Happy Fathers Day!

Mason and Poppy, December 2008

One day a short while after James and I first started dating, our church leader, President Miller asked me what kind of father and husband I thought James would be. I felt a little foolish since I did not want to let on that I liked James enough to have already spent a good amount of time thinking about this. Then President Miller said, "He will be just like his dad." and then went on to say how much he respected Rodney Sieg for his hard work and absolute faithful love and support to his wife and children. I already knew this about his dad then, but now that I am his daughter-in-law, I feel it every time I am around him. In truth, I think we are kindred spirits because we both love to sing songs with the wrong lyrics and neither of us can resist a good sappy made-for-TV movie. I will always be grateful that he is James' dad.

Even though my dad remembers every lyric to every opera, folk or cowboy song and can yodel with the best of them, I have always felt very close to him, too. My dad is as sharp as a tack and a very funny, non-conventional man. When I was little I would get to go with my dad to work and watch him teach his students. Sometimes he would bring his guitar or he would draw little cartoons on the chalkboard and I was so proud to be his daughter! I still am. My dad has always made me feel special and because he loves me, I can believe that Heavenly Father does, too. I always hoped that I would marry someone who could make me feel as safe as my dad does.

Lucky for me, I found James. It has been so much fun to see Mason with his beloved poppy for the past 22 months. He thinks the WORLD of James! He follows him around and copies everything he does. No time is better than wrestling time and James can always make him laugh. It is very apparent that Mason feels cool at Poppy's side....even when he is in a big pair of dairy boots shoveling manure. Every day is an adventure when Poppy is home and we sure love him.

Happy Fathers Day, to the men in my life!