Father's Day is Here

Sunday is Father's Day and it hasn't received much attention as yet.  We just concluded our 50th wedding anniversary with our very large family and celebrated my 70th birthday on top of that.  Now it's time to celebrate my sweet husband, the father of our 9 children and the love of my life!

What a blessing it is to have this man I love by my side for so many years.  He has truly been a loyal and devoted husband and father.  I'm more and more amazed at him each year.  He doesn't quit!  He has such drive and vision when it comes to something he is passionate about.  Right now that is BYU Idaho and the Research and Business Development Center (new name of the Entrepreneurial Center (E-Center) and Southern Idaho Research Center (SIRI) now combined, which he was instrumental in developing during our mission. He loves this work and would go to the ends of the earth to develop it

Come to think of it! That's exactly what he is doing!

 In just 4 days we will be flying to Ghana to volunteer our time, money and energy to learn how we can help students and businesses there and establish connections between the students and business owners in Ghana and the RBDC Center and BYU Idaho.




When Bob and I went to BYU Idaho as missionaries in 2006 we had no idea what we would be doing. Bob had a rich business background, had trained interns, worked in Venture Capital and had headed a successful business.  Little did we know that all these experiences would come together in the creation of the E-Center.  He compared it to Nephi's experience building a ship.  He didn't know the end result but just followed the promptings as he prayerfully received direction and put it together piece by piece.

It was amazing to see how people who were needed for specific skills or tasks just seemed to appear at the right times.  The Center was not funded by BYU Idaho so money was always a challenge.  He never let that deter him.  He knew in his heart that the money would come.  It was the Lord's work and the Lord would provide.

And He did!

It was a glorious time for both of us as we felt the spiritual direction of the Lord each day and watched His work move forward both with our projects and in the university as a whole.  It was miraculous!  That's one of the sweetest blessings of serving a mission...feeling that guidance and satisfaction!

Now Bob is looking forward to doing more of the same as we tackle yet another ship building experience but his time in Africa.  We go forward, not knowing exactly what we are to do, but trusting the Lord to make it known step by step.  We have no doubt that He will do just that!

What an adventure life is with this sweetheart of mine.  Life is never dull being married to a man like this.  He loves and is devoted to me, loves and is devoted to his family and he loves and is devoted to the Lord.  What more could you ask and yet I get a whole bunch more.

 I get a man who is humble, prayerful, always tying to improve, reassuring in times of challenge, steady and always moving forward, never looking back.  He worked hard to provide, requiring nothing for himself never begrudging giving it all to his growing family.  Now he works just as hard to bless the lives of others at his own expense, always certain that it will all work out.

How grateful I am for this man.  I pray that I can be a support to him and the great work he is doing.  It's not fancy or glorious.  It will be hard, slow and often discouraging, but step by step we will do our best to make a difference and continue the journey together.

My own dad HERE