Happy Mother's Day!!

It makes sense that this first Mother's day of giberiginal that I post about Mom. I had a big plan to scan some more pictures to share but I didn't get to that this week. I will use some of the pictures which I already have on my computer.


You may not know but mom was not often a big fan of Mother's day......mostly it was the plant that she often got for having the largest family, especially once we moved to Texas. She complained that everyone knew that she had the largest family so why did they always give a flower in that catagory (this was back during the days of Sunday School in the mornings separate from Sacrament Meeting.)

I pulled out a couple of journals of mom to see what she may have written around Mother's day and one happened to discuss one of her pet peeves about the day. 11 May 1986

"My talk in the Sunday School Mother's Day porgram was hardly a match for the fancy words that preceeded it. But I was not intimidated. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread! I'm a firm believer that somebody needs to be somewhat realistic on these Mother's Day grograms.

I forgot to ask Bro. Kite the Question of the ages: If Mother's Day programs are so wonderful, why don't we have more Father's Day programs? But it would have been cruel to do that today. Let him feel good that things went O.K. One thing I should make clear. It's not Mother's Day I am against. It is the programs that, as I said in my talk, hold up an ideal of which we fall short. It may be silly but it makes us depressed."

The college days!

She went on to report that Todd, Joann, and Jordan had come to visit, Mike and Valerie called. She got a package from Valerie the Friday before, Dad gave her some "delightful" piggy salt and pepper shakers, Lynette gave her some favorite candy.......I was feeling bad that I didn't do anything that Mother's day but luckily she recorded on the next day that a card and family photo arrived from me (whew! That postal service must have been busy that year.) She got a letter from Robin on Tuesday (Robin was on her mission and this was before the days when missionaries got to call home on Mother's day and Christmas.) Rick and Scott were still at home as teenagers so I am sure they were part of the day's celebrations as well.

Mom, Grandma Owen and Aunt Lois

As the kids were on the way.....

I can actually remember getting this picture taken in downtown Richland at the only photographer in town, I think. I am so glad that Mom made the effort to get family pictures taken. It is great to look back on them over the years. (And to steal a line from Jessica: "Mom and Dad must really love me best. Afterall, I am in all the family pictures. " (the oldest child can always say that.))

"Eight is enough" turned out to not only be the name of a popular TV show but also for Mom. She was happy with us all and worked hard to let us know that she loved us and was proud of us.

A "windy" day in Amarillo as we took this family picture in our back yard.

I can't imagine my life without having the mom that I had. I never had thought myself as being much like her. She was musical and talented in many of the ways that I am not. She brought music into my life as a small child and I would hear her play the piano after we had gone to bed. (I didn't know until years later that they sold that piano so that they could buy a bigger house. It was a few years until they could afford another one. I was glad to hear her play again.) She could write poems and plays, give great talks and lessons. However as I have grown up and become a mother myself, I see that parts of me come directly from her. I love to find wild flowers and point them out to my children, I like to look at rainbows and sunsets--both in nature and in life. I make sure we get family pictures taken every three years or so so we can watch our family grow from year to year (and share them with the grandparents. I always loved to see my picture at Grandma Owen's house.) I love to read and talk about books. Friends are important to me and hold on to them in good times and bad, following Mom's example. Like Mom and Dad, we have shared our home with other people who needed a place to stay. I don't like to cook just like her (She told me once that she got smart and tried to teach the other girls to like cooking so they would want to cook for the family.) Probably each of us has a part of Mom with us through our daily living. It is how it is meant to be....things past from generation to generation....talents, dreams, likes and dislikes.

Happy Mother's Day to Mom and to all of the moms who follow her!

A poem from Mom:

Reflections on Praise

A word of goodly praise

Is a shot of sunshine,

Like a lizard on a rock

I bask in the warm rays,

Turning, toasting; thinking

This spot uniquely mine.

Father,

I know you are not displeased

with kind words from a friend,

But let me not linger too long

In this pleasant sunbeam,

Lest it become a beam of another sort.

Only you, as Hopkins fitly penned,

Know what to avow, what to amend.

So let me seek your approbation,

Let me shape my self-esteem

In the light of revelation.