I forgot my Dad’s birthday yesterday. Maybe I should start consulting my calendar on the weekends again. Or plan accordingly when something important doesn’t fall on a weekday.

In any case, here are 10 reasons I love my Dad. Yup, I said love. But I say that in a man-to-man sort of way. If that makes any sense. Which it doesn’t. So just read on.

1. There was never any doubt in my mind that my Dad loves my Mother. It must be a scary thing not knowing if the people that created you still love each other (or even did). Fortunately for me, the thought never crossed my mind. My aging father still looks at my aging mother with a twinkle in his eye. He is kind to her. He is patient with her. He supports her. And anyone that does that for my Mother is tops in my book.
2. He never pretended to have all the answers. The problem with most PHD academics like my Dad is they think they have all the answers. The often feel superior to others. And only two of them have uttered the words, “I don’t know.” My dad is one of them. And when coupled with his humility, that makes him the smartest person I know. Consequently, (next to my wife) I respect his opinion above all else. No contest.
3. He worries about me. My dad is a worry wart. He even worries about things he knows he cannot control. Like if the sun will come up tomorrow. Job creation. Or if that loan will be repaid. In response, it’s been said that my Dad is lacking in faith. I know I’ve voiced my fair share of, “Everything’s going to be okay, Dad.” But hey, at least someone’s doing the worrying for me. Plus, it’s nice to know I’ll always have backup.
4. He often slips me a Twenty. I’m 31. I can take of myself. And yet my Father still pushes a $20 on me every time he visits. “Take the money,” he says. It’s funny if you think about it: A sixty year old giving money to a man child over 30. But I’ll still take it, much like Jerry accepting the upside-down pen.
5. He never let me beat him in basketball. My dad was a baller. He used to drop upwards of 50 points a game in the late ’60s. He once dropped over 40 in a single half, according to multiple sources. (That’s a lot, even for amateurs.) Consequently, he was always suppose to put the spank on me while I was learning to play. He always did. I had to fight for every point and still lost. But I learned how to fight. And I learned at an early age that nothing in life is free. Except for the occasional Twenty from your dad.
6. He is funny. Listen to these self-described “personal interests” listed on his faculty page: “I am the world record holder and sand surfing champion of the St.Anthony, Idaho Sand Dunes as well as the skateboard (sidewalk surfing) champion of the world. I have held these titles since the early 1960’s but have never been recognized appropriately–possibly because I’m the only one who knows it. I recently declared myself the backwards walking champion of the universe and no one has yet to dispute it. Most of my interests revolve around athletics/sports plus trying to figure out what is going on with my children and grandkids. I used to run (usually mistaken for a cheetah or a corvette) and play basketball and racquetball, but my running has morphed into what many call waddling (I assume that to be a complement, but then I don’t hear so well either).” Who is this guy??!! That’s my Dad.
7. He gave me brothers and sisters. NOTE: If you’re stingy with your resources, DO NOT have kids. They cost money. They make it virtually impossible to enjoy “me” time. And they’ll poop on your carpet, smudge up your TV, and cut into sleep time. But man are they rewarding, especially in numbers. I might not have realized that if my Father put the kibosh on my mom’s dream of having kids. Fortunately he didn’t. And I have cool siblings to prove it.
8. He once drove over 600 miles just to take me home. When I was five, my Dad took my brother and I to Pike’s Peak. Long story short, I got homesick. Started throwing up. And pleaded with him to take me back to momma. He obliged, turned the car around (mid trip mind you), and drove 600+ miles back to Oklahoma. Then he did it over again, with my sister in my place, while my pansy-self hunkered down at home. That’s awesome.
9. He is genuine. I got my boldness from my Mom. But I learned sincerity from my Father. The man simply does not say anything without meaning it. He doesn’t dilute adjectives. And he’ll make you feel like a million bucks when he judiciously decides to use one. Which is why he is so well liked.
10. He’s now second-in-command at a major university. As a testament to his hard work, my Dad landed a big promotion over the summer. Although it’s helping to oversee a satellite branch of Texas A&M, he’s still a BFD (big frickin’ deal) in my eyes. Congratulations, Dad. I love you. In a man-to-man sort of way. Or something like that. (Your testosterone should know what I mean.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Seriously though, Lindsey and I had a wonderful time and plan to go again sooon. It’s a perfect way to slow down your life.

Thanks, Bonneville Sailing.

Lindsey and I didn’t wait to take advantage. After a few minutes, I glanced towards the girls to find my four year-old looking the opposite direction, peeking through tiny fingers, and squirming in her skin as she watched a sci-fi movie on a different TV. I then rushed over to rescue her from the gnarly Alien surgery taking place on screen.

She was pretty upset. And I’m sad to say I didn’t notice the movie beforehand. (Was neck deep in materialism—not parenting— at the time, okay?) She cried when we got home. Her mother wisely recommended prayer. I offered. It helped.

