My Dad

My Dad takes me on hikes. He took me to work with him when I was little and we discovered "mouse moss", ate lunch under the trees or on the edge a ridge, watched for animal tracks and he taught me to identify the different types of trees. We climbed around Mt St. Helens and Mt Ranier when my world had crumbled around me. We explored a tree farm when ideas were sprouting in my mind. We've hiked in all corners of the world just for fun, including Mt. Kenya, Speckle Mountain, Mt. Longanot, The Ngong Hills and Hurricane Ridge. Our quiet walks and shared discoveries are treasures to me.

He put in almost as many miles as I did helping me train during high school cross-country season. I wouldn't have been out there running without him.

He previewed the movie "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" before I watched it so that he'd know what  I was watching and if we should have any significant conversations afterwards.

He skipped through the parking lot with me when I had chicken pox.

He's watched and read multiple tv/book series because I was obsessed with them and he wanted to know more.

He's my example for thoughtful intelligence, quiet compassion and hard work.

He read, among many, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and The Princess and The Goblin series by George MacDonald to me in the evenings.

He made me (all of us kids) haul wood but he came out and worked with us too.

He regularly wrote letters to me while I was in college and never complained about the phone bills from my tearful calls home.

He is silly and funny and laughs with abandon.

He warned me to watch out for moose when I was learning how to drive.

He played games in the pool, was pounded by the waves and acted like a human jungle gym.


He helped me study for Anatomy and Physiology when I was determined to make a point.

He never said a word (to me at least) about the fact that my prom dress was strapless. Just told me I looked pretty (even though I stood like a boy).

He married my mom and they've made it work for 40 years.