Being a mom is tough! Adding the role of a mom on top of a wife makes things so great, but it takes work and a lot of it. So very often I think about how my childhood went and the fun memories that made it so good. I also think often of the craziness that having 10 kids brings. I have no idea how it all happened with all of us doing multiple sports and activities in and out of the church. We didn't all stay home all the time and so I wonder how my mom mostly (my dad was at work) kept track of who needed to be where and who wanted to go to a friends house and where we were and what we were doing. Crazy!
What I, and many others, often wonder about is how...how did she not go crazy?!
She is such a super hero of a mom just for birthing all ten of us...and we were not small babies (12 pound Chris!) but then she and my dad raised all of us and luckily we all turned out great and still like each other!
I was home for a month this summer and a lot was going on. I was able to witness my mom in action and it was great! She was making plans for all the family to be home for Matt and Chelsea's wedding and making sure we all had food to eat, places to sleep, and places to be at certain times. People to be picked up from the airport, family pictures, wedding party brunch, reception, blessing dress and 5 other dresses to be finished, blessing party BBQ, day at the water park, kids flying out/driving home here and there all within 5 days. She had a lot to think about and keep track of and she never blew up even though she probably got less than 20 hours of sleep those 5 days! I love how determined she is.
Mom was so calm about it all and she always has been. She makes her to do lists and has plenty that could throw her for a loop, but she handles it all so much more peacefully than what would be expected. I love how calm she is!
Once all the wedding and family business slowed down, she and my dad and Luke headed off on a long road trip for the 2nd reception in Wyoming. It was a lot of driving for a short stay. When she returned, we had news that Grandma Honey, her mom, wasn't doing so well. Grandma Honey passed away the next morning and even though we were sort of expecting her death to come sometime soon, we weren't entirely ready. To see how my mom handled it all was admirable. She passed the news to family and then in just hours, the house was filling up again with family. Though she didn't have a break between planning the wedding and then making preparations for her mother's funeral, she was on top of it and went all in. In fact, she loved that she was able to have space and the ability to host everyone. She was sensitive to everyone's needs and wanted everyone to be happy and comfortable. I tear up remembering her simply asking Grandpa Bob on a few occasions how he was doing and letting him know what was going on. She and her siblings kept making sure that he was happy with all the preparations for the funeral. I love how caring she is.
The day after the funeral, Sunday, she remembered that morning that she was asked to give a talk. She had meant to tell the bishop to find someone else to replace her, but it didn't happen and she forgot about it until that morning. She might have panicked a little, but she was fine with it. We arrived at church and she asked if her name was in the program to speak. She was and she went and sat up front. I was nervous for her! She had been so busy for the past month and she clearly didn't have time to prepare anything because she had a house full of people and she was a big part of preparing the funeral. When it was her turn to speak, there was such a reverence and respect given. Some people knew what she was faced with the last week, and most didn't until she told them. But then she shared three powerful stories of how my dad, Grandma honey, and herself all had different experiences at different times in their lives gaining their testimonies of the Gospel. It was simple, but so powerful. I have been able to relate to each of their experiences and have seen similarities in how I am building my own testimony. She could have backed out at the last minute and she would have had a great excuse not to talk, but I am so glad she did. I love her diligence and her testimony.
She has mentioned often that if she is feeling down, then the best way to get out of that slump is to serve someone. She likes to make people happy and she never complains about the time she spends helping people...only that there isn't enough time. I love how selfless she is.
A special treat as part of having a baby is that my mom comes for a bit to help. She arrived a couple days after we got home from the hospital and she got right to work. She cleaned up and organized so many of our junk piles and even sorted our socks and underwear basket (David had to leave the room it was a little too awkward for my mom to be sorting his underwear and carry on any type of conversation!) We rearranged furniture, and she cooked up a storm. I hate feeling like I am sitting around while people work, especially cleaning and cooking in MY home, but she made me relax and keep the kids entertained while she worked and fed us all. She loaded our freezer up with so many yummy meals and it was packed so full that I had to use duct tape to keep it sealed shut. Whenever I wanted a meal, I just had to take the one off the top in front or else it would all come crashing down and I would have to find out how to make it all fit. There were over a month's worth of meals...chicken noodle soups, beef stews, Italian soup, chicken cordon blue, chicken and mushroom croissant roll ups, lasagnas, meat loafs and lots of meats cooked up to be thrown into meals. It was so awesome to eat great meals each night that just needed to be warmed up. I was terrified with Hurricane Sandy coming that we would lose power for too long and that all of the food packed in the freezer (less than a week before) would be wasted but luckily we never lost our power! I was so bummed when the meals were all eaten up because now I have to make my own food again! It was so nice being spoiled with my mom's home cooked meals long after she left. I love her service and generosity.
She made Davy's blessing outfit and it turned out perfectly! I love her talents.
I admire her love that she has for each and every one of her kids. She was a cheerleader in high school and has continued to cheer for all of us in our sports and school activities and anything we set ourselves on doing. She will always tell us her honest opinion and guide us to what is right. She has always supported and encouraged me in anything that was good. I have always loved getting her approval.
She is so kind. I have a little prankster side of me and I know she would absolutely never even think to do any of the tricks I do because she feels that pranks mean spirited. I haven't figured out how to be so nice like her yet but I am getting better, maybe. The Dairy Queen refried bean "blizzard" was just too funny not to enjoy getting my dad so good. I admire how she is always so kind.
I wrote this poem to her one year for Mother's Day when I was younger. You can tell what was important to me at that time in my life and it makes me laugh. I want to say that I was in 3rd grade when I wrote this.