This morning, it was Sadie’s turn to pray. “Please help me forget scary movies,” she supplicated.

Cutest. Prayer. Ever.

While listening to Band of Skulls on the way to St. George this weekend, Lindsey and Sadie weren’t as excited to hear the band. Meanwhile, I caught Maddie in a self-taught and deliberate headbang—she enjoyed it so much.

Rock. On.

If there’s one thing this world isn’t short on, it’s attractive women. Seriously, mature females are the most aesthetically pleasing things to look at. Heck, even girls can’t keep their eyes of each other.

But there’s a big difference between appreciating beauty and lusting after it. Which is why some dudes are unfriending attractive females on Facebook, in an effort to stay Marriedbook (crash cymbal please).

“I deleted an old high-school girlfriend,” a colleague told me recently. “She was posting some pretty racy photos of hereself, and I realized I didn’t need to be seeing that as a married man.”

In similar shoes, I felt empowered upon hearing this. Indeed, before quitting Facebook, I had to remove a couple of contacts from my account for similar reasons. But it’s encouraging to hear other married men fighting to stay happily married. It gives me hope.

On that note, do you have any electronic relationships that need deleting?

I snore—loudly, I’m told. My wife knows this. Anyone who has ever roomed with me knows this. This is my story.

I’m not exactly sure when I started snoring, but I know when it became a problem. I was 21 and living in Brazil. I was a missionary and crashing with another volunteer from California (What up, Chris!).

One morning, I woke to find balled up socks around my pillow. There must have been five or six of them, all stinky and whatnot. “Why are there dirty socks on my bed?” I asked my companheiro. “Dude, you were snoring like crazy,” came the reply.

You see, Chris didn’t use a hamper. He just let his soiled clothes congregate around his bed until laundry day, so he had plenty of ammunition to counter my snoring, especially rolled up socks.

I laughed upon hearing his technique, mostly because it failed to wake me. Chris laughed too. But he was understandably annoyed by his new roommate’s audible defect. As is anyone else within two clicks of me asleep.

Although I won’t deny my bad habit has been a source of amusement in my life, I offer my sincerest condolences just the same. With a smile, of course.

I like running.

With exception to an injury hiatus, I ran several times a week over the past two years. And since reading Born To Run, I do so enthusiastically (not begrudgingly like I once did).

I normally run continuously for 45 minutes to an hour. On occasion, two hours—whatever I feel like really. I don’t time myself or track miles—an act that makes running feel like work—I just run.

Two weeks ago, I was feeling especially light on my feet. When I left the house on an empty stomach that Saturday, I didn’t plan on running for three plus hours, but I did. I also didn’t take water or food with me, and nearly put myself in the hospital as a result.

I knew I was in trouble shortly after returning home. Realizing I was slipping, I asked Lindsey for help, but the words wouldn’t come out. My speech was slurred—like trying to talk with a mouthful of peanut butter. My lips became numb, my body felt tingly, and I was having a hard time breathing. (Interestingly during the run, I felt fine. It wasn’t until I stopped that I felt ill.)

Light-headed and dizzy, I collapsed to the floor. The horrified look from Lindsey and the girls—like I had been shot in the ribs—was all it took: “What have I gotten myself into?” I remember thinking. Lindsey sent the girls to their room, then rolled up her figurative nurse sleeves.

And then the leg cramps started. More like leg contortions. For more than an hour, chronic cramps came and went; at one point my right leg didn’t resemble the normal shape of a leg, more like a cylinder of clay that had been pounded with a mallet in various places. The spasms were not a pretty sight to behold. In fact, they straight up freaked me out.

All of this, of course, led to more panic and less breathing. The slurring, dizziness, gasping for air, cramps, near-loss of consciousness, and brief moments of composure returned in cycles. Like six or seven of them in succession over the course of an hour and a half. In that time, I stuffed my face with crackers, juice, and water to try and get my sugars stabilized. My stomach didn’t like that.

Per the internet’s recommendation, and after deciding not to call 911 a couple of times, Lindsey helped drag my dysfunctional legs to the tub filled with ice water, which reduced the severity of the cramps, so I could focus on breathing. My legs were so tight, though, that I had to use the front of the tub to keep my toes from pointing in severe pain. While in the tub—fully dressed, mind you—my stomach decided it no longer wanted what I fed it. I kept on drinking water. My stomach kept on rejecting everything else.

While the cold water minimized the cramping, it gave me the shivers, which worsened my breathing. To counteract this, my beloved Lindsey warmed what seemed like eight towels in rotation to cover my torso. The cycles came and went. Lindsey kept coaching me on breathing when I needed it, and encouraged more drinking.

(Note: I would have passed out a number of times had it not been for Lindsey, who just four days prior gave birth to our third child. Thanks babe. I totally owe you one.)

