Sunday, July 4, 2010

The Two Greatest People I Have Ever Known

I couldn't resist a blog post after the experience I had this weekend. Those who know me know two of my most dominate qualities are number one stressful and number two emotional. Really I think they tie for first. So it is no surprise that I have many things that are stressing me out right now and on Friday night one of the stressers expoded in my face. Of course I immediately get emotional and I'm freaking out and breaking down. I won't go into too much detail since that isn't the point to this story. In the midst of this disaster I found myself in, two people were there, throwing me down a rope of salvation. This isn't the first time these two people have had to bail me out of the messes I get myself in. Time and time again when I call out for help, it's these two people that come to my rescue. They help without payment or want of recognition, but strictly out of pure love. So I decided I couldn't go one more day without making known my love and gratitude for them and a Facebook status just wouldn't suffice.

These are the people to whom I owe my life. These are the people to whom I attribute the person I am today. These are the people I love more than life itself. These are my parents.


My Dad: the first guy I ever loved. I have his eyes, his teeth and of course his hair. I wish I had his selflessness and dedication. I will always be his sunshine and he will always be my hero. Since I was a baby he would sing to me everything from "You are my sunshine" and "Lemon Tree" to "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown" and "You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog". It's because of my dad that I will always have a love for 70's music. His voice was what would always calm me down and made me feel that everything would always be ok. Well that and his magic sand paper hands.

My Mom: my best friend. I have her smile, her hands, and of course her body type (though she is in much better shape than I). I wish I had her compassion and drive. I will always be her baby girl and she will always be my idol. Since I was little my mom would always say "remember who you are". I never thought much of it until now. It's because of my mom that I have always known I am a child of God. This knowledge has always been the basis of my testimony. Now, living on my own, I say that to my roommates as they leave the house. Like mother like daughter...I hope.


Nobody will think I'm as beautiful as my dad thinks I am. He thought I was the prettiest girl at the dance even without any of my front teeth. He always made me feel like a princess whether it was dancing at Anie's prom, or dancing around the kichen at home. When I was little I would say that I was going to marry my daddy. Now I say I will marry someone LIKE my daddy. He is kind and loving, harworking and selfless, wise and charitable. Plus he won best dressed in high school and passed it on to me, as is apparent in the above picture.


My mom and I were born with similarities. We are both the babies, we have the same middle name, and we are both a little crazy. And I mean that in the best way possible. It is these similarities that brought us together. Though we are a lot alike, there are still many qualities that I aspire to achieve. She is giving and compassionate, talented and strong, courageous and faithful. We have shared so much together and I know we will continue to have many experiences as life goes on and she will the one walking by my side.


As I sit hear thinking of the 20 years that I have spent here on Earth with these two people, I am remembing some of my favorite moments. I remember when my parents wanted to do away with Santa. We were all older and knew that Santa the person wasn't real but I wasn't ready to let go. I started crying and giving my argument that though Santa the person isn't real, his spirit is and we just can't do away with his spirit. I curled up on my dad's lap as I often do and he held me reassurring me that it was ok and then sang me my favorite christmas songs until I could calm down. I remember our road trip where Bobby slept in the back and I sat in the front and kept dad awake with my stories and we rocked out to 70's music the whole way. I loved all the times walking in at 12am on the dot to find dad waiting for me asleep in his recliner. Then waking up the next morning to find dad had done a midnight Winco run and brought be back a 3 Musketeers. He is always thinking of others and is such a wonderful example to me of service and charity.


I can't count the number of times my mom and I have just sat and laughed. We always have the best talks and the best laughs. I remember her picking me up from school and asking me about my day and feeling like I could tell her anything and everything, and I did. Even when we didn't talk and we would drive and I would just listen to her clicking her nails on her Tanker I walked away feeling like we had a great conversation. I remember once after a fight, mom came to my room with a box of chocolate ice cream and two spoons and we sat in silence and ate and it all became ok. I remember spending the day with my mom in the hospital and talking the whole day...well she kept falling asleep but then we would pick right back up. I remember her letting me stay up late if I would rub her feet. I remember just snuggling and watching TV . I remember playing beauty salon with her long hair and all the times she did mine. I remember all the back rubs and baths and sick days we spent together. She has always been the perfect example of a mother and everything that I want to become.

Being the youngest gave me the great responsibility of 3 and a half years alone with the parents. They weren't the easiest years, but ones I cherish. We went on trips, and dates, and spent a Christmas with just us. We laughed and cried and fought and partied, but we always loved eachother no matter what. I could always count on a week full of ups and downs, an "I'm sorry" followed by "happy family hugs/kisses", on a Saturday of chores and DIY and a Sunday of church, naps, and a good meal.


In a year and a half I will be graduating from college but I can't help but think of all the things that I learned from my parents. How to balance a checkbook, how to say 3 nice things about somebody you talked bad about, how to make and keep friends, how to be a leader, how to juggle life, how to turn lemons into lemonaid, how to laugh, how to serve, how to be a missionary, but most importantly how to love. Nothing can replace the 20 years of memories I have shared with these two people and the good news is, is that we have eternity to make some more. I'll love you forever Mom and Dad!