Dad challenge-read the whole thing!
So, I have had a rough week lately and by the sounds of everything so have all of you. (except Michael-congrats!) I had a blessing the other night because I was worried about grandpa and deadlines at work and couldn't calm down. In the blessing, one thing that Heavenly Father told me is that I need to be strong because my 'parents' are counting on me right now. I KNOW that was not a mistake. I came to realize that dad is working through his crap but looking down on us and wanting the best. I can't explain it, but I know it's true and comforting.
Without getting too preachy..hopefully you are still reading...I realized that I was only holding on to the bad that happened and not the good. I can't say that I have forgiven everything-not quite. But, I am anxious not to carry such a heavy load of anger anymore. I want to reflect on the good. I was talking with a sibling today and realized that even though I have bad memories, I do have good ones too. The younger siblings probably don't remember much about dad.
So....here is the challenge. I encourage you (my siblings) to write down a good memory to share with the rest of us. I think it could do some good.
I'll start. I remember once in 5th grade dad came and volunteered at my school for some reason. He was talking with some boys at my table about what he would eat. They were surprised at the disgusting things that he could put on a sandwich and still stomach it. I remember his laugh and wink at me. I still don't know if he would have ate the disgusting sandwich but the stupid boys at my table (who i didn't like at all at the time) believed him and were impressed.
I love you all. Please add a story.
Megan
Posted in: on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at
Megan's right. I actually believe it's our responsibility to share our memories with the younger ones. Brigham's sister, Heather, does this well and shares memories of their mom. I've been failing at this because I have blocked out most of my memories to block all of the bad ones as well. In fact, it took me a few minutes to think of a few good memories. I had two that came to mind. Once after I helped dad with something (I don't remember what), he took me to get a banana split at Dairy Queen for breakfast. I remember mom being frustrated that I had such a healthy breakfast. This started my love for ice cream and desserts that i'm still battling.
also, Dad used to always help me with my homework because he understood it better than mom. I stopped asking him for help because instead of giving me a simple answer, he would teach me the whole theory behind the answer as well. I like to learn that way now but didn't when I was young.
Does anyone remember the mickey mouse pancakes or pancakes shaped like our initials? That was pretty cool.
Okay, it took me awhile to think of some as well. Not because I don't have any good memories...I just don't have any memories! I have trouble remembering yesterday!
I used to love when Dad would take me to work with him in the evenings. It was dark and quiet and he would work and we would get to "play". I remember using the copy machine to copy my hands, feet, etc. It was fun!
Also, Dad was the best at doing donuts in the parking lot. They were kind of scary, but also very fun.
The banana split was after helping in the garden! It was about 10:30 AM when DQ opened in the morning.
I used to love going to the office with dad like Lindsey to do the bills for grandpa, I don't really know what this entailed, but it was fun to go anyway. One time we went after lunch and I was upset for some reason at one of the girls for eating the slice of leftover pizza that I wanted, so dad went to Garcias(?,) the pizza by the slice place to get me a piece that I wanted.
I liked riding with dad in the car because he always made the ride interesting (that's probably why he was in ticket trouble all the time.) One time we were coming home from Farm 'n' Fleet and I was sitting in the back of the old brown celica, back behind the rear seat in the trunk, and dad was coming up to the train tracks on market but there was a train coming. At that time they didn't have the guards that came down (I don't know if they do now either,) so dad raced the train across the tracks. To a little 5 year old it seemed like the train missed the car by inches. I'm sure it was more than that though. I got dad in trouble though because the first thing I did when we got home was go in and tell mom what happened.
Dad is also the reason that I love baseball so much. It goes back even to when I was an infant and he had me chewing on a plastic bat in the little baby seat. I don't even remember how young I was when I learned to play catch because he was so eager to teach me. He would also sit and watch Cardinals games with me whenever he could. He was also one of the loudest parents ever at any baseball game.
Whenever I see Mash or MacGyver on tv I always think of dad because of all the times that he would let me stay up late and watch those shows with him.
I do remember the pancakes as well Megan. I gotta get back to homework, but here's a start to the list.
It wasn't a Celica. It was a brown Dodge Colt.
Sorry, I thought it was that old brown celica that was in grandpa's garage for so long, and possibly still is.
Dear Steinbergs,
The first time I met your father he was a handsome young man who had just returned from his mission. He came to speak at the Pontiac Branch and told us all about it. He loved the Lord and he wanted to be a good person as he went to college and moved on with his life. He bore a wonderful testimony.
Later as I came to know your parents, your mother and I would sit at baseball games and watch our husbands play baseball. Your mother was much more patient about that than I was. I think it was shortly after they were married that your parents babysat my children for me when I had a family emergency and one of mine had to go to the hospital with asthma. Patience said, at the time, that your parents were so "fun to play with."
When we built a new house your Grandpa and Father put the sod on the ground so my daughters would have a good place to play. They did so well in landscaping that our new house never leaked water again after that. My children spent thousands of hours playing on that grass as did our daycare children.
Your father was loved by his peers at church. At the point when things started to go haywire, no one could understand what was happening anymore than they understood what happened to his mother.
Your mother has always been admired by many the way she worked so hard to keep the family going. When I was at U High doing my internship, I used to love to go down and visit her in her classroom. She was so wise and talented in her job. I never knew how she had the strength to do so much at home, church, and school.
Your family is always thought of with love and respect.
Ginny Sharp