I am Most Thankful for A Fine Example

The other day I was talking to a few of the sisters I serve in the temple with each week. There are times we can have a break from our duties and visit.

I was sharing how I am very blessed to have have an older son, then four daughters before I had my three younger sons. I had a realization a long time ago that answered why I was given just one son first, then four of his sisters followed with three younger sons on the tail end of my brood.

It was also clear as to the example Hank, the oldest was as a surrogate father figure to the boys. I pondered at what good father's all my sons have become. They must have gleaned that from the example of their older brother, Hank. It was a role I am certain that was not always an easy one.

A lot fell upon his shoulders as I see the weight of his concern for ALL of his younger siblings. I remember how when each of the new younger children were born, he did not mind having to share his bedroom with a younger sibling, female or male.

There is an instance that stands out in my mind when we moved to a house on a very busy street. It was a three bedroom home, and on the business block on a street much like State Street in Orem. There was a residence right there on that congested main highway through Chandler. Tana was the youngest and fifth child. We had her crib in brother, Hank's room. I remember it being in the south east corner of the house. Tana would wake up at night and fuss a little and it was not unusual for Hank to go over to her and pat her on the back and talk to her and put her back to sleep. I am sure he must have also picked her up and soothed her back to sleep by walking the floor with her and calming her down.

At the time I would marvel and his gentle way with her and was not selfish at all in several ways. 1) He was not angry or upset about her waking him up out of a sound sleep. 2)He attended to her in a very loving and fatherly way. He was all of nine years old when she was born and she was not quite a year when we lived in that house. 3)Whatever it was he did, came naturally, I am positive. 4)I believe he learned how to be a caring father at that tender age.


McIntire Family, 1974, when Tana was one year old, and Hank was about ten years old here.


We moved to another house on Erie Avenue, across the street from a baseball field that was where the Football and Baseball games were played. Living across the street from this large field, Hank and Tanise and Tara spent a lot of time there. Tracie was still only about three and stayed close to home with me and Tana.

I wrote a verse about Hank when we lived in that house on Erie Street. He was almost twelve. I will find it later too include it here. It was practically prophetic. I am glad I took those few moments to write down the thought given to me, that are and were written on the pages of my heart.