This is my parents when they were in high school. They were high school sweethearts. My Dad was the captain and quarterback of the football team and my Mom was the head cheerleader. What a great story. They were best friends, and when my Dad left on his mission, he took my Mom to a special place and gave her a ring box.
Inside that ring box was a ROCK, she took it out and looked at it, he told her that if she started to like anyone more than him while he was gone, she was to THROW that rock at him and turn around and run. It was realistically a rock, not a ring at all. So she threw it at my Dad right then. (I don't even know how many times I have heard that story, but I love it every time and I never get sick of it.)
This was the picture they took when they wrote their books Gathering Christmas and Evergreen Miracles. I remember making packages of their books and Stephens White Chocolate Cocoa. I have so many fun memories of book stores and book signings. As a kid I probably spent like a million hours in bookstores going with them to different book events. To this day, there is something so nostalgic for me when I walk into any book store. I just love the smell and sounds, and I love to browse the shelves, not even looking for anything, just looking.
I have more memories of being rolled up like this than any kid in the world. My Dad used to do this with us for HOURS. He would roll us up so tight that there was no possible way to move an inch. We would struggle for about 10 minutes to get loose only to run and beg him to roll us up again. We did this over and over. My Dad only recently told me that it was the best way to wear us out and that we would always sleep perfectly on the nights he played this game with us. What a great Dad.
I am sure that I will be doing the same thing with my own kids. Ryan and I have already done this to Naomi, our little Niece. It is so fun for some reason.
Thanks Mom and Dad for your great examples and the love you have shown us. We love you.
