Parkin turns 6! And Mothers day epiphany.

Parkin tuned 6! He is such a LOVE. That is the word we use to describe this boy who is so easy going and easy to love. He hugs and kisses freely and forgives freely. He laughs often and gives full belly laughs. He always comes to the defense of who ever is down or feels picked on, he jumps right in and demands that we treat that family member better. It is in his nature to love and protect.

For his birthday we took him and his 3 cousins (Daniel, Collin and Desmond ) with us to the Wheeler Carnival. Everybody got a couple of tickets and we played games and had snow cones and cotton candy. Then we came back to the house and had a pizza and sleepover party. Parkin loved it! He was with his best friends and they all got various prizes. It was the easiest birthday party ever! He opened presents on the front lawn and we played outside till it got dark. Parkin was born on the national day of prayer and I have been praying a prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father everyday since that I get to be his Mom, I love you son!

I had a mothers day epiphany. I was asked to be a speaker in our sacrament meeting at church. I was quite nervous, my topic was "what it means to be a mother this day and age." All week I had thought about it, but I was never really able to formally map out what I wanted to talk about.

Sometime during the weekend my stomach started to go south, I new my digestive track was having a problem and sure enough Sunday morning came and I was doubled over in pain. No mothers day breakfast for me. I was already telling my husband that he might want to start thinking about who could replace me as a last minute speaker. Finally the pain grew and I knew it either had to stop or I needed to find a replacement. I prayed on my knees telling Heavenly Father I was ok with the pain but if he wanted me to speak he needed to take the pain from me so I could focus on the talk and deliver the speech. Immediately after my prayer I felt better. I got dressed and I finally knew what I was going to talk about.

I have a dear friend, Alexandra that without fail always sends me a Mothers day card. Every year for 12 years. We have been friends since 2nd grade, 28 years of friendship. Sunday morning I was struck by how truly thoughtful that is. She is not a mother, I am certain that when she becomes a mother she will be fantastic. She truly honors motherhood and the mothers in her life. And then it hit me. Mothers day is NOT about me. It is about honoring the mothers in my life.

There is a quote from a short video about mothers and it says " Life doesn't come with a manual, it comes with a mother." I was struck by all the "manuals" in my life. My own mother/ manual is fun and supportive and faithful. My friend Alex has been a manual of friendship, loyalty and  thoughtfulness. Mothers day is about honoring these women who have played a part in helping me on my journey. It isn't about whether I woke up to a clean house or breakfast in bed, it is about how my actions can help honor the manuals in my life. All the good holidays are about love, not yourself. The best Christmas's are the ones where I focus on the Savior and helping others, not when I worry about me. If mothers day was just about the individual and their own mothering then it could be very sad, sad for the mother who morns the loss of a wayward child, or the loss of a child, or your own inadequacies as a mother.  When the meaning of mothers day is bout others it makes the day more joyful.

Every year our congregation passes out a gift to the women in the congregation as a mothers day gift. I remember that being awkward when I didn't have children, thinking I am not a mom I shouldn't take one. But there are two reasons that women should take them regardless if they have birthed a child. 1) your own mother would love for you to have one 2) You are a manual for others!

My mothers day was complete when I got to honor 5 woman and their kiddos, as well as my own mother and father, for a mothers day dinner largely made by my awesome husband. Their husbands are fighting in the war and I truly felt privileged to have them over for such a meaningful day. The night was made better when my husband handed the ladies letters that their husbands had wrote to them.

President Hinckley a prophet who lived in our day said,  “Only after the earth had been formed, after the day had been separated from the night, after the waters had been divided from the land, after vegetation and animal life had been created, and after man had been placed on the earth, was woman created; and only then was the work pronounced complete and good."


Eve was not a mother yet! She was a woman and by her very nature she was honored as being "good." So to all my friends and fellow manuals, I want to tell you, thank you! You inspire and uplift me and you are more than good enough. You are better than you think.

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?cid=%20HP000061&lang=eng#to-every-mother