Sunday thoughts for Mother's Day

I was blessed with both a mother and a grandmother who are women of faith. They love the Lord, they love each other, and they love me, and I consider all of those things to be gifts.

 

Grandma taught me about how the Spirit spoke to her frequently. She once told me that she didn't need an alarm - the Holy Ghost would wake her up whenever she needed to awake. I was a bit skeptical then, but I have experienced the same thing enough times now to know she was right. From her, I learned that our Heavenly Father cares about us and our lives, and that the Spirit can help and comfort us in endless ways.

My mom also taught me about promptings from the Spirit. She would return home from the grocery store and start putting things away, only to exclaim, "Oh! The Spirit told me to buy butter! I knew I should have gotten some!" Again, I doubted that the Holy Ghost would be concerned about her grocery list, but now I know from her example and from my own experience that the Lord cares about everything that matters to us. She taught me not to doubt, and to follow promptings.

Recently, I was reading the comments for the daily reading of @bofm365 (on Instagram, I highly recommend it). There was some discussion of Mosiah 3:19, one of my favorite scriptures. A commenter said something that really struck me: she said that she has learned to say "yes" whenever she receives a prompting from the Spirit. If she doesn't understand, or doesn't see how it is possible for her to act on it, she quickly prays, "Yes. How?" or "Show me." Almost immediately, the way is shown to her.

This pretty much rocked my world. I feel like a whole new perspective has opened up to me. I just need to internalize this, to shift to an instant willingness to be shown the way. It's not really my nature to be positive, optimistic. But I am absolutely going to work to adopt this "yes" attitude.

Sunday thoughts

Today we had great speakers in sacrament meeting and in a joint Relief Society/Young Women meeting. Plus, the Primary children sang two songs to the mothers – I love that.

We heard many anecdotes about women who have had great impact – in some cases, by doing small and simple things.

• One man shared something his wife tells him occasionally: "We parent with faith, not out of fear." Definitely something I want to make a new motto!

• Another spoke of an older woman who befriended him when he was a boy, who went out of her way to be kind to him over the years and became a meaningful example and support in his life.

• Women have innate gifts to nurture, bless and minister.

• There is nothing more noble or beautiful than daughters of God applying the healing balm of the Savior.

• If you seek it, you will find your true identity.

• "Some Christians condemn Eve for her act, concluding that she and her daughters are somehow flawed by it. Not the Latter-day Saints! Informed by revelation, we celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall." - Dallin H. Oaks

We closed with As Sisters in Zion:

As sisters in Zion, we'll all work together,
The blessings of God on our labors we'll seek:
We'll build up His kingdom with earnest endeavor;
We'll comfort the weary, and strengthen the weak.

The errand of angels is given to women;
And this is a gift that, as sisters, we claim;
To do whatsoever is gentle and human;
To cheer and to bless in humanity's name.

How vast are our labors; how broad is our mission,
If we but fulfill it in spirit and deed;
Oh! naught but the Spirit's divinest tuition—
Can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.

I always find it stirring to sing this hymn in a group of women. (I especially love the second verse.)

I am so glad that I know I am a daughter of God.
I am thankful for the sisterhood of strong, beautiful women that I enjoy – in my family, and in the church.
I am grateful to be a mother, to have the amazing opportunity to learn sacrifice, service, love, and to be refined by this experience.

Happy Mother's Day.

Sunday thoughts

I have been blessed with such great examples of mothers and womanhood in my life. From my grandmother to my own mother to my Aunt Denise, my Aunt Linda, my cousins, my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law to my sweet sister, I have been abundantly blessed.

I have been given tutelage of the best kind by observing and learning from the wonderful women in my family – in the homemaking arts, style, self-improvement, education, forgiveness, unconditional love, patience, service, support, integrity, obedience, and striving to be more Christlike.


I have never been more aware of or more grateful for these women and all that they have taught me than I am on this Mother's Day.

I was motivated by words of wisdom about motherhood that I heard at Women's Conference:

• It is a child's natural instinct to learn from her mother. There is nothing more lasting or powerful than a mother's example and training.

• Every word that she speaks, every act, her every attitude and response affects her children.

• A mother can teach by example that the home is the most important place on earth, worth our every effort.

• What a blessing it is to have children who want to be with each other, and grandchildren who want to be with their parents and grandparents.

I can't seem to stop thinking about this beautiful quote that my mother shared with us as we were gathered around Grandma's hospice bed:

"How much of my delight in all beautiful things, is due to her influence, I can never tell. There is not a talent, or a joy, or an aspiration in me that has not been awakened by her loving touch". – Helen Keller

I love you, Mom.

I love all of you phenomenal women who have so profoundly influenced me for the better.

I have oh so much to live up to.

Sunday thoughts

Today has been sort of a rough day, emotionally. I've really been thinking a lot lately about the ways in which I need to improve as a mother, but also as a wife and just an individual. Some of the talks I heard at Women's Conference struck me to my core. I know I need to do so much better.

