Mothers

Being a mother has been the most life altering, challenging and rewarding experience of my life. It has brought me boundless love for my children and husband. It has made me change, grow, cry, worry, smile, laugh, pray, practice patience and understand more fully how much my earthly parents and Heavenly Father love me.

Motherhood is my greatest gift and I am thankful for my little ones every single day. I can reflect back over the years and can recall exact moments during different trials when I found myself pleading to the Lord for my children. Sometimes it was a prayer in my heart to help them on a test or with a struggle. A few times its been a desperate 'help me right now, please!' when a little one had wandered away and we didn't know where they were. There are other times when it was for a very specific problem. I will never forget the night when Zach was in my belly and and I was having so many problems with the pregnancy and while on my knees I pleaded with Heavenly Father to let me have this baby. I had watched him for weeks on the ultrasound and had fallen in love with his tiny fingers, his little legs, his sporadic kicks. This little baby was worth more than any earthly treasures. I begged and asked, but then had to have faith that no matter what happened, Heavenly Father knew me, loved me and that I could withstand the outcome, come what may. I know many times things we pray for don't go as we had hoped, but this time, the Lord blessed me and my tiny baby and we got our happy ending. I will be forever grateful for my little Red and the miracle that brought him to Earth.

Yes, there are times when I get frustrated, down or mean, but that is part of being a mom. We are not perfect, we make mistakes, but after those instances, I think I become a little bit better, a little softer and hopefully I don't repeat my past errors in parenting. Children are innocent and sweet and kind. Often, I'm the one learning from them. I know with time and maturity, they'll understand and one day be in my exact spot. I try my best and I love them to pieces and those are the things I think they'll remember the best. Those moments that they know without a doubt that there is nothing more important in the world than them. I never take them granted or wish my life was different. They make our family complete. They are my life. They are my joy. They are the future hope for the world. And I thank my lucky stars that they'll be mine forever.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, Rich's mom, my grandmothers and to the countless women who have taught me through example the divine role of Mother. They love, teach, sacrifice, open their hearts and spread kind words and deeds to others. All women are given the gift of nurturer and I know the world is a more compassionate, lovely, beautiful place because of Mothers.