A TRIBUTE TO MY DAD, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

My dad, summer of 2010

So, I wrote a whole post about Fathers,  and Fathers day and then when I went to edit it today, well...it went bye-bye!!  I am very frustrated, but I want to have something up in honor of my Dad so here it goes.

I am very blessed to have the experience of growing up with a father who loved me (and my 2 younger brothers), very much and whom also loves the Lord.  I realize not everyone has had a good experience with their earthly fathers, so I consider it a blessing.  He has given myself and my family so much over the years, both monetarily and in wisdom.  My husband and I actually attribute our meeting to him!  Summer of 1989 I graduated from High School in Bellevue Washington (where we had been living for 2 years), my family all went back out to Unalaska for the summer, but I stayed behind and didn't join them until later in August.  During that time I remember several conversations with my dad where he would mention how there was this nice young man there who really loved the Lord and how I should meet him.  During that time, Dan (my husband) was in Unalaska too, he had arrived in June to work for the summer and apparently my dad would show him my senior portrait and tell him all about me.  So while he claims not to remember it, we give him credit for planting the seeds and for pointing us in the direction of each other.  Turns out my husband and I  didn't just stay in Unalaska for a few months to make money for college. We were engaged on January 6, 1990 and got married on August 18, 1990 and lived in Unalaska for the first 4 years of our marriage.  We were young and in love (both 19, our poor parents!) and didn't have a lot of common sense yet.  Like thinking about where we would live, but my loving father, converted one of his units into an duplex, putting in a kitchen for us and only charging us minimal rent.  My parents even furnished it!  If it weren't for them we probably would have been sleeping on on the floor at a friends house!  I don't' think we realized at the time just how blessed we were, but now I see how much my dad loved us and wanted us to have a good start.  Over the years he would, help us numerous times, to many to count actually.  And though he has had many trials and heartbreak in his life he has always loved and followed the Lord.  He and my mom continue to be an example of giving their life, and loving/serving the Lord,  I am thankful for him and the example he is to my children and myself.  I love you DAD!

 My son Daniel learns from his grandpa how to clean fish.

My dad proudly displaying his king crab catch.

My Dad and oldest son Jamie with my Dad's fabulous Alaskan smoked salmon!  It is an old native recipe and the best smoke fish you will ever have!  I am so thankful my two oldest boys had the opportunity 2 years ago to spend a month working and living with their grandparents. 

 There is a lot they can and did learn from my dad (and my mom for that matter). 

Thank you Dad and Happy Father's Day!