And because it's Mother's Day, our talks in sacrament meeting were about mothers and the great work that they do. I looked down the pew and saw a woman that I visit teach and I could tell she is struggling and I don't have any idea why. Another woman that I visit teach lives down the street and I saw a for sale sign in her yard yesterday -- I had no idea. Again I was hit with those thoughts of my own inadequacy.

I don't bring them up so that people can reassure me that I'm doing a good job. I really don't think I'm doing a very good job. Sometimes I feel like I spend so much energy just surviving, I don't take the time and energy to really plan, to work toward goals, to live with intention.

Marc and the kids have done what they can to make this a nice day: muffin and berries in bed before early church, handmade cards from the kids, dinner cooking on the stove, a leisurely nap. That's all great -- truly -- but today I kind of feel like I don't deserve it.

Then I remembered the email my mom sent me this year for my birthday. I re-read it and it cheered me some.

I can remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. I'm so glad that motherhood allows one to remember the joy more than the pain! I know that I have told you before how difficult your delivery was. My mother's dearest friend was the labor nurse by special permission from my Doctor. She held my hand and my head and helped me through the most difficult thing I have ever done, bearing you. Rhonda cared for me with such tenderness. Dad wasn't allowed anywhere near the labor or delivery room. That seems impossible! It wasn't that long ago! My doctor was a wonderful member of the Church. He told me after you were safely in my arms that if I were a pioneer I never would have made it and neither would you. I'm sure glad you did.

You have always been such a perfect daughter. As a young child, you were much like little Bella. So tractable and agreeable and happy all of the time. You began to excel at everything so young and never stopped. As an adult, you inspire me daily. I am amazed at your calm and collected nature and your dedication to serving your family. You are much like your father in that respect. I love that and wish to be more like you in that way. You are so low maintenance and such good company, always fun and easy to be with.

I am filled with gratitude for your birth and know that I have yet much to learn from you. I yearn for the day that we can live closer and I can have a more constant relationship with your sweet children. Hopefully, I'll live long enough!

I love you, my sweet daughter. Happy, happy Birthday!

Mom


After reading over this sweet letter, I have the following to say:

1. I was not always a perfect daughter. Not even close!!
2. Maybe motherhood really does allow us to remember the joy more than the pain. I certainly hope so.
3. My mother is my biggest fan. That gives me great comfort.


Happy Mother's Day to my darling mother. You deserve it!

misc. updates

Yes, it's that time again -- time for miscellaneous updates! (cheers all around) I'm trying to follow Ali E.'s advice to tell just one story every day, but even with that most unintimidating of dictates, I am still falling short. (thus the misc. updates...)

On Saturday, we finally found the tile we're going to use in our kitchen! It's proven much more difficult than we anticipated to find what we wanted (black & caramel checkerboard), but when we re-visited a store I had already been to, a very helpful woman pointed us to some special-order options.

In the afternoon, we went to Marc's parents' condo in Salt Lake to celebrate his step-dad's 70th birthday. They always go all out for family dinners.

How could anyone resist fruits and vegetables so beautifully displayed?

Eva adores birthdays, even when they're not her own. This is just one of the many reasons she loves going to Grandma and Grandpa's:

I had a nice Mother's Day.

Marc made really really good belgian waffles, and brought me one in bed. (I've never really understood the so-called luxury of breakfast in bed -- it seems like just a more difficult way of eating your breakfast to me.)

The kids all made me cards. Max went all out, using punches, stamps, markers, torn notebook paper and graph paper, and even definitions taken from an old dictionary! Pretty cute.

Our ward even gave out these sophisticated little gifts to all the women. (two truffles inside) Good move on the chocolate. I think I can safely say that no one wants another single carnation. Am I right?

The kids semi-cooperated for some photos after church. I went down to my studio and sewed for awhile while Marc made me dinner! (pork tenderloin with mustard sauce, radicchio and endive with blue cheese and raspberry vinaigrette)

He even made this delicious lemon custard pie with a pâte sablée (cookie crust). Yum. He did the dishes and he put the kids to bed. This all had the pleasant dual effect of giving me a break and making me realize how much I usually do! Nice.

This was the view out our back door yesterday. It ended up being a delightfully rainy day, with two hailstorms thrown in for good measure. Eva couldn't remember the word "hail" for the life of her, and kept calling it "jail".

Amy H. tipped me off to this great old-fashioned general store in Lehi. Eva and I went to check it out on Monday and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked the fabrics.

Eva liked the toys, the little girl she found to chat with, the bath bubble animals that remind her of the ones we got in Paris, and this display!

{Apparently from this moment on, I forgot to take any pictures.... argh.}

When the boys got home from school, I took all the kids in for their dental checkups. No cavities! I can't remember the last time I said that. Eva isn't too keen on sitting in the dentist's chair, even though it's kid-sized, but fortunately she has two big brothers to show her the way, and that makes everything a little easier.

Lucas gave our FHE lesson, which consisted of a re-telling of a story he'd read in The Friend and a role-playing game he made up to go with it. Surprisingly, Eva really enjoyed it (she usually struggles through FHE) and said she wanted to have "Family Home Meeting" for a long long time.

