Happy Mother's Day to All Women!!

(This is one of my favorite pictures of me and my oldest son when he was just little)

I just wanted to take a moment to wish every woman a Happy Mother's Day today!! Each woman has a motherly influence over those around them.  As women we are given the precious gifts to love and nurture. We can use these gifts to bless all people, our children, our husbands, neighbors, friends, nieces, nephews, etc.  I have been blessed with a wonderful mother, grandmothers, mother-in-law, aunts and other women who have showed their love and have had a profound influence in my life.  I have had the most amazing examples!  My mom completely amazes me!  I remember her making pancakes in the morning, having the house completely organized all before it was time to go to school.  She always had fun activities for us to do. And probably the best example she was to me growing up was the example of a faithful woman.  I never doubted the importance of the gospel in my mom's life.  She faithfully served in her callings and always has given her calling 150 plus percent.  She is creative, caring and loving.  I also never doubted her love for me and my brothers. Now that I am a mom myself, I appreciate her so much more!

 I am grateful for the opportunity to be a mother to three energetic, amazing children.  It is the most stressful, crazy, exciting, fun, and awarding job that I could ever have.  At times I feel completely inadequate and it is definitely a learning process, it is a good thing that children are so loving and forgiving!  The most awarding moments are when one of my children come up, give me a hug and tell me that they love me.  I love to just look at their innocent faces, that are so filled with energy and love.  It is such an amazing and sometimes overwhelming responsibility to be responsible in teaching a child, in helping them to recognize their divine potential. It is a good thing that we don't have to do it alone!  I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has given me other women in my life to be examples and to lend their support, as I try to raise my children.  I am also so grateful that I know that he is always there for me.  I look at motherhood as a special calling that I have been given.  With this calling I am able to receive personal revelation as to what my children need at certain moments in their life.  I rely on my Heavenly Father, because I know that there is no way that I can do it by myself. After all, they are his spirit children and I want to be able to raise them in a way that is pleasing to him.