Mother's Day Weekend

We are beginning to adjust to Bruce's new schedule. Being in the bishopric is no laughing matter! He has had quite a few meetings and visits the last few weeks. One thing I have realized (thankfully I'm learning this early on) is that it is pointless to complain or begrudge him when he is away. This week, he was gone on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. On Friday he was headed to St. George to cheer on his brother in the Ironman. He definitely needed to be there to support his brother (Who finished! Go, Mark!), but the girls were not happy when they learned he would be gone for the weekend. I did my best to fill up the time so his absence would not be quite as painful. On Friday night, we went to the mall for some Mother's Day shopping, then dinner, then a movie. On Saturday, I was playing piano for my mom's choir in a competition sponsored by Lagoon, so I brought the girls and their favorite gal of all time, Paige. Paige was my babysitter for several years, and the girls love her dearly and we have become good friends, so she was the perfect choice to come with us.

We rode rides and ate cotton candy and got our first sunburns of the year. We were so exhausted by the time we came home, but I think the girls had a great time.

Bruce had thoughtfully helped the girls pick out some gifts for me before he left town, and they were so excited to give them to me for Mother's Day that they were up Sunday before 6 a.m. We went to church and I managed a nap (despite the fact that Bruce brought home cowbells for the girls as Ironman souvenirs) and then we had dinner with my mom.

I try not to assign too much meaning to Mother's Day. Mainly, I try not to get my hopes up that it will be a day of rest and ease and pampering because I don't think that those really exist for moms. What I try to do instead is really appreciate my own mom and all that she has done for me. I think a lot about my mother-in-law and how much I appreciate that she raised a good son.

When Liza and I both had our first children, they were born only a few months apart. Liza was living in American Fork at the time, and we spent an incredible amount of time together. As a result of familiarity and a striking physical resemblance, Liza and I were almost interchangeable
to the babies. We started calling each other "Fake Mom," and the term has gradually grown to encompass the many women who have influenced my life. One of my Fake Moms dropped by a Mother's Day gift for me with a personal and loving message inside. I'm so grateful for her- she is my mom's best friend and she has known me my whole life. She has dispensed love and wisdom on more occasions than I can count, and now my children are the beneficiaries of that love as well. I realized as I read the card that there is nothing "fake" about the relationship at all. Her love is very real, her influence is real, she is a grandma to my kids. I hope the "Fake Mom" title isn't a disservice to her!