Father's day!

It was Father's Day today! Jim and I had to give the talks in Sacrament meeting!! We made it through without crying to bad, and got lots of compliments.... but let me back up a minute.
Two weeks ago on the 5th of June, Brother Mortensen came over, I saw him coming up the driveway but thought oh, he's just here for Jim and something with the Young Men. But Noooooo... he asked if we'd speak in two weeks... I'd been having a feeling it was going to be my turn for the last month... so it wasn't too much of a shock. The subject was "Don't be in a Hurry" from the June Ensign, and I got to talk on "Don't be in a hurry to fill your day with "busyness". Plus it was going to be Father's day. Goodness did I have a lot to think about.
I'd been praying that I would be able to come up with something for my talk for a few days, then during the week before Sarah and I went to Salt Lake, I was getting ready for work and kept having good thoughts for my talk, so I had to go write them down so I wouldn't forget... and I was 15 minutes late for work!! Ooops! But it was worth it. Then I didn't give my talk too much thought while I was in SLC with Sarah.

I started the week off pretty good, then on Tuesday, when I got home, Andy and Jim were waiting for me in the kitchen, I didn't think much at first other than they were hungry. But Andrew told me that my Dad had told him the results of all the tests he had been having done. We had held a family fast on Fast Sunday, so I hadn't been too worried, but the results were prostate cancer... I think I was a bit in shock cuz I didnt' cry until later. Then I had to go to YW's and we had a movie night here at my house. Sometimes being with my beehives is good therapy.

Dad had to go back to his doctor Thursday to talk about his options. Boy, what a time for that, and preparing a talk, and to have it be Father's day.
The doctor said that his cancer is between slow and fast growing cancer. 1 to 5 being slow, Dad's is a 6 and 7 to 8 is fast. The doctor thought that since Dad is almost 84 that he would be better off without having the surgery to remove his prostate. And that he could have a normal life for probably the next 5 years or so, and they would keep testing him and if it looked like the cancer was growing, they could give him hormones or whatever they give you for that, to slow it down. But he does have a tumor in his bladder that is cancer, which they will do a simple operation to remove, and it will probably grow back and then they would remove it again. But he has to have a pelvic Cat Scan this Tuesday, to make sure his lymph nodes aren't involved. They just want to make sure since last summer he was having problems with his leg swelling and stuff. If everything is okay that way, then they will do what they have planned. If it shows that lymph nodes are involved then he might have to have the extensive surgery after all. We will just keep praying all goes well.
Boy, I wanted to give my talk and say something about my dad for Father's day, but didn't know how I was going to keep my emotions in control. And I was having a hard time with my talk...
but Saturday morning, after praying about it all night long almost, I got up early and put on some of my favorite instrumental music... and just wrote what I needed to write. Don't you love that.. when you just are inspired to write stuff and you get that warm fuzzy feeling... and of course the whole time I was typing I was weeping...
I finallly had my talk written, and my YW's lesson prepared, and I finally felt good... I took it down and practiced on my dad and mom, and my sister Marilyn and her husband Ty happened to be there. So it was good to practice. Couldn't believe I'd actually written a 20 minute talk.
Later I had my dad give me a blessing, that I'd be able to say what I needed to say and be calm, and keep my emotions in check. He gave Jim one too, I don't think Jim ever had a Father's blessing.... I cried.
I got up today, and felt good. We were having Mom, Dad, and Sarah and Dave over for dinner after church. So I got ready, made some dinner preparations, and off to church I went.
My YW's lesson went well... I love it when we have moments when all the girls are listening and you feel that warm fuzzy feeling in the classroom... And then it came time to talk... and I was able to do it!! My voice didn't shake... even though I cried at the end when I talked about my Dad and Heavenly Father... I was able to say what I wanted to say. Jim did a good talk too, and talked about his Dad as well, which was really good. I learned things that I hadn't known before.
Afterwards, Jim, me and Andrew had a lovely time eating lunch / dinner with Mom, Dad, Sarah, and Dave. We sat out on our back deck under our new big umbrella and ate and visited and enjoyed the day. Then we all took naps. I loved today! and I love my family.

I think I will post my Father's day thoughts.... since it's Father's Day after all..

I hope you don’t mind that I take a few minutes more to express my appreciation to 3 Father’s in my life since it is “Father’s day”..
First—I just want my husband to know how I appreciate and love him for the kind of man he is, and the good father he is to our children. I am so thankful that he puts up with my busyness each day, and helps me grow as a person, and a wife and mother.

Next I want my dad to know how much I love him. I’ve been wanting to tell a little story about him for a long time. A few years ago, I can’t remember if he bore his testimony or was giving a talk but he was talking about my mother and how he appreciated her. And each of my 5 sisters and myself call everyday with little problems that we tell her, and if he happened to be the one that answered the phone, we would all say , Hi Dad, how are you, is mom there…. And we’d proceed to tell all our troubles and worries to Mom and she would help us through it. Well after I heard him say that, I decided the next time he answered the phone.. I’d just talk to him. Well that time came, and he answered the phone and I said, "Hi dad how are you, but instead of asking for mom I proceeded to tell him my trouble at the moment… in which afterwards.. there followed a moment of complete silence and then my dad said “let me get your mother……...I kept that up, and now every morning on my way to work I call and usually Dad will answer with a good morning Diane…. Thank heavens it’s always me, cuz sometimes he sings a little song…. But he’s gotten better at listening and giving his advice to me and I’ve come to love my morning talks with him and hate to hang up…. Thanks Dad…. Happy Father’s day and I love you.

And last, I want my Heavenly Father to know how much I appreciate everything He has done for me and everything He has given me. I’m grateful for His listening ear as I say my prayers and the answers and help He has given me through out my life. I’m thankful for His Son, and for all that He has done for me as well. I’m so thankful for this gospel and the happiness it brings into my life and the life of my family. I know this church is true. And I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen