My Mom

So sometimes we don't realize we've done anything to hurt someone else, until it is mentioned, or until we are able to take a step back and look at things from a different perspective. My mom mentioned that she hadn't seen any pic's of HER on my blog lately and asked me why. My response was...."aaahhh, duuhhh, I don't know mom." So I thought that I would do a post about my mom.

Growing up my mom had several back surgeries, and she has often said that she thinks she wasn't a very good mom, 'cause she couldn't sit and play with us on the floor, or chase us around outside. But I think my mom was a wonderful mom. I can remember her teaching me how to sew. We would sit up in her sewing room when I was 7-8 and we would work on silly little things, like pillowcases, or little doll dresses or accessories. My dolls always had the latest fashions!!! And I believe I had more pillowcases than any kid in the world!!! We would make stuffed animals and several other items, and all the while I was learning to love to sew.

She would also take us to the library! This is something that I love to do with my kids now!! When I was young we would either go to the Logan Library (if we had a LOT of time) or to the Hyrum, for a quick trip. I always got to pick out whatever books I wanted and my parents would read them to us. My parents would read to us on long trips and this is one of my fondest memories. The Lord of the Rings was one that I can always remember them reading to us, and oddly I can't really remember being read any other books on trips, besides these!!! On the educational side, my mom would always have my brother and I watch "Reading Rainbow." Oddly enough, this show is still on, and Cambry enjoys watching it.

My mom allowed us to have cats, (we tried a dog once, but it chewed up the drip-system around the house, so it had to go). Having the cat taught me about responsibility, and even a little about the heartache of death. I remember laying outside with the cats and just enjoying the afternoon, until mom needed me to help set the table, or cook or CLEAN MY ROOM.

My mom also tried to distill into me a passion for keeping things clean...don't worry mom, it wasn't for a lack of trying that THIS one didn't stick!! I'm just a very messy person. I try, to keep things in a nice order, but mostly I'd rather play with the kids, and have a fun time with them, but my mom tried very hard to get me to clean up my room and keep things nice and neat!!!

As I got into sports, my mom and dad came to just about every event. I believe that they only missed probably one game each in my entire playing career! They would take me to and from some of my practices, and help me anyway they could. Despite never playing volleyball, my mom would go outside, or to the gym and toss me balls so I could get better. She was always there to cheer me on, or lend me a shoulder to cry on.

As I've gotten older, I find my mom a bigger and bigger source of knowledge. She often will get a call from me to ask her what would be good for me to cook for dinner, or a question about HOW to cook something for dinner, and she always has the best ideas. She is a well of recipes and knows how to cook anything from fish to pork and everything in between. And sometimes she tells me to just go get a pizza!!! Also, for any that know my mom, and dad, they read A LOT, so if you ever have a question about a WORD and can't think of it's meaning, all you have to do is dial up my mom or dad, and ask them what the word means. One of the funniest trips I remember, was in a motor home, that we took up the coast of California, and Oregon, and then down through Idaho. During that trip a word was brought up, and mom and dad began to "discuss" what this word meant. It went back and forth until we soon had a full-blown "discussion"!!!! Soon we were pulling over to a bookstore, so that they could find out who was right. My dad had been right this time, and mom didn't talk to him for several "hours" (probably minutes) but it was a very funny memory of my parents fighting for the right meaning!!!

My mom always seemed to have something to do with us, whether it was sewing, or a little craft or an activity outside, and this has continued onto her grandchildren. She will have some little craft for them to do, or a birdhouse to paint, or something that they really enjoy, like the little beads you iron into shapes! My girls love this, and despite the occasional mess these make, my mom is always willing to allow the grand kids to play with these.

My mom has come to help me, or be with me, or support me with every little girl we've had. She's come to Cali and helped us survive for the first week of Cambry. She came and helped us by taking care of Cambry when we had Autumn, and this last time she took Autumn and Cambry back to Logan so we wouldn't have to worry about them!!!

All in all I'm very spoiled to have the mom I have, and I'm grateful that she "picked" me out of all the girls she could have gotten!! Thanks Mom!