“PANCAKES”

If ever Brian is home for the day we make a big family breakfast.  His favorite are pancakes.  These past few weeks we have eaten them often.  Today Brian and Noah had some boy's time playing with trucks, cars, wii and reading books. Me, I got to sleep in.  I always feel very loved when I get some extra time to sleep.  About an hour into my deep sleep I feel Noah climbing up my bed.  He jumps on to my chest and screams “PANCAKES!!!!” 
Brian and Noah made pancakes, which resulted in a batter mess all over the stove, floor and chair Noah was standing on.  While Brian was cleaning up the mess he asked Noah to wake me up for pancakes. With out hesitation Noah ran through the living room, passed all his toys, down the stairs, over the dog, and into my room.  He was so excited to let me know that he helped dad make pancakes and they are ready to be eaten. 
What an amazing day; extra sleep, a sweet boy, helpful dad and pancakes.

Motherhood

“There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood,” says Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

One of my earliest memories of my mother displays her unconditional love.
I was in kindergarten and grandparents day was coming up.  We were to invite a grandparent to come and spend the day with us.  At the time we were living in Ohio and my grandparents were thousands of miles away in Utah and Idaho. Sadden by the fact that I would be alone that day I found a solution to my problem.  I asked my mother.  “Mom,” I said “Will you go to grandparents day with me?  Its ok because you look like a grandma.”  I don’t know how much my words stung.  Her oldest was in High School and she looked nothing like a grandma.  I was too little to understand.  But I remember my mother happily joining me that day so that I wouldn’t be alone.
I remember her talking with the other kid’s grandparents and when they mentioned she looked too young she would explain the situation.  The grandpa sitting right next to us said, “You must be very proud of her.”  My mom looked at me and smiled, “Yes, I am, very much.” 
It seems like such a little thing joining your daughter at school but my heart is still filled with so much love it is leaking out of my eyes.  I know I am loved because my mom would put aside any pride to support her daughter. She could have corrected me about the difference between a mom and a  grandma.  But she didn’t.  She felt lucky to be asked and I feel so lucky to have her as a mother.
There are many moments in my life that I treasure but there is one that eclipse them all (even if they are combined). 
Noah was a very difficult birth. I was blessed to have my mother there.  There are times when I think about the ‘what ifs’ and wonder how it would have been if she was not with me every step of the way.  Brian and I have both come to the conclusion that Noah would probably been a c-section and it would have been a horrible experience.
We, and I say we because it took a team to deliver this boy, were in the hospital for 45 hours laboring.  We didn’t go to the hospital until Brian came home from work and it all started the night before.  My mother walked with me for hours, directed me, fed me and calmed me.  During the hard labor pains she would rub my feet.  She even helped Brian know what to do so he didn't frustrate me too much.
I can’t remember what time it was or how long it had been but, Brian was asleep on the couch (they were taking turns) and my mom was exhausted, she grabbed a chair and placed it at the bottom of my bed.  Her hands were at my feet and her head was on the bed between them.  She was trying to sleep in-between the contractions.  Knowing how tired she was I tried not to wake her but the pain was too hard to handle alone.  I asked her to help and she was right there helping me through it. No consideration for herself, 100% serving me. When I think of my mother I can't help but be in awe of her compassion, charity and Christ like love.
My mother is amazing and I work hard each day to be just like her.