Fourty-Five Things

To My Dad:

Happy 45th Birthday!

Here's 45 things that remind me of you:

Fishing Marshmellows and licorice. All day activity. - "Kung Fu Moves" Aka wrestling in our front room. - Basketball The summer we spent every afternoon shooting around for hours...  pure bliss - Green Trucks So distinctable - Country Music "Fishin in the Dark" - School - Thunder - Finger Hugs With super great sound effects "Uh uh UUUUH uh" - Computers - T-Shirts - The Priesthood - California - Llamas ..Spit. Haha - Playing 1 on 1 I would be lauging so hard I couldn't stand up. - Relay for Life Thanks for your example. Sorry I wasn't more willing to help. - Ensign Peak Random adventure :) - Ski Lifts "I'm usually scared of these, but since you're so scared I feel like I have to protect you." - Ferris Wheels The only ride you refuse to go on - Sloppy Joes When mom was gone it was either that or pizza - Forever Families - Temples - Fighting Cancer - Walks "Uhm... Well, I've been better." - "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today" "What are you lauging at?" "Nothing, I just really love this song!" - "Love at Home" Aka "The Fightin Song"  - Christmas Tree Hunting - Cold Weather - "Not all returned missionaries are created equal" - Free-Throws 6024 Made... who knows how many attempted - Caramels Only to be made around Christmas time - "Bah-Humbug" - Mac & Cheese Last meal - Ping-Pong Epic. Battles. - Huey Lewis Dad, you are Huey Lewis - Fantasy Football & Basketball Brackets I don't remember a single time you lost - Blue Eyes - The "U" - Temple Square And proposing to Mom in the cutest way imaginable - Hawaii - Chocolate Labs You spoiled that dog. A lot. - Camping - Hiking I was an energetic ten-year-old and you made the mistake of letting me carry your Pepsi in my backpack - Four-Wheelers And the persuasive letter you asked Mr. Dickson to write so Mom would finally let you have one - Hard Work - Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Enduring to the End.

Thanks for always being able to listen. For teaching me to say "I'm sorry". And to appriciate life as it is - "I wouldn't change a thing". Thanks for being my dad, my coach, and my best friend. 16 months ago seems like forever, and I know I have a long way to go, but I'm so excited to see you again. I miss you. I love you. I love you.

Love,
Jade