Happy Mother's Day to Me!

Happy Mother's Day! It is so wonderful having a daughter who will one day be a mother herself (I hope). She made me breakfast (eggs on toast), picked a lovely flower for decoration, and a lovely handmade card (and she makes them beautiful!) and then for dessert (yes, there is dessert for breakfast!) she made me strawberry shortcake! YUMMY!!!
Thank you to Kray and Alysia for taking her to the store yesterday--you made her day. She desperately wanted to show me how much I mean to her. That was a GREAT treat, so thank you.
To Matt and Chris, thanks for remembering it was Mother's Day--and the kisses you give me (I still love kisses from my boys).
To Mike for getting up this morning without me begging you!
And so I don't for get my other son, Elder Jason Blanding, I love you too and can't wait for our phone call/skype this afternoon. 
I am thankful for six WONDERFUL kids who made me a mom. It is the hardest, messy job there is (Mike Row couldn't even do it on Dirty Jobs), but it is the most rewarding too.  I celebrate my children this day--the reason I celebrate Mother's Day.

Mother's Day wasn't always roses and sunshine. When I first got married and Steve and I wanted to have children, we couldn't. I had some medical problems, but through modern medicine and science we were able to have six wonderful, beautiful, spunky, energetic, trying, and lovely children. They are the pearls around my neck, the diamonds on my finger and the stars that light up my life. 

Thank you Kray, Jason, Mike, Matt, Chris and Jess for making me a mom.

Mother's Day

As the ​stores are crowded with children looking for that perfect Mother's Day card and gift for the beloved mother or husbands busily picking up that dozen of roses for their wife, may I express my thoughts about Mother's Day.

See, I don't get to join the throngs. My mom is gone. She passed away in 2008. I still feel the pain of that phone call.  One Friday my brother called to tell me mom was in the hospital and it didn't look good. I made the four hour trip in three hours (thank you WSP for not paroling the freeway that day). I stayed as long as I could and returned Sunday night. Monday evening my nephew called with words I didn't want to hear. She was gone.

Today all I can do is think of my mom. So while you are searching for that perfect card to say the ​words your heart can't say; don't mumble, don't complain, be happy. I dearly wish I could be with you, shoulder to shoulder searching for the perfect card, picking out those flowers, boxed candies and that perfect card.  The flowers I get for my mom, she never sees or smells. She can't eat the candy and she can't read my card.

I miss my mom. I miss her very much. As I struggle raising my children through their teen years, I really, really miss my mom.  I miss her voice. ​I miss her advice. I miss her love.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.​

A Heart Attack!

My husband and I are celebrating our 23rd Valentine's Day together.  Our

first Valentine's Day, back in college, was one where neither of us had

any money and very little time.  Now to be fair and before I get much

further into this story, I wasn't serious about Steve, but I think he was

getting serious with me! I had a late class that day and disaster

struck and I ended up at the Health Center. It was clear on the other

side of the campus from where I parked my scooter. I had to call my

roommate who happened to tell me that Steve was there and he would come

get me.  Long story short: He was there hanging construction paper

hearts over my bed. It was our first heart attack!

Boy I was YOUNG!

One of the heart that was above my bed: I knew he was serious!

One of the hearts that was above my bed: YES I KEPT 'EM

Ever since that Valentine's Day we have heart attacked each other.  The Valentine's Fairy comes during the night and heart attacks the bedroom doors and leaves a balloon and a piece of candy for the occupants, even if they don't have a door (don't ask!) or live on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific (he'll get his when our friends deliver it next week).

What my Valentine's Day Fairy did to my door.

We are so blessed to have someone carrying on the tradition.

The boys room without a door.

I said, "Don't ask; they're boys."

My daughter's door.

I Know Happiness

Today I experience a mother's best dream. The world could end tonight and it wouldn't matter. Life was prefect for one brief period. No my doctor didn't announce a cure for my cancer. No my kids weren't perfectly obedient. It was better than that, I know what heaven feels like.
Today as sacrament meeting started, Jason was the loan Priest at the sacrament table. I nudged Steve and he and Kray went and sat by Jason. There were my three young men (yes, Steve is still young). Zach D was a little late coming to the meeting, but Steve waved him off.
Then Matt and Chris passed the sacrament.  So with Mike preparing it, all my Priesthood holders were involved in the sacrament.
As I sat there looking up at my three big guys and my two younger ones passing and Mike next to me, I couldn't have been happier.  I'm sure that they could have turned the lights out and no one would have notice; I was beaming that much. I heard my mom whisper to me that this is what heaven feels like.
I now know what happiness feels like.