Bart the farmer

aka: Papa bear, Daddy-O, Bubba, Marcos/Marcus.... Dad. (I have no idea where the nickname "bart the farmer" came from, but we do call him that!)

I love love love my dad.

He is such a great example to me. He works harder than anyone I know, and he is really good at his job!

I have never heard my dad complain. (Maybe he does, but I've never actually heard him do it.) He usually keeps to himself but when he is passionate about something he does speak up.

My dad has a strong testimony. He reads his scriptures daily (I know because I've caught him reading and he has scriptures all over the house that he marks up). He was my Sunday School teacher when I was a senior in high school and I learned so much from him! It wasn't easy teaching our class, either. We would talk back, make jokes and hardly pay attention sometimes. I knew that he was meant to be my teacher that year because I learned so much from him and my relationship with him improved. Plus, I respected him that much more.

There is an unspoken game in my family that we all try to get my dad to laugh. We LOVE his laugh and when he really gets going it sparks a chain of laughter that continues for minutes. We know we've said or done something REALLY funny when we get dad laughing. It always makes us feel so good!

My dad is a great cook. I remember growing up with such a wide palette because my dad introduced so many new foods to us. This is where I got my love for sushi, miso soup, Thai and Indian food! He still tries to get me to love pollenta (a mixed corn type food) but I don't like it. He makes me "taste" it every time he makes it, hoping I will change my mind. Sorry Dad, not gonna happen.

I know he loves me. Words haven't always been his thing, but he sure does show me. I know he cares about me and what I am doing in life. When I was pregnant he called me all the time to check up on me and see how things were progressing. I'm so glad Phineas waited to be born until my dad was back in the states!

My dad is a wonderful grandpa to Phin and he has a special way with him. I'm so grateful for my dad and all he does to continue to support our family. I love you, Dad!!

Love, Katerina.