Ode to Daddy (Corban's view)

My Father

Happy Father's Day to all you dads! What a great blessing you are to the rest of us! This video was on lds.org today. It is a great story that hits home in many ways. Many of our fathers haven't gone through exactly this kind of life, but they each have their own challenges.
My dad is a great dad, fabulous father, and caring friend! I would never wish for another one! I have great memories of my dad fathering me and my siblings. Here are just a few of those memories:
Hiking to Congo Falls with Michael on his back in one of those really old kid-backpacks- not quite as luxurious as they are today. Probably a little rough on the back.
Safari adventure in Kenya...I could actually give a ton of memories of the great adventures he has taken us on. Just the fact that I am talking about foreign countries shows the adventurous journey he allowed us to all experience. And he has not stopped adventuring, now living in Greece.
Always involved in our sports and activities. I have memories of this when we were young little ones running around, all the way up to Michael being obsessed with basketball. Dad would come home from a long day at work and ask Michael if he wanted to play some hoop out on the court. No offense, but basketball isn't necessarily dad's strength, however, he was the challenge that helped Michael gain his skills!
My dad baptised me at age 8 and took me out for frozen custard afterwards! He has ALWAYS had a weakness for "ice cream", and maybe that explains my addiction to frozen yogurt. This reminds me of home- we ALWAYS had ice cream in the freezer- multiple 1/2 gallons in a variety of flavors. And once the carton was 1/2 way gone, making it difficult to scoop out without it getting all over your hands, he would then open it up from the bottom as if it was a new carton. Unfortunately this great lesson is not very useful with how they do ice cream cartons now.
I don't know how many times I have watched doctor procedures at our home- not just on our family, but all those families that took advantage of the convenience of an "emergency room" right in their neighborhood. He even had a great nurse (without the degree) by his side, who conveniently knew how to take care of my wounds when dad wasn't around.
Endless nights were spent writing papers for each and every one of us children. We all love talking about how this is when the best papers are written- after 11:00 pm. And with the habit already formed, this didn't stop when we went off to college. There were times we would call home for the same kind of help.
Late nights are a tradition in our family. And when dad can't stay awake for them, he is atleast in the same room, opening one eye every once in a while when we start talking about him. I don't think they stay up this late anymore, but it just so happens that when I called him for Father's Day today, which was after 11 pm Greece time, he was awake and sounding alive as ever :)
Dad has always enjoyed thought provoking conversations. And when this isn't available in person, he will send emails with questions to spur conversation. This is a great way to get church lessons planned- for him and me!
My favorite memory of these thought provoking questions was on a drive to Manti from St. George. Just Michael and me were still living at home at the time. On that drive we had a conversation about character. It was on that drive that I learned alone time with mom and dad is priceless!
The last time I was with dad I witnessed the great Grandpa that he is! It is so neat to watch my father with my own child!


And I can't talk about my dad without saying something about my mom. I truly believe in their case that there is no great man without an amazing women by his side. My mother has been his support all along the way for him to become the man that he is. When he was being the caring man that he ALWAYS is, getting involved in way too many obligations, my mother was in the background, picking up the peices and making life as smooth as she could.
I am so blessed to have a mother and a father! I know this and it is one of my biggest motivators when it comes to fighting for the definition of marriage.

Happy Father's Day

so...amanda, corban and i are in this video. our friend liz put it together. she is a photographer and has really stepped up her game using the tools given to all of us to promote the family. i know there is another one out there and i am going to post that one here as well. yeah for the family! yeah for father's! i know that many of the lessons i learned came from my father. there is a quote in this video that i just love. i don't know it by heart, but it says something along these lines, "my father didn't tell me how to live, he lived and let me watch him." i love my dad. he is a great inspiration in more ways than 100. i have learned how to live by watching my father live an imperfect, humble, meek, submissive, loving, repentant life. some might say that he struggles to manifest his love to/for others, but his love is always present. his caring and concern, guidance and counsel are always there. the times i look back when i thought that my father was uncaring, unloving, unconcerned for me and my interests i find that he always was. i simply wasn't listening anymore. not with my head or heart. i truly want to be just like my dad when i grow up. i hope and pray that i can be as good a father. that my son will love and respect me half as much as i love and respect my father. in a world that is trying to tear apart the family i watched my friends families fall apart. my heart aches for all the children that have males in their lifes...and no father to teach, to guide them with an unfaltering moral compass, and to show them that they can be a man, husband and father at the same time. i'm sorry dad, for all the times i thought that you weren't there, for all the selfish moments that seperated me from your willing love. i will be like you. you have shown me how. thank you. i love you.

