thankful: day one

i always want to do a series of thanksgiving posts, and i meant to start yesterday. that didn't end up happening because yesterday was a crazy day.

so, that means today is the beginning of my thankful posts.

today i am thankful for dad. it also happens to be his birthday, which is pretty perfect. 

dad has taught me a lot in my life. from the infamous "freedom vs. liberty" talk in lake powell (which i'm still not sure i get. kidding, dad!) to "you can be offended and not take offense" to other counsel about the gospel and what kind of person i should be.

i get much of my humor from him, including a love of puns and one-liners. he's one of the funniest guys  know (though you should quit telling that one about mom being your first wife, dad. not that funny anymore :))

he has taught me to work hard and not to settle for anything less than your best. he is never afraid of anything, which means he often expects me to do the things that scare me. he always calls food service representatives and other name-tagged officials by their names, and when he meets a new person, he can almost always find a connection. he has a lot of connections. a lot. it's crazy.

he has one of the strongest testimonies i can think of, and i know he loves mom and us kids. happy birthday, dad! i am grateful for you!