Mother's Day

Aah, Mother's Day. I'm not one for huge suprises or gifts on occasions like this. Seuao sent me flowers at work on Friday (a wonderful suprise), and that was just right. (Plus, it takes the pressure off on Father's Day coming up!) Seuao had to work all day on Sunday, so it was just me and Lily for church. Let's just say that after 5 trips out of various meetings, 4 hymn books resecued from certain shredding and wrinkling deaths, 3 bottles thrown across the room, 2 major head crashes into chairs/benches in front of us, and one over-tired and sad baby, church was more of a wrestling match than much else!

Just a few thoughts on what I did get out of church though. At the start of Sunday School, the teacher asked everyone to raise their hands who was there ready to learn. I heard him and chose not to raise my hand, simply because I was literally praying we would make it through Sunday School without major trauma and I was there, not necessarily because I wanted to be that day, but because I knew that was where I should be. Well, this teacher proceeded to lecture the class about how our attitudes determine the outcome of the class, and if even one person doesn't come with the right attitude it can affect the entire class. Whatever. I do think there's some truth to that, but being one of the few "young" mothers in our ward, seriously, cut a little slack!

Well, we get into the lesson (Mosiah), and the class is participating quite a bit. They are discussing things that can hamper us spiritually and can interfere with our testimonies. There were a few comments that really did touch me, and Lily was preoccupied with taking off her sandals and putting cheerios in them, so I was actually into the lesson a little bit. Well, this woman on the front row was very anxious to add her comment. When she got called on, she stood up, turned around and said "We have been discussing the woes of alcohol and promiscuity for 15 minutes, and I for one want to move on. We need to talk about Abinadi and his testimony and get the Spirit back into this room." The teacher (who spends most of the class pacing and walking around the room) sat down on the table, and said "Well, then, why don't you teach us?" She proceeded to "teach" the class about the prophet Abinadi and I couldn't help but think about how our class had started. That one person's attitude really can change the mood of the class and the Spirit that is there. Ironic, isn't it?

The highlight of my Mother's Day though had to be after Sacrament Meeting. All of the women were asked to stand so the youth could pass out little gifts for the occasion, lavendar sachets (which were pretty potent). Hearing these little 12 year old boys complain about how stinky they were and wondering why anyone would want one of these was cracking me up!

I want to thank the amazing mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunties and friends I have for their examples of motherhood to me. As this was my first Mother's Day as a mother, I didn't really feel the need to be appreciated and thanked myself, as I felt that I needed to appreciate and thank my own mother and her unconventional yet beautiful example of motherhood she was and still is to me. I love you mom!