Happy Mother's Day...

...MOM! We love you! Look how far you've come since these pictures! You now have a wonderful family of 5 kids, 2 son-in-laws, 3 daughter-in-laws, and 9 grandchildren with 2 more on the way! Time flies when you're having fun, huh? I am so thankful for such a wonderful mom who taught us many things, like how to ride a bike, how to tie our shoes, manners, how to treat others with respect, but most importantly the gospel. I grew up in a home where the spirit was always welcome and present, and where we knew we were loved. Thanks for reading the scriptures with us, having FHE every week, and for making me go to Young Women's even when I didn't want to!

I look back at wonder how you did it all. Not just the 5 kids, but doing it all mostly by yourself. (sorry Dad, no offense!) My mom sat for most of our young years all by herself during sacrament meetings, and other church activities. My Dad was always involved in church callings that kept him pretty busy, and he was also very busy with work. This was before the days of Cell phones, and she would never know where he was or when he would be home. He also traveled some, I remember him working in California and being gone for a couple of weeks at a time. I wonder how I would make it some days without being able to call Cory and see if he can be home by 4:30 so I can take Kristian some where, and not have to haul all the other kids. I makes me feel like a wuss!

We were well provided for, I don't remember going without a thing. But now that I am an adult with kids of my own, I can see we were by no means rich, and that my mom was a master of getting by on what she had. I never went hungry, but I know there were times she wondered what she could fix for dinner on what was left in the cupboards. She was great with a sewing machine, and we always looked nice and well kept. Ashley and I always had really cute hair that was styled, combed and had cute bows or ribbons. (although in the above picture I think our hair looks hideous... mom swears it was "in style"! Who ever decides these things should be shot!)The year that the cabbage patch dolls were a huge hit, Ashley and I really wanted one, and knowing there was no way they could afford it, my mom made us dolls instead. I loved that doll. (I am still MAD at mom for sending it to the DI!)

Now that I am an adult, I can see the blessings of having a wonderful mother. I am soooo blessed! I am amazed by all the wonderful mothers I get to associate with on a daily basis. I not only have an awesome mom, but a great mother-in-law. I have great friends who are examples of wonderful mothers, and who help me see I am not alone, and give me great examples of how I can do better with my own kids.