Choices - Mother's Day 2009

I could chose to rant and rave about what a disaster today has been, I could choose to curl up in a ball and cry while waving a white flag. Instead, I choose to remember this on Mother's Day 2009:

"Mothers go longer on less sleep and give more to others with less personal renewal for themselves than any other group I know at any other time in life. It is not surprising when the shadows under their eyes sometimes vaguely resemble the state of Rhode Island....You are doing God's work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you, and He will bless you, even - no, especially - when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master's garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and weep over the responsibility as mothers, 'Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.' and it will make your children whole as well". Elder Jeffrey R. Holland "Because She Is a Mother"

And this:

"In our society, we give motherhood plenty of lip service. We pat moms on the head, bring them flowers on Mother's Day and honor them before crowds. But at the end of the day, we don't extend them the same respect we would a professor, a dentist, an accountant or a judge.
I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is. To create an environment that's stimulating and nurturing, to pass on a sense of responsibility to another human being, to raise a child who understands that he or she is created from good and is capable of anything - I know for sure that few callings are more honorable. To play down mothering as small is to crack the very foundation on which greatness stands.
The world can only value mothering to the extent that women everywhere stand and declare that it must be so.... We should no longer allow a mother to be defined as 'just a mom'. It is on her back that great nations are built". Oprah Winfrey "What I Know for Sure"

I am a mother. I am honored to be a mother. We have our good days and our not so good days. But with the knowlege that I have that I have a Father in Heaven who has entrusted me with these 3 amazingly beautiful children I can do this!!! I can try to make today better than yesterday and the next day even better. I am a mother, I am blessed, I am honored. I am extrememly grateful for my mom, her mom, my dad's mom, John's mom and John's step mom. I come from a line of exceptional women - exceptional mothers. I am so blessed. Happy Mother's Day. (Thanks John - for being the BEST companion a girl could ask for! I LOVE YOU!!!)