I have had the honor — and burden — of writing and delivering not just my own father’s eulogy, but the eulogy for my father-in-law as well. These were two fine men who, while not perfect, did their best to raise and provide for their families. I still strive to live up to their examples. And just in the past few months, I’ve had the tremendous honor of doing my father’s temple work (including, just a few weeks ago, doing his endowment work).

Beyond that, my thoughts this day really turn to my sweet wife, Sandra. She and I were both married previously, and neither of us ever expected or wanted those prior (temple) marriages to end. When we married one another back in 1986, both at the age of 33, we found ourselves with nine (count ’em!) nine kids under the age of 14. Needless to say, those early years of marriage were quite interesting, as was the 20-year span of raising teenagers. Now we’re empty-nesters (for the 3rd time, actually), and I work at home, so we’re together constantly — and I never tire of it. Each day with her is a gift and a delight.

Here’s a poem I wrote for her a few years after our temple sealing (which itself didn’t take place until a few years after our civil marriage); it still best sums up how I feel about her and about our marriage:

Two years on

To Sandra, on the 2nd anniversary of our sealing, 11/05/90

Two steps towards eternity
Widdershins about the sun,
A dance of light in time and space
That leads beyond.

Threads of glory wind around
And bind us into unity,
Pulled by love’s accretion to
Celestial singularity.

Natural as gravity —
As others note with but a glance —
Our lives collide and coalesce.
But oh! the fire in the dance!

Sandra is the love of my life and as pure an evidence of God’s grace in my life as anything I’ve encountered in my 55 years. As I told her a few days ago — when she wondered out loud what to get me for Father’s Day — just waking up next to her each morning is all the gift I ever need. ..bruce..