Mother, Dear, I Love You So

This isn't the most flattering picture, but I love it. It's my mother and my child, and it was taken on Mother's Day. I'm so grateful that we can have moments like this, creating memories while talking and laughing and trying to soothe grumpy babies. My Mother and I have not always had the greatest relationship. I think part of it stemmed from my being a middle child. I wasn't the oldest or the smartest or the most popular or the most rebellious . . . I was just in the middle, so (by design) there wasn't a lot of focus on me. I was pretty comfortable in the background (er, I still am!), but when I graduated from high school, I felt the need to spread my wings a bit. I moved to Salt Lake City shortly after graduation to attend the University of Utah, and my Mom was a little offended that I didn't want to go to Utah State. (The summer of 1997 was a very stressful time for our family, so I can't really place the blame on any one person.) So from '97 to 2000, we didn't get along very well. I lived in Salt Lake for most of that time, and we didn't speak very often. I left to serve a mission in June 2000, and my attitude changed. My mom was certainly the most faithful writer I had--I could always depend on getting at least one letter from my Mom every week, telling me how proud of me she was, and how much she loved me. I feel very blessed to have had such wonderful support from my Mom. When I came home in January 2002, I lived at home for about a year. I wanted to move back to SLC in August, but it didn't feel like the right time. So I stayed in Logan, and I'm very glad I did. It was that September that my brother died, and I'm grateful I was home to be with my family during that very difficult time. It's sad, but I believe our family is closer because of John's death. I think we all understand how precious life is, and how wonderful it is to spend time together. And now that I am a mother myself, I can't imagine the anguish of losing a child. My Mom has been so strong and such a great example of faithfulness. And the older I get, the more I realize how alike we are. During those early college days, I fought against most anything that would make me like my Mom (I can't explain it . . . immaturity is probably the primary culprit) ,but now I'm proud to be like her. She is an amazing woman, and I would be honored to be compared to her in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. I know this post isn't a great tribute to my Mom, but I want her to know how much I love her. She has been the greatest example of love and kindness in my life, and I hope I can be as generous and good as she is. Neither of us are perfect, of course, but we help and encourage each other. She is wise and beautiful and I love her with all my heart. Thanks for everything you do, Mom. I'll never be able to express fully how grateful I am for the privilege of being your daughter. I love you!