After almost two hours of recovery, Lindsey pulled me from the tub and removed my wet clothes. I put on some sweats and crashed on the couch—not without one more round of vomiting though. When I awoke, the cramps were gone and my body was stable. I had beaten a scary combination of dehydration, exhaustion, and hypoglycemia.

That’s my latest war story. Lesson learned. Don’t be stupid. Running wild for extreme distances without planning ahead is irresponsible. To my wife and three children, I promise not to do it again.

On that note, anyone know a good way to carry water on long runs?

ABOUT THE DISTANCE: Although inexact, I ran one mile shy of an estimated 20, according to Google Maps.

It’s called Flight Control. You can download it on either iPhone or Nintendo DSi. And it’s awesome. My current high is 58.

True to chain letter form, Lindsey emailed me the following “friend survey” today. With exception to nos. 23 and 41, her responses made me proud to call her my wife—especially with Valentine’s around the corner. They also make me look chivalrous, which is always a good thing.

Warning: some of her answers are a little sappy. But this is my blog—not yours. You can get lost if you have a problem with that!

2. Diamonds or pearls?  Diamonds but I have a pearl ring Blake gave me for our 1st anniversary that I wear everyday.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?  The Blindside

4. What is your favorite TV show?  That’s tough because we only have about 5 channels so I don’t get to watch too much. But I do love Law & Order SVU and the local news.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?  If I’m feeling motivated then I’ll make muffins or pancakes. If not it’s cereal or Ego’s.

6. What is your middle name?    Anne

7. What food do you dislike?  Tomatoes & eggs.

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment?  The Killers or Keane.

9. What kind of car do you drive?  99 Jeep Cherokee. Blake’s pride and joy. Still trying to figure out how 3 kids are going to fit in the back. :)

11. What characteristic do you despise?  Dishonesty

12. Favorite item of clothing?  Anything that fits and is comfortable right now.

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?  Hawaii. Never been but always wanted to.

14. Favorite brand of clothing?  I usually shop at Target or Gap.

15. Where would you retire to?  I would love to go back to Washington but I don’t think Blake would ever go for it.

16. What was your most memorable birthday?  My 16th because I had a huge boat/jet ski party with all of my friends.

17. Favorite sport to watch?  Tennis

18. Furthest place you are sending this?  Which is farther Georgia or New York?

19. Person you expect to send it back first?  ?

20. When is your birthday?  Sept. 2

21. Are you a morning person or a night person?  I am more productive in the morning so I’d have to say morning.

22. What is your shoe size?  7

23. Pets?    None.

24. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with us?  Just moved into a nice little house and we’re just about settled. I’m counting down the days until this baby comes. I can’t wait to see what she looks like. Sadie is convinced that she is going to have dark hair and I’m secretly hoping she’s right.

25. What did you want to be when u grew up?  A nurse. That dream ended though when I worked as a CNA when Blake and I were first married.

26. How are you today?  Tired. But what’s new?

27. What is your favorite candy?  Right now I have been craving caramellos and for about a month I have eaten a king size pretty much every night after the girls go to bed.

28. What is your favorite flower?  Tulips or gerberas.

29.  What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?  Jane’s due date. March 8th.

30. What are you listening to right now?  My noisy dishwasher.

31. What was the last thing you ate?    Frosted animal cookies. My grandma gave them to the girls but I got into their stash during naptime. :)

32. Do you wish on stars?  No.

33. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?  Green

34. How is the weather right now?  Cold but sunny.

35. The first person you spoke to on the phone today?  Haven’t yet. Texted a few friends though.

36. Favorite soft drink?  Coke or red cream soda.

37. Favorite restaurant?  Yamato. Local joint that has the best steak teriyaki and the best service.

38. Real hair color?   Brown. Lately I’ve been finding a few grey hairs. Yikes!

39. What was your favorite toy as a child?  Legos.

40. Summer or winter?  Summer. I love taking the girls to the pool, going on hikes and BBQing.

41. Hugs or kisses?  Hugs.

42. Chocolate or Vanilla?  Chocolate.

43. Coffee or tea?  Chai tea.

44. Do you want your friends to email you back?  I think pretty much everyone else has.

45. When was the last time you cried?   Last Wednesday.

46. What is under your bed?  Blake’s turn tables.

47. What did you do last night?  Had our good friends over for dinner and Blake made the best malts for dessert. Can’t wait to have another tonight.

48. What are you afraid of?    Heights and having something bad happen to my girls or Blake.

49. Salty or sweet?  Sweet followed by something salty followed by something sweet. It’s really a vicious cycle for me.

50. How many keys on your key ring?  2 or 3

51. How many years at your current job?  Full-time mom – 4 1/2 years.

52. Favorite day of the week?  Saturday

53. How many towns have you lived in?  Several in Washington and Utah. Probably around 10-12.

54. Do you make friends easily?  Yes, but it may take me awhile to fully open up.

55. How many people will you send this to?  8?

56. How many will respond?  ?