NATE THE GREAT!

THIS WAS TAKEN IN SLC WHEN NATE WAS IN PHARMACY SCHOOL.  IT WAS AT AUNT LAURA'S CHURCH, BUT HE HAD TO GO TO WORK AND DIDN'T GET TO EAT.  SHANNON WAS EXPECTING JANESSA.  NATE HAS CERTAINLY PAID HIS DUES.  THAT WAS A LONG HAUL!

DURING THOSE YEARS, WE HARDLY EVER SAW NATE.  HE WAS EITHER AT SCHOOL, AT WORK (LDS HOSPITAL) OR STUDYING.  I THINK OF  HOW LITTLE TIME HE HAD TO EVEN SLEEP.  IT WAS NOT EASY!

WITH EACH CHILD.....NATE WAS ONE HAPPY DAD!  HOWEVER...HE WAS PRETTY EXCITED TO HAVE TOMMY JOIN THEIR FAMILY!

NATE HAS ALWAYS MADE US FEEL SO WELCOME IN THEIR HOME.  I TRULY COUNT THIS AS ONE OF MY GREATEST BLESSINGS.  I KNOW MANY MOTHER'S AND MOTHER-IN-LAWS THAT DO NOT FEEL WELCOME IN THEIR CHILDREN'S HOME.  HOW SAD!  THANK YOU NATE FOR NEVER MAKING ME FEEL LIKE YOU DIDN'T WANT ME THERE.

THIS PICTURE AT BEAR LAKE IS KIND OF BLURRY, BUT IT IS ALWAYS SO FUN TO HAVE YOU AT FAMILY GATHERINGS.  EVERYONE ENJOYS YOUR QUICK WHIT!

WE KNOW THAT YOU LOVE BASEBALL.....BUT YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD SOCCER COACH (WELL YOU ARE ACTUALLY GREAT AT WHATEVER YOU COACH).  I THINK SOCCER IS BECOMING A CONTENDER!

THIS WAS VERY LOW KEY COMPARED TO SOCCER GAMES!

OUR TECH GUY.....ALWAYS!  THIS YEAR (OF THIS PICTURE) HE ALSO DID VIDEO ON JER AND ANDREA'S FAMILY.  WE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME TOGETHER!

NICE APRON....WORKING WITH SHANNON ON THE TRADITIONAL "BIG CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST".

THE YR. OF THE MCALLEN AND OMAHA TRIPS!  NATE ALWAYS MAKES THEM FUN!

WHEN WE WERE ALL TOGETHER THIS SUMMER....NATE WAS TAKING SOME PICTURES.  MOST OF THE TIME HE LOVED HAVING THE KIDS IN THE LITTLE PARK BEHIND OUR HOUSE PLAYING SOCCER.  NATE FITS RIGHT INTO OUR FAMILY....HE LOVES SPORTS.
IN OTHER WAYS, NATE IS DIFFERENT THAN OUR FAMILY, AND I WISH I COULD BECOME MORE LIKE HIM.  HE DOESN'T WORRY AS MUCH AS MOST OF US WORRY.  HE SEEMS TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES (I KNOW HE DOES A LOT BETTER THAN I DO).  IT ISN'T THAT HE DOESN'T CARE.  HE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THINGS THAT HE CAN'T CHANGE BETTER THAN MOST PEOPLE.
MAYBE THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT HE CAN HAVE US  LAUGHING SO MUCH WITH HIS FUNNY SAYINGS.
THE THING THAT I APPRECIATE MOST ABOUT NATE IS THAT HE PUTS HIS FAMILY FIRST.  HE ENJOYS COACHING HIS KIDS IN THEIR SPORTS.  MORE IMPORTANTLY...HE TEACHES THEM GOSPEL PRINCIPLES AND SETS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR THEM TO FOLLOW.
WHEN SHANNON WAS YOUNG....WE PRAYED (AS WE DID WITH ALL OF OUR CHILDREN) FOR THEM TO FIND WORTHY COMPANIONS THAT THEY WOULD MARRY IN THE TEMPLE.  NATE AND SHANNON DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER LONG BEFORE THEY WERE ENGAGED AND MARRIED, BUT I NEVER FELT UNEASY ABOUT IT (OR HER BEING YOUNG).
I COULD FEEL THAT NATE HAD A STRONG TESTIMONY AND THAT HE HAD A DESIRE TO MARRY IN THE TEMPLE AND RAISE CHILDREN WITH THE GOSPEL PRINCIPLES IN HIS HOME.  I COULD SEE HOW GOOD HE WAS TO SHANNON.  SOMETIMES THAT CHANGES AFTER COUPLES ARE MARRIED, BUT THAT NEVER CHANGED WITH NATE AND I TRULY CONSIDER HIM AS ONE OF MY OWN!  SHAD FEELS THE SAME.
WE LOVE YOU NATE!  WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO HAVE YOU IN OUR FAMILY AND REALIZE HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE YOU!  WE HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY IS THE BEST....LIKE YOU!!!