Dads

Did you ever read The Luckiest Girl by Beverly Cleary?  It's about a teenage girl who spends a year in California and feels out of place but then dazzles everyone with her knowledge of donut holes.  Everything Beverly Cleary touches is magic.

I digress.

I very often feel like the luckiest girl (minus the donut holes, but I do like donut holes).

We didn't really do much to celebrate Father's Day. (Although Mark got the little bag of chocolates and caramels the YW handed out after sacrament meeting.  Gluten free!  It was an everybody gets a trophy situation because they had every male over 18 stand up to get one.) Adam was on the road for work.

I did talk to my dad on the phone a little.  I'll never not love that he's my dad.  No one (except maybe my mom) has as much confidence in me.  For example, the excavator...  My whole life, if I've ever told my dad I can't do something, he has said, "Sure you can."

He is an example of goodness, has blessed our family with his priesthood power and authority, can fix anything (seriously), is very witty and generous and kind.  

The luckiest girl.

Marrying Adam is the best thing I've ever done.  He is a gift to me and to our kids.  He has a masters degree in International Relations that he doesn't use specifically in his profession (besides he's a smarty pants thinker and writer which are skills he honed with his education), but he said one time that maybe he got the degree for Braeden.

Braeden is studying political science and from very early in his life, he and Adam have talked about politics and governments and current events.  Adam would never let Braeden get away with an opinion if he couldn't back it up.  

Adam and Emma have a bond that I just love.  He has always been able to convince her of things I had no chance with.  Probably she could convince him of things I had no chance with too.  They are a lot alike and dive deep into topics.  They enjoy their time together and understand each other on a cellular level.  (I think Emma is also maybe the luckiest girl.)

Braeden is immediately easy for me to understand and Emma is immediately easy for Adam to understand and Mark is...Mark.

Adam has invested time to be close to Mark.  He listens carefully when Mark explain his interests.  He persists and asks questions until he understands.  (Sometimes it sounds like the adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon and I back away slowly.)

I appreciate the way Adam works hard to be a good dad.  He has always provided the necessities of life but also spontaneous fun and opportunities to see more of the world.  You can't be Adam's child and not know how to swim in a river, argue a point, read with expression, or road trip like a champion.

I appreciate the way Adam is the best possible partner in parenting for me.  He helps me chill out (which I need, often).  He understands how I feel and I 100% know that he cares about them as much as I do.  That is a gift all its own.

Another dad who is ever present even when he isn't is Adam's dad, Linn.  We miss him.  We are still blessed by him.  I know Adam strives to be like him and that makes me happy.  At the recent funeral for Shane, Adam was asked to give the family prayer.  In a different decade, Linn would have been asked to give the family prayer.  I love that Adam is like his dad.

Speaking of which, Adam rarely posts on his blog, but when he does, it is always so very good.  He wrote this about his dad.

I'm the luckiest girl.

Weekend

Can you go on a family history bender?  Is that a thing?

On Friday I was dutifully putting in a little time cleaning up files on my old computer (I hate boring tasks like that!) and I came across the file of the book I compiled for my grandma Jaynes's 80th birthday.  I had pestered everyone for months to write her letters but it felt worth it.  Some of the letters weren't there and some were in the wrong order, but I pulled out the book we gave to my grandma of all the letters and I typed up what was missing.

I also typed up the notes that the kids wrote.  I love these (and the people who wrote them):

I cried through reading some of the tributes to my grandma.  My mom's letter was beautiful as she outlined some of the amazing things my grandma did for her.  I was reminded when reading Olivia's letter of a song I need to teach QE.  Every letter spoke of her love, support, example, generosity and the fun that she brought to everything.

I want to be her when I grow up.

Once I had compiled the whole thing, I put it on Family Search.  I love having things on either my blog or Family Search.  Fire proof and flood proof.  

Another task I wanted to tackle this summer was organizing the box my aunt Jennifer gave me.  She said, "If you get the house, you get the box."  It was full of photos and newspaper clippings and other random documents and it was kind of a jumble.

I went through everything.  I sorted through things I thought some of my aunts and uncles and cousins might want (and I wanted to get it done before the reunion in July when I will see them).  I put all the pictures in an album.  I made an appointment at the Lehi Family History Center to scan some of the pictures.  I want to make a Snapfish book.  I put all the newspaper clippings in one box and all of the other stuff in another box and put one picture in a frame.

See the messy kitchen in the background?  This is what happens when I get obsessed with a project.

I snapped several pictures and sent them to my family along the way.  I think they're probably glad I'm finished so I'll leave them alone.

I loved this article about my grandpa as a mission president.  

This is from an article about him when he managed Deseret Ranches in Florida:

It was the little details like his familiar pocket full of stuff that made me miss him.

Also, the way he was sitting on this horse.  It was so like him!

