Double Mother's Day

My mom, Judy, flew into town a couple days before Mother's Day so I was super happy to have Mom with me to celebrate.  The morning started with Keri's requested Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes topped with fresh, sliced strawberries. We happily opened cards and enjoyed receiving gifts and pictures from the kids and hubby.  Mom and I got our crockpot dinner ready of my favorite dinner, requested at all my birthdays growing up, Polish Sausage, Rhineland Red Cabbage, potatoes, and homemade applesauce. Neal describes this meal as "horrible." Then we were off to church for a great day of worship and honoring women. Following church we got some photos in of some of my favorite people.

That afternoon, Neal continued his jam session from the night before. He made blackberry jam on Saturday night and finished up with strawberry and raspberry jam on Sunday. Mom and the kids and I went for a leisurely walk and spotted a gardener's snake Rhys and I spotted days before, a grey heron, honey suckle, turtles, and well, a dead, baby opossum. Er, um, but back to the wonderful stuff of the day. After dinner (so good!) we ate up pieces of carrot cake that was divine.  A great mother's day spent with an amazing mom and family!

Early in the morning before anyone was up, I woke and had some thought I could not shake. So I posted them on Facebook, feeling a bit more serious about it than my usual posts, but not knowing who would need to read those words that day.  The following was my post:

"As many celebrate this day, Mother's Day is also often a time of sorrow for many who question their parenting, have wayward children, have circumstances that prevent having children, have lost children, have disconnected relationships with their mothers, or are separated from her by death. Weather you are celebrating or mourning, please know Heavenly Father is mindful of you and your circumstances. He loves you. Let us lean on our Savior's atonement and wisdom, and his perfect example of humility, righteousness, long-suffering, gentleness, and obedience--regardless of his given circumstances. Let us uplift, sustain, and strengthen each other; for we have the capacity to do so."

Well it touched so many hearts and was shared by so many on they're Facebook walls that I thought I should include it today.  But, have not fear, it was a light and good spirited day, even for my dear husband who was, of course missing his own mother, Susan.  He quoted a Mormon Message to share his feelings, "Life doesn't come with a manual. It comes with a mother." 

I ended the day by posting, "One of my daughter's Mother's Day coupons says, No whining for 1 day." I'm running off copies of that one."

Hope all had a great time honoring the important women in their lives.