trips to the "river garden" that just weren't

complete unless we got to ride on the trunk.

Not to mention the big backyard garden 

every single year.

There were beans.

And peas.

And potatoes.

And carrots (if you squinted).

And more beans.

And Tabor corn.

And Dad was a main feature in all of it.

He was a full time Dad.

Even though he was a full time employee.

And a nearly full time Bishop.

He taught me the true meaning of service.

*And a really cool lesson on fasting!

We are so blessed to have his example

of how to do it RIGHT.

LOVE YOU DAD!

Happy Birthday!