Happy Birthday, Alan! I love you. Hope it isn't too bad going to meetings for the whole day. Here are a few pictures of his life. I will add more before the day is over.
Here is the rest:
Alan has created this room with his hunting/cowboy trophies. He is comfortable here.
Cute baby. I didn't have the one that his dad got when he was overseas during WWII when he didn't even know whether he had a son or daughter. The page of the letter telling what he had was lost the rest of the letter just said "the baby." He said he looked like something that crawled out from under a rock. I think he was cute. He had as much dark hair as I did when born. Consequently, we had six little hairy babies.
Alan, obviously on the left, had three brothers. Dan was not born yet here. John is the baby and Roy on the right with Dad, Burke, in the middle. They were a rowdy bunch. Mary was a wonderful boys' mother. We miss her.
Handsome Alan before his mission. If I were a good wife with lots of time, I would find an old picture from his mission. He still tells many stories from his Southwest British mission. It totally changed his life and mine.
Here is Alan, the returned missionary I married.
Here is our little family. I have posted this before. Wish I took the time to find a different one.
Here are some random things about Alan that I love. There are too many to put them all here:
1. He is a true and worthy patriarch of a wonderful family. He has been my partner in loving and raising our six plus one children. We have not been perfect parents, but our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren are pretty great people despite our failings. Alan ruled with an iron hand and a loving arm to draw them to him. He used his priesthood often and with inspiration to bless our home, our health, our struggles, and souls.
2. Alan is passionate about his hobbies. He has always been a hunter. I did not know what that meant when I married him. I found out when he was late to the temple because he couldn't miss the morning dove hunt and then left me six out of the first nine weekends we were married (1 wedding 2 honeymoon 3 move to Utah 4-9 hunting)
I only have pictures of bird hunting. He especially loves bird hunting with his dogs. But he does it all: deer, elk, wild boar, bear (hasn't got one), antelope, caribou, whatever. I have never had to worry about him being disappointed because he is a very good shot and gets what he is after if it is getable.
He has also had more dogs than most people can name. He has specialized in hunting breeds--just about every kind out there. However, he has not limited himself to those. We have had Old English Sheepdogs, German Shephards, Airedales, Cavaliers, and on and on and on. He loves to breed, buy, study and search for dogs of all breeds. Right now we have a French Brittany and a Pudlepointer. They are both excellent hunting dogs. They are enough for any dog lover/ hunter, don't you think? No I didn't buy him a dog for his birthday!!
3. Alan has kept my life from being mundane and routine. One of our grandsons said with awe is "Our papa is a COWBOY and a HUNTER." Alan does things that I would never have been exposed to without him. We go to the National Finals Rodeo every year just before Christmas. He loves all things cowboy and rodeo. He goes on roundups and buys horses. He tries to get me listen to cowboy music and learn to shoot. He watches animal planet and bull riding and discovery channel and adds spice and variety to my world.
4. He loves our grandchildren. They love to cuddle up to him and he woos them with his love.
As with our children, Alan is my partner in loving, building a relationship with and being proud of our grandchildren. He really goes out of his way to win the little ones over.
A few of them like Jack, below, especially seek Papa out and are so comfortable and safe in his arms.
He can be the fun Papa, too, huh Mackenzie?
5. Alan love to travel and see things with me. He will take side trips like Yosemite and enjoy whatever we are out to see.
He will go on tours with groups even though that may not be his first choice of travel methods. It was so fun to have Jade with us in Israel a few years ago.
We walked where Christ did.
6. Alan loves to check out the shops both when we travel and at home and especially loves to buy me things. I have to put the stops on all the spending he loves to do on me. He is very generous and thoughtful.
7. I love that Alan is alive. He was so sick three years ago this doctor, Dr Patel, who saved his life also told me he might not make it. Luckily, I did not recognize that was what he was telling me. As Alan fought to stay with us, I realized how much I loved and depended on him. I am glad that he had the faith, strength, and desire to stay with me and be my companion for the rest of out lives here.
8. I love that Alan is a good provider. Here he is in his office. (Oh, there are lots of hunting pictures and creatures on his office walls. Just a note.) He has provided a nice lifestyle for us and works still to give us what we need.
9. I love Alan's commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He chose to serve a mission in his youth despite a family that was not very active in the church and did not encourage him. I love that he studied the gospel on his own and developed a testimony. I love that he was been dedicated to the church all our marriage and served with diligence in whatever his calling has been from 11 year old scout leader to one boy to bishop or high counselor. He is wise and seeks the direction of the spirit in all he does.
10. I love that Alan has always made me feel loved and beautiful, whether I deserve it or not. He is always willing to work on our marriage. We have been married almost 42 years of the next eternity. We are best friends, working partners, share a church calling and still in love. I dare most couples to try that. We are grateful it works so well.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALAN!!
