Amidst all the Father's Day hub bub - cards, new BBQ grills, power tools, new ties- all the things "they" tell us we must get to give our dad's- I wondered what to give my dad. In the end, my dad got a card, and I plan on calling him soon. I know with 100% assurity he doesn't want anyTHING, on this one given day, to make him feel worthwhile. For real. You'd have to know my dad.

Reflecting today on my dad, here are a few of the things that stand out in my mind:

• sitting at the kitchen table, tears flowing (mostly mine, but probably his too, he's a crier), trying to understand trigonometry. Even when I forgot my textbook he could just "come up" with the appropriate theorem. He's an engineer.

• sitting on the floor of my bedroom, backs against my bed, tears flowing, (again, a crier), talking through some trauma, quite often making peace between my mom and me:)

• after 36 hrs. of labor with Justin, my dad and mom came in the room to see the baby. My dad walked straight to me, brushed away my hair and kissed me on the forehead.

• his outside work clothes, green pants and shirt. My mom detested them.

• the day he came home from helping my brothers deliver newspapers, no doubt wearing the green outfit, with 50 cents or so in his pocket. An apparent "tip" from someone who figured this was is sole source of income. My dad had simply replied "thank you". Absolutely not caring a bit what people thought. I would have been scrambing to explain that I was only helping, these aren't my normal clothes, etc.... He just really doesn't care. Like I mean, really.

• my dad always did the dishes, and vacuumed a lot. My best friend affectionately nicknamed him "slave."

• countless games of catch and hotbox in the backyard. In the summer, between church league and city ball we played A LOT of baseball. I credit Brady's baseball skills mostly to him.

• a couple weeks ago my parents came to visit, they stayed to watch Brady play a few innings of baseball, but then were going to leave the game early to drive to Utah that night. Brady ended up pitching and you couldn't have pried my dad away from that game. They didnt' get home unitl after midnight.

• hearing that when I crossed the finish line at the SLC marathon, my dad had tears streaming down his face. I was really excited when I heard they would be there for the Vikingman Tri a few weeks ago. I guess I haven't grown out of the "Hey Dad, watch this!"

Sure and steady and always true. I never have to guess about my dad. I appreciate and need that steadiness in my life. As I learn more and more about the world, I realize what a gift it is to have a dad like I do.