Mother's Day

I've been wanting to give my mom and my mother-in-law a shout out for Mother's Day!

I really have the best mom! She was always there at the crossroads of my life!

She packed my lunch for me everyday when I was in school,

she would braid my hair for any sporting event I had (which was quite a few),

she did my laundry up until the day I got married... and I think she's done a few times since.. lol.

She is always willing to listen and tell me she loves me!

Many times when I would go to a camp or somewhere I would find little notes in bag, 

I love those notes! They told me of her love, her testimony, and that she cared.

She taught me how to water ski, sew, work in the yard, pull weeds after it rains, clean a bathroom, do the laundry, make delicious food, look for deals while shopping, to be content with that you have, to serve others, how to pray, how to study my scriptures! 

She taught me how to my math homework... and endured my crying... every night.

She edited ALL of my college papers, even the SUPER long and boring ones! 

She taught me how to be a mother, and some day I hope I can put those skills to work. 

I love you, Mom!

 My dear sweet husband also has a wonderful mother!

Since the day I kind of unexpectedly showed up at their house with my friend to go boating with them 

(that's another story for another time),

she has made me feel SO welcomed and loved!

With all of these doctor appointments I've gotten to spend a lot more time with her (we stay at their house),

she's gone to many a craft store and home decor store with me.

She raised 5 wonderful children, one is especially amazing in my eyes!

I'm grateful that she instilled in her boys the values of a good Priesthood holder, a good husband, and a wonderful friend. She taught them to be polite and kind. 

I love you too!

 We also have amazing Grandmothers, sister-in-laws, aunts, cousins, and friends who are amazing examples of mothers to us! I am so grateful for everyone of them!

We love you all too!

I hope you don't think this is an exhaustive list of the wonderful things our mothers do for us, because it isn't even the tip of the iceberg.

We love our mothers!

My sweet husband gave me this bag of DELICIOUS chocolates

(of which there may or may not only be 2 left...)

with the sweetest note on it!

If you can't read it, it says, 

"Motherhood is more than biological. As a daughter of God you have always been and will always be a mother. I'm grateful you'll be the mother of my children. You're the best and I admire your strength."

He always knows just what to say!

His sweet note changed my perspective.

You see, Mother's Day is a hard one for me, and many others struggling with infertility.

Last year I was a wreck and cried through all of church, 

I felt so left out but also included when I shouldn't have been.

It's hard to explain, but I want to be a mother so badly, but then I hate when they ask all the women to stand or whatever to give them their gift because I don't feel like I qualify.

A couple days later I read a post a girl I know from college wrote, she also struggles with infertility.

She and her husband adopted a little girl, last year was her first mother's day with the new little one.

She said something that struck me.

She said that Mother's Day was never hard for her because she never saw it as a day about what she lacked, but instead of what she had: a wonderful mother, grandmothers, mother-in-law, etc.

This year I decided I was going to be more like her.

I did okay. I didn't cry through ALL of church, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry.

Before and after church I was fine.

And after my sweet husband gave me that note and chocolates, I did much better.

I am so grateful for my sweet husband and the love he has for me!