I Wanna Be A Mom When I Grow Up

On Saturday night as we were getting cleaned up and ready to go out for dinner, Caelan came into my closet and started watching to see what I was going to wear. She gave me some suggestions, and then started to think about what things she had to wear that would be the same as what she was choosing for me. We ended up matching that night in short denim skirts and white shirts. She got even more excited when she realized that Megan had the means to match too. It took me back in time about 18 years ago to a Merrie Miss activity (church activity for pre-teen girls) where my mom and I did a little musical number in matching denim skirts (different style, for sure) and white shirts. I got to thinking about what it felt like then to be a 10 year old girl wanting to be just like my mom, and now what an equally tender feeling it is as a mother to have a daughter who wanted to be just like me.... kind of an overwhelming responsibility.

Growing up I watched my Mom....a LOT, probably more than most girls my age. We were good friends. I got to watch her be a wife and a mother and a friend and a neighbor and a sister and a daughter for a good 22 years, and I feel thankful for the uncountable opportunities to watch and listen and learn.

So, thanks Mom for ALL the lessons that I learned at your feet:
* how to prepare a meal (a tasty one) using the bare-bone basics in the house
* how to get good at the piano simply by playing the hymns over and over again
* how to sew at least enough to alter/make your daughters modest dance dresses
* how to sometimes be okay about letting the house be and spending your limited time on more important things
* how to really savor the holidays without letting the stress get in the way
* how to talk about the gospel in conversations with neighbors in the front yard
* how to support your husband in his church responsibilities
* how to develop those special kinds of relationships with your kids that go far beyond just the care-giving
* how to accept the fact that we can't do IT ALL right now, and that's okay - as long as we are doing the BEST things right now
* how to be a mother not only to your own kids, but all the friends that they bring home (and you always encouraged us to bring them to our home)
* how to say "no" when you had to
* how to be frugal and wait for good deals
* how to be patient
* how to be spontaneous - or at least how to go along with your family's spontaneity...and love it
* how to find peace and beauty in nature
* how to teach/discipline/vent without getting angry
* how to use and love music in all different aspects of life
* how to find the good in everyone - even those people that you have to look EXTRA hard to find
* how to prioritize your time which sometimes meant neglecting dinner in order to sit on the bed with your daughter talking about ANYTHING
* how to serve
* how to love....really love your children, your husband, your friends and your Heavenly Father and His Son
* And so many other lessons that I could mention here as well as those others unrealized lessons I have yet to discover that I learned from you.

Thanks for being someone I want to be just like. I love you!
Happy Birthday Mom!

PS I'm sporting my fancy hard shell back brace in the top picture (I think that's why we all chose to wear sweatshirts to that particular church YW activity...HE HE HE)