Other Mothers
This post was written & intended to be posted on Mother's day 2017, but life happened and it got lost & neglected among life's activities that won't be put aside.
As my own kiddos have gotten older and well into the "teenage" years I have begun to look at motherhood differently than I did when I had a house full of little ones. I see more clearly the influence my mother had on me and the wisdom in her choices. One of those choices was to provide me with opportunities to be influenced by other righteous women and to allow them to make a difference in my life. Just as my mother was able to influence & nurture me as I grew up, she graciously allowed a handful of other wonderful women to influence & nurtured me. I am forever grateful for the impact, big or small, of these "other mothers" in my life.
Mae: my sweet adopted grandmother and first "best friend" who readily welcomed a very little girl into her home whenever I came knocking, only to have me play with and continuously rearrange her button box. Thank you for providing me with a safe place where I was always welcome!
Jean Breeze: she loved me & treated me as one of her own, giving a tween and teenage girl a second home. Thank you for showing me an example of how to love an eternal companion & how to make a house a home!
Teresa Garcia: my kind and fun primary teacher. Thank you for teaching me how to put on make-up and for helping me "want" to be at church!
Laurie England: my wonderful Beehive leader, who trusted me with her two babies each week for date night. Your love and knowledge of the gospel radiated out of every part of you in all that you did. Thank you for encouraging me to read & study the scriptures!
Pauline Nash: the Young President, who shares my same birthday, who stood by me as a very nervous new Beehive as I was welcomed and introduced that first Sunday in Young Women's. And then again many years later when I ran into her in Japan, she readily still loved me & cared for me as one of her Young Women.
Debbie Fillmore: another kind & gentle Beehive leader, who trusted me with her babies to tend. Thank you for being my friend and teaching me to see and appreciate the beauties of this world!
Julie Allison: my devoted Mia Maid leader who let us mix chocolate chip cookie dough with our hands, happily drove me to and from activities chatting all the way showing a true interest and concern for me and what was going on in my life. Thank you for helping me discover the worth of my soul & the importance of prayer.
Cindy Walt: our Young Women's president and mother of one of my best friends in high school. I will always smile when I think of her telling her daughter she looked like "blah" without lipstick, although it would be years before I took that own council to heart. Thank you for teaching me the importance of looking your best & the importance of showing respect for others.
Marianne Quiggle: yet another devoted Young Woman leader (and mother of a dear friend) whose home was always welcome to a bunch of teenagers. Thank you for having confidence in me and allowing me opportunities to shine. I will always remember you laugh & smile.
On this mother's day I wish to express gratitude to my mother for allowing those many wonderful women to be a part of my life. Thank you Mom!
As my own kiddos have gotten older and well into the "teenage" years I have begun to look at motherhood differently than I did when I had a house full of little ones. I see more clearly the influence my mother had on me and the wisdom in her choices. One of those choices was to provide me with opportunities to be influenced by other righteous women and to allow them to make a difference in my life. Just as my mother was able to influence & nurture me as I grew up, she graciously allowed a handful of other wonderful women to influence & nurtured me. I am forever grateful for the impact, big or small, of these "other mothers" in my life.
Mae: my sweet adopted grandmother and first "best friend" who readily welcomed a very little girl into her home whenever I came knocking, only to have me play with and continuously rearrange her button box. Thank you for providing me with a safe place where I was always welcome!
Jean Breeze: she loved me & treated me as one of her own, giving a tween and teenage girl a second home. Thank you for showing me an example of how to love an eternal companion & how to make a house a home!
Teresa Garcia: my kind and fun primary teacher. Thank you for teaching me how to put on make-up and for helping me "want" to be at church!
Laurie England: my wonderful Beehive leader, who trusted me with her two babies each week for date night. Your love and knowledge of the gospel radiated out of every part of you in all that you did. Thank you for encouraging me to read & study the scriptures!
Pauline Nash: the Young President, who shares my same birthday, who stood by me as a very nervous new Beehive as I was welcomed and introduced that first Sunday in Young Women's. And then again many years later when I ran into her in Japan, she readily still loved me & cared for me as one of her Young Women.
Debbie Fillmore: another kind & gentle Beehive leader, who trusted me with her babies to tend. Thank you for being my friend and teaching me to see and appreciate the beauties of this world!
Julie Allison: my devoted Mia Maid leader who let us mix chocolate chip cookie dough with our hands, happily drove me to and from activities chatting all the way showing a true interest and concern for me and what was going on in my life. Thank you for helping me discover the worth of my soul & the importance of prayer.
Cindy Walt: our Young Women's president and mother of one of my best friends in high school. I will always smile when I think of her telling her daughter she looked like "blah" without lipstick, although it would be years before I took that own council to heart. Thank you for teaching me the importance of looking your best & the importance of showing respect for others.
Marianne Quiggle: yet another devoted Young Woman leader (and mother of a dear friend) whose home was always welcome to a bunch of teenagers. Thank you for having confidence in me and allowing me opportunities to shine. I will always remember you laugh & smile.
On this mother's day I wish to express gratitude to my mother for allowing those many wonderful women to be a part of my life. Thank you Mom!
Happy Mother's Day to my other mothers!
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