Wordfull Wednesday: Those who have mothered me

On the eve of the birth of our fifth child (I am being induced in the morning) I thought it would be appropriate for me to participate in Cocoa's Wordfull Wednesday here.  (Plus I need something to pass the time as I feel a little anxious!) 

I will begin with my own mother, Muriel Jean.  I was her fourth child, second daughter.  She was 34 years old when I was born.  I came along almost seven years after her third child, my sister Tricia.  My mother was a woman of faith.  She was raised Catholic, attended a parochial school in her youth, and was active in her local parish.  She and my father were contacted by Mormon missionaries in the late 1960's and she was baptized and found peace and joy in her new-found faith. I feel that my own testimony of Jesus Christ can be attributed to her great example of living gospel principles.  (Mom passed away in 1995 just six months after Ben and I were married.)

My mom and me (December 1994)

Barbara is a woman who I would say "mothered me."  She was the wife of our branch president, my Young Woman president, and the mother to two of my good friends.  I watched her closely and wanted to someday have a family and home like hers.  She lived in an old farm house that had high ceilings and a wrap around porch.  In her home is where I had my first taste of whole wheat pancakes and canned cherries.  They had family prayer and scripture study and I loved being in their home.  I loved her country style life and down to earth personality.  She always made me feel like another daughter and I liked that.   

(I don't have a working scanner right now so I can't post a photo of sweet Barbara.)

Jolene entered my life shortly after my mother passed away.  Ben and I had begun his long road of medical training and we were renting a home in her neighborhood in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Jolene was in our ward and just one of those woman that lives a life of service.  She and her husband helped us with a difficult situation that my brother had gotten himself into.  It is never easy to ask for assistance from others, at least not for me.  But she didn't seem to be at all put out and they graciously helped us and continued to help my brother over the last many years.  Jolene is to me the definition of a "saint" . . .  a virtuous person: a particularly good or holy person, or one who is exceptionally kind and patient in dealing with difficult people or situations.

Jolene, my brother Dan, and Kent (June 2011)

RaeJean became a part of our life when we lived in St. Louis, Missouri.  Ben was doing his Infectious Disease Fellowship and was working long hours.  While living in St. Louis we had four small children under the age of six.  RaeJean took me under her wing and served me and my family in many ways.  She is an amazing cook and we were the recipients of many home-cooked meals.  She loved our children and they loved her.  She had an amazing basement full of toys from when her children were growing up and our children loved playing there.  She took care of our three children when I was in the hospital delivering Gabe.  I still remember the amazing fruit tray she brought us after Gabe was born filled with raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and melon. RaeJean is a woman who lives a life of service.

RaeJean, me, Grace, Camille (2007)

Certainly there are more women than just the four I have mentioned here who have mothered me.  But these are the ones that come to mind right now.  We have moved around quite a bit and it seems that in each place we have lived I have been the recipient of service by many good women.  I remember telling RaeJean that I didn't know how I could ever repay her for all of the service she had given to me and my family.  She told me I wouldn't necessarily return the service to her but that I would have the opportunity to do for others as she had done for me.  Now that my life is not completely consumed by little ones and my children can do for themselves I have enjoyed serving others in ways that others have served me.  I still have a ways to go when it comes to being like any of the four women mentioned above but I hope that I too can be a mother to others who need me.