RootsTech Photo & Story Competition

These two just turned 10 on Tuesday; each milestone is incredibly reflective. From 16 weeks pregnant to delivery, we spent every other day verifying heartbeats, then a new best course of action to help them survive. To have them BOTH not only thrive but relish in childhood experiences is a blessing. They love life. Either one of these faces tell a fun story, but it is exponentially better with BOTH. They exude so much personality. They enjoy life. They are my miracles.

My parents understood the importance of having fun. Dad is a creative, hyper, humor filled, affable man who often wonders what condiments are like on other planets. He believes himself to be the uncredited inventor of such items as the mini-kite, hunk-a-bread, and recycled paper. Mom is equally energetic, zany, creative, and smart. She follows breaking news and pop-culture trends like it’s her job and will do whatever Oprah tells her is important. Encouraging their kids to have a playful view on life has proved to serve us well throughout four decades of challenges. The greatest weapon in the family arsenal is humor, and each of us are now skilled in finding the levity in difficult situations. My family has survived on laughter. Still does.

My grandfather took this picture of my dad one morning in 1958. As my dad and I looked at the photo, I asked him if he remembered the moment. “I remember the setting; the red kitchen chair and refrigerator in the background, but I don’t remember the morning my father took this picture,” he said. “He was probably finishing off a roll of film so he could process pictures for that week’s issue of the Davis County Clipper. I’ve always taken my work very seriously, evidently.” We had a good laugh as my dad noted his pointy boyhood ears. “No need to point out the Spock-like ears. The girls in elementary school already did that.”

 My father loved football his entire life. He played in college and then was an assistant coach at Snow College while he was the Dean of Students. If you were in trouble at Snow, you knew my dad as "Mean Dean Green." My grandfather lived in Ephraim and was mayor, and a photographer by hobby. He used to take photos of athletic events at Snow. One day he snapped this photo of my dad and my older brother. It has double meaning to me because of who is in the photo and who was taking it.

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