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 .
