Happy Mother's Day!

“The noblest calling in the world is that of mother. True motherhood is the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all professions. She who can paint a masterpiece or who can write a book that will influence millions deserves the plaudits and admiration of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters whose immortal souls will be exerting an influence throughout the ages long after painting shall have faded, and books and statues shall have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give.”

– David O. McKay

Mother’s Day. It brings so many thoughts of so many different times in my life. When Grandma Bruhn,(my Mom’s Mom) was alive yet my Mom would go to see her towards the end of the week, so she could spend Mothers Day with us. Grandma had seven children so she always had people around. Grandma didn't go out much and fun wasn't in her vocabulary that I remember, so Mom always brought something she'd probably buy herself anyway like groceries or something frugal.  Then on  the Sunday of Mothers Day, we would have a picnic or something with Mom and she would do most of the cooking ( something you don't think about till you are her age yourself). 

When my kids were small and we were still in North Dakota Mom would take them shopping to buy something for me. Brendon always picked out jewelry. When he was in third grade I watched him in the mall with his little friend. He was in Riddles, a fine jewelry store with his little friend in the same grade. Pretty soon he came out looking for me and I was sitting under the clock, visiting with a friend and keeping an eye on him, which he hadn’t realized. He excitedly ask me for a little bit of money to add to his, but what he wanted it for was top secret! I gave it to him and he ran off, and soon proudly came back with a package. He didn't give it to me, just smiled like a cat who swallowed a canary. I didn't ask what he had, because he looked like he’d love to tell me, with a little coaxing. On Mothers day, he proudly handed me a little spring loaded box, with a pair of black tiger eye posts. I still have them, and look at them often. They are special, but so is the vision of him in the jewelry store, that I cherish. Another of my favorite gifts from Brendon,  is this little guardian angel pin and note Brendon left me, and he was probably a freshman in high school or there about. He bought me a stereo once with his busboy job when he was a sophomore in high school too which I could hardly accept but meant the world to me,

  

Shelbey always wanted to go to Home of Economy and buy a piece of sparkling crystal under those special lights that could make a coke bottle look good! She always knew what she wanted, and Mom took her which was a special memory for them, to shop for me. My favorite gift from her was memory jar she made and had the other kids too put in memories. I’ll share one of them with you that she wrote. I just pulled a random one, and thought it was funny. 

When Sydney got a job as a teenager she bought me my first Brighton’s set of jewelry. She knew I loved it and only had a piece or two because as a parent you always have too many things the kids need to buy much for yourself and thats kind of something I gave up to stay home with the kids and do odd jobs over the years. I lived by the poem 100 Years From Now. It goes:

One Hundred Years From Now

One hundred years from now

It won't matter

What kind of car I drove

What kind of house I lived in

How much money I had in the bank

Nor what my cloths looked like

BUT

The world may be a little better

Because, I was important

In the life of a child. 

Therefore I took that literally and I drove and old car, and we didn't own any name brand clothes or any thing that cost much. Garage sales were my fun.  When I opened that first gift from Sydney I had such mixed feelings of accepting something that was 100+ dollars from a teenager. Since then I have gotten so many pieces from her, and now she calls Kerry and says, “Dad I'm getting the necklace from me, and the earrings from Easton so you can get the bracelet”, and he does! Cha ching…score for me! My favorite gift from her is a little book she made me. Sydney keeps her feelings close to her heart, so for her to finish something like this book, was really special. 

So many Mother’s Days have flown by! One day you’re a young Mom and the next your a Grandma it seems! I say to all the young Moms, enjoy every day as a Mother, at the stage you are in. As a Grandma, enjoy every day and remember how blessed we are to be here and in the kids lives. Some people never get there. 

Thank you to my kids for sharing their lives with me on a daily basis. I know how blessed I am!  I am forever grateful for the life God blessed me with, then and now, because life is a  winding journey with many ups and downs and twists and turns! Enjoy them all! Happy Mothers Day!