I know my father loves me because...

1. I was mad at him once, but I can't remember why.
2. He doesn't say a lot, but when he does it's meaningful.
3. He's proud of me (or so he told some lady at the bank in 2006 when she found out I was going to be an art teacher like my Pa).
4. He makes me laugh.
5. He gives good advice:
Me: It didn't occur to me that if a boy flirts with me that he might like me.
Pa: What did you think they were doing?!
Me: I don't know, just being obnoxious? That's why I'm not married.
Pa: If a boy flirts with you it means that he likes you or...that he's an evil manipulative devil.
6. He makes good food and shares it, and when his good food turns to bad food he cries over it (OK. OK. Not really, but, there was that one time with the meatball sandwiches in the broiler. That was an emotional dinner).
7. He gave up PG-13 movies to raise four little girls.
8. He gave up lottery tickets and ice cream cones on Sunday to raise Brecken.
9. He gave up early morning sleep to teach seminary, although I couldn't give up the sleep to listen.
10. He wouldn't send Talyn to Cuba without me.
11. He named a painting after the show we watched together.
12. He let me sit on his lap when the T-Rex came back to life and scared the living daylights out of me.
13. He bought us a trampoline, and moved it back and forth for 13 years to mow the lawn.
14. He traded paintings for fancy hats.
15. He ran away WITH me.
16. He served a mission and was a seminary graduate and an eagle scout. Wait--he didn't need to do those things. He was a Branch President and a Seminary Teacher and he bought a tent and put it up once.
17. He's the nicest meanest guy I know, and the smartest too.