Many Special Treats on this Father's Day

This Father's Day had several special treats.

First being that the Boys helped make their Daddy Breakfast in Bed with Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. Trevor and Tyler cracked the eggs, Spencer made the Frosting for the cinnamon rolls, they each got to help create freshly squeezed orange juice, and Tyler took over his normal breakfast duty of scrambling the eggs all by himself.







Mmmmmmmmm....What a "Special Treat"


Second, Tyler received a call last week from the Bishop asking him to speak about his Dad in Sacrament on Father's Day. We spent all week formulating this little book of Tylers feelings about his Dad. It took several revising to get his words in simple word structure that he would feel confident to read in a large congregation. He practiced his talk all week long in front of his brothers and family. Sunday came and he got all dressed up and received a comfort blessing from daddy that his nerves would remain calm and that he would be able to deliver his talk with confidence.
I thought my heart was gonna bounce right out of my chest I was so nervous for him, but I never once showed my nerves outwardly. I wanted him to be strong and brave. Fear is a learned trait and I didnt want him to sense my nerves so I kept it to myself. I figured if he forgets some of the words he will just have to go with the spirit and speak form his heart which would have been just as sweet as a written talk. So either way it would have been special.

He did great. Delivered his talk without any hesitation or fear. He stood up in front of everyone and spoke clearly with pride in his voice as he spoke of his father and how he reminds him of Lehi. "Both father's of 4 boys. Leaders in the Gospel and Followers of Christ". He spoke about "how Lehi endured much persecution for Following Christ". His Daddy joined the church 10 years ago and also endured much persecution from his family(Parents and extended family to be exact) and from others in his previous religion, "but just as Lehi... Daddy did follow Christ and did listen to the Holy Ghost no matter what people thought of him". Tyler talked about all the fun things they normally do together and all the great things daddy teaches him.

It was a "Special Treat" for such a strong little boy to be given the opportunity to share his testimony on Lehi and express his feelings about his own Father. And even more of a "Special Treat" for Daddy to know how much Tyler appreciates and loves him.

Third, I got a call from my Mom the other day and her voice was filled with glee. She was at the church book store and was surprised to find this certain painting I have been spending years searching for. This picture holds so many meanings for me.

Back in December of 2009 they found some cancer nodes in my neck. I was sent back to Huntsman Cancer Hospital where they did a central/right neck dissection, removing 50+ nodes from my neck. It was a very hard surgery on me. I was away for a couple of weeks and had to leave all 3 of my babies at home with grandma. That next year my mom, sister and I all took a trip back to Utah to get some stuff for Melanies upcoming wedding. We were looking around the Church Book Store when I stumbled upon this painting. My eyes filled with tears as I glanced at these 4 precious boys in the painting. I knew at that moment that Perry and I would have another baby someday and that this picture would be a look into our own lives. But the more I thought about it I found myself tossing the thought around that their were a total of 5 kids in our family not 4.

Why did 5 sound so right? I only wanted 4, but I knew there was a 5th in the mix as I studied this painting. Well time passed by and I never got the title of this painting nor could I find it in all my searches. It did always remain in my heart as confirmation of our children to come. I later became pregnant with baby #4. I was confused because I had such a strong feeling that this baby was a girl(and so did the kids), and that just didnt fit the description of this painting. Why didnt it match? Comes to find out we miscarried baby #4 and later on became pregnant with baby #5 a BOY. Now it all makes sense to me why I couldnt stop thinking of our 5 children. Just as this picture states here on earth we have our 4 little future missionary's with our 5th addition Angle Baby waiting in Heaven. Leaving this Father's Day gift for Perry a very "Special Treat" beyond words.

We then finished the day off with a Family Dinner celebrating Both Perry and my Dad. Both wonderful men, both strong positive influences on our 4 little boys. I love how my Dad and Perry make a great team. My dad is highly knowledgeable about the scriptures and the gospel, which has been a huge source of strength for Perry being a convert to the church. Perry has leaned on my dad most of these years as he builds his own testimony and grows in the gospel. We all have our own pace at which we build our testimony's and its been such a neat experience to watch Perry transition from one religion to another and to have that determination to learn of the gospel line upon line precept upon precept.

And Perry is an amazing Father. He is firm but kind to the boys. Gentle yet strong in so many ways mentally, physically and emotionally. He helps keep all of us in line and focused on whats most important. He is a great big buddy to the boys, yet an outstanding leader in our home. He is so good at showing the boys the appropriate times to be wild and crazy and the times to be quite and reverent. He shows them by example. He is very easy going and loves to have fun, yet he can work hard and accomplish anything he's asked to do. He is the boys and My Hero. Its amazing the trials and struggles he faced as a child and the person he became as he let those challenges mold him into the man he is today.

Tonight as Tyler sat and reflected on his talk he started asking many question about why Daddys parents were mad at him for joining our church. Perry and I both began to tell him some of the struggles and trials he had faced as a child and as a new convert. It was a humbling moment for Tyler to hear of these trials his dad faced but it was so rewarding for him to hear of Daddy's will power to take each bad experience and turn it into good. To me that discussion we had with Tyler was by far the "Greatest Treat" of all, for Tyler to really begin to learn of his father and his desire for good in all things.

A little boys first Hero, is their Father.