My dad... he's turning 90!

When I was born, it was my dad that named me Faun... and I’ve always felt like I was his “little dear”! As a little girl, I would climb up on a stool next to my dad as he drew house plans. I would use all the tools, the stencils, etc. to draw my own house plans. I remember feeling pretty important and loved those times with my dad. When we ventured in to the hills, my dad would point out the landscape, the way the mountains met, where a volcano must have been, where an earthquake shifted the earth... he brought to my attention the tracks of different animals and told me what they were. It was a treat to spend time with my dad in the mountains and I always came away having learned something new. I grew up with a dad that loved the stars and we spent time studying the constellations; from that I grew my own love of star gazing. My dad was always reading and is still a veracious reader. The only thing that he requires is that the book be NON-fiction. He can’t waste his time on anything not true! haha My dad is self-taught in so many subjects because of his reading. When I was five and going off to kindergarten, I remember vividly him telling me that if anyone asked what my dad did, I was to tell them that he was an inventor. Well, in my lifetime, I have watched my dad invent SO many clever things... A couple of weeks ago, he went to the U of U, met with some engineers and told them his ideas for harnessing the tide for energy! That is my dad... always thinking! I am in awe of his capacity to see a need and come up with solutions. My dad had many poems memorized and loved reading poetry. A couple of my favorites as a kid was “Seein’ Things at Night” and “Casey Up to Bat”... My dad loved and still loves (though it’s somewhat slower) doing magic tricks for the kids. Making coins disappear is an all-time favorite! Now-a-days, my dad spends his time fishing, in his shop inventing (or just “tinkering” in his words), reading, driving his 4-wheeler around to see friends and every week we try and get a game of Mexican Train in... he continues to amaze me and make me laugh! There is a lot of him in me (I hope)...

Where has the time gone? My dad is turning 90 years old next week! I don’t think he looks 90, but he assures me that he looks 90 when he’s going down stairs! I laugh at his funny sense of humor all the time... he just makes me happy. I love you, daddy! Happy BIRTHDAY!

Oh... and one more thing that I am so proud of... my dad was a medic in World War II... He traveled everywhere from Africa to Italy serving his country well. I have a sense of great pride and patriotism in this great country because of him. I love America! I love our flag! I love every soldier that has fought and continues fighting for the freedoms I enjoy... I love my dad.