Ode to Moms-to-Be

I can't speak for all females, but one of the things that I look forward to the most is being a mother. Since mother's day isn't super special for me yet, I'm trying to focus more on what motherhood will look like for me when the time comes. I recently read this little jewel from one of my favorite prophets (well, they're all my favorite) :

"No matter what you read or hear, no matter what the differences of circumstances you observe in the lives of women around you, it is important for you Latter-day Saint women to understand that the Lord holds motherhood and mothers sacred and in the highest esteem. He has entrusted to his daughters the great responsibility of bearing and nurturing children. This is the great, irreplaceable work of women. Life cannot go on if women cease to bear children. Mortal life is a privilege and a necessary step in eternal progression. Mother Eve understood that. You must also understand it…” “Much is said about the drudgery and the confinement of the woman’s role in the home. In the perspective of the gospel it is not so. There is divinity in each new life. There is challenge in creating the environment in which a child can grow and develop. There is partnership between the man and woman in building a family which can last throughout the eternities.” -Spencer W. Kimball

President Kimball just tells it how it is, doesn't he? I love that he said there is "divinity in each new life." Divinity! What an amazingly beautiful gift it is to bring another being to mortality. The joys and perils of motherhood are equally great, but nothing will be better for me than knowing that I am helping another to return to our Heavenly Father.

I know there are many out there who are trying to have children, and I commend you all for your willingness to bear children in what can be a less-than-stellar world. We all will be incredibly loving and amazingly beautiful mothers in our own right. This is just one more example of how we as women, truly are a divine group and I am so thankful for my role and destiny as a woman. I'm thankful to all of you women out there who have been and continue to be amazing examples of motherhood, femininity, grace, charity, beauty and everything else that constitutes womanhood. Since I'm feeling a little sappy, I'm just going to say a few words about those women whom I love and learn from the most!

Sylvia - EVERYTHING! You are amazing and I love you as if you were my mother. You've taught me so much and you have been the most perfect example of a mother to me.

Steph - Your smile and fun outlook is going to make you a wonderful mother. You have a gift that your children will cherish and learn from.

Jenn C - I just love you and and I often think of you when I'm epitomizing women on this little blog of mine. You will be an amazing mother someday - hopefully soon.

Ahslee - You're already mother to a bunch of 20-something girls, so you've got the late-teen angst ridden phase done and over with. You will also be a wonderful mother to a bunch of little rays of hope and sunshine.

Jeane - Your kids will be the smartest kids in the world. They'll come out speaking proper English and will never end a sentence with a proposition. They will be so loved and so blessed to have you as their mother.

Cassie - Oh man! I so want our kids to play together! I can't wait to see you as a mother. You will be incredible and inspiring and wonderful and every other good adjective that exists.

So, Moms-to-be, this is our year! Happy mother's day to you all and may you all find joy in the idea that we are divine and that one day we will "bear the title to that sweetest word ever lisped by human lips, that most loved, most sacred appellation ever coined in speech, that holy, precious word—Mother." - Joseph F. Smith

Five things I'm grateful for -
1. Mortal Life
2. The Gospel of Jesus Christ
3. Love
4. Eternal Perspective
5. Time Travel

Top five mother's of all time (in my humble opinion) -
1. Mother Eve
2. Sylvia Escoe
3. Charmaine Turner (or grandma)
4. Evelyn Irvin (or great-grandma)
5. Sarah, Hannah, Mary, Elisabeth, Eunice, Rachel, Sariah and all of those divine mothers who have come before us.

"A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories." ~Honoré de Balzac

Can you hear me Major Tom?

On my way into work this morning I came across the most amazing intersection in all of the greater Denver area (I-25 and Hampden for those of you not in the know) and saw two of the most hilarious / sad things I’ve ever seen in my life.
So, I’m just driving along and end up at the stop light at the top of the intersection, much like every other morning and I see this new sign. It’s one of those really neat bright poster board signs that I used to display science projects on…anyway, it has this written across it : “LARGE WIFE SALE – SHE MUST GO!” What?! So I busted a gut laughing and then felt bad that I was laughing at this poor woman’s misfortune, so I looked the other way, away from the sign and I see a homeless man panhandling on the side of the road. Typically, there’s always somebody on this corner and I usually am able to spare a couple dollars or at the very least my lunch, but I had nothing today and even if I did have a dollar or two or my usual turkey on wheat with an apple and carrots, this guy didn’t want it. You see, his sign read, “Spaceship broke down, need money for parts.” So, then I laughed a little, because well, it was funny. The guy saw me laughing and we made eye contact and he gave me a big toothless grin and then he shook his head a little in amusement and I shook mine back in admiration and I went on my way and he went on his way and the large wife, well, I don’t know where she went, but if you’re in need of a large wife, I wrote down the phone number.
Anyway, I don’t know if the space man was just being good-humored about his really sad situation or if he seriously thought his ride to the Final Frontier was in need of repair, but I realized that he taught me something pretty valuable today. He taught me that sometimes, all we can offer somebody is a genuine smile or a good-natured laugh. More often than not, we pass by folks without so much as a smile or making eye contact or doing the “Dude Nod of Acknowledgement” (come on, you know the nod), but it’s something we can offer somebody for no cost at all and it makes both parties involved feel better. I promise. Sometimes, somebody taking the time to acknowledge my existence with a little smile or by making eye contact makes all the difference. The space man made a difference for me today.
As for the photo, I’m not super environmentally conscience, but I’m fairly convinced that this family is solely responsible for any and all damage done to the ozone layer in the early ‘90s. That’s a whole lot of Aquanet, and it’s exactly what my hair looked like post-mullet phase circa 1991. Plus, it's really hard find a spaceship photo that isn't completely creepy or mega-nerdy.
Anyway, I hope you all are doing well!

5 things I’m grateful for –
1. Temples
2. Stake Conference
3. Reverence
4. Love
5. 5 Minute Hug Fests

Top five jobs I wanted to have as a child –
1. Middle Linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers
2. Professional Tap Dancer
3. Pediatric Cardiologist a la My Girl 2
4. Captain of the Good Ship Lollipop
5. Farmer’s Wife

“The space man says, 'Everybody look down, it’s all in your mind.' ~ The Killers