These pictures are from their 50th wedding anniversary party.

I loved just poring over the faces of everyone and I love seeing the inside and outside of the house that burned when I was 16.

That is probably why I think about having my pictures in a fire proof location.

It didn't take them long to rise from the ashes.  Here they are and it kind of blows my mind that I now have that kitchen.

I could try my whole life and never look as classy as they do though. (Also, can you inherit a favorite color?  Is my love of red in my DNA?)

This picture is from their 60th wedding anniversary.  My grandma is on the verge of tears and that is where I get it!

I loved hearing her voice in the captions and handwritten notes.  I loved all the pictures she took of her flowers. They reminded me that although she would have rather stayed on their ranch in Nevada, she moved to Virginia, South Dakota and Florida with my grandpa.  Support of him and a desire to serve where called were her guiding lights.

The whole experience left me feeling very grateful.  My patriarchal blessing instructs me to be guided by my happy childhood.  When I think of my parents and grandparents, I feel so grateful that those wonderful people were the architects of my happy childhood.

I miss my grandparents.  Maybe I miss my grandpa Jaynes the most.  He died when I was 1 year old but his influence echos in my life.  My mom told me one time, "He loved you so much!"

They all four did.  What a blessing to know that!  I am looking forward to seeing them all again someday.  Of all the legacies they left me:  Grandpa Dahl's charisma and self confidence, Grandma Dahl's loyalty and kindness, Grandma Jaynes's generosity and support, Grandpa Jaynes's love of learning, the legacy I value most from each of them is their faith in Jesus Christ.  I stand on the rock they planted.

Grateful Friday

I haven't done much baking since Mark got celiac disease and I miss it.  Baking bread was my favorite.  I'd grind the wheat and mix it up and knead it and form loaves.  It would smell wonderful while baking and taste good too.  

It was Mark's favorite thing I made so you know there's no way I can make it when he can't eat it.

Yesterday the weather was June Gloom Seattle weather and my tasks like organizing the files on my computer were equally dreary.

I had some blueberries and strawberries were 98 cents a pound at Winco.  What I wanted to make was strawberry shortcake.  I have a recipe that we like so much people from Braeden's mission contacted me for the recipe because Braeden was so high on it.

But I can't make it.

But then I decided what I could make were meringue nests.  They're basically shortcake, right?  It made me happy to bake even though my baking equipment was a little rusty!

I broke that measuring cup dipping it into sugar!  Who knew I was so strong?

The nests weren't pretty, but I was grateful to make them.  I'm grateful to be able to make anything.  I'm reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah and it is about people that fled the Dust Bowl for California and it is pretty dire.

Celiac disease is not the end of the world.

Summer

It's felt like a Seattle summer.

The high yesterday was 70.  It's been cloudy and a little bit rainy.  Adam and I both thought it has seemed like the mornings have a marine layer to burn off.

But it's the high desert and disorienting.

But I don't hate not using the AC though.

It's a good summer though.  

I stopped by my classroom (hesitantly, I didn't want to get sucked into organizing something) and I grabbed a book I wanted and stopped by to chat with Camie in the office and that was all.  I heard little voices when I walked the halls because summer school was happening.  It made me happy.

At Costco, I saw two older Bonneville students.  They weren't mine, but they said, "If Lucy were here, she'd be so happy!"

Because Lucy was mine once.

I was glad to see them.

Adam and Mark used to have What Do You Want to Do Wednesday.  On Wednesday night they would do something together.

Mark's friend doesn't work on Wednesday now, so they switched it to Talk to Me Tuesday.

Mark signed an apartment lease and in August will be moving out.  I want to renew our efforts to get him cooking.  I told him we were starting Meal Matrix Mondays.  He didn't seem all that excited.

I bought some peanut M and Ms.  I told him they are for Meal Matrix Mondays since he didn't seem that excited.

He said, "Oh, I'm excited.  I don't think I've ever been more excited about anything in my life."

And, you know, he's never sarcastic.

Lazy days

I checked off a bunch of chores from the list.

I also went to a movie and took a longer than expected nap.

Adam is sick with a sinus infection and Mark has had an ear infection and I had a sore throat and now I don't.  Sometimes you gotta be lazy.

I was late for my walk with Clarissa.  We discussed The Little Mermaid.  I don't think there was any way I was going to like it as much as the original, which was magical and such a departure from other Disney or even animated movies at the time it first came out.

I did like the remake, just not as much.

And for $5 Tuesday?  It was just right.  I was the only person there who didn't have little kids with them.  I didn't mind.  Especially when people kept having to leave to take little kids to the bathroom.

Too fast

I felt kind of melancholy about coming back to Utah.  For one thing, my to do list.  For another thing, how is it almost halfway through June?  Summer is already zipping by too fast.  I told Mark it needs to get really hot so I am cranky about summer.

