I don’t even know how to adequately express the gratitude I have for you in my life. Words just don’t seem strong enough to describe the amazing woman that you are. As I’ve been digitizing my journals from the time I was eight years old to my mission I’ve been able to see countless examples of your goodness. And I know that your love for me started right from the moment you first held me. I know that because I’m a mother now too, and I’m experiencing first hand just how much you did for me as a baby, toddler, and child. I can imagine the countless hours you spent rocking me in your old brown rocking chair that is now mine. I can imagine you singing me tender shepherd, Sarah Marie, Watalie Acha, Kumbaya, I am a child of God, and I love to see the temple. The same songs that I now sing to my own children to calm them when they are hurt or to help them drift off to sleep.
I now know that you spent hours upon hours trying to keep us quiet while you attempted some resemblance of a family home evening. You taught us to pray, you taught us to love one another, you taught us to be selfless, to serve, and to love Jesus. And its been these things that you’ve exemplified and that you taught me as a child that have brought me the most happiness in my life, and I thank you for that.
I remember so many road trips singing together in the car. I love all those songs you taught us and find so much joy in my life singing them now with my own kids. Every time we sing those songs I think of you and feel so grateful for you in my life.
I learned to love to dance from you. I know I tease you when you dance certain moves from the 70’s but at the same time, those are some of my favorite memories of you! Seeing you dance all crazy like in the living room to the beat of a favorite oldies song. I have always loved dancing with you and now I love dancing with my own kids each day as we make lunch or dinner. And I even do the same crazy moves sometimes when no one is looking!
I remember you taking us out all by ourselves for special occasions. On my sixteenth birthday you let me skip school and the two of us went shopping, to lunch, and to get my drivers license! I remember mommy daughter dates with just the two of us and loved getting strawberry julius’s every time we went shopping to the mall together. I remember going Prom dress shopping, homecoming dress shopping, school clothes shopping, and learning the value of a dollar. You taught me to be frugal and because of you I’ve always managed money well.
You have always been my biggest cheerleader. You pushed me to succeed and to do more than I thought I could and I learned that I was capable of a lot more than I gave myself credit. You helped me through school by being my tutor even after a long day at work. I was able to get good grades because you believed in me and would help me to study for tests, and to write good essays. I can’t count the many many times you have helped me edit papers and given me suggestions of how I can improve and yet you always seemed to do it in a way that still made me feel like a super star.
I was able to get my Masters degree because of you. I knew if you could do it with 4 young children that I could do it with 2. You had the courage to reach your dreams and so I knew I could have the courage too.
I can’t count how many times you’ve been there to listen to my drama and saga’s with boys. And you seemed to love to listen to them and welcome them. I loved that I could tell you everything in High School and am so glad that I can still tell you everything. You’ve always been there for me.
On my mission you wrote me every week! And you supported me through those 1.5 years of my life with such grace. And even though I knew you didn’t hold the same beliefs as me, you always made me feel like you were so proud of what I was doing and I felt so much love from you. That was such a precious time for me and I loved how our relationship was strengthened even more through letters.
Now I see you with my own kids, and my love for you just deepens. I love how you love them and think about them. I love how you got the boys a little lady bug village and how you never forget their birthdays and always take the time to write something special in their cards. You don’t just sign your name but find ways to express your love for them and show them you care.
I could go on and on about you Mom. Because there are so many examples of your love and of the incredible woman that you are. I hope you know how very special you are to me Mom. I wouldn’t be who I am without you in my life. You mean so much to me and I love you so much!
Happy Mothers Day Mom!
