The Chief

I know it’s a few days late, but it happens.

Anyways, I have the best, coolest, most amazing Dad. Like I said in the post about my Mom, everything that is good about me comes from my Dad (& Mom).

I’ve learned a lot from my dad: like the value of hard work (I have yet to meet someone that works harder than the Chief), patience (he has to put up with me), the value of a dollar (& how to save that dollar, or break down the dollar into various categories on an excel spreadsheet), the importance of constant & continuing service (every day!), & that’s not even scratching the surface.

(this pic is from NZ, so great!)

I wanted to share just a few of my favorite memories that involve the Chief,

Hiking: so this may come as a shock to some of you but I use to HATE hiking, & growing up we seemed to hike a lot during the summers as a family. We would hike the mountains around Alpine & up AF canyon. My dad was always the one that initiated these early morning (6am, on a summer, sometimes holiday, morning) excursions. I grew to love these outings (it took a while) & I am really missing hiking those trails. Thanks Chief for helping me find my love of the outdoors/hiking by dragging my lazy butt up the mountains.

The Cat Story: most of you have heard this story but it’s a classic & a wonderful example of my father’s humor. Here’s the short version: One day my dad put a rubber mouse in a co-workers desk drawer, said co-worker opened the drawer, saw the mouse, screamed & wet her pants…next day we had an adorable calico kitten dropped off at our house to “keep the mice away.” The kitten was dropped off while my dad was at work so Adrienne & I would get attached & not let dad return it. Thanks Dad!

Family Prayers: since we’re on the topic of humor I would like to share this little treat (which probably will not be funny to anyone but me, but forget you guys, this is my blog). So every night we would gather as a family to have family prayers together before bed. Usually after the prayer we would say, “I love you” & hug/kiss mom & dad. This one particular evening when I was probably 10, I remember hugging my dad & saying “I love you man!” he quickly responded, “you’re still not getting my bud light.” Man we laughed about that one for months.

(the above picture is from 2006 when I came home from Korea, I was so excited to see the snow so I ran outside & was making snow angels & next thing I knew I was covered in snow, my dad had dumped snow on me using the snow shovel...thanks dad)

Piano Recital: so when I was younger I played the piano & we would have piano recitals from time to time at our instructors house. These recitals were not my favorite thing (there were a million students & I had to wear a dress...), I don't think they were my parents favorite either. This one recital my dad told me he was going to pay me $5 to "spice up the recital." So our piano instructor was very formal about these recitals & had us stand up in front of the audience & before we played our piece(s) we would have to say, "My name is Amy Burgess & I shall play (insert name of piece here)." I was somewhere in the middle of the recital that day & people were falling asleep, I waited for the applause, I walked up to the front of the room & said, "My name is Amy Burgess & I shall play...for about 2 minutes" turned around sat down at the grand piano, played my songs & sat down. Oh man you should have seen my instructors face, best $5 I've ever made. Thanks Dad for making that the most memorable piano recital.

(this picture is from when we went clamming in Charleston, OR)

Thanks Chief, for everything: the endless/constant love, the continual encouragement to do/be my best, the wise counsel that is only a phone call away, & most importantly thank you for being an amazing example to me (& everyone around you) in the way that you live your life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you (& Mom: it’s hard to talk about one w/o the other).

Here’s to the Chief, I love you, forever & always.

~Amy Keita