Dia de las Madres

Happy Mothers Day!  I thought I would take a moment to write about the mothers in my life. 

I have a lovely mother-in-law who is currently visiting.  Gramma Z is small in stature, but a complete whirlwind in person.  She likes things tidy and organized (which is often the opposite of how things happen here) and she is actively helping me try to get my house up to her standards.  (She's given me a week.)  She has patiently taught me some of her recipes so that Big E doesn't miss too much of her homemade cooking and she is open to teaching me some Spanish.  She has a good sense of humour which serves her well when helping me organize or learn Spanish!  Most importantly, she raised a wonderful son that I would meet and marry, a man that would be a fabulous father to our little boys and a perfect partner for me in life.  She has been welcoming and loving and a perfect mother-in-law.

My own mMther has taught me so much.  I've only known my Mother-in-law for 7 years, but my own Mother for so much longer.  Some important things she has taught me - how to sew, to love reading, to say sorry, to stick with it.
My Mother told me that she had difficulty keeping up regular scripture study and yet often as I was growing up there would be times when I saw her studying her scriptures every morning.  She taught me that she thought it was important and that when something was important you don't give up on it.  Even if you're not successful you keep setting the goal. 
My Mom LOVES to read.  I remember a stack of books beside her bed that seemed to reach my armpits.  As a young child it just seemed like a huge amount!  She would read stories to my brother and I.  I particularly remember one book that she read to us when I was about 10 called, "A Fork in the Road".  I still remember parts of the story and I'm sure if someone were to read an excerpt I would recognize it.  She taught me to read a story with feeling, and to hold an audience.   This has served me well as an elementary teacher!
Mom said she didn't have enough patience when it came to teaching me.  But I remember lots of teaching moments.  Sometimes the best teaching moments happened when she let me try something on my own and then would help me work through what went wrong, like the perfect muffins I made that were less than perfect.  In fact they were goopy and dipped in the middle.  Not at all like her golden fluffy perfect muffins!  Turns out you shouldn't just add ingredients in any old order you want...heehee.  She took me to buy fabric one day and I bought this lovely bright sunflower fabric.  I wanted to make a skirt with it.  We got a pattern and I started.  I did ok cutting out and piecing together, but when it came to the top (it was a kind of overall sort of skirt) I had no end of trouble.   I think I picked it apart about 4 times trying to figure it out.  Mom came to the rescue and I was finally able to get it finished and wear it.  I was so proud of it, and without her it wouldn't have happened.
My Mother is an Irish redhead and a temperament to match.  Sometimes when I was a teenager I took advantage of that and my knowledge of which buttons to push.  (I was a crafty teenager.)  Always, after a blow-up, my Mom would come to me and apologize.  I don't remember if I said I was sorry too (I certainly should have) but it made a deep impression on my that my Mother would come and say she was wrong and that she was sorry.  I have tried to follow that example with my own children.

There's so much more I could say.  But how do you put it into words.  My Mom is a wonderful example to me and a fabulous friend.  My life would be poorer without her.  Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers and those with a Mother's heart.  If you know my Moms I think it would be neat to leave a comment about your impression of her!