Today I taught a Young Womens lesson on homemaking and appreciation of Mothers. I thought the lesson was disastrous. Things just were not flowing right and I muddle everything. I was frustrated because I had things I wanted to express and they just weren't coming out right. So hopefully I will not have the same problem with this post. All week I've been thinking about mothers and here's a few of my thoughts.
Things my mother does or is that I hope to emulate:
1. My mother has an amazing memory. She can remember the names of her visiting teachers from 30 years ago and other such things that the rest of us would never recall. Now some of you that know me know that I have a pretty good memory too especially for names and numbers. But see, my mother uses her marvelous memory to make others feel special. Since she remembers everything she can ask all her friends in the ward about their kids or grand kids by name. When the organists says in passing how cold her feet get when she goes to practice at the church, my mother remembers that and buys her wool socks for her birthday. My mom sends Happy Birthday emails to all her friends because she can remember all their birthdays.
2. My mother is selfless. She really has dedicated her life to her family especially her children. Even now she is constantly serving me by helping with my children or buying me a new outfit. She calls to see if she can pick anything up at Costco for me so that I don't have to go shopping with 3 little boys. When my grandmother got sick my mom moved her from Colorado to a nursing home here in Utah so she could help take care of her. Every morning while we children were in school my mother was at the nursing home with her mother serving her. My mom serves everyone. My mother even goes over to her friend's house and organizes her office and files for her.
3. My mother loves to read. She was always buying us books for birthday and Christmas gifts. I love to read. I'm so grateful for a mother who encouraged reading. Even now she still is passing on good books for me to enjoy.
4. My mother is a cheerleader. I mean a real shouting, jumping, waving your hands cheerleader. I have fond memories of being able to hear my mother shout (and I mean shout) her encouragement at my sister and me and every other girl on the court at our Young Women volleyball, basketball and softball games. (Dad of course was hiding on the other side of the room.) I also remember hearing my mother's voice through all the pain of delivering Matthew. She kept up her very vocal encouragement until he was born and that's what I focused on. She's an emotional cheerleader. I always felt like my mother thought I could do anything. When I said I wanted to spend the summer in Chile with a friend's family, she helped me find a job so I could earn the money for the plane ticket. When I said I wanted to go away for college she never told me to just go to BYU where it would have been cheaper and easier for her. Instead she spent hours in the car driving me back and forth to Ricks. Now she's a grandma cheerleader and my kids know they will always get praise from grandma. When they pee all over her bathroom floor because they aren't paying attention. She tells them good job for not peeing their pants instead of scolding them for missing the toilet.
Things I love about being a mother:
1. I love teaching my children things and seeing their smiles when they learn something new. Jacob is learning to read and I love watching him sound out words and how excited he is when he reads a whole book by himself. I love hearing them repeat scripture stories that I've read to them. I love listening to them say prayers to their Heavenly Father.
2. I love that my children are young enough that they don't really have any demands on their time. I can set the schedule and do what I want to. If we want to stay in our pajamas all day we can. Or we can go play at the park or the library or whatever I want to do. I am so blessed to be able to stay at home with them and not have to work to provide for them.
3. I love listening to their funny stories and laughter. Their laughter makes me smile. I love all the funny things they say and do that makes me laugh. Like when Adam tells me what a bad boy Daddy is because he forgot to put lotion on Adam's legs.
4. I love sloppy kisses and sweet hugs and that my kids always want to sit next to me in sacrament meeting. They're not afraid to tell their Dad that they like me best. ;)
Happy Mothers Day!
