I know I am a little late on this post but I wanted to
ponder more before I wrote this. There are defining moments in my life when
people who were not my mother, reached out and mothered me. These moments are
imprinted in my soul, and they shaped me into the woman/mother I am today. But
before I talk about these other mom moments, I want to talk about my mom.
My mother aka Suzie, where do I begin? My mother is truly
amazing. Not only has my mom put on armor and fought battles for me no mom
should have to fight, she endured my teenage years. As a mother all she wanted
to do was protect me but I was/am stubborn. She warned me the burner was hot
and I would stick my tongue out and place my hand right on the flaming burner.
I got burned and I would always come crying back to her. She would hold me and
love me, she didn’t say I told you so, she just loved me. I can only imagine how
that must have hurt her to watch me do things she warned would only hurt me in
the end. There are so many wonderful qualities I inherited from my mother. Her
compassion, her humor, her ADHD, her stubbornness, her flare for the dramatics,
okay maybe some aren’t wonderful but hey I am not complaining. The person I am
today is because two people fell in love and made me.. well they made me, me. I
have countless memories of awesome mom moments with my mom. She is my most
favorite/worst person to gossip with. Favorite because she has some juicy
gossip and always is entertaining, worst because she is terrible about keeping
gossip to herself lol. My mom needs sensory breaks because our family is well a
little overwhelming. Those breaks almost always get interrupted by a phone
call, a knock at her door, or an adult child throwing themselves over her bed
sighing “Woe is me”. I don’t think she realizes how much we love her; we love
her so much that we need to constantly surround ourselves with her! I could go
on forever about how much I love my mom, and how she means the world to me and
trust me you wouldn’t get bored most of our stories end with someone peeing
there pants (I won’t say who only that out of all the girls in our family I
never pee my pants…anymore), or our version of ridiculousness. My mom rocks and
I am so grateful that my children have her as their Grammie!
Lesson #1 Always love unconditionally!
The first person I want to talk about is Christi Evans
Boyter. I took it really hard when I heard that one of my favorite young women’s
leaders was going to be moving to Idaho. I was devastated I felt such a deep
connection to Christi and I didn’t want to lose that I felt that she got me;
she really understood the trials I was facing at the time. I can remember
standing outside the River Road building on her last Sunday I can remember
feeling a deep sadness as I went to hug my leader. I don’t remember the exact
words she spoke to me but I remember the deep sadness leaving and such an
overwhelming wave of love wash over me as she took me in her arms and hugged
me. Right there I learned a valuable lesson you didn’t have to be someone’s
daughter to be loved like you were their daughter. She loved me unconditionally
and it is a moment I will never forget.
Lesson #2 You can love others as if they are your own and it
is okay.
Meryni Hall has been in my life for almost 19 years. And in
those 19 years she has always treated me like her own daughter. She has felt
the heartbreak of breakups, she has felt the budding of new love, and she was
there with me when I was sealed for time and all eternity to my best friend. She raised 3 beautiful children, who will
always be my second family. She has triumphed through trials, she has protected
me from harsh words, she truly is wonderful and a mother I would be glad to
call my own.
Lesson #3 It is always safe to have two mama bears to
protect you from the cruelness of the world.
Stephanie Jensen she was always so very kind to me. I will
never forget a time we were all sick and she let me come over and be sick with
all her kids. She made sure we never ran out of ginger ale and we all had warm
blankets. Another time I had a dress that needed mending in the upper chest
department I had no idea how to sew and my mom was at school, so I ran over to
Stephanie and she grabbed a needle and thread and stitched me right up!
Lesson #4 Help others when given the opportunity…also it is
always handy to know how to sew!
Jody Smith aka mother to the most awesome people in the
world. I don’t even know where to start. You were my mother away from home
during my short move to Utah. Since I can remember you have always opened your
home and heart to any that come your way. I love you so much! You do so much,
and you are loved by so many. You deserve all the love in the world. Your
strength and courage is so admirable. I never ever want to be on your bad side
;D This woman takes care of her own and is the best mama bear around! I know if
I were to ask each of her children they could probably write a Harry Potter
Series each of how wonderful their mom is. You are the best!!
Lesson #5 By loving all you leave an amazing legacy.
My last person I want to talk about is my sister Sam. Sam
had mom moments with me long before she was a mom herself. She has always been
a wonderful example of love, laughter, and strength. She has endured pain, and
overcome that pain with a Queen’s grace. She has faced the chaos of the world
and shouted “Bring it on”. I love her so very much and I am so grateful I am
able to spend pretty much every day with her. I get to learn from her, laugh at
her, and be around her! My life is truly amazing.
Lesson #6 You can start being a mom long before you have
children! There are lots of people out there like me who needed these extra mom
moments to help them along the way.
I found that every moment I went to write about one of these
women I was left speech less. I didn’t know where to begin on how much they
mean to me. These are just a handful of women who have shown me love and
compassion in moments in my life. I am so glad I have wonderful examples like
them to look up to. I wouldn’t trade out any of these moments. I hope that
there are people out there who think this way of me. I pray I live by these 5
lessons, and I pray that I have more mom moments in my life so I am reminded
how deeply I am loved by others. That I am worth the time these women spent on
me.
