Ode to My Mother

Happy Birthday MOM!

You have been very present in my thoughts and I wanted to take a moment to honor you.
I am so lucky to have you for my mother. The older I get, (yes here it comes) the more I appreciate the values you always tried to teach me. Yes, you truly have always been wise. And I am more grateful to you and feel thankful to have been taught and learned so many things from you that I have previously taken for granted. I want to know what you know, I want to learn what you have learned, and I want to be able to do what you have done and pass it on to my children.

I am so fortunate to have been taught by you a deep and abiding love for our country, our constitution, and our Fore Fathers. Despite the tearing down of our country and a defamation of heroes that has indoctrinated others around me, I feel so blessed to have been taught the truth of something nobler and greater.

I love you for raising me on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. As the world goes on, my roots reach back to when I was a child and the values you instilled in me on health and diet. I so appreciate the anchor for truth and right that you have always been in my life. I appreciate the canning, the gardening, the drying and "laying up in store" you have exemplified to me all of my life. What better gift could a mother give her child than one of strong health!

Well, you gave me gospel knowledge. You taught me obedience and strict observance to keep the commandments of God. And I know, as taught in scripture, that this is the path that leads to freedom and life eternal. I know because of the opportunities you provided me as a child, to learn, and study and think, and understand the gospel of our Lord. You taught me with love and genuine sincerity, the precious gospel truths, and how to live so as to prepare myself worthy before God. I am humbled by the time your spend searching and studying the scriptures and how you share those gems that you've polished in your heart.

I love you for all that you are and all that you've sacrificed and all that you have accomplished in your life. I love you for teaching me to love and appreciate all things beautiful and lovely- in home as well as landscape- and how to work my knuckles to the bone to make it so. I love you for representing peace and modesty and decorum to me. I value your example of thrift and frugality. I envy your talent in crafting and creation and I covet your understanding of education and teaching.

You are a vanishing breed, a singular, stellar example of motherhood and womanhood. And you are exceptionally loved and honored by me. On this your blessed birthday, I celebrate you and thank you!