This is a horrible picture, I know. It's taken with my phone because Pete has our camera in Africa!
This is how my mother's day ended. This is a picture of me cleaning up lots and lots of smelly puke, which I do not handle well, and it has happened twice since Pete has been gone! But the thing that made it better this time was that my sweet little Mayci came and grabbed a paper towel and with a smile on her face started wiping the walls and floor with me and singing "Clean up clean up!" How could I continue feeling bad for myself then!
I wondered how this mother's day would be without Petey here to give me breakfast in bed and pamper me all day. But honestly it was a pretty good day, despite the puke filled ending. We got to church without too much frustration, even though we were still 15 minutes late. The kids were SOOO ADORABLE singing their sweet mother's day primary songs to me. Then they even got to give a short little "I love my mom because" in the microphone. James said because she helps me clean my room, Dallin said because she reads me stories, Ragan said because she gives me hugs and kisses and bandaids when I am hurt, and Mayci just grinned at the audience as she was held up by one of the primary presidency! I love my kiddos. I love being a mommy. I love being the one that is needed and wanted when my kids are sad or hurt or scared. I love being adored despite my many flaws. I love being adored minutes after scolding them. I love that they say I am a wonderful mother always, even though I am not. Motherhood is hard and frustrating and sometimes daunting, but the joy in the little moments makes every hard part so worth it!
I am so grateful to be called Mother. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful mother as an example to follow. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father trusts me enough to have sent me four beautiful spirits to guide and to give a good foundation to that they might know Him and return to Him someday. I hope I can be a good example to them and give them a foundation for testimony and faith. I love my mother for doing this for me. Happy Mother's Day to all you mommy's out there. I hope you can find joy in the journey too. I hope you can focus on the good moments and small triumphs and forget the short comings and falling on your face moments. MOTHERHOOD IS A GIFT!
