Happy Mother's Day to ALL women

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Although these wishes were started yesterday, I am publishing them a day late, but they are good for everyday of the entire year!!

This is in honor of my husband who gave me a Mother's Day card with the following printed on it, "I'm so blessed to have your love. When I think about the gifts we've been given- our home, our family, our life together...I feel so thankful- because I couldn't have been blessed with a more beautiful wife than you." Don truly treated me like a Queen yesterday, even more than usual.

This is in honor of both of our sons: "Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you. Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of life."
-Maureen Hawkins

This is in honor of my Mother: "A mother is a woman who shows you the light when you just see the dark." -Grimaldos Robin

And this is in honor of all women everywhere: Married, single, with children, wanting to be pregnant, wanting to have more children, waiting to adopt a child, divorced, widowed, broken hearted, joyful: "As I come to understand the many talents and characteristics of women, I realize how needed their strengths are in this dispensation. We must remember that we are daughters of God here to provide nurturing care for one another, family and friends- loving care to soften the changes of life felt by all. What a great opportunity we have to fill our God-given role. He has given us the privilege to shape the lives of those entrusted to our care. Even those of us who have not been blessed to have children of our own can still be influential as trainers and nurturers. It does not matter where we live, whether we are rich or poor, whether our family is large or small. Each of us can share that Christ-like love in our 'motherly ministry.'" -Barbara Winder

Sometimes we all forget what certain times in our lives have felt like, and we forget to think of other women who may be going through the same feelings that we were or are or even feelings that we ourselves may never feel but can help to ease the burden of another by just listening. I remember how I felt when I parted with my two previous boyfriends, before meeting and marrying Don: my heart broken, wondering when it would be my turn to marry for eternity, and not have to give up the love I felt so deeply. I told Heavenly Father that I could not love so deeply again and be without that person, and He knew my heart and He blessed me with Don, the best man for me who He had prepared for me. I remember today how it felt to be without child and wanting to so much have a child: crying in Relief Society lessons because it hurt so bad. Although I cheered on my friends for having their own children, my heart hurt for myself. And then we were blessed. Today I remember how it felt to want a sibling for our first son: how I ached for days and months and years, going through emotional hell, knowing that there was a child missing for our family. And then Heavenly Father blessed us again through the decisions of a very loving Mother, Heidi.

I have leaned through these experiences to praise our Heavenly Father in the peaceful time full of blessings as well as in storms of life which are full of their own blessings that I sometimes cannot see. I have learned that I am NEVER alone: He always loves me, knows that I am beautiful and is mindful of me. I have learned to comfort those who are hurting and to pray for those, specefically who are hoping for a child, whether through their own pregnancy, adoption or otherwise. May we all pray for one another today. We are all Mothers: we create and teach and listen. We love.