So far it's just really pleasant! (Both in Pleasant Grove and Pleasant Hill.)

I was sad to leave the yellow roses.  They are JUST starting to bloom. 

I have named the female owl Hedwig and she'll just have to enjoy the roses in my absence.  Hedwig and I are getting pretty close.  If by close you mean she is very suspicious of everything I do.

I'm considering going to the $5 movie today.  (Take that, to do list!). It is a decadent summer kind of thing to do to slip into a movie theater mid-day.

Weekend

On Friday afternoon, after we got back from Ruben's graduation party in Wells, my dad and I tackled the behemoth juniper or possibly some kind of cedar.  (It was mostly him.)

I had ridden to town for the party with my parents (Adam was working) and on the way back, my dad said he'd have me drive the excavator up the road.  I said, "I don't know how."

He said it was easy.

I said, "I don't know how.  I don't want to.  I can't."

My mom said, "Don't make her do that.  She doesn't know how."

My dad said, "The Cobian boys can do it."

I said that was irrelevant.  I'm sure there are a great many things they can do that I can't do.

But then there I was climbing up into the excavator.  My dad gave me some very cursory instructions and I was on my way.  I guess I should feel complimented that he thinks I'm more competent than I actually am.

When I was about 10-12 years old, I was moving cows with my dad and it was winter and I was cold.  My dad told me to put my horse in the trailer and drive the truck up the road a ways and wait for him.  I didn't know how to drive a stick shift and so my dad briefly explained it to me and away I went.

He didn't tell me how to stop and I couldn't stop (because I didn't know I needed to push in the clutch) and ran over a marker post.  It made a sickening scratch down the whole length of the truck and then the horse trailer and I thought I was going to be in big trouble, but my dad laughed when he saw it.

So he also didn't tell me how to stop the excavator.  He told Adam to tell me to turn off the key and I didn't know where the key even was and I started panicking and then I ran into my dad's truck and Adam yelled, "Just let go!"and I did and then it stopped.

Adam went to tell my dad, who was using the chainsaw.

I sat there with the same amount of dread as when I didn't know how to stop the truck.  There wasn't a lot of damage thankfully and he laughed again and said, "Oh Thelma!"

He didn't have me drive the excavator any more though.  

He dug up all the bushes and I mostly watched and said, "I'm sorry I hit your truck," whenever I had an opportunity.  

Here is the before and after:

I texted my siblings the picture and Ammon said it looked like when Enoch shaved his beard.  I also told them about the excavator situation which opened me up to some mockery from Enoch.

My role in life is to make other people feel better about themselves.

***

Saturday I walked with my mom and sisters and Marianne and my mom was going to go to Rachel Moore's house for her son's graduation party.  They said I should come.  I said I hadn't been invited.  I'm socially awkward at best, I don't need to be inviting myself to parties.

They said, "It's the Knudsens!"  

When I got home, my mom called me and said, "I feel very strongly you should come to the party.  Marianne is picking me up and then we will get you.  Go get ready."

So I did.  Ultimately, I cave to peer pressure.  I told my mom if it was awkward, it was her fault.

But it wasn't awkward.  It was after all, the Knudsens and they have been our family friends for generations.  I am closer to them than I am to a lot of my cousins.  I was glad I went and glad to spend time with Marianne and my mom.

When I got home, Adam and I kind of lazed the afternoon.  He had finished mowing (I know, I didn't think it was possible) and he did some church stuff and we talked to Emma and Braeden and Anna and most importantly QE.  

After dinner we went visiting to my parents.  It was rainy and some lightning and thunder was happening.  We lost power during the visit, but the flashlight on my phone is maybe one of the handiest things I own.  Power was restored later that night and we finished watching Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris.

Church in the Wells ward was good.  I always feel like I stand up straighter after going there.  I remember where I am from. 

Sunday afternoon I read memories about my grandpa Dahl's ancestors on Family Search.  I started on the left with him and I'm going to move right and read as much as I can about as many as I can.  I learned a lot of things I didn't know and then talked to my parents more about it.  I know the least about my grandpa Dahl's parents than any of my great grandparents.  My great grandpa Dahl died before my dad was born and my great grandma Dahl died while they were in Virginia and my dad was only 5 when they moved to Virginia.  

So I have a lot to learn.

We convened at Marianne's at 6:00.  We had dinner, provided by Olivia, and planned the reunion some more.  Let's just say there will be enough food.  Olivia left early because she goes to bed early and the rest of us stayed and visited.  The men in the sunroom and the women in the living room.  We got a good start on solving all the problems of the world, but didn't get there yet. (We've so far identified a lot of problems....)

Today we are heading back to Utah and Mark.  It will be good to see him again.  I kind of wish I could stay here forever though.  We don't have a washer and dryer, so that's problematic, but we know people who do.