a little ode to my parents

i really really really love and am so so so tremendously grateful for my parents.

























i remember writing them each a letter a couple of days before my wedding and just staring at the wall for quite a while feeling at a total loss for where to start, what to say, how to even scratch the surface of adoration and appreciation running through my veins.

indeed, i could write a hundred pages about how truly awesome my mom and dad are, individually and collectively, and a hundred more about how thankful i am to them for the things they have sacrificed for me, taught me, and given me.

but today, just feeling so glad to be their daughter, i just wanted to share a few top-of-mind anecdotes about rick and linda.

my dad is absolutely the most quirky person i've ever encountered, and my mom claims he is getting a little weirder every year. but his oddness is some seriously good stuff, and he completely owns it. he is wildly animated and energetic and imaginative and engaging. he took me on a "daddy date" pretty much every week of my childhood and all the friends of my adolescence adored him. he's very tender, and quite sentimental, and feels things so deeply. he is unabashedly and vocally crazy in love with my mom. he calls me "dolly" and "baby." i love the way his voice oscillates between speaking to whispering when he prays aloud with his family.
{i wrote more about my dad here}

my mom is absolutely the most selfless person i've ever encountered. she gives and gives and gives. she's amazingly nurturing in beautiful ways, but i'd say she's more parts tough than tender. her mantra is hard is good and i'd guess her most common advice to me is buck up. she loves and appreciates true beauty and creation - her eyes usually well up with tears when she hears beautiful music or sees beautiful art. she can be very fiery, and she's totally adventurous and always up for basically anything, and she never, ever complains. it's really fun to get my mom laughing hard. the feelings i've had while listening to my mom testify of the saviour are branded on my heart.

although i've been a complete brat to my parents on many occasions (i certainly recognize that i've been quite the handful to parent at times), i have a really special relationship with both my mom and my dad. i have total confidence in their love and support, and i love being friends with each of them.

























i really really really love them and am so so so grateful for them.

these two are fiercely dedicated to working to strengthen families, and just a few months ago, they started their own youtube channel! the idea is to provide some quick, candid, bite-size parenting and marriage ideas in videos filmed in various places among their constant travels. their videos are so fun for me to watch (and giggle a bit at!). check out eyresontheroad (and leave a comment about what you think, if you want)!

Comments

  1. Is it weird for me to add that they are the best looking people as well? I think your mother is just beautiful and your dad is so handsome. That may sound like a superficial comment, but thier goodness, and uniqueness, and passion just spills out of them. You do have very special parents.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is so neat. But the best part is is you actually realize just how lucky you are to have them as parents. I am long time fans of theirs and would have died and gone to heaven to be parented by them or to actually parent LIKE them. It's nice to hear you consider yourself lucky.

    I have a random question, and I know you are busy, but I remember you posted a link to a condo or resort in Hawaii where you stayed recently and I can't find it now. I have looked in all your posts but can't locate it. If you could please remind me of this place or the link that would be greatly appreciated!

    You look incredibly happy with your new life and being married to your sweet husband. So happy for you and enjoy your enthusiastic outlook on life. Keep on being you! Congrats again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi! we stayed at a place we found on air b&b the first couple nights, near princeville. the place is called the "aloha loft." for our last few days on kauai, we stayed at the grand hyatt in poipu.

      Delete
  3. This is beautiful char. We are so so lucky to call them ours.

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOW Charity! Thanks for this beautiful post! We feel extraordinarily lucky to have you too! What a woman you have become! We are so proud of you and so happy that you've found that wonderful Ian! I was just feeing sad the other day that we didn't get a picture of both of us kissing you on your wedding day and there it is! Love you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Do you think you may be hurting your Dad's feelings by calling him weird and quirky? From what I recall, his dad died young, and his mom had her hands full raising several kids. Your sweet, kind hearted dad may have not had the benefit of parenting that would refine what you consider weird and quirky. He may have had to partly raise himself and may have not had the kind of benefits that your mom seemed to have provided you and your siblings so that you all can come across without the weirdness and quirkyness that your dad reportedly has. Calling someone weird and quirky, even if your dad "owns" it comes across as disrespectful and insensitive of a man who has had to overcome so much in his youth, and who has heroically transcended some tough stuff while growing up. If you love and adore him as much as you say you do, please stop describing him as weird and quirky, especially in writing that you share on social media platforms. Richard Eyre deserves better, especially from the children he has worked tirelessly to provide for.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i don't think "weird" and "quirky" are negative ways at all to describe her dad. just a couple of things that make him unique.

      Delete
    2. I am not an Eyre (although I think they would be a great family to meet) but my youngest daughter and I have been accused of being "weird" and "quirky" by some...we take it as complete compliments. We figure that means we are not boring, dull, and predictable. We equate "weird" and "quirky" to "FUN!" My daughter has a magnet that says, "You laugh because I'm different, I laugh because you're all the same." We like being unique.
      -L.A.

      Delete
  6. To me, Charity's Dad just sounds like a fun person. I don't think she's being disprespectful or insensitive to him, she's just describing him the way he is.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Julie, I agree with you. Thank you for the reality check. Mr. Eyre has so much going for him that he could care less about being called weird and quirky. I may be worrying for nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. My Dad is weird and quirky and I love him to death. But then again, aren't we all? It totally does paint a realistic picture of her dad though. He isn't what society would call the "Norm" but i've noticed most Mormons are classified as weird, so in my eyes, weird is good!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. L.A. I Love that - it's so me.:)

    I'm quite different to other people - I like the dark evenings & hate the light evenings, I like bright colours in my house & so many other things.

    That magnet sounds brill, I'll have to look out for that.:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sometimes it's just important to verbalize the gratitude we have for our parents. I just can talk about myself, but I have the beste parents in the whole wide world (no offence...) and I tend to take them for granted.
    I do it a lot less than I did as a teenager, but still come to the point that I am not honoring them enough for what they did for me and are still doing.

    I think it's a beautiful way to appreciate you parents publicly on your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Do your parents "adopt" adults around Saren's age? I wish, I wish, I wish I had deliberate parents that took parenting and family values and life so seriously. You belong to one great family!!!!
    (Although my grandad that raised me is my hero and I cherish all he taught me. It just wasn't in a large family.)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment