Millie

When I turned 12, my Dad picked me up from school on his motorcycle.  We drove to somewhere in Salt Lake where he told me we were buying a helmet for his motorcycle.  When we got there, he went in alone and came out with the "helmet guy" who was holding a little tiny black tea-cup poodle.  This man, Frank, handed me the dog and said "Happy birthday!"  I about jumped out of my skin, I was so excited!  Minutes later my brothers and Mom showed up in the van to see the dog.  That was the day I got my dog-best-friend, Millie.  My Dad was a hero in my eyes!  He always has been too.  I thought that my Dad just knew what I wanted to badly for my birthday and he gave it to me.

Years later, my Dad revealed the real reason he got Millie for me.  I had better set this up by saying I laughing while relating this story.  One day my Dad wanted me to do something for him that I wasn't excited about doing.  Maybe he was trying to talk me into rubbing his feet?  Anyway, he was trying to talk me into doing something so he summoned up any and everything he could possibly guilt trip me with.  That didn't work.  So he brought out the big guns and he said "Lizzie, WHO got you Millie when you had NO friends?"  Then went into elaborate and hilarious detail about how sad he felt that I had no friends and that practically forced him into finding the most perfectly suited dog for me on the planet.  That turned into "Why don't you have friends? Now, take Mr. Leopard here.  He has friends, he's popular, everyone likes him!"  (My little brother John had been elected "Mr. Leopard" his senior year at East High School and co-starred in two musicals, was president of Madrigals and served on seminary council.  No way I was half as popular to accomplish any of that!)

The popular Mr. Leopard himself

My Dad really has always been such a fun guy, even while poking fun at us.  Of course we poke lots of fun back!