Brad

Hahaha, alright, I cannot stop laughing at this picture.
I mean, look at us. It looks like we had fun. Once. And hated it.
I have no idea what happened here. I think I was taking the picture and was not sure when it was going off.

So I have decided to space out my Father Posts. I am behind on them and did not want to make any new ones until I finished all these. However, I keep wanting to post something but feel restrained. So I am going to space out my posts on my fathers.

I have already covered a lot about Brad in a previous post, but he definitely deserves another.

Brad has been a major part of my life. Not always have I shown it, but having him there for me as a father has meant the world to me.

When I was young he was the one that took me on Father's and Son's outings. I remember him setting up the camp stove on the tailgate of his red pickup, Genie.

He was the one that taught me to train dogs. He'd let me watch him train Jesse and Susan. He'd give me tips, while enduring my many questions.

Brad was the one to teach me the importance of performing his home teaching. Every month he diligently made sure his families were taken care of. He would encourage me to teach some of the lessons and was always so verbose about his appreciation of my input and testimony of the Gospel.

Through Brad's example I learned the importance of breaking bad habits. Brad has only yelled at me once in my entire life, and it was when he was going off caffeine. He stayed home from work that week, and I was being inordinately loud. I definitely dismissed his anger, because he was going through some rough withdrawals. His dedication to becoming better has had a lasting impression on me.

To this day one of the things that has benefitted me the most in life is my love of technology and computers. Because of it I have my job today that has nothing but promise. This love I received from Brad. As time goes on I find myself wanting to know more and more about server management, coding, database language, gadgets, and all that good stuff. As a child I watched as he learned, practiced, tinkered, and lived with technology.

Throughout my adolescence Brad has always sought to make us happy. He has always been unconditionally loving of us, his step-children. I have never felt any burden of that title, but quite the opposite. I see myself as one of Brad's sons, and I am ever grateful for that. He is always looking to help my sisters, brothers, and I.

Brad, thank you again for being my father.