Devin

Devin was born just a few days before I graduated high school in 1995. While I'm sure I saw him a few times over the following years, I didn't meet him until four years later, in 1999, when I began dating his mom. My first distinct memory seeing him and being in the same place as him was a few months before that when he attended a performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat that I was in with his aunt and uncle on his dad's side. Within a year, I would become his bonus dad.

Devin has always been a performer (or at least he was in his younger years. These days, his performances are mainly limited to karaoke night). He performed "Side by Side" with my sister McKell at our wedding. He also performed not once, but twice in the Grantsville Sociable, once with his Grandma Jefferies as Louis singing I Whistle a Happy Tune and once with his Mouritsen family as Winthrop singing The Wells Fargo wagon. I believe he probably took part in another couple of programs in later years, but those are two that stand out.

I wasn't always great in my adjustment to being a dad. One of my early memories is Devin rubbing my arm or something and it bothering me and me telling him to knock it off. His response floored me and has stuck with me ever since, "But Richard (what he still called me at the time), sometimes that's what little sons do."

A few years later, I believe when we were living in Ogden, Devin asked me for some orange juice. I don't remember if it was late or what the reason was, but I didn't want him to have orange juice and told him no. So he appealed to his mom and Jeanell asked me to get him some orange juice. Annoyed at him for going over my head, I poured the orange juice, set the glass in front of him and said "Here's your f***in' orange juice." (I regret to say that I did not censor myself in that moment. Not my finest hour).

Another time, when Devin was a teenager, he grabbed a baked potato out of the fridge and started eating it like an apple. For reasons I still don't understand, this upset me, and I told him to put it on a plate and eat it like a normal person. I wasn't always the best dad.

One thing that Devin and I have always had in common is that we are both big eaters (we had a neighbor in Elwood who knew that Jeanell had been married to someone else, but thought Devin (the oldest) was mine, Tyler and Brayden (the next oldest) were with her other husband, and that Caleb (the youngest son) was mine. We're a little wild, but not that wild). When Devin was a kid, if he got full, he would get a plate of salad because he felt that made him hungry again.

Devin was always a great athlete. Especially when he was younger, he was bigger and faster than the other kids his age and he rarely missed a shot in basketball. I coached him as a first grader in Junior Jazz. We didn't keep score officially, but we won every game. One game, Devin had already made several baskets and there was a kid on our team who hadn't made a basket all year so I suggested to Devin that he help this kid get a basket. Devin went out and got rebound after rebound and then would pass to this kid to take a shot. It took several attempts but the kid finally made one and was so happy.

I coached Devin in basketball and soccer throughout the years and we had a lot of great times (made the championship game a couple of times in basketball, but could never finish it out). Devin also had success in baseball and football. When he got into high school, he focused more on tennis and golf and did well in both of those.

Within our family, we have the term "Devin jokes" for what I would describe as low-stakes deceptions that there would be no reason not to believe and that would have no impact if the lie were true. As an example:

Devin: Dad, it's cloudy outside.

Me: [Looks out the window to see there isn't a cloud in the sky.]

Devin: Gotcha.

Devin has always had a special relationship with his mom. He calls his mom several times a week and they talk at length. He always wants to get her input and approval. I love that they have the relationship that they do.

Devin has always been more spontaneous and more willing to take risks than I ever have been. I basically had two jobs before I graduated college. I worked for Sunnie Titmus on the ranch throughout middle and high school and then after my mission, I worked a couple of summers for Broken Arrow out at Clive. Devin was always trying something new, hoping it would be better for him. He of course worked at Soelberg's, but also at the Walmart DC. He delivered bread for Franz. He sold cars. He worked for Carter Jackson at a paint store. He was always willing to try something new where I typically liked to get comfortable somewhere and stay there.

One activity that we have shared multiple times over the years is moving. Devin of course helped us out when we were moving from Elwood down to Grantsville and I have helped him move multiple times. One move in particular stands out where he needed it to happen on a certain day and it wasn't a day that worked for many. I ended up taking the day off of work and just the two of us did most of it. The moves kind of blend together, but I believe that one he was moving into a fourth floor apartment. Lots of trips up and down those stairs.

Devin has been a terrific son. He has always accepted me and forgiven me for my shortcomings. He has always worked hard and done well in school. He graduated from the U in accounting and then earned his master's from SUU. He married his beautiful wife Kareena in 2020 and they are building a wonderful life together. I'm so proud of him and grateful to call him my son.