Mommy

  I know I know, last Sunday was mothers day, but in all honesty, that one kind of sucked and I was in no mood for writing. I had hardly slept the night before due to a restless toddler, was incredibly uncomfortable with pregnancy heartburn and backache, and had been tortured with a headache for the entire week previous.

  On a positive note, my sweet Russ gave me the best of all mothers day gifts, a clean house and a back rub. I seem to remember mothers days as a child when I would ask my mom what she wanted as a gift, most often she would answer, "just clean the house", or "for one day, don't fight with your brothers", I always thought this answer was ridiculous, you know, her way of being nice so I wouldn't have to spend my hard earned allowance on her. I have now, as a mother, realized the significance of this precious gift, and I have been blessed with a husband that gives me this gift far more often that just mothers day. 
  Today's lesson in church was "Generations linked in loved", or more simply put, family history. OK, I'll put it out there, I don't do family history, I say it's because I don't have time, but the reality is that I'm just not that interested, I suppose I haven't been bitten by the genealogy bug yet. Hmmm, maybe someday. Regardless, it got me thinking about my more immediate ancestors such as my mom and grandma, the people that I know well and want my posterity to feel connected to, so I thought I'd take a moment to dedicate a blog entry to them, and mothers in general given today's proximity to mothers day.
  I'll start with my wonderful mother, I say wonderful because that's what she is, although she would adamantly disagree. She was married young and was raised as an only child, so without much experience, she dove into motherhood and did what most well intended mothers do, the best that she could, and gives herself far too little credit for it.
  I remember her creativity when I was young, for Valentines day, she made us "Hug Coupons" non expiring coupons that could be used for a hug at any time and any place, they could be redeemed with mom or dad and could be used over and over and over again. Brilliant! I'll be using this one on my own children.
    As a child, we spent many Saturdays cleaning the house while listening to FM 100 on the radio (this is probably the cause of my preference for what my husband calls "old people music"), followed by roaming the grocery store eating samples while shopping. I could always talk to her and still can, she unfortunately lives about 2000 miles away but we still manage to speak almost daily, she knows almost everything about me, I find myself telling her things that I would never even consider sharing with anyone else. She is an example of selflessness, service and perseverance.
  When I was young, she was more my mother and less my friend, which is how it should be, doing what is right for your child even when they don't like it. She is now my mother and my friend, I still require her knowledge of how long to bake a casserole and which fabrics shouldn't be put in the dryer, but now that I no longer require discipline, we have a friendship, a relationship of trust and mutual respect, and I am grateful.
  On to whom I consider my other mom, or my grandma. Sometimes there are people in your life, who you know that you knew in the life before this one, you know that they were strategically put in your life for many reasons, and you know that your relationship with them will continue forever, well, that is my grandma Whitney. She is my dads mom and has in many ways taken on that role for me.
  I spent much time with her as a child being babysat while my parents worked, so early on we developed a special relationship. She has been known to take in stray grandchildren, so I had the opportunity to live with her on a few different occasions, the first being when her and my grandpa returned from their mission, our family was house sitting so we stayed until my parents bought a house. The second was before I left on my mission, I stayed there in an attempt to pay off debt before leaving, her home is filled with the spirit and was the perfect place to prepare for that endeavor. I returned to her home after my mission and stayed for the next year until I got married. I always tease her that if I hadn't gotten married, I'd still be there, to which she shakes her head and replies "oh no you wouldn't!"
  I have been doing her hair for several years now and continue to do it once a week, it is precious time and I value it greatly.  I consider her to be the perfect balance between idealism and reality. I have always tried to pattern my marriage after her and my grandpa's marriage. I'd like to think that I have inherited some of her personality traits and noble characteristics, but either way she is a role model worth looking up to, I have learned so much from this great woman and will continue to do so.

  Another mother that I am truly grateful to is my mother in law, Cindy. I don't know much about her childhood or how she was as a young mother, but I do know that whatever she did was effective and good. She raised for me a son that is now the most wonderful man I know, a kind and loving husband and father, a hard worker and worthy priesthood holder. Now that I am raising boys myself, I realize the intensity of the work that she did, there is a huge responsibility in raising all children, but especially boys, boys that eventually will become men and if we've done our job right, men that are leaders in their homes and productive members of society. She did her job right.

  She has always been good to me and is loving grandma to my children, I hope that one day I too will have daughter in laws that are grateful to me, as I am grateful to her, for the job I did in raising their husbands.

  I must mention another mother that I feel such an intimate bond with yet haven't seen since before I was born, and that is my Heavenly Mother. I think of Her often and have a feeling that during those times when I am in need of the strength of a woman, She inspires me. I look forward to the time when we can sit down together and chat.

  I have been sitting at this computer for over an hour now and it is time to resume my motherly responsibilities, but thank you to all you mothers who continue to inspire me!