Mother's Day

With Mother's Day coming up, and since I take the weekend off from writing here, I thought I would finish off the week talking about the amazing mothers in my life.

Ethan's mom Sarah:

Unfortunately, because we've been married just a short time, and we live so far away from each other, I haven't been able to spend as much time getting to know Sarah as much as I would like to. But you don't have to know her very well to know that she is one of the most giving people I know. She would give you the shirt off her back if it meant that you would be more comfortable. She gives and gives and never complains. She is such an amazing example of service. 

She's also an amazing mother. She's raised 5 amazing children who love and adore her. I remember the first time I visited Ethan when we were in our early dating stage. I could tell that Ethan loved his mother more than anything and treated her with such love and respect. I also remember thinking, "He's a momma's boy. This could be really good or really bad." Luckily, it turned out good because he definitely loves her, but she taught him to be independent as well. 

She raised my husband to be the man that I always intended for a husband. She (along with her husband of course) taught him to be respectful of others, serve others without a moment of question, be strong in the gospel and to love unconditionally. There is not enough thanks for the gift that she has given me.

I can't wait to develop an even stronger relationship with Sarah and teach my children like she has taught her's. 

My mom Sue:

I could never write enough about my mom to fully explain how much I love her. I wasn't easy to deal with growing up and she never gave up on me. She is truly my best friend. I remember talking to my sister when I was in high school and she was explaining the relationship she had with my mom, and how if she could go on a trip and take her best friend (aside from her husband) it would be our mom. I laughed, but the past few years our relationship has changed and I completely agree she would be the first on my list. My mom is patient, kind, loving, thoughtful, talented--qualities that I hope to attain. There are obviously more qualities, but I don't want to embarrass her.

Over the years I've also realized that I'm more like my mom that I ever would have thought. We even have some of the same mannerisms!

One weekend when my parents were visiting, we were sitting in Sunday School and Ethan leans over to me and says something to the effect of, "Like mother, like daughter." I look over and we were sitting in the exact position, from our hands to our feet.

My mom also listens to me and I listen to her, whether we've had a less than ideal day (we've been trying to "relabel" things, based off this book), or we just want to catch up. I don't know how many times I've just called to cry to her and she sits and listens until I can compose myself enough to speak.

One thing that I will always treasure with my mom is our love for music and especially the piano. My mom h as taught piano ever since my oldest brother was a toddler. She has sat through countless lessons, which is very painful at times to hear. But she and I have also spent hours upon hours together sitting at the piano together while she played and I sang. That is one of the things I look forward to most when I visit. She'll have the new choir song that she wants me to try out, or we'll sing some of the classics together. It never gets old.

She is beautiful in every way, and I can only hope that I will become a fraction of the mother and person she is. She is truly my best friend.

I have been so blessed to have two of the best mothers I could ever hope for to have as an example in my life, and to pattern the way I raise my own children after.

I love you both very much.