My dad was first a provider and protector. Neither if my parents “retired”. They taught us how to work which has shaped our current lives and been a blessing . Dad was a builder. In our first home in Orem , he turned the carport into an extra family room, and made an extra bedroom in the basement . We had a massive yard, and he made it beautiful with a huge garden, sandbox, and hills with grape and strawberry plants . He built a nice shed that my mom took over with her crafts. One year for Christmas we travelled to our grandparents in California. He built a platform in their suburban for us to lay down in with all our blankets and pillows and stored all the wrapped presents underneath . We had a ball!
Dad generally worked 2 jobs. When he started his maintenance hustle, he bought a big box truck. He got an old church chair and installed it for us to sit on. There were several fairly large rusted out holes in the floor where we would watch the road as we drive along. He installed a cb radio in our house to be able to contact him while he was out doing maintenance. We would push the button and say “501 come in 501, this is 503” I’m sure he regretted it as had sibling fights over the air waves.
His dad passed away when I was in second grade. I remember him talking gently to me as he pulled out my loose tooth in grandpas big chair as we prepared for the funeral. He was sad and overwhelmed but he still found time to spend time with me.
As teenagers, he always made sure we had a chevron card to charge our gas and he paid for it. He would say if the tank was below half full it was empty and if you were not 15 minutes early, you were late. Well one day I ran out of gas —on the freeway— and he rescued me without getting mad.
He found our first home as our realtor. We were driving in a neighborhood and he pulled up to this newly finished home. I said it was too much, but he just said “Let’s see”. It was perfect and we found a way to make it work.
My mom and dad were carers. They taught me by example to serve. When it snowed, he not only would plow our driveway but the whole neighborhood. They taught me to look for those who needed help especially at Christmas. Taking care of their elders was a given. They took care of his mom, his aunt and uncle, my mom’s parents, and my mom during their last days.
When he found out we were adopting Camilla he cried. She always loved to rub his bald peach fuzz head for sensory input. I’m grateful that he loved my little family so well.
Im grateful for the sweet moments I’ve had with my dad over the past few months as he was in the hospital. He had no choice but to sit and listen to me talk or cry. But his encouragement and love during our talks is something I’ll cherish forever.
In the last weeks of his life, he spent 16 days and nights in more pain than I could imagine. I’m so proud of him for putting up a good fight. I imagine he is already busy in heaven.
Dad, I love you forever , I like you for always , as long as I’m living our dad you will be , and even after that.
Amy
