the week of mothers

today at work,

{today was a different kind of work,

i got to just 'babysit' one of the residents}

i got to read a part of one of my residents life history.

it was quite interesting, and definitely a good way to pass a few hours of nap time.

one part of the history, her daughters told stories from their childhood about their mother.

one of her daughters told a story about her mom swimming out to

unlatch the boat for a night ride on the lake.

she talked about an image permanently etched in her mind of her mother

swimming out in her old fashioned swimsuit to retrieve the boat.

she was amazed at how her mother never complained of the cold water,

and always did what she could for her girls.

i loved this story.

i loved reading her history and some memories from long ago.

it reminded me of the reasons i love my mother.

as mother's day is coming upon us quickly-

naturally, i am reflecting upon mothers this week.

after work today, dallin and i went {somewhere secret} to get our mother's day gifts.

mothers do so much for us, and every mother's day i feel as though

i cannot get my mother a great enough gift to show her how much

she truly means to me, and just how much i really

notice and appreciate all she does.

i'm very grateful for my mother.

she is such a hard worker.

growing up with a single mother was more like having

a close friend who was just a few decades older than me.

although my sisters and i missed out on home-made meals every night,

in effect of mom being away at night classes,

we won the fame of always having the best treats in the neighborhood.

staying up until midnight to watch Oprah,

while heather and mom sat on the couch and gave massages,

and the rest of us piled on the floor,

is the memory i most remember.

after divorcing my dad,

my mom returned to school to earn a degree in nursing.

as i struggle to earn good enough grades in nursing pre-req's myself,

i look back and wonder how my mother was able to get mostly all A's.

4 kids at home, and 3 in other various close locations,

earning money to keep us alive,

and always ensuring our happiness and fun,

i don't know how she did it all.

i believe my mom deserves some type of award.

although i didn't understand how hard my mom worked back then,

i can see it now- and i am in awe.

my mother is truly an amazing woman.

i owe a large amount of my own goodness to her and her example.

i am so lucky to have such a superhero mom.

happy mother's day mom.

i love you.