Mother's Day

Better late then never, right? My "Mother's Day" picture with the kids wasn't so hot this year (they're super cute, but I'm still looking pretty sickly...) so I decided to post one from a couple of years ago. I can't believe how quickly they are growing....they've all changed so much!

I had such a great day. I was blessed to feel good pretty much the whole day, which doesn't happen very often. I had an especially rough time the following week, which made me very grateful that Mother's Day was a good one! Scott spoke in Sacrament Meeting, the girls got to sing a musical number with a couple of friends, and all three kids went up to sing with the Primary. I was the only one not on the stand at some point during the meeting.....it was so nice!

After church we came home and relaxed. The kids were all so sweet, and made it a really nice day (i.e. no arguing, being helpful, etc.) Scott made me my favorite "Grandma Bennion Enchiladas" and they tasted so good! I love real food. I even had a couple of cookies for dessert. I was in heaven! Most food still doesn't settle very well , so I was especially happy to eat my favorite things without suffering for it.

Scott gave a really great talk. I thought it was the sweetest Mother's Day talk I've heard (although I may be a little biased!) He talked a little about this rough pregnancy and all of the wonderful mothers who have helped us through the really hard times. I wished he'd have let me read it beforehand so I would know how many tissues I'd need! Some of my favorite parts were :

(Speaking of the difficulty of my pregnancy...) Many men who hear of such suffering shake their heads and say they are sorry. Mothers, however—mothers do something else.

o I’ve seen mothers drop by a treat, to have an excuse to show their love and to see how Annette is doing.
o I’ve seen many mothers, some pregnant themselves, bring dinner for our family.
o I’ve seen mothers take our children into their homes to offer relief—relief to Annette and love to the child.
o I’ve seen a neighbor mother walk our children back and forth from school and activities, like they were her own.
o I’ve seen my mother take a second run at motherhood—putting her life on hold and moving in with our family for months. A grandma acting in every way like a thirty-something again. Cooking and cleaning; shopping and shuttling. Going for walks, going to parks, going for picnics. Kids off to bed, kids off to school. Play dates and homework. Loving and leading. All the while caring for Annette with the love of a mother. The love that heals—if not the body, the soul.

(And a little later....)

Now, children and brethren. We have work to do. Our mothers, our wives, are in need of our love in return. They are in need of our appreciation. I checked with many of your wives and your mothers to see what they most desire this Mother’s Day. To no surprise, their needs are not great—they are simple and they are made of love. That very fuel that keeps them going.

Their favorite Mother’s Day is every year. It is the homemade card. The fresh hand-picked flowers from the yard. Breakfast in bed. The dinner and dishes done for one day not by her, but for her. It is having the kids home from college. Or a phone call from the missionary son. It is the heartfelt letter of appreciation from a grown child far away, the one still at home, or the father of her children. It is the simple things that say “I love you.”

The lesson for us is simple—appreciate her. Love her. Make her feel like she makes you feel. It is a good day to practice such things. It is a good day to start good habits.

So good, huh? This was so true for me, especially this year. Due to the crazy economy, we've been doing a lot of simplifying. My gifts this year were sweet books the girls made me at school, a little "foam flower" pin Anna made at Activity Days, a poem from Aimee, and roses(picked from our own yard) from Nathan. Scott wrote me a really sweet and thoughtful letter that meant so much. I have never felt more loved...these simple things really are what it's all about. I am so grateful to have the privilege of being a mother, and so blessed to have such an amazing family.