Game Night at my grandparents' house in UT. I miss those nights.
My Dad:
I imagine being a dad can be hard sometimes (almost every parent in cyberspace is thinking, "Well, that's a given"). My dad puts a lot of effort into making his kids a priority. For instance he reads my blog. Last week on the phone I expressed some of my fears and worries, which included feeling like a tiny, little baby in comparison to some of my friends and colleagues, and my dad reminded me of my blog manifesto: "I will allow myself to be silly in public. And I'll LIKE it." When I am the most happy I do act a little silly. I hop as I walk, I jump up and down, I sing nonsense songs, I tell dorky jokes. When I get really excited I run in place and squeal. My dad reminded me that some of the things I do that make me worry I might be immature are things that I like about myself.
The next day my dad sent me a very detailed, careful, and loving email with suggestions on how to live in the moment and find greater peace in life. I loved this email because it showed that he was thinking about ways to help me even after we'd ended our phone call. Sometimes knowing your parents are thinking about you is just as helpful (or more) as the advice they give.
My Mum:
As long as I have been cognizant (and I'm assuming longer) my mom has wanted to be an Author. She has always worked hard to achieve her goals. While she was working full-time, attending graduate school full-time, being married, raising her children, serving in the church, and taking care of other responsibilities she would still find time to focus on her writing. Sometimes she would do something I can't imagine doing: wake up in the wee hours of the morning so she could write in peace and quiet. Recently all her hard work has begun to pay off in very tangible, exciting ways. (Click here to see her book that will be coming out in paperback soon! - read it, love it, share it with others! Click here to follow her blog and get updates on all the exciting awards she is winning.) Sometimes I have a hard time believing that any of my wilder dreams can come true. My mom reminds me that they're possible.
There are times that I feel like I need to take care of my life on my own, that as an adult I've got to be able to handle my problems and avoid running to mom and dad when things seem tough. I like it when I step out of those lonely stages in my life and remember how much my parents love me. Let's hear it for parents!
My dad rides too, but I don't seem to have a picture of him with a bike. They ride together; isn't that sweet?
