Mother's Day

Was wonderful. 

We got to spend time with some of the most amazing women in our lives.

On Sunday, Sister Ensign gave a wonderful talk with her husband. I wanted to share with you some of the things they said, and some of my other thinkings about mothers.

She said that the nature of mothers is to nurture. She talked about how there are so many different kind of women in the world, and some are mothers and some aren't. But almost every woman feels the need to nurture. We hear a crying baby or child and want to hold and comfort it. We see someone doing something they shouldn't and want to smack them upside the head. We see someone suffering and want to ease their pain. Even if you're not a mother, that doesn't mean you can't be a mother in other ways...to be a mother is to nurture isn't it? I've known many people that can be classified as nurturers, if done right. Teachers, doctors and nursers, other medical people like physical therapists, coaches...whether you're nurturing children or adults it doesn't matter. When you are nurturing you're fulfilling a role as a mother. 

She also said we have so many women who are cruel, who are hard, who are selfish...we need more women in this world who are kind, and loving, and giving...we need a little more nurture.

Brother Ensign shared the sweetest story about this father who was reading a book to his son. This book had no words, so you made up the story from the pictures. His son kept correcting him, saying things like "that's not a jacket it's a coat" or "that's not a limb that's a branch". The father asked his son why he was so adamant that the pictures were certain things when there were no words? The son said "because mom said that's what they were". The father took a forceful yet playful tone and asked "who is the authority and has the last word in this house?" The son answered quickly "you are"...The father asked "and do you know why?"......he answered "because mom taught me". He didn't know it because his father was dominant or forceful in any way, but because his mother taught him. That touched me in a way I can't explain. Mothers have such a responsibility to teach their kids, whether you're saying it or showing it.

Last mother's day I was wanting desperately to get pregnant. I had just graduated and wanted to move onto the next step. I was so frustrated, and upset, and angry at the world. It took me forever to get over it and learn to let go, to be okay with what I had, and be happy for everyone else having babies. 

This mother's day was very different. Some people made the argument that I wasn't a mother yet. Robbie said that baby boy was alive and well in there, and just because I wasn't changing diapers yet doesn't mean I wasn't taking care of him, which made me a mother. 

Then I thought of all the people that I look after and try to care for. I have a husband, who I desperately try to take care of and make sure he's healthy and happy in every thing he does. As President Hinckley said, I strive to have an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of my husband and to serve him as he does the same for me. I try to look after my siblings. I try to look after my friends. I really love and enjoy teaching my students. I have a fish, a cat, and a dog. The dog was the hardest: training her all day every day for the first 6 months or so, and then continuing to enforce what I've taught her, sometimes it feels like I've got a toddler who can't speak. I try and take care of some people at church...

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I love to nurture and take care of people. I love being a mother. 

It's not always easy, I guess it's never really easy. There is so much that I've learned over the past few years on how to be a better mother..like patience. When I say I've learned, I don't mean I learned that you need patience, but that I've worked on improving and increasing my patience. 

Next mother's day I'll have a little one in my arms, instead of kicking my ribs and making it impossible for me to breathe. I'm so excited to add this little boy to the list of people I try to nurture. 

To all the women who are anxiously engaged in nurturing others, whether it's their own family or others...Happy Mother's Day. And thank you, for your sacrifices, for your time, and for your constant efforts to better yourselves in order to be the best example you can be. 

I'll always be grateful for the woman my mom is. Because of who she is, and how she raised me, I am who I am today. Robbie wouldn't be the man I love if it wasn't for his amazing mother...They wouldn't be the women they are if it wasn't for their mothers...

Thanks moms :)