The Men in My Life

I am so grateful for the men in my life who are such a good influence to me, as well as Eliza and Lilly.

First is my wonderful husband, Ryan. I don't think I could ever be the woman I am now if I had not married my best friend. I have learned and grown so much over the last 4 1/2 years of marriage because of him. He is so wonderful to me and treats me with the utmost respect. He is also a lot of fun to be around. ;) He is also such a fantastic father. I love how he will read with Eliza every night before bed and how her eyes light up when he comes home. I love how he is willing, and happy, to change any of Lilly's diapers, wet or poopy. I am so blessed to have him be my eternal companion.

My dad is one of the best men on earth. He is honorable and truly selfless. Elaine S. Dalton recently spoke in conference about how the best way to raise a daughter is to love her mother. My dad has exemplified this throughout my life. I knew I wanted to marry a man who treats me the way my dad treats my mom. I never doubted that my father loved my mother by the way he treated her. He NEVER let us speak ill of her or talk back to her. He taught us to respect and honor her. He was a wonderful example of how to live the Gospel and to continually serve with no question. Plus, he's a pretty funny guy. I love how he plays with words and can make any conversation enjoyable. Thank you, Dad, for being so wonderful and for raising me.

Then there is my father-in-law, Rick. He is a great man who has raised some pretty fantastic children, especially his boys. He absolutely loves genealogy and its always great to hear the connections of names and who is related to who. When we first named Lilly, he immediately knew of several ancestors who shared their name with her. It's great to be able to know our ancestors and feel closer to them through Rick. He is also a wonderful grandpa. Eliza and Lilly are his only two grandchildren, however, he is a pro and does the whole "grandpa" thing very nicely. Rick, thanks for being such a great example to us.

We are also lucky enough to have both of Ryan's grandpas active in our lives. These two men are prime examples of what it means to be a life-long learner. Grandpa Klemetson is professor at Utah Valley University and absolutely loves working with the students. Grandpa Cobia is an entrepreneur and has his own pancake business. It's always great to hear how his business is growing and allowing for more opportunities. Both of these men are incredibly strong in their faith and great examples to everyone who meets them. I never knew my great grandparents, so I'm thrilled that my girls can know theirs. Thank you Grandpa Cobia and Grandpa Klemetson. We love you both.