Mothers

In honor of the Mothers in our lives, Talin and I are writting a joint post to honor those women who have affected our lives so deeply.

Jen:

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

My mother is the most selfless, giving, kind, and thoughtful woman I have ever met. She has the ability to light up a room when she enters it, and makes anything she touches better for having had her influence.
I once heard it said that true selflessness goes beyond giving everything you have...it is giving even when you have nothing left to give....this is my mother. Through my mother's sacrifices, I had an AMAZING childhood (and adulthood!). I felt loved, safe, and happy. The older I get, and the more I see of the world, I realize what a truly amazing gift that was. All that I am today I owe to my mother's guiding hand. All that I desire to be has its roots in who she is as a mother and a person. I couldn't have been more blessed then I am to be her daughter.

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone
Watching my sister become a mother has been incredible! To see the friend I used to play barbies with walk into a room filled with her sleeping babies (she has 3 kids....three years old and under!) to quietly rearrange blankets and calm nighttime fears evokes an emotion that I could never describe. She truly has given her heart (and her life) to her beautiful children. She inspires me, every day, to keep on trying to be my best ESPECIALLY when things get hard.

Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children. ~Marilyn Penland

My Grandma June has never been afraid to be exactly who she is (that's right...we're "smoking" birthday candles in this picture. Isn't she hillarious?). I remember wondering at how easily my grandma made friends when she and I would go out together. To this day, she is the most talkative one in the room. I have always admired her strength in raising 4 girls (!!!) largely on her own while my grandpa was serving our country. She even moved to the Phillipines and raised her youngest (a boy) in a foreign country for a while. She joined the church despite her families protestations, and has dealt with amazing challenges with a strength that I am in awe of. Her courage makes me want to be a stronger, more confident mother.

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

When she was alive, my dad used to call Grandma Irene EVERY NIGHT (even when we were on vacation, or if he was traveling for business). His love for her, and devotion to her had withstood the passing years. Even as a father of grown children, he still yeared to call his mother each night and tell her that he loved her and hoped she slept well. She was widowed when my dad was 3 years old (she was only in her 30's!) and did her best to keep her little family treading water. She devoted her life to making sure that even though my grandfather wasn't around for my dad, he would have a happy life full of opportunities and love. Whenever we went to visit her, she would stand on her porch waving until our car was down the street. I can still see her waving hand through the back window of our car. Her undying love reminds me that NOTHING is more important in the life of my family.

Talin is adding his homage at a later date...stay tuned. =)