My dad is better than your dad...

Ahhh... Fathers' Day. I've been crying off and on today, with thoughts of my dear dad in mind. See, I grew up knowing that my dad was the most brilliant and incredible dad to ever have lived. Things change, this didn't. I still think of my dad as my hero, the most dedicated man to ever have raised 8 kids into successful adulthood. He is nearly perfect, and anyone who thinks otherwise has to deal with me and my fists of rage (this is not an exaggeration. Any time anyone even slightly infers that my dad isn't perfect gets my absolute wrath). I love this man as much as anyone can love their father. He is successful in every shape of the word, through work, church, health, and family. I read my sisters' blogs and just cried, thinking how much I miss him and realizing that they feel the exact same way about him that I do. I had always figured that I had had a special relationship with him, but after reading my family's blogs (yes, the Asay family all have blogs. Apparently we feel we have some very important issues to relay to the rest of the world... Still waiting to hear if the world feels the same), I realized that amazingly enough, every single brother and sister feels the same way I do. My dad is that amazing. He made every child feel they were absolutely precious and gave each of us that special attention craved by children from their fathers.

It is no secret to Josh that I adore my dad, practically worship him. Ron Asay can do no wrong in my eyes, and every thing he says is engraved as absolute truth and wisdom in my mind. He counseled me through life, always being such a positive light in my life. He is such a sensitive man, always ready to empathize but also careful to never make light of the little things that make teenagers so dramatic. I am so grateful to him and I would have no problem whatsoever writing a book on how much I love him.

I am the baby of the family and I got the privilege of spending my last two years in high school with just my parents. Most people fear this, but I embraced it. I was always close with both parents and I remember the awesome Monday nights of going out to eat with just those two and getting to talk with just them and me. I loved it. I loved spending time with my parents, and after I got married, Josh and I spent a lot of time with my parents (we did laundry every Sunday over there and ended up spending nearly all Sunday there). We came to think of them as some of our best friends and still do. We always talked about how comfortable and easy it was to be with my parents, our friends. Man, I miss them. I was so awful when they left. I was so devastated when they left, feeling like they were going to forget me and replace me with the missionaries (yeah, I have the mental maturity of a 10 year old). It was good for me when they left, because I love and appreciate them even more now. They put the Lord first, and that is just how it should be. I'm still thinking if I can figure a way that they move out to California with us. Yeah, I'm still very clingy to them and probably not in the healthy way. What can I say? I'm the baby.