This past Friday, June 29, 2007, my dad retired. He had worked for the same company for 26 straight years! Before that he had done various other jobs. He was honored at his work with a retirement party. Different people that he had worked with over the years stood up and spoke about my father. Some of it was rather funny, including pasting a picture of my father's head onto several crazy photos and telling some funny stories. My dad even got given a gift of a pool stick because apparently he beat everyone on a business trip a while back. I learned something new about my dad.

However, most of what was said about my dad was very uplifting and honoring. People all around the company were asked to give one word to describe my father. The top words that came up over and over were integrity and virtuous. They couldn't have described him better. My father is a wonderful man. Our family honored him with a plaque thanking him for all of his years of sacrificial service to us. He always made sure we had what we needed. For many years he worked the night shift to make ends meet. He and I would leave each other notes during the week. He gave us some of what we wanted, but not everything. We had to work and use our own money to get many of the extras. I truly appreciate that life lesson, and am using it with my children now. He pointed us to our Heavenly Father. That was the most important thing he could have ever done and has changed my life forever. I am so grateful to my dad for everything throughout the years-the spiritual, the emotional, and the material.

My dad is a hard worker. I know that with this retirement, he'll finally (hopefully) get the rest he needs, but I also know he will stay busy. He's a fisherman and loves the outdoors. Now he will have a lot more time for those kinds of things. I know I'm a little biased, but I think my dad is the best dad in the world and I am very proud of him.