Happy Mother's Day Mom

In remembrance of Mother's Day I would like to share a few thoughts about my own mother. As the oldest of seven children and living on a farm, she had to work thinning beets in the summers to pay her way through college. Then she began teaching in a one-room school house in a little remote town in southern Utah. Her love of learning and children never wavered as she taught almost every suject from K-12th grade until she retired at 62 and then tutored children for many years after that. She taught her three daughters all the basics of education. I learned the correct way to print the alphabet by watching her make charts at night for her classroom. She devoured books and instilled that in us too. She always had time to play with us. She was the one playing Kick the Can with us, tightening our roller skates with a key, greeting our friends for sleepovers on the lawn in the backyard, or taking us "downtown" shopping after school. I don't know how she had the energy to work all day, be ready to shop, and make a hot dinner every night. A fond memory is "having pie" at the Walgreen's counter after we were done shopping. ( She loved Boysenberry).

Each summer she had a project in which all of us would participate. (Whether or not we wanted to!) We learned how to paint a room, wallpaper, upholster furniture, and can fruit and vegetables. We all vowed we would "never do any of that when we grow up", but as fate would have it, we all love to be creative and thank her for teaching us that first time. I think of her often and appreciate how devoted she was and a great example of motherhood. I often relied on her sage advice when my own daughters were growing. I give accolades to my own daughters who are wonderful mothers in their own right, following in her tradition of enjoying this precious time with their children. It goes full circle.

Happy Mother's Day!