For Kate...

Hello readers of Erin’s blog, Dustin here and I’m taking over the blog (without permission) for one post, one time. This is not going to occur on any kind of regular basis…in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the first and only time it ever happens. I am writing this post for my daughter Kate but feel free to continue reading. I gotta warn you though, it gets a little sappy towards the end.

Kate, I want you to know exactly what you mean to me and to help me do that, I’m writing a list of the five greatest moments in my life up to this point in no particular order (well…there is a “particular” order in that I am meaning to put them in this order but I guess there’s conventional order.?):


The hour of my life where due to a sore throat I could do a DEAD-ON Christopher Walken expression



Yep, you read right. Why, you might ask, would this be one of the top 5 moments of my life? Well, I’m a guy who loves TV and movies and quotes them. Unfortunately, outside of my world-famous Dr. Evil, I suck at impressions – I mean I am just awful! Just ask your mom (she’ll also tell you that my lack of talent does not keep me from trying). Now, Christopher Walken has always been one of my favorite character actors – from the great Bruce Dickinson to the ex-mob guy in Joe Dirt, he has given us countless lines ripe for impersonation and I have never been able to do said lines justice. That all changed one Sunday morning as we were visiting your grandparents up in Pinetop and I awoke with a sore throat immediately realizing that there was something wrong with my voice. Then, miracle of miracles, I realized that my voice had been affected in such a way that I could perfectly imitate the entire “cow bell” sketch. Over the next hour I annoyed everybody within ear-shot as I was not going to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Then, sadly, my voice slowly returned to normal leaving only the memory of that time when I could imitate the great Christopher Walken.


The time I won that three-point contest and the other times I won those slam-dunk contests

Okay, this isn’t one specific moment, but 4 specific moments that I’m lumping into 1 because, let’s face it, if I ever tell you the story I’m not going to stop at just 1 of the four wins. Let’s start with the 3-point contest and then I’ll tell just one of the slam-dunk contest stories. The year was 1999 and I had just finished one of the most disappointing basketball seasons of my life. My coach had elected to give the playing time that I thought I deserved to others and I had been relegated to the role of his mascot that he could trot out whenever we needed a 3 late in games. Unfortunately, after sitting for 36 minutes, it’s hard to come in and hit a 3 with the game on the line. Not only that, but our team suffered an early defeat and were an afterthought for any type of tournament run. However, while the team’s season was over, mine was not. See, my coach felt bad that I didn’t get to play much so to make up for it he decided that I could represent the team in the regional 3-point contest. To me, that was my season. Winning was my only goal. When the time came, I was chosen to go first. As the horn blew, this lanky and mostly unknown baller from Blue Ridge began to shoot and I went on to hit 9 of the 15 shots (3 racks of 5) on my way to a win and the chance to shoot for the state title at (what was then) America West Arena. Although I ultimately fell short in the finals, winning the regional trophy, getting my name out there and (in my mind) proving to my coach that he should have given me more minutes was just awesome.

Fast forward to the Spring of 2005. I had won the EAC Institute dunk contest the semester before (and would win it a second time the next semester) and was asked to participate in another dunk contest during halftime of the EAC basketball game. The rules were simple – you had 15 seconds to complete one dunk. It was me going against a few guys that I knew and another guy I had never played against (who happened to be African-American and very cocky that he was going to breeze through this competition especially this skinny white boy). When halftime came, I was chosen to go first. I stood outside of the 3-point line at the top of the key, lofted the ball towards the rim, off of the bounce I grabbed the ball with one hand on the right side of the rim, brought it around to the left side of the rim as I did a 180 degree turn in the air and threw it down. The bar was set high enough and I went on to win the awesome prize of a $50 gift card to Wal-Mart. After they announced that I was the winner, I left the court, gave a bunch of guys that I had never met fives and kissed my bride of less than a year. That was just an all-around great moment.


