Dad

Dad was ordained as Stake Patriarch on Sunday, July 8th. Van was fussy. That made me sad because I couldn't concentrate. It feel weird to have Dad be a patriarch. Weird, but like everyone said at the ordination, right.

• Dad used to sing really loud to wake me up in the mornings. I don't remember the song. Something like "Oh what a beautiful morning" and it would make me really mad. REALLY mad.

• He also drove me and In-Ping, and Kim to Freshman basketball practice at 5:30 in the morning. He'd ask me all kinds of questions about what I was going to do that day and if I was excited for practice. I know I barked at him . . . a lot . . . in front of my friends. I'm sorry. But it was 5:30 a.m.

• The other morning-Dad stories all involve breakfast. When most you were still sleeping, I'd get up with Dad and watch him make oatmeal or pancakes or cracked wheat. I also would BEG him to go buy chocolate milk and doughnuts. He relented about 5% of the time and we'd drive down to the BYU cougareat bakery and I'd get to choose.
  

• Dad went to all my games. He thought I should've started Varsity when I was still in Junior High. He also bought me the best basketball shoes in the world. I loved going to BYU games with him even though sometimes I'd make a hole with my fingers so that I could only see the basket. I'd watch the whole second half like that. He never said it bugged him.
  

• Dad also let me ride on the top of the station wagon when we were up in the mountains. Katy and I would lay on our bellies and get a whole lot of dirt in our face but it felt like we were being soooo adventurous.
  

• Sometimes he'd give us money to buy a candy bar from the vending machines at the Eyring Science Center and we always had to play the violin for his classes. I remember feeling like we were in a dungeon.
  

• Dad promised that one day we'd have a waterslide coming down the hill into our yard at oak lane and we'd have a sports court and one day he'd buy the whole hill and everyone would have a house and it'd be called Knight Hill. I wonder if that'll still happen. Maybe we could have Knight Wells Fargo building.
  

• Dad brought those mugs back from Germany. And those tennis shoes back from Korea. And I think the rainbow bright bowling jacket was from Korea too. I told all my friends that my dad was a world class physicist. They asked what that was and I said I didn't know but it had to do with lasers and liquid nitrogen.

• Sometimes Dad fell asleep on the stand when he was in the bishopbric of the 2nd ward. Mom would get mad at him about it and he said he was just thinking with his eyes closed.
  

• Dad went walking every morning. He used to run marathons but I don't think I was born when that happened. But he always told me I could do anything I wanted. I was good enough, smart enough and dog gone it, people liked me. He is the best dad. He is the smartest dad. He is the nicest dad. He is the funniest dad. He is the kindest dad. He is the dad I know I was meant to have and I'm so glad he's going to be able to bless so many people.