Happy Father's Day Jacob

Aimi Lark came from primary with the sweetest picture she had made for her Daddy.  It made me laugh hysterically and start to cry all at the same time.  She was so excited to show it to Jake.  She ran into the chapel for sacrament meeting and asked "WHERE'S SOLDIER JAKE!?" She went up to him and said "HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!" and gave him his picture from her.

The questions read as follows (Aimi Lark's answers in bold written by her teacher).

My Dad's name is Jacob.

He is big years old.

He is "not tall enough" tall.

He grew up in ______________.

His favorite food is carrot.

His favorite thing to do is shot bad guys in games.

He is really good at being my dad.

His favorite TV show is cartoons.

If he had a $100 he would buy a flower for me.

Our favorite thing to do together is Candyland.

Then below she was supposed to draw what he looks like but she just told us that it wasn't Daddy it was colors.

Aimi Lark loves her Jake (yes she calls him Jake more than Daddy).

This Father's Day I wanted to focus on the fact that Jake is the best teacher I know.  He is always teaching me, our kids, and my brothers something new, expanding our horizons and making sure we are always learning and thinking.

He teaches the boys to be responsible by getting them their very own BYU dependent IDs so they can go to BYU and use the facilities all on their own.  They have to follow all the rules and be home on time.

He teaches his children all about the outdoors every chance he gets.  We both grew up in the country so this city living here in Provo does not afford us very many opportunities to gather eggs or go hunting but he does what he can, when he can.

He exposes our children to classical music, the piano, and just how to dance to classical music.  He is so creative with the children.  He teaches me just how to get them excited about life.

He teaches Beau about Malcolm X and the importance of NOT waiting to the very last minute to write a book report, especially since the kids cannot use the Internet unsupervised and we have to be there to help them.

He teaches the kids (pretty much only Aimi Lark listens) how to be adventurous.  How to have tons of fun doing exciting/crazy things.  He didn't teach her to launch herself from the furniture but I know she gets this part of her personality from her Daddy, the fun/wild side.

He teaches me to appreciate the small things and ALL things.  He is always making sure we are all comfortably taken care of and loves to surprise us.He is always good about surprising me and the kids.  He loves to make us happy.

He teaches once a month in our adult Sunday School class, Gospel Doctrine.  He is an amazing teacher.  Today I told our friends behind me that I felt a little bit like Oprah because she doesn't watch clips before her show airs because she wants her reactions to be real in the moment.  I feel like that with Jake's lessons.  He never runs his material by me.  I love hearing his lessons.  He is REAL and teaches the material as it relates to each of us in the class.  He doesn't just go through the lesson reading from the manual, he is great about interacting with everyone in the room.  He has certain hand movements/gestures that make me smile.  He holds one hand out open, fingers closed, palm up.  He then uses the other hand's 4 fingers and runs them along his palm as if it is a lined sheet of paper and he is listing points.

Recently Jake asked me if I thought that it was harder to be a father or a mother.  I think that was what he asked, but I said a father.  He is what makes me being the mother I am possible.  Him working so hard outside the home affords me the opportunity to stay at home and happily and comfortably teach our young children.  He not only has to work outside the home but also come home and care for us at the end of the day as well.  I am grateful for a hands on father in the lives of my children.

Jacob we love you!

I hope you enjoy golfing with Kenny in your new outfit.  

Happy Father's Day!