All-American Mother

One week ago I found myself in a situation I never imagined myself to be in, standing in the cool air warmed by the November sun, surrounded by many people that loved a little boy. The view I had was of the backs of the parents of this little boy as they sat in their spots in the front row of the chairs under the canopy at the side of a small casket, the casket of their little boy. As the tears flowed freely from my eyes I thought about the fact that surely this is not a situation that any mother ever imagines herself to be in. But my dear friend this day, would bury her first born child, her son, Tyson Jared Mack.

Tyson was a special spirit. One who taught all those who had the pleasure of knowing him. Each time I was blessed to be with him, my perspective on life became more eternal than before. Because of Tyson's special circumstances in this mortal existence, he needed a special mother to care for him and to love him. I still remember the day when Janelle called me and told me of the journey she was about to commence as she and her husband, Jared, were awaiting the birth of their baby boy. As she told me of the physical and mental challenges that he would be faced with, my first thought was how wonderful and perfect Janelle would be as a mother to this angel.

Janelle and I played ball together in college a few years earlier, and I always felt lucky to have as my friend the star of the Lady Rebels basketball team. "J Rom" was a dominant player. In fact, she still holds the record as the second highest all time scorer for Dixie. After the glory days of sports were a thing of the past for Janelle and I, we both became mothers. We agree that being a mom is harder than all the things we had to do as an athlete, but that it is more than worth the blessings and joys of motherhood.

Today I want to honor a very beautifully ordinary mother who has accomplished many extraordinary things since Tyson made her a mother a little over five years ago. Words really can't adequately describe the wonderfully amazing mother that Janelle was to Tyson and still is to her other two younger children. She has selflessly given her life to the devotion of her motherly duties. Her sacrifice and love emulates that of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

J Rom, you are a first team All-American Mother. May we all be a mother like you .

As A Big Sister Should Be...

So, obviously I haven't posted in years...okay, so months, but it feels like years. Anyway, I've pretty much decided that as a mother of five busy little ones, I have to cut out some of the things that I do that distract me from being a better mommy, and one of them is blogging. Not that blogging is a terrible thing or anything, in fact I've been able to learn so much and benefitted from the many blogs that I've wandered on to over the past year and a half since I discovered the world of blogging. It's just that as many of you may know, blogging can be so addicting and time consuming!! And well, to be honest, free time isn't something that I have a lot of anymore. When I do have time to spare, or when I stay up extra late to try and get something done, I've been finding myself doing things like sewing, looking at or taking pictures or shopping for the best deals or figuring out what present I can make and give to someone...all things that I do to feed my monster that craves to be told that he has accomplished something good, something worthwhile and has reason to be proud. Which brings me to the topic of this post.

So I was talking to my older sister on the phone the other day and I was telling her what I could make for her to give to her friend when she has her baby. The day before I had finished making a wipes case and a changing pad that I was pretty excited about, and I was telling her about my new found hobby of sewing. She said to me that she thought it was cool that I had something that I did for myself and I had things I did besides just get lost in the lives of my kids. She went on to tell me that she just lives for her kids and all she ever does is stuff for her kids. Well, knowing my sister, I know that this is totally true and although she was saying it as if it was a bad thing, in my mind I was thinking how cool it was and how I wish I could be more like her.

Now I'm not saying that as a mother you should never do anything for yourself or be totally overly consumed with your kids and their lives, but I will say that having them as your priority is definitely a good thing. In fact, this is really the reason why I started this blog in the first place, to convince or remind me and anyone else who cared to listen, that being a mother is a most wonderful accomplishment and something that deserves great applause and commending and praise. I think, at least for me anyway, that it's so easy to get lost in the everyday things of the world that sometimes it's too easily forgotten that our sacred role as mothers is the most amazing and wonderful thing that we can be devoting our time and attentions to. It took my sister to remind me of this again when we had our conversation the other night. There she was, as a big sister should be, a great example to me and a reminder of what is most important, my children. After all, when all is said and done, what would I most want people to remember or say about me? Certainly not "She really could sew," or "She sure could take great pictures" or "Do you remember that time when she got that sweet deal on that $70 blessing outfit for only $3.50?" Now, I'm not saying that I can sew or take great pictures, but I do get some great deals, lol ;) Anyway, what I do hope someone will say about me is "She was a great mom." Ultimately that is my biggest goal in life, but it is so easy to become distracted by all the many other things that are out there pulling me in so many directions. Blogging for me is one of those things, and that's why I've decided to close this blog, for now anyway. Obviously it's not like I've spent much time blogging on this blog in the past nine months, but just having it in the back of my mind knowing that it's here for me to blog on just leaves one more thing on my to do list left undone. So, if I officially say "I'm done" I'll feel better about not posting. I think I might have one more post brewing, but after that I'll be done.

In the meantime, thanks to my big sis. Thanks for the reminder on how wonderful and commendable it is to be a mother and to live to make your kids happy and comfortable. That is what Tara does and I love her and am grateful for her amazing example to me on how to be "a great mom."

"You Don't Have to Move the Piano By Yourself"

We talked about this in church today. Although the main point of it was focused on callings and the importance of them and performing them to your fullest, I received another message along with the one that was intended.

I have been somewhat overwhelmed lately with the thought of having another baby in the next two months. I've been asking myself and wondering "How am I possibly going to do this?" Obviously it's a little late now, but I can't help but worrying about my ability to mother five children that are all in much need of care and teaching and guidance and love and so on. So the thought came to me that my piano at this point is raising my children, and that I don't have to do it by myself. I can and should and need to let others help me. Others like my husband, my own kids, my neighbors, my friends, my parents and other family members, ward members, and really, anyone who is willing to help, but most importantly, my Heavenly Father. For it is His help that will guide me in the most important ways to do the things that I must do in order to raise these precious children of His.

These thoughts also brought to mind an email that I received from a BOM that expressed some of the things that she is grateful for as a mother. I thought I would share some of that with you.

*Thanks for girls nights, understanding strangers and real moms/friends

*A woman at the grocery store who returned my cart, or the man who let me get in front of him in the checkout line. Those little things mean so much...

*More than anything, I'm particularly grateful this year for real friends. I've always heard that it takes a village to raise a child, but what I didn't realize was that it also takes an army of strong, compasionate women to raise a mother.These are the women who get up before dawn to run/workout with me because they know it's good for my sanity and my body, or who stop by with CHOCOLATE for no reason. These amazing women are there to babysit when I'm in a bind, schedule playdates when I'm bored and listen to me vent when I'm done ripping up the useless parenting magazine that says I should make my own scrapbook paper out of twine and toilet paper while looking beautiful with my equally gorgeous children laughing and rolling around on white carpet. So, 'thanks' to all the wonderful women in my life who are helping me in so may little ways as I navigate the ups and downs of motherhood. I couldn't do it alone.

Thanks, Shala, for sharing with us, and for allowing others to help you in your quest, lifting your piano, and being the amazing mother that I know you are.

Let us all be there to help lift the pianos of other mothers in need, and also be willing to let others help us. We might be able to do it alone, but the load will be so much lighter if we accept some help along the way.