Happy Father's Day

The Father's Day festivities got started a little early at our house. I ordered a few gifts for Jeff (actually for the baby with Jeff in mind) weeks ago. He's asked me to give them to him early several times since they arrived in the mail and although I was tempted, I managed to fend him off time after time...until Wednesday. So close! But I wrapped them that day and when Jeff asked for them and assured me he wouldn't be disappointed when he didn't have anything to open on Sunday, I gave in. I got him/the baby an adorable little frame that says "My Daddy and Me" along with two little football rattles. The bigger one says, "My 1st Football" and the little one with the handle says, "Future Star." He loved them although he was a little disappointed that we didn't have a picture to put in the frame on Father's Day. He was really hoping the little guy would arrive yesterday and talked to my belly, begging him to come out all day.


On Saturday, I found some adorable Father's Day cupcakes that I just had to make. They are brownies made to look like little grills with hot dogs (Hot Tamales), steaks (Caramel Creams), and shish kabobs (cut up candy fruit slices and Caramel Creams on toothpicks). Jeff and I even walked to Macey's to get silver muffin cups so they would look even more like grills. After I made them, we went around and delivered plates of them to some of our favorite young dads in the area. First, we tried the Johnstons (they have a cute 4 month-old named Thomas), but they weren't home, so we continued on to Jeff and Brenda Oswell's and had a nice little chat with Jeff. Their first baby - a girl - is due in October. Then, we had a nice long visit with Brooke and Ben. They're the best! On the way home, we gave the Johnstons another shot, but they were still out. We were bummed to have missed them, but it worked out for the Barnettes, a fun couple in our ward whom Jeff home teaches.  I accompanied Jeff as he home taught them the next day and we brought them the extra plate of brownies. And of course we had to give the last plate to Doug and Tricia, our awesome upstairs neighbors, even though we haven't been informed of any babies on the way for them yet.

Making the cupcakes. Notice the brownie batter on my chest from when I sneaked (is 'snuck' really not a word??) a taste. Classy. I got batter, frosting and food coloring all over me! I have gotten more and more clumsy as this pregnancy has progressed.

Jeff got to choose what we would have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Father's Day. For breakfast, I made him a breakfast burrito with strawberries and a glass of milk.

For lunch, we had delicious grilled chicken sandwiches, tater tots, strawberries and pineapple. I'm pretty sure the last time I had tater tots was in elementary school when my mom gave me money to buy a "hot lunch." Those are some tasty little morsels. Also, notice that our sandwiches are on plain 82¢/loaf wheat bread. Jeff is about as low-maintenance as they come. Buns are an unnecessary extravagance.

Jeff had requested "Tex-Mex" (a yummy mix of penne noodles, cubed chicken, sliced green bell pepper, corn, salsa, and cheese) and homemade rolls for dinner, but we were invited to to dinner at Grandma Fisher's in Salt Lake with her, Nikki and Brian (Jeff's cousins) so I'll be making the Tex-Mex and rolls tomorrow night. The delicious dinner Grandma Fisher made us was better than what I would have made anyway and we had fun visiting with her, Brian, and Nikki and playing the game "Word on the Street" with them after dinner.

It was a good day and Jeff only deserves the best because even though our baby boy isn't here yet, he's already a wonderful daddy. He already loves his son so much and can't wait to meet him. He talks to him all the time and tells him to hurry up and get here. Every time I call him, he hopes that I'm calling to say it's time to go to the hospital. Jeff works so hard to provide for his family and make sure that we have everything we need to give this little guy a good life when he gets here. I know he's going to be such a great daddy to our son when he arrives and to all of our future children. There is a real possibility that they will like him better than me, but I guess I can live with that.

And of course, I have to recognize my own wonderful dad. He has worked so hard his entire life to make a good life for his family. Thanks to him, I have had so many incredible opportunities in my life. I owe him so much.

A few days ago, I was sorting through my keepsakes and I found a note he wrote me when I was 12 years old. I was on a notoriously good soccer team called The Strikers that year. There were some extremely talented girls on my team and my coach gave a jersey to the MVP of each game at the following practice. My coach wasn't exactly nurturing - in fact, he was kind of a grumpy old man - and he usually gave the jerseys to the same handful of girls every time. I never expected to receive one until one game. I played better than I ever had and I really believed I might get the jersey at practice a couple of nights later. I was so disappointed when the jersey was given to one of our star forwards (for the third or fourth time) instead. I cried.

My sweet dad went out that night and bought me a Galaxy jersey. The next morning when I woke up and he had already left for work, I found it on my bed with a note that said,

"Hey Kira Berra,

I don't care what your coach says, I think you played harder than anyone on your team. Keep working hard.

Love,
Dad"

That meant so much to me and it still does. I love my dad so much and I'm so happy to know that he will be an influence in my son's life as well. He will be able to learn so much from this great man just as I have.