Today we went to the library and the mall. I made the amazing discovery that Eva loves shopping at the mall! (and she's only 3...) I usually avoid it because it seems like too much hassle, but she enjoyed herself immensely and didn't want to leave! Always surprising me. She was tickled by the escalators, the puzzles in the children's department of Macy's, and especially the fountain with coins in the bottom. I gave her some pennies to throw in, but she wasn't really getting the concept of making a wish. Can you even remember not knowing what it means to make a wish? Anyway, I enjoy my little errand buddy -- or "go-with guy", as Jessie says.

She actually took a nap today, after resisting for 3 days, and while she napped, I prepared some good mail and made a necessary run to the post office. Note to self: never ever arrive at the post office at 4:50 p.m. I couldn't use the self-serve machine and had to wait in line for 25 minutes!

Tonight was a nice relaxing one, complete with folding all the laundry and watching American Idol. And David Archuleta sang Billy Joel's "And So It Goes"! That's one of my all-time favorite songs -- sometimes Paula surprises me by making a really good call.

One final note: I think my kids are really enjoying our family dinners. They've quickly caught on to the fact that it's a perfect forum for everyone to have a chance to talk and be heard. They joke with each other. Everyone knows what's going on with everyone else. It's so much more than just the food.

motherhood is...

For me, right now, motherhood is...

Getting up in the night to dispense medicine, arrange blankets, and re-start lullabies.

Attempt (mostly unsuccessfully) to soothe so many many fears. These days, most of Eva's fears involve blood (!).

Reading endless books.

Waking up before I'd like to.

Never being able to go to the bathroom alone. And now, apparently, even showers aren't safe.

Packing school lunches. (and reminding kids to take their lunches)

Helping with homework.

Preparing food. Always preparing food. Always trying to coax my picky eaters into trying new foods (Max is finally coming around).

Doctor's appointments.

Dentist's appointments.

Music lessons, and constant reminders to practice.

Laundry. It's never done.

Taking a binkie and a blankie with us almost everywhere we go.

Planning outings around naptime.

Having serious talks about the necessity of being truthful.

Craving alone time.

Staying up too late to do what I want.

Keeping track of the kids' screen-watching time.

Constantly wondering if I'm giving them what they need.

Reminding myself that free agency is a good thing.

Prayers and scriptures.

Snuggling and giving good night hugs and kisses.

I am starting to see some of the rewards for this gig, and right now I can honestly say it's all been worth it. (I hope I don't change my mind next week!)

Happy Mother's Day to my mother, and all of the mothers in my life!

Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother's Day in France, and it was a pretty wonderful day.

Marc let me sleep in, which meant we were seriously late to church. The French sacrament meeting was full to capacity, so we went to the American one (across the courtyard). The American meeting was SO full, they had the doors open and there were chairs set up in the courtyard. As they are not equipped with a microphone in that room, we had to strain to hear anything at all. (Lucas said he only found out a prayer had been offered when everyone said "amen".)

Fortunately, it was not raining, as it has been nearly every day! And actually, it was the only time we've been to church where I wasn't sweating to death, so I really didn't mind sitting outside. Eva could not wrap her mind around the concept that this was indeed church, so we let her wander around the very small courtyard. Max followed her around and helped her to be as quiet as possible. This was all well and good until someone in a car came roaring into the courtyard! My heart stopped for a minute. Luckily, Max was on top of the situation.


There came a point where wandering had lost its charm and Eva was only content to dig in the dirt. And when that was no longer enough, she took to burying her Skittles (the bribe I had brought) in the dirt...


Marc gave me tickets to a concert (for a Belgian artist we have enjoyed for years). I've never been to a concert in Paris, it should be a fun first!

After church, we conducted our own private little chocolate tasting. (Marc did this with his students today -- it's our LDS answer to wine tasting. Hey, this is France!) He got these fabulous boxes containing tiny little pieces of several varieties of dark chocolate from Michel Cluizel, one of the most renowned chocolatiers in France.

What's amazing is that each of these chocolates is made only with cocoa beans, sugar, and vanilla, yet they each taste so very different! The difference is all in the areas where the cocoa bean plantations are located and the variations in their soil. The box comes with a guide that tells you where the cocoa beans came from, what notes are in the chocolate (like perfume!), and why those flavors would be present in soil from that area of the world. The notes include things like: mango, green banana, red berries, green olives, honey spice cake, licorice, and even volcanic ash! The one with volcanic ash was not my favorite, but all of the rest were absolutely delicious.

It was the most luxurious experience, and I loved that even Max was into it! (Lucas doesn't like dark chocolate.) I never thought this would happen to me, but I have found myself not wanting to eat the other chocolate we have around the apartment right now (all good French chocolates in their own right) because I just know they will not compare. I never thought that would happen to me! (I wonder how long it will last...)

Marc made me lunch and I read for awhile and took a nap -- delicious. For dinner he served Chinese food he had bought the night before and this for dessert:

That's what I'm talking about!

Max made me a very sweet card and even expressed thanks for Mother's Day in his prayer before bed. I felt loved indeed.