What I, and many others, often wonder about is how...how did she not go crazy?!
She is such a super hero of a mom just for birthing all ten of us...and we were not small babies (12 pound Chris!) but then she and my dad raised all of us and luckily we all turned out great and still like each other!
I was home for a month this summer and a lot was going on. I was able to witness my mom in action and it was great! She was making plans for all the family to be home for Matt and Chelsea's wedding and making sure we all had food to eat, places to sleep, and places to be at certain times. People to be picked up from the airport, family pictures, wedding party brunch, reception, blessing dress and 5 other dresses to be finished, blessing party BBQ, day at the water park, kids flying out/driving home here and there all within 5 days. She had a lot to think about and keep track of and she never blew up even though she probably got less than 20 hours of sleep those 5 days! I love how determined she is.
Mom was so calm about it all and she always has been. She makes her to do lists and has plenty that could throw her for a loop, but she handles it all so much more peacefully than what would be expected. I love how calm she is!
Once all the wedding and family business slowed down, she and my dad and Luke headed off on a long road trip for the 2nd reception in Wyoming. It was a lot of driving for a short stay. When she returned, we had news that Grandma Honey, her mom, wasn't doing so well. Grandma Honey passed away the next morning and even though we were sort of expecting her death to come sometime soon, we weren't entirely ready. To see how my mom handled it all was admirable. She passed the news to family and then in just hours, the house was filling up again with family. Though she didn't have a break between planning the wedding and then making preparations for her mother's funeral, she was on top of it and went all in. In fact, she loved that she was able to have space and the ability to host everyone. She was sensitive to everyone's needs and wanted everyone to be happy and comfortable. I tear up remembering her simply asking Grandpa Bob on a few occasions how he was doing and letting him know what was going on. She and her siblings kept making sure that he was happy with all the preparations for the funeral. I love how caring she is.
The day after the funeral, Sunday, she remembered that morning that she was asked to give a talk. She had meant to tell the bishop to find someone else to replace her, but it didn't happen and she forgot about it until that morning. She might have panicked a little, but she was fine with it. We arrived at church and she asked if her name was in the program to speak. She was and she went and sat up front. I was nervous for her! She had been so busy for the past month and she clearly didn't have time to prepare anything because she had a house full of people and she was a big part of preparing the funeral. When it was her turn to speak, there was such a reverence and respect given. Some people knew what she was faced with the last week, and most didn't until she told them. But then she shared three powerful stories of how my dad, Grandma honey, and herself all had different experiences at different times in their lives gaining their testimonies of the Gospel. It was simple, but so powerful. I have been able to relate to each of their experiences and have seen similarities in how I am building my own testimony. She could have backed out at the last minute and she would have had a great excuse not to talk, but I am so glad she did. I love her diligence and her testimony.
She has mentioned often that if she is feeling down, then the best way to get out of that slump is to serve someone. She likes to make people happy and she never complains about the time she spends helping people...only that there isn't enough time. I love how selfless she is.
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| Katelyn loved "Gigi Mama" and she was the perfect excuse to never go to sleep! |
She made Davy's blessing outfit and it turned out perfectly! I love her talents.
I admire her love that she has for each and every one of her kids. She was a cheerleader in high school and has continued to cheer for all of us in our sports and school activities and anything we set ourselves on doing. She will always tell us her honest opinion and guide us to what is right. She has always supported and encouraged me in anything that was good. I have always loved getting her approval.
She is so kind. I have a little prankster side of me and I know she would absolutely never even think to do any of the tricks I do because she feels that pranks mean spirited. I haven't figured out how to be so nice like her yet but I am getting better, maybe. The Dairy Queen refried bean "blizzard" was just too funny not to enjoy getting my dad so good. I admire how she is always so kind.
I wrote this poem to her one year for Mother's Day when I was younger. You can tell what was important to me at that time in my life and it makes me laugh. I want to say that I was in 3rd grade when I wrote this.
If It Weren't For You
If it weren't for you,
I wouldn't brush my teeth
and I'd eat candy all day
and have cavities all my life.
If it weren't for you,
I wouldn't clean my room
and I'd swim through my junk
and I'd live in a pigsty
If it weren't for you,
I wouldn't go to school
and I'd never have an education
and U'd never pass the 1st grade
If it weren't for you,
I wouldn't have to go to bed by 9:00
and I would play with my friends past 5:00
and I would stay up late and watch TV all night
If it weren't for you,
I wouldn't have to mow the lawn
and we could play hide and go seek in the night
and play it in the tall grass
But if it weren't for you
I wouldn't be here
I love you.
I am happy to let everyone know that my priorities have changed and I am glad that I was kept in line and made me be home by 5. Now I know that if it weren't for my mom, then I wouldn't be the mother, wife and Latter Day Saint that I am now. I find myself thinking back often of what she would do in my situation if I am having troubles with my kids. She is a great example and I admire her strengths. I know she isn't perfect, but she has so many amazing attributes that I look up to. I doubt I will have 10 kids or ever be able to match her strengths, but I am so grateful she is my mom. She just turned 60 and it amazes me how beautiful she is inside and out. You would think that everything that having/raising 10 kids entails would make 60 years look really worn out and old, but she is rocking this new decade already and my dad knows he's got a hot one! My dad and us kids are pretty lucky to have her be such a big part of our lives. I'm glad she's my mom and wish I had her to fill my freezer full of meals and sort my socks and underwear more often but that means I have to have more kids more often! Love you Mom!
1 comment:
Such a sweet post! I want to be like your mama :).
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