Being the Mom Part 2

I have always had a special place in my heart for Sister Sheri L. Dew. I heard her speak throughout my dating years and felt she understood my frustrations as a single young adult. I have always revered her for her understanding of what it means to be a righteous woman and to not be held back by our circumstances or lack of certain opportunities as she has not been blessed to marry or have children. In her times of trial she sought out understanding from the source of all truth and shared what she learned.

"our Father has entrusted us as women with His children, and He has asked us to love them and help lead them safely past the dangers of mortality back home.
Loving and leading—these words summarize not only the all-consuming work of the Father and the Son, but the essence of our labor, for our work is to help the Lord with His work...motherhood [is] “the highest, holiest service … assumed by mankind.” "

"we are all mothers and we have always been mothers. And we each have the responsibility to love and help lead the rising generation." Yes, she said, ALL of us. "We are all mothers in Israel, and our calling is to love and help lead the rising generation through the dangerous streets of mortality. Few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us." As I think about my life I am so greatful for the mother who bore me and so many mothers that "bear with me" on a daily basis. I am ever under the influence and care of countless friends, sisters, neighbors and leaders, righteous women who influence my life for good. Some are younger than me, some have a home full of children, some have much more life expereince than me but they have all touched my life. I know that I will would not be the person I am today without the woman who bore me and the women who bear with me.

"Never has there been a greater need for righteous mothers [women]—mothers [women] who bless their children [others] with a sense of safety, security, and confidence about the future, mothers [women] who teach their children [friends, nieghbors, associates] where to find peace and truth and that the power of Jesus Christ is always stronger than the power of the adversary."

"As mothers in Israel [righteous women who know and understand their purpose], we are the Lord’s secret weapon."

So this is a call to arms. Every kind word, thoughtful action and compassionate deed are striking blows to an adversary that will be defeated. Let's go out and show the world what it means to be a woman of God. Vamos a la battalla!

(Quotations from General Conference Address October 2001)

Tough Love

This is my parent's dog. His name is Dooley. He has ripped apart many things including a number of garden hoses that had to be mended. When my sister gave him this bear everyone was surprised to see he played with it and carried it around but never tore it apart. I took this picture one day after I'd seen him come through the back yard and was afraid he's caught Mom's cat. Imagine my relief to see it was only a stuffed bear.

Anyway, I've been getting many lessons on tough love lately. I have been asked to teach the nine-year olds at church and they are a handful. I was warned I'd need to be tough on them or they'd be out of control all the time. We set rules, set consequences and I set my expectations high. I've only tought these kids twice and I'm amazed at how they are responding to my "tough love." This comes naturally to me as I've always said, "I'm a fighter, not a lover." But I'm also realizing how sensative these kids can be and how badly I want to see them suceed. I love working with these kids and look forward to seeing them grow throughout the rest of the year.

I'm always amazed as I take on new challenges with a calling how much I learn that is vital to my progress as a wife and mother. I love being in the Primary organization and having the opportunity to see Women of God interact with children on a weekly basis. They are kind, loving and have great expectations for these kids and it shows in everything they do. In essense these kids are that dog's teddy bear and we are all holding onto them as tight as we can so we don't loose them, yet being sensative to the challenges they face in their lives and always loving them. I am honored to be trusted to teach this rising generation and help them come to know the truthfullness of the gospel.

The Age of Adorable

I'm pretty sure that toddlers are cute on purpose. They get to a certain age where they can smile at you and just make you melt. Could anyone really resist a face like this?

This age of unbelievable adorableness seems to coincide with the time they're learning new skills and becoming very curious about the world around them which, more often than not, leads them to trouble. I'm pretty sure that God did this on purpose.

Case in point, if I found my sweet three-year old sitting on the bathroom sink painting a picture on the mirror with toothpaste he'd be in big trouble. So why is it that when I find my almost two-year old doing that the other day and saw the look of sheer joy on his face it somehow made it okay that he'd just made a mess.

It is at this age when they drive you crazy and melt your heart often. This is the age when they come looking for you just to make sure you're still there, they give frequent kisses just to see you smile and their laugh is impossible to resist. These high points are what keep you from loosing your mind with all the trouble they put you through. They make all the time spent washing clothes, scrubbing floors, picking up broken things and changing diapers worth it.

This is the age when they become endearing to you. This is when you learn that you'd do anything to keep them safe and happy. This age of adorable lasts about two years and then they really become little people with minds of their own but by then your love for them is so deep it givens you a firm foundation to build your relationship. This foundation is unshaken by tantrums, protests, and the occasional fight. Yep, God knew what He was doing.