In Honor

Some pictures of my Mom and me through the years

I can honestly say that I have the best and most amazing mom EVER! My family gave me grief today after finding out that my talk in sacrament meeting today was not a tribute to my wonderful mother. They teased me saying that I didn't have anything to say about my mother. While they obviously didn't mean it (they were raised by the same amazing mother), it made me pretty upset and I wanted to make a big long post about just how much I have to say about my mother. So, stick around if you want to read about the best woman ever!

I have always been close to my mom. I am the youngest of 5 and my next oldest sibling is 6 years older than me, so by the time I was 12 I was pretty much an only child in the home. For some, that could easily get annoying (especially as a teenager) and drive them away from their parents, but I never felt that way. I LOVED spending time with my parents and quite often, my friends would want to hang out at my house so that they could also hang out with my parents. 

My mom has worked since I was pretty young but I have never felt that I missed out on building a strong relationship with her. She has become one of my best friends over the many years and I call her for just about everything. My mom always has the best advice. I can't tell you how many times I was going through hard times and the words of my mom have been the thing that got me through and that I continue to remember as I go through life. My mom is not the type that you get a lot of sympathy from. She listens and is understanding but always has a way to solve the problem you're facing or will just tell you to buck up and keep going. While this might sound harsh to some, it has come to be something that I love about my mom. I tend to get in these ruts where I feel really sorry for myself and tend to complain a lot to others, looking for sympathy. My mom is the perfect antidote for that. I always know she'll be understanding but I also know that she'll be a good reality check.

My mom is a doer! My dad always jokes about how my mom keeps him busy. Even today, my brother was talking about how a lady from their ward in Ohio came over to help them pack to move back to Utah and he was saying how great of a help she was. "She's like mom," he says, and we all say "ohh" as we understand exactly what he means.

My mom is also the most selfless person you will meet. She will do anything for anyone and cares so much about other people. She recognizes the best way to share that love is by service. I can't tell you all the ways my mom has continued to sacrifice for me even after I moved out and became independent. Above all, she sacrifices her time to be with me when I need it or even just to listen to me.

In conclusion, my mom is the greatest example to me and if I can end up even half of the person that she is, I will feel accomplished. Thanks, Mom, for being the most wonderful person to have for a mom.

And a shout out to my other sisters and sister-in-laws who are mothers and who aren't. Here's to having a family full of amazing examples of the type of woman that I want to be.

Happy Mother's Day!