A Tribute

So Hawaii was pretty awesome. But more on that later. Today's post is a tribute.

I have two very great parents.

Very great.

Last Saturday night I was going to go hit up a few wedding receptions (86% of all my friends are getting married this summer turns out) when I decided to stop in to get a sandwich because I was famished. Ran in, got my tuna melt, ran back out and went to start my car...

Nothing. The engine didn't turn over, no power, nothing. All of a sudden my beloved Suzy Subaru just gave up on me. And it's not like I had abandoned her in the cold, it's not like I'd been driving her cross-country, I just left her to go get a sandwich and she threw an absolute fit.

So I'm about as car clueless as they come. I pop the hood and look around, jiggle around wires a bit but my eyes aren't picking anything out. There would have to be a javelin sticking out of the engine for me to realize "oh, maybe that javelin is making it so my car won't start" but some little problem isn't going to attract my attention no matter how long I stare at it.

I grab my phone. My first thought is my dad (naturally) but I think, "nah" figuring he's not going to be able to figure out what is wrong from Salt Lake. I go through my phone. Brother Danny wouldn't be much help besides lifting my spirits by bringing my nephew down. Should I call my home teachers? Just changed wards and I don't know my new ones. My old one, Rob, is in Havasupai. I could call the guys across the street but Hawk and Kory are probably already at the reception I was headed to and Cole and Derek are in Hawaii. Danny and Dave probably don't know much about cars. Joe is in Salt Lake along with all my other guy friends from High School. Everyone else I've known and been friends with is no married and un-callable. Guyfriend resource exhausted.

So I dial my dad's number. Explain to him what went wrong, he tells me to tell him what I see. I tell him there is some corrosion on the battery. He tells me to wiggle the wires by the battery. It was then that one wire broke off. Just broke clean away from the battery. "Dad, I think I know what the problem is."

Concern in his voice, I hear him turn and ask my mom, "Heid, can we just go down there? We could go to the cabin after... I'd just feel better if we ran down there really quick."

"Sure, of course," came the quick reply from my mom.

"Liz, we're coming down." I shook my head.

"No, Dad, don't worry about it. I can call some guys in my ward, you don't need to come down here!"

"I know we don't. See you in about an hour."

They rolled into the parking stall next to me with big smiles. We took a look at it. My dad identified the problem then hopped in his car to go to Home Depot, leaving my mom and me with my car sitting on Center Street. We were sitting right in front of a night club, which had the strobe lights flashing and all sorts of characters wandering around. Some pretty pathetic music was coming from a club nearby. It was hot and we couldn't turn on the AC obviously so we sat with the windows open and the seats reclined. We chatted. Mom played solitaire on her iPad, I told her funny stories. They had gotten Outback (the restaurant, not my car) takeout and were supposed to go to the cabin that night but they postponed to detour to Provo.

Dad came back with all sorts of fancy things that were supposedly going to make my car work. Worked on it for quite a while in dimming light, me peeking over his shoulder with a flashlight. Mom continued to play Solitaire. Both were patient, neither complained.

Finally we got old Suz started, but the old girl wasn't doing so hot. She'd start if we jumped her but if I turned her off, she wouldn't turn back on. My Dad followed me all around Provo looking for a place to leave her with a note and a key so someone could go in and replace the battery cables that have a ton of corrosion. By the time they gave me hugs, dropped me off at home and left Provo, it was well past 10:00.

They dropped everything to help a daughter out.

Sometimes my mom calls me and we talk for a long time about stuff. Nothing in particular, just stuff. She'll listen to me bellyache and complain, she'll have compassion when compassion's due and sympathy when the situation calls for it. But she'll also have the gumption to tell me to pick my butt up and move when I'm being particularly "wo-as-me"ish. She's really good at playing devil's advocate when I'm being ridiculous. She never demands, she never complains, she's happy when we're happy. She's taught us to be happy. She's the perfect Grandma to an adoring two-year-old. She sees strengths in me and my siblings that we can't see, she never hesitates to express her love and praise, she continually encourages and uplifts. She watches "bonnet movies" with me and reads my blog. And she always always always tries to understand. 

My dad calls me frequently as well. Multiple times a week in fact. We don't talk long, he just calls to say hi, to check in, to find out what I'm doing that day, and to tell me he loves me. My dad is a spiritual rock. He counsels and directs me when I need guidance. He is a great source of advice. He's always willing to help me in any way he can and the incident on Saturday night was an example among hundreds. He pushes me when I need to be pushed and pulls me when I need to be pulled. He got me up the biggest mountain of my life and is entirely responsible for my success with Kilimanjaro, which was so much more than just hiking a mountain. He motivates, inspires and loves. He's gentle and kind, he doesn't yell, he can be fairly goofy, he tries to listen, he provides. He'll go to action movies with me. He listens to music really loud like me.

Being single has its perks... I can take off to Hawaii for 11 days without batting an eye, I can get boots at Nordstrom without stressing about my budget, my time is my own. I have a really incredible job and get paid to do things I love, I have fun friends that do fun things, I go on hilarious dates and gather a ton of great stories. I go to Italy and Africa and Ukraine, I go on road trips and hiking trips and shopping trips. I hike mountains, I read books, I live a life that is very full. But there are times when I get really frustrated that I don't have someone built into my life to be there when I need help, when I need comfort, when I need counsel, when I need consolation, when I need a companion. I don't always love doing things on my own and becoming close with people that eventually move away or get married or both. I don't love the break-ups and the dating drama. I don't love sitting in my room at night updating my blog about my adventures and mine alone.

Which is why my parents and my family have come to mean so much to me. Anytime I need them, they are there. Anytime. I don't have anyone else in my life like that... that holds me as a priority. Friends are great and guys I date are fun too, but nothing beats the closeness and the fierce loyalty that accompanies family. Nothing beats being in a jam and having people you love drop everything to show you they love you back.

I'm optimistic about my life and about my future. I love where I am, who I am, how I am. I am confident in a loving Heavenly Father who knows me perfectly and whose timing is perfect. I trust His plan for me. And knowing that He has given me an incredible family to be a support to me when I'm not yet married is something I consider one of the sweetest most important blessings of my life. I'm so lucky to have great relationships with each of my parents.

So here's a shout-out, Merrrm and Blessed. Thank you for all you do for me and all you are to me. You occupy such an important place in my life and I love you both. Hats off to you both.