Look Who's 70!

Happy Birthday Dad!

My dad is a no frills kind of guy. Doesn't need them, doesn't want them, doesn't do them. As a tribute to him, I'm keeping this as simple as possible. Just a list.

Of seventy things:)

1. He was born in a small farming community in Idaho.
2. He's the third of four children.
3. He marches to the beat of his own drummer.
4. He was a cheerleader at his small high school in Montana.
5. His graduating class had probably like 15 people.
   
6. I don't think his High School has seen a male cheerleader since.
7. He had a gift for breaking horses in his youth.
8. He was fluent in Navajo on his mission.
9. He will fix and fix and fix a car over buying a new one. It's always cheaper to put in a couple of hundred dollars, than buy a new one....much to the chagrin of his children.
10. He doesn't like to eat out.
11. His favorite cake is German Chocolate.
12. His older brother once had to pay him to go on a double date.
13. He has never worn a tuxedo.
14. He loves good music.
15. He has a lot of his family history memorized. If you know yours...he could tell you if you're related.
16. He says he was born with a testimony of the gospel. He cannot remember not having one.
17. He can take a cat nap anywhere.
18. He loves crossword puzzles.
19. If we're playing trivial pursuit, he says he doesn't want to play but then answers all the questions before anyone else.
20. He loves to tease.
    
21. He can do that Dick Van Dyke laugh from Mary Poppins.
22. He likes to read out loud if he thinks something is interesting.
23. Buying gifts for him is extremely difficult. He doesn't want anything.
24. We used to make him homemade tapes of us playing our piano pieces and he acted delighted.
25. He's always willing to drop us off and go find a parking spot on his own.
26. I don't remember him ever bringing work home.
27. He reads dozens of papers from around the country online every day.
28. He sings tenor.
29. Sometimes (most of the time) he's the only tenor in the ward choir, even if he's directing.
30. He has distinguished white hair.
31. I think he's told me all of my babies look like Lamanites and have the nose of Joseph Smith when they are born.
32. He's a great dancer.
33. He taught me how to do the bop.
34. He's pretty aware of an unwritten ten-minute phone call rule.
35. He is an early riser.
36. He'll make anybody anything they want for breakfast.
37. He always hand washes dishes.
    
38. He taught the Freshman early morning seminary class for nine years.
39. If I have a gospel question, I usually ask him.
40. He thinks nothing of visiting a long lost third cousin I've never heard of if we happen to be in the area and wonders why I don't want to.
41. He loves to conduct with a conducting wand.
42. I think he conducts hymns too slow.
43. He thinks it makes the lyrics more meaningful.
44. He has written the most romantic letters to my mother as Christmas gifts along with a blank check!
45. He holds my mom's hand.
    
46. He only wears button down shirts. I've never seen him wear a t-shirt.
47. He changes into jeans as soon as he can.
48. He likes to watch sports on T.V. and yell at the refs.
49. I remember him yelling at one of my volleyball refs once. The ref happened to be our bishop.
50. He bears his testimony to his children often.
51. He loves and accepts each of his childrens' spouses.
52. He mows the lawn with heart attack speed. Sometimes we worry about that literally.
53. I'm pretty sure my mom has bought every article of clothing he owns.
    
54. If she gets him something new, he balks and says he doesn't need it. Then, after a month or so, he'll start wearing it.
55. He used to scare me driving down MacDonald Pass. He doesn't like to brake if he doesn't absolutely have to.
56. He is loved by anyone who knows him, Chinese government officials included.
    
57. He's the best grandpa.
    
    
58. I want my children to be like him.
59. He didn't go to the doctor for decades. When he had to go before they got approval to teach in China, his assumption proved to be true. He's healthy as an ox!
60. I admire his support and love for his younger sister, Jennie.
61. Utah traffic makes him cranky.
62. He loves my mom's cooking.
63. He does most of the chores now.
    
64. He is very intelligent.
    
65. His memory is unreal. It's not infrequent that he'll begin a sentence with, "When I was four, I....."
66. He's always happy at funerals.
    
67. He's a friend to anyone he meets.
68. I've never seen my dad "work out". Every once in a while, I will catch him sprinting down the street.
69. He always trusted his kids and expected the best from us.
70. He's the best man I know.
    

I love you Dad. You continue to be an example to me and my family every day.