A Favorite

Sharing our Trip

I am sorry that it has taken so long to post pictures from our trip. I actually haven't even taken much time to look through them myself. I guess I allowed life to swallow me up. Here are the days prior to our cruise in Greece:

Day 1 we took a walk to keep us busy to help us get on the opposite schedule.

Walking straight up the street from Mom and Dad's house. You can see the new Olympic Stadium behind me.

Game of Domino's and Grandpa took care to feed Corban something yummy. It definitely contained chocolate.

He is a little man! He looks so big sitting in the chair all by himself. This was a common occurrence at Noni's because I forgot the travel highchair.

At the Parthenon

Overlooking the city of Athens.

I see some resemblance.

I loved this drain cover...and the man standing over it.

Changing of the guards. Jared couldn't stop making fun of the silly uniform- it was mostly the puff balls on the end of the clog-like shoes.

"Pain in my side"

That is what I have to say about our little girl! I remembered this feeling with Corban- cause how can you forget a constant ache that puts you in an irritable mood all day, every day? But I don't remember it starting as early as it has with this one- about 2 months ago! Poor Jared has to remind himself daily that this pain could be the reason I throw cups of ice on the airplane (and almost hit the people across the aisle- there is more to the story), or throw sandwiches in the car after spilling it down the front of me, or handing him Corban out of frustration, saying "It's your turn to take him." Unfortunately, there is probably so much more to add to the list to give the true side of Amanda during pregnancy. The other day, while conversing with Jared about how he remembers me dealing with the pain when I was pregnant with Corban, Jared asked me, "Does this make you want to have less children?" I don't know if that was out of hope that I would say "Yes". But my real answer is "No".

I really do LOVE being pregnant! From day 1 of finding out of this second little miracle, I have been so grateful for the blessing! I love the stage of questioning if the tests are really right and if so, what the future will bring. I love all of a sudden remembering that we are pregnant and that in 9 months our entire world will change all over again. I love the first doctors (or midwife in this case) appointment when you get another assurance that that "+" was for real. I LOVE the first ultrasound when you get to see that little bean moving around inside MY belly when I still can't feel a thing but morning sickness (which, as most pregnant women can attest to, doesn't only last the morning). I love those first flutters, and you start to realize "That's my baby!" (a little easier to decipher on the second one). I love the anticipation of finding out whether it will be another boy or an entirely different experience with a baby girl. I love the ultrasound when this little one is so much more developed and has much stronger, deliberate movements that make the ultrasound that much more interesting. I love the moment on the ultrasound that you are sure of being about to call this little one "SHE". And then those flutters start turning into pokes which turn into rumbly tummy, which turn into full blown tossing and turning. This baby girl feels like she is getting good practice with rolling over and stretching completely out- I expect her to be pretty advance when she arrives. I love when Jared gets to feel her move and when I can watch my belly changing shape with her every movement. I love (but maybe not so much) people asking when she is due to arrive and they are surprised I have so much time left :) I love preparing for her arrival by buying little girl outfits and putting away Corban's since we don't get to share (unless Jared has something to do with it...he wants to follow his father's example. Thank you Curtis!).

There is so much more I could add to this list, but overall, pregnancy is a gift I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to have experienced not only once, but twice! I don't know what plans our Father in Heaven has for our little family, but I feel I have used up every bit of blessing I could have, and have yet earned in this life. I sure hope I have enjoyed the moments enough!

Baby bump develops (not the best pictures, but you get the idea): January you start to notice there is something there (3 months)

February, people want to start asking (4 months)

March, no hiding her now (5 months/so weeks)

April, at least I can still fit in my normal pants (6 months)

And then Baby Bump grows in Greece:

I swear, after this trip this belly has been bigger than I remember Corban ever getting. I am sure I am just imagining Corban unrealistically. The funny thing is, I seem to be at a lower weight than I was with Corban at this point and there are still some of my regular jeans and shorts that I can fit in (knock on wood). Maternity clothes are a bit more comfortable, though.