Since becoming a mom myself, I constantly find myself thinking
about my own mother – how did she do what she did? How did she raise six kids that turned out so
awesome (if I do say so myself)? How did
she make everything so fun? How did she
teach me how to make good choices and serve others? It’s been on my mind a lot lately, I think
especially since being away from her for the past week. So for Mother’s Day this year, I wanted to
write down a few of the things my mom did and continues to do that have helped
me know she loves me and have helped me become the person I am.
She made me feel
special. When I was about seven, a
family friend, who was going through a hard time, was staying with our family. One morning, this person yelled at me over
something that wasn’t my fault and my sensitive feelings were pretty hurt. I remember my mom not only made me feel
better in the moment, but later that day checked me out from school and took me
out to lunch - just the two of us. She
made me feel so special and loved that I thought my little seven year old heart
would burst.
She was consistent. My mom (and dad) always took us to church,
held Family Home Evenings, and made sure we had family scripture study and
prayer. We weren’t perfect at it, but we
were consistent.
She taught me right
from wrong and helped me learn to fix my mistakes. When I was really young and playing at a
neighbor’s house, I broke a small ornament off of a glass Christmas tree
figurine. I was scared and didn’t know
what to do, so I hid the ornament, hoping no one would notice. When I went home, I told my mom what had
happened. She didn’t yell or reprimand,
but instead, explained the process of repentance and how to make things
right. She then went with me back to the
neighbor’s house so I could tell them what happened, apologize, and offered to
pay for the figurine.
She was an
example. She showed me the
importance of things by doing them herself.
When I was in Young Women, she decided to work on personal progress and get
her Young Women medallion – for the second time. I remember her spending hours of a road trip
we went on memorizing the Living Christ.
She didn’t have to tell me to do things; rather, she inspired me to do
them.
She was supportive. I can’t remember a single piano recital,
tennis match, or symphony concert that my mom wasn’t there for. She helped me with homework, got me through friend problems, and was always there for me.
She valued the roles
of wife and mother. My mom often
told me how much she loved being a wife and mother. She never complained about the workload of taking
care of six kids or made me feel like she’d rather be doing something else. I always knew that she loved being a mom.
She believed in me. When I was in college and doing my practicum
out in the elementary schools, I got really nervous for my lesson
observations. My mom would always call
me the night before to run through my lessons with me and give me a pep talk. Her encouraging words and wise counsel always
gave me the comfort and confidence I needed to be successful.
She served (and
continues to serve) me. When I was
in my first trimester and was really sick, she had us over for dinner every Sunday
and would make whatever I wanted and then send me home with all the
leftovers. She would watch Hannah so I
could nap. More than anything, her
encouraging words helped me believe I could survive those awful months. She’s coming out in three weeks to help me
with the new baby and I know everything will be ok if she is there.
Happy Mother’s Day Mom!
I wish I could be with you today, but I'll see you in 22 days. I love you and can’t wait to be with you!
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