Dear Ole' Dad

Today would have been my dad's 72nd birthday. I have been thinking about him a lot this week, beginning with Father's Day. Actually I think about him a lot all the time.

I remember 3 years ago, my parents came to visit my family here in Kentucky to help us unpack into our new house. We were lucky enough to have them here that year for Father's Day/Birthday celebration. Little did I know that would be the last Father's Day and Birthday we would have together with my dad. I am so grateful to have spent that week with them that year.

As I was going thru pictures this week to put on this post so many memories flowed thru my mind. It is hard to summarize in this little post all that my dad means to me.

As great as my dad was being a dad, he was an even better papa. Even though my children were only 5-1/2, 4, 2 and 6 weeks old when he died they still have so many memories with him that they talk about on a weekly basis. It was very common for Ethan and Ashton to call him every day to see what he was doing. He usually replied with comments such as, "just got done feeding the birds" or "I drove by the temple water today and thought of you" or "I went to a garage sale today and picked up a new fountain for you" or "just dropped a package off at the post office for you. It isn't much, but a few fun things you may enjoy."

Like my boys, I often talked with my dad every day. He always wanted to know how the kids were doing. He also asked about Matt each day, wondering if he was doing good too. He loved us all so much and always wanted to know about all the things that were going on. Nothing was of insignificance to him if it pertained to our family. I am so glad that even though he wasn't a papa for a lot of years, he made an impression in my kids lives that will never be forgotten.

Some of the things I enjoyed/loved about my dad:

• he painted every room in our first 2 homes with no complaints. Something I now realize was a real pain in the rear.
• he worked hard.
• he loved his family.
• he served others on a daily basis.
• he knew how to do just about everything.
• he was more fun to hang out with than most friends are.
• he supported me in all my activities.
• he would take me almost anywhere I asked. This included driving me and my friends to high school hockey games that were 2 hours away in a Minnesota blizzard.
• he brought me to work with him many times in the summer (and we usually ended up at the mall shortly after lunch).
• he loved my friends and enjoyed having them around.
• he was excited for all of our accomplishments. He was a very proud dad/papa.
• he was funny.
• he loved his in-laws.
• he sang in the car.
• he loved to sneak treats to my boys.
• he was a good golfer.
• he was a great coach. I was lucky enough to have him coach my softball team for many years.
• he always had time for me and my brothers.
• he was simple.
• he was friendly.
• he cheered for the underdog.

I could go on forever listing things about him. I was so fortunate to have him as my dad. I love him and miss him so much. Here are a few photos - I hope you enjoy

Uncle Jay (dad's older brother) and Dad (Salt Lake City, UT 1940's)

Dad's mission picture

Skiing in Switzerland (while on mission)

My beautiful parents 1968 maybe?

Dad with his mother (Salt Lake City, UT 1990?)

Miniature golfing (Park City, UT 1996ish)

Dad with his mother, Eva Rosetta Carlson Niederhauser (Salt Lake City, UT 1996ish)

Ethan and Papa playing on the floor (S. Ogden, UT 2005)

Papa sneaking pie to Ethan and Ashton (St. Louis, MO 2003)

Ethan and Papa (S. Ogden, UT 2005)

Ethan on bike with Papa pulling Ashton in wagon (S. Ogden, UT 2005)

Papa decorating Halloween cupcakes (Georgetown, KY Oct 2006)

Papa feeding his 1st granddaughter Brinley (Georgetown, KY Oct 2006)

Papa and his grandchildren (Georgetown, KY Oct 2006)