Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is Dad's 80th birthday. Or I guess, now that he has passed away, it is the 80th anniversary of his birth? Whatever, it's still his birthday and so in honor, I have this photo-booth strip that was taken in 1965, just before we moved to Idaho from California. I believe that this was my "school photo" for that year because I was the only one of my siblings too young for a school photo, at the age of 4 1/2. It's a treasure, this photo, surviving all these many years.

I was named after my dad - Ronna/Ronald and so then I went right ahead and named Veronica after both of us. (What she does with the "ron" suffix/prefix/infix is up to her.)

So you see, I had no bangs, my hair was blonde, and he was trying to make me say something because I really don't think I had that much of an overbite!

We always used to celebrate Dad and Mom's birthdays together, since hers is tomorrow, but now I guess Mom gets her own day and cake.

Today Emily will play her first flute solo in Sacrament meeting. I remember playing for my dad, and that he always thought I was wonderful. So at first, I was going to have Emily play a song that her Grandpa loved, but then we found "Stairway to Lasting Joy" in the old, orange Sing With Me primary songbook, which is a song Emily's dad loves. It should be a great memory, since we meet in the old 1st Ward building where Kerry attended primary long ago. I'm thankful for all of my happy childhood memories, and hope that my own kids have made some happy memories too.

Happy birthday daddy, wherever you are!