Day 23: Huge & Mamie

I love my parents more than life itself. I owe them everything that I am and am SO THANKFUL I was sent to their home to be raised and brought up in the gospel. I have a great relationship with BOTH of them and wouldn't have it any other way. They are the BEST people I know.
My Dad is the BEST thing in this entire world. He is my best friend and I have looked up to him throughout my life. There was a point in time when we butted heads when I was in high school, I think it was because we have similar personalities, but I grew up and he became less strict :) He is the 4th child out of 7 in his family and he grew up in Tempe. He served a 2 year mission in Tampa, Florida. He and my Mom met in a singles ward and he purposely became her home teacher so he could get to know her better, and since he was the Elders Quorum President he had the ability to do that quite easily :) Obviously it worked and we know the rest of the story...they got married August 28, 1982, in the Mesa Arizona Temple and had their first born (ME!!) EXACTLY 2 years later. HOW SWEET!! Actually, my Dad doesn't think so and would tell me almost every year after I turned 12 that I was done having birthday parties and my mom and him were going to celebrate their anniversary instead. Um, I had NO CONTROL people!!

My dad is a follower of Christ, he has a testimony, he is good to my Mom, he is good to us kids, he loves his parents, he fulfills his church callings (my parents just got released from being nursery teachers for almost 2 years and handled 14 2 1/2 year olds all by themselves at the beginning stages of their 50s...impressive), he thinks he's funny and likes to laugh, he loves sleep too when he can get it, he knows his scriptures, he loves sports, and he is the hardest working person I know.

I talk to my Dad about EVERYTHING, except boys. That's my Mom's job. My Dad and I currently have a texting relationship because he works inside the terminal at Southwest Airlines and cannot answer his phone as often as he used. It can get exhausting at times to only have a "texting relationship" with someone you love, but whatever works!! I love you Dad!!!! I have so much respect for you and hope we can have lunch together, go shooting, watch a movie, help you with carpet cleaning, rub your back, or just sit down and talk...real soon!!! xoxo
My Mom is quite the entertainer. My siblings and I have always thought she and her siblings were some weird, funny people, but we love them too death!! Probably the number one thing I love about my Mom is that she's NOT fake. She's not a smooth talker, she doesn't tell you what you want to hear, and she's not there to be your best friend and I LOVE LOVE LOVE that about her. Pretty sure I inherited that from her. She is super honest, tells it like it is, is very opinionated and blunt, yet she does it tactfully.

My Mom is a great example to me as well. She is the oldest of 4 children in her family and grew up in Pine Top. After high school, she high-tailed out of there and came down to the valley to go to school. She left home at the age of 17 and has fended for herself ever since. She bought a town house in her early twenties and had roommates. You know how she met my Dad :) Want to know how he proposed? When they were dating they had some friends that were getting married at a temple in California (can't remember exactly which temple) but my Dad proposed to her on the Los Angeles Temple grounds and she said.....YES!!!!!!!

My Mom is also a follower of Christ. I remember when she was called to be the Stake Primary President years ago, and how nervous she was. She did an awesome job and I think she learned a lot from that calling. My Mom has always fulfilled her church callings as well and I appreciate her for setting that example. My Mom is really smart, she loves to read and play Scrabble, she loves to travel, she thinks everyone hates her cooking which is so far from the truth (sometimes we are our own worst critics), she loves my Dad, she loves her parents and siblings, and she loves us kids.

One thing I want to say about my Mom is that she is constantly serving. Whether it's cooking dinner, cleaning the house, fulfilling her church calling, visiting her parents in their assisted living homes, or having a listening ear, she's serving. I love her for that.