The time I came home from two years of service in Argentina
Yes, the mission itself provided many memorable moments, but I’ll never forget coming home. When the time came, I knew that I had put in my time and done as I was asked and I knew that it was time to return to life. The whole flight home I contemplated exactly how I was going to torture your grandparents – was I going to do the old wait and be the last one off (too cliché), was I going to run up to a strange family and start hugging them (had potential), was I going to change into my most ridiculous tie, torn pants and holy shoes – as in shoes with holes in them - (BINGO!). However, as we got close I completely forgot about my masterful plan and was just eager to get off of the plane see those who were waiting for me. As the plane came to a full and complete stop, I unbuckled my seatbelt, gathered my things and proceeded down the ramp only to see grandpa standing there with two of my good friends holding a crap load of signs and things. Turns out, my plane arrived early and grandma had taken your aunts to the restroom assuming that they had time. The look on grandma’s face as she came up after missing me get off of the plane, priceless.


That time I got married
On the day of our wedding, your mother and I skipped the whole “you can’t see the bride in her dress before the wedding” and arrived at the temple early to take pictures. Mom was battling a case of impetigo and I had a weird breakout right under my bottom lip – we were a generally unattractive couple but when I saw her for the first time in her dress I thought to myself how absolutely beautiful she was and how unbelievably lucky I was to be marrying her. I honestly have no idea what was said during the ceremony – I’m sure it was something like stay close to God and don’t go to bed mad – but I remember looking at her throughout the ceremony and just being so incredibly happy that she was going to be a permanent part of my life. After the ceremony was over and everyone cleared out, your mom and I were able to hang back and just enjoy the moment together – it was awesome and I actually refrained from grabbing her…umm…you know right then and there and opted to do so in the car on the way to our little luncheon, a tad more appropriate, right? Anyway, the day I started my family with my beautiful, talented, way too smart for me wife you know as your mother is without a doubt one of the greatest moments of my life.


That time you were born
On April 28, 2009 at 10:44 PM after approximately 26 hours of labor, you were born via c-section. As I watched them pull the most beautiful little alien-looking person from my wife and heard you cry for the first time I remember feeling how lucky I was. As I cut the umbilical cord, counted the fingers and toes and held my gorgeous little daughter for the first time my heart melted and I just completely fell in love with you. As I took you to meet her mom for the first time and saw your mom’s eyes well up with tears of happiness before handing over her daughter and posing for our first family picture, I felt a sense of complete joy. As I accompanied you to get weighed (7 lbs. 13 oz.), measured (20”), suctioned, foot printed and bathed I couldn’t help but feel both a sense of pride and hot (I got in trouble for sticking my head under the heating lamp – they yelled at me that I was going to burn myself but I didn’t care, I wanted to kiss my little girl). It’s hard to express exactly all that I felt that day. There are two moments that really stand out for me, though. First, when I took you to your mom right after the surgery – the look in her eyes as she saw her daughter for the first time…she had been so nervous about being a mom leading up to her labor but in that moment I knew (and knew that she knew) that she was going to be a great mom and that she was going to love you more than anyone else ever could. The second came the next day as I was holding you while mom slept. I leaned down and whispered to you that I loved you and you got the biggest smile on your face – I know that it was completely involuntary and the timing was purely coincidence but still, it made me feel feelings that I may not be completely comfortable expressing.

It’s funny, leading up to your birth everyone asked if I was nervous, scared and I’m pretty sure somebody used the word terrified to which I would always reply “no.” It honestly wasn’t scary for me at all. Throughout the pregnancy I always felt sort of left out, like I didn’t get to do anything but be a cheerleader. Once you were born, I was going to get to play an important part and I was so looking forward to that that I didn’t even think about any of the “scary” stuff. Now, am I worried that you’re going to hate me when you’re a teen? Yes. But I know that no matter what happens, you are going to always have what you need and you are always going to know that I love you. I absolutely adore you. I love being a dad. I love changing diapers. I love spending a good chunk of each day at work just staring at the picture I have of you above my desk. I love the way your mom takes care of you – even though she sometimes gets a little overprotective when I’m playing with you. When you were born it completely changed my life in the best possible way. I love you Kate, probably more than I can ever let you know.