"To bed, to bed" said Sleepy Head...

"Let's wait awhile," said Slow.

"Put on the pot," said Hungry Boy.

"Let's eat before we go."

.................................................

• reading scriptures, always 5 versus at a time (You didn't have the book in front of you, so I could never understand how you magically knew the words we'd stumble on.)
• skipping the "begat"s, "Isaiah," and some wars (What a nice dad!)
• tickle spider
• wrapped like a burrito
• saying prayers underneath you and trying to escape afterward
• losing your pen or your glasses from the front pocket of your shirt after tucking us in
• Raspberries
• kisses from your rough, unshaven face
• Why does Carl get to stay up later?
• waking me up to go to the bathroom so I wouldn't wet the bed

When you have nothing else...

Dad came out to visit us in NC when I was hugely pregnant with Scott in the summer time. My husband was looking for a job, so we were a little bit stressed. It was nice to have dad there to hang out with and for him to pay for stuff like groceries or movies!

Then, as always happens when you can't afford it and you're hugely pregnant in the middle of the humid summer, our air conditioning broke. Not just a little bit, but entirely broken aka needed a replacement for tons of money.

That made Craig and I more stressed. And dad became stressed for us. He apologized that he couldn't help us pay for it and then did the only thing one can do when you meet a challenge with no solution.

He asked if he could kneel down and say a prayer with me. At the time he was having a little bit of a hard time talking. Most importanly, I remember the humility and faith that he asked Heavenly Father to bless me and Craig with all we were dealing with. And when he was done praying, he stood up and gave me a hug and reassured me that everything would be okay. We both felt the spirit of assurance that all would be okay. And it was okay.

I'm grateful that my dad who was dealing with so much himself, and been through such trying times, showed me again how important faith and prayer is in life and not doubting the reassuring answer you receive.

Turbo Diesel Rules

Dad's car:
I believe it was a 1985 Mercedes Silver 300D Turbo!

His first and only new car in his lifetime?

He had it for a good 15 years before it went to Cat in Utah, then Carl in LA. Rest In Peace, Mercedes. I still get happy whenever I see one cruisin' the streets.

Dad's Mercedes had several rules:

1. Don't put your feet in the webbing on the back of the seats.
2. Don't draw in the fog/moisture of window or else you'll have to get the windex when you get home to clean up your finger prints.
3. Don't roll down one of the windows or else it won't come back--but you can never remember which one.
4. Don't try to pull up the lock on the back doors to unlock the car door because it breaks it!
5. DIESEL GASOLINE ONLY!
6. Respect the turbo, baby!
7. What other sound makes you happier than to hear a diesel engine two miles away?
8. When bored, inspect the steel hip replacement that adorns the middle space between the front seats.
9. The stereo system only plays NPR--otherwise "somehow" your tape would be ejected out of the window and into the street.
10. Seats 5? According to Gus lore- 1 dad and 6 kids- 1 child in front, 3 in the back seats, Susie and Cathryn curled up behind the front seats.
11. Groceries don't unload themselves. Everyone has to help--stinks, huh? To make it a good, efficient grocery run, put five plastic Safeway bags on each arm and heft yourself+groceries into the house. Which breaks first--arm or plastic bag? Hopefully neither.