Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's day has been a hard day of sorts for me for many years now. Tomorrow it will be 18 years since my own mom passed away after a good fight with cancer. As I have been thinking about her and mothers in general I realised how blessed I have been in my life. I have had four women in my life who at different times have been my mother.

The first is of course my birth mom Elizabeth. I am grateful to her for bringing me into this life. She was not in great place in her life when she had me, but through looking at all the pictures and small amounts of video, I know that she loved me. She loved me enough to make the difficult decision to let me be adopted by Anna and Bill, my wonderful mom and dad! For this I am eternally grateful to her.

The second but the one who means the most to me in this whole world is my mom, Anna. I sit here in tears thinking about what a magnificent women she was. She was older when she married my dad, and was only able to have one child, my sister. She opened her home to me when I was 4 at a time of need in my life, and never hesitated in the idea that I was meant to be in her family. She worked extremely hard for our family. She never complained. She was the most talented seamstress I have ever come across. The students she taught loved her because of her strictness and more for the love and concern she showed each of them as she taught. In the short time (8 years) that I was blessed to have her as my mom she taught me things that I still reflect on and use today. She was a beacon of strength and hope to me. Even after eighteen years without her here there are many days where I wish I could call her and get her motherly help, support, and advice. I know she was there watching over Austin and Taylor while they were in the hospital. We have special experiences that testify of that. I know that she watches over me and cries when I cry and picks me up when I fall. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of eternal families, that I will get to see her again, some day.

The next mom to me is my aunt Maria. Maria has given her whole life to serving others. During the war in Germany when given the opportunity to marry, she chose to stay and take care of her family. She served as a housekeeper to a wonderful family that adored her in Wyoming for many years. After my mom passed away she stepped in to help my dad and I in our daily lives. I did not appreciate her as much at the time as I should have, I thought she was trying to replace my mom. I know now, and have known for many years, what a selfless act of charity and love she displayed to me and my dad.

The fourth mom is my dear mother-in-law Kerrie. Kerrie has always been a huge support to me. I feel very blessed that I can honestly say I love my mother-in-law. I know there are those who can't. Kerrie has been more like a "real" mom to me than a mother-in-law. She is always there to listen, I feel I can tell her anything and she will not pass judgement. She is loving, caring and genuinely concerned when it comes to me. When Austin and Taylor were born she was at the hospital as much as Dave and I were to show her love and support of our small family. When Austin came home a month before Taylor, and I couldn't be there every day with him, she was, and was more than happy to be there. She is an inspiration of a faith promoting women of God, who I aspire to be like some day.

Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful women in my life.