Moms are Great!

I am so blessed by my mother! Yesterday gave me the opportunity to reflect on all the great things that I learned from my mom. More than anything, I feel like she taught me how to have a relationship with God. She showed me by example how important the gospel of Jesus Christ is in her life. She prayed always and studied her scriptures regularly--constantly encouraging her children to do the same. During my teenage meltdowns I remember whining to her, and her saying, "sarah, have you said your prayers yet today? have you read your scriptures? when was the last time you wrote in your journal?" Inevitably, I would go to my room and follow her formula and come away feeling much better about life. It happened frequently enough, that I learned not to whine to her until I had done all the things she always suggested. As an adult, she is the voice inside my head gently reminding me what I need to do to stay happy. She is an example of hard work. I understand partially now that I have two kids how much work she was constantly doing to maintain a home and eight children! Amazing! She still works hard, I know, serving her children and grandchildren. We loved having her here a week ago. She played with my girls and has a way of showing them love that fills them up completely. (I will document her visit in another post). In short, I love my mom. She is great!

I am also blessed in my life by my other mother (in-law!). I remember hearing my mom tell about all the things she learned from my dad's mom (another example she set for me) and I have reflected on that many times as I interact with my mother-in-law. It is so neat to interact with the woman who has known your husband from his infancy. She, too, is a woman of God. She raised Greg up to be a great man, for which I am eternally grateful. I appreciate our discussions--we often relate with each other on spiritual things. She is very giving and serving. Her desire to give of herself is the greatest example to me. She anticipates our needs before we have even thought of them ourselves! I also appreciate the influence she has on our children. She teaches them the things I want them to learn--either reinforcing what I've taught already, or filling in the gaps where I haven't taught! I am so glad for that.

I am so blessed to have my two mothers! As much as I would like to think I am all grown up and don't need a mommy anymore, I know that isn't true. Now that I am a mother myself, I probably need a mother's influence more than ever! I am so grateful to have them both!