Dear Mom,
As Mother's Day has drawn closer, I have thought about all the memories that you have provided me with in my short 31 years of life.
Not surprising, I have been thinking a lot about food lately. Fried bologna-ketchup sandwiches and cinnamon-sugar orange wedges take me back to my childhood. Let's not forget Beanie Wienie, Beef Stroganoff, homemade Macaroni and Cheese, and Tater Tot Casserole. As I grew older, your meals became fancier and your deep freezer became stocked with ice cream novelities, danishes, ding dongs, cookies, cupcakes, and any other yummy treat that one can think of. While dating Jess in high school, he always loved coming over at lunch and dinner for a homemade meal. Sunday dinners were always the highlight of my week. I loved the smell of the roast in the oven and the rising, yeasty rolls when we returned home from Church.
Mom, you were the creative force behind all of my A.T. projects. I would have never received the "Oohs and Ahhs" from my teachers or fellow students if it had not been for you. One project that I remember in particular was an American Flag that you helped me design with red, white, and blue glitter for an astronaut crew that visited our school.
I always remember you saying, "Once I become a grandmother, I will have so much more time to sew." I think you are much busier now as a grandmother of 20, than you were with your own 7 children. Busy or not, you managed to sew Easter dresses, pajamas, and Halloween costumes for us. My first prom gown was one that you sewed-- a crimson Mandarin Chinese dress. I remember getting lots of compliments. Once your 7 children began having children of their own, you sewed baby blankets, burp cloths, and bibs for all of your grandbabies. While serving your mission in Africa, you not only fed the missionaries, but washed, ironed, and mended their clothing.
I smile every time I think about you playing Whitney Houston songs on the piano with Abbey by your side singing. You are a great musician, and I think the primary children in Africa were very lucky to have you as their piano teacher.
I have fond memories of you reading the Ramona books to Abbey and me before bed. One evening, Dad decided to take your place. His book of choice was an illustrated version of the life of Joseph Smith. While I love Joseph Smith, I don't remember particularly enjoying the book or Dad's reading style. Ramona the Pest was far more interesting to a 5 year old than a boy who would become prophet. :)
I will forever be impressed with the fact that even with lots of young children, your make-up was always on, your hair was perfectly coiffed, your nails were polished, and your clothes were cleaned and pressed. Your dress and grooming standards were and are impeccable. Even to this day, when I smell a bar of Dove soap or Keri lotion, I am reminded of you.
Mom, you are a very humble person-- always downplaying your wonderful talents. I struggle with my attempts to make my home a clean, orderly, happy, and warm place, because you have set such high standards. Thank you for consistency in your love and service for your family, and your consistency in your testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you!
Love,
Mandy
Mom and Dad with 16 of their 20 grandchildren
(Written by Jess to his mother)
10 things I love and admire most about my mom:
1. She went through an all day labor and a painful delivery that ultimately resulted in an emergency C-Section to bring me into the world. That is what happens when giving birth to a 10 lb Pillsbury doughboy.
2. She is very creative. Growing up, she made several of my Halloween costumes (one year I was a hot dog with relish, mustard, ketchup, buns, etc), painted a beautiful mountain landscape on the top of our toilet lid, and upholstered/re-upholstered our furniture on a regular basis. Once we had a set of couches with wooden handles on the ends of the arms. One of our dogs chewed them all up, so my mom took them off, took some pieces fabric from a portion of the couch that was not visible, and neatly and beautifully stitched them over the places where the arms used to be. In the end they looked better than when they had the arms on them before they were chewed up! Nowadays she always has something new from DI that she has remodeled or refurbished that always looks great!
3. She is thoughtful. Every Valentine’s day I remember receiving a little stuffed animal, some candies, or something else just from my mom. She would always make sure that she went out of her way to make us feel special. Now she never visits our kids without so many gifts and treats that she and Ira cannot see out of the rearview mirror of the car as they are driving up here. The kids especially look forward to a new Pez or two (or 25) that she and Ira pick up while they are at lunch or out grocery shopping at some point. They are always thinking of them!
4. She is nurturing. One memory of my childhood that stands out is how she would take care of me when I was sick. I remember her preparing a special bed for me in the bathroom any time that I had the stomach flu and staying up with me when I needed it. My favorite thing to do in church was laying on her lap. She is the same way with my kids now and they love to be close to her as well.
5. She taught me hard work. My mom cleaned houses for a living while I was growing up. She would often take us along if we were not in school. She taught us how to clean bathrooms, mop floors, make beds, and everything else that went along with making a house look beautiful. With my dad not being able to do some things around the house because of his disability, she would do a lot of the heavy lifting on a regular basis and usually involved me. One time we even tried to put a new roof on our house! Fortunately some compassionate neighbors spotted a little lady and a 9 year old on a roof and sent over a crew from the Elder's Quorum to help us out.
6. She set an example of service for me. When my mom was Relief Society President, she would take us along with her to retrieve food orders for people that were not able to pick them up on their own. We would also often visit the houses of those that were in need. I remember being in some homes of people that would definitely be considered among "the least of these," but even though I may have not wanted to always be there with her, I learned about charity from my mom's example in the way she ministered to them.
7. She has a green thumb. I learned to love yard work and gardening because my mom was always doing both. Even today she is constantly revamping her yard and planting something new. Even in the scorching heat of Las Vegas, we always had a vegetable garden with a plentiful harvest. She was also very creative with her flower gardens and landscaping.
8. She is outgoing and is everyone's friend. Always to my extreme embarrassment, my mom would approach people on a regular basis in a grocery store, on the street, or wherever with a hunch that she had seen them somewhere before. 9 times out of 10 she had never met them before that moment, but they became friends after that. Mandy's first memory of me or my family is from my mom approaching her at a seminary fireside to talk to her and meet her. No one is more willing to go out of her way to say hi to someone and make that person feel comfortable than my mom. My mom is more than just my mom to me, she is a great friend too.
9. She has a powerful testimony. I remember her telling me stories about taking her Book of Mormon to school when she was a girl and getting in trouble for reading it during class. She was one of those people who would bear her testimony regularly (like every month) on fast Sundays at church. Sometimes I would be embarrassed because that what kids do, right? But what I remember feeling more often was the Spirit testifying to me as she would teach from her heart. She taught seminary for years as well and was known as a powerful teacher. To this day, I owe a lot of my own personal testimony to her.
10. She never gives up. My mom has been through an abundance of hardship in her life, but she always keeps going with a smile on her face. I remember when my dad lost his job when I was around 11 years old. I remember all of the changes that we had to make in our lives and all of the things that my parents had to do that they did not before, but I don't remember anything changing about my parents' attitudes toward life or their optimism. She taught me to be happy and resilient through trials and to trust and have faith in our Heavenly Father.
My family is so blessed to have such a wonderful mother and Gramee! Happy mother's day Mom!!
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