"Love Her Mother"

This Valentine's day I am going to celebrate by writing about the most important man in my life! 

I know you've heard it before, but I just don't feel like I've done it justice.

I am so grateful for my Daddy-O.

This morning Sister Valentine and I were reading a talk from the last General Conference called,

Love Her Mother

As we read I couldn't help but get a little teary as I realized that everything she said about being a good dad is true of mine. 

I have a thousands of memories of my dad and these pictures remind me of some of my favorites. I'll include some of Sister Dalton's thoughts about being a wonderful father.
. . .

He might look like kind of a nerd in this one, but I'll never forget waiting for him to come him to come home. He would have a stick of his favorite green gum for me to chew on while he asked me about my day and tried to explain to me what a "physical scientist" actually does. (I still dont' know...) But what I have always known is that he worked hard to provide for his family.

I remember sitting on the floor while my dad did his last minute packing for his yearly fishing trip. I'd cry and cry and cry while he put on his hat and kissed my mom goodbye. I knew I was in for a long weekend while he was away. But I knew that he had skills that allowed him to be our protector and guardian.

"Your personal virtue will model for your daughters, and also your sons, what true strength and moral courage are. By being a guardian of virtue in your own life, in your home, and in the lives of your children, you are showing your wife and daughters what true love really is. Your personal purity will give you power."

Dad's birthdays are always interesting. He is much more concerned about everyone being taken care of than of himself. This picture was taken right after his grandson attempted to blow out grandpa's candles first.

He gives more than he would ever excpect to be given.

"Did you know that your testimony has a powerful influence on your daughters? I knew my father had a testimony. I knew he loved the Lord. And because my father loved the Lord, I did too."

Giant softy? A little... but he always knew when to teach an important principle. I never had to question my dad's standards on the way to conduct myself. Obedience and love are two things he understands well.

"So how do you raise a girl? Love her mother. Lead your family to the temple, be guardians of virtue, and magnify your priesthood. Fathers, you have been entrusted with our Heavenly Father’s royal daughters. They are virtuous and elect. It is my prayer that you will watch over them, strengthen them, model virtuous behavior, and teach them to follow in the Savior’s every footstep—

for He lives!"

You are your daughter’s guardian in more than the legal sense. Be present in your daughter’s life. Let her know your standards, your expectations, your hopes and dreams for her success and happiness. Interview her, get to know her friends and, when the time comes, her boyfriends. Help her understand the importance of education. Help her understand that the principle of modesty is a protection. Help her choose music and media that invite the Spirit and are consistent with her divine identity. Be an active part of her life. And if in her teenage years she should not come home from a date on time, go get her. She will resist and tell you that you have ruined her social life, but she will inwardly know that you love her and that you care enough to be her guardian.