Thursday Thinking - Nothing Better

Man, a dog's best friend.
The feeling is not mutual.

Levin:  "I'm shooting monkeys and gorillas."
Me:  "Good.  Shoot some more."
Levin:  "I can't.  They're all dead."

This week we got to have Levin and Atlas stay with us while Ray and Cali were in Hawaii on business. We had a wonderful time playing in the sun, doing chores, going to the circus, dancing the hokey-pokey, and eating . . . always eating.

When I was a young mother, I promised myself that I would never forget how exhausting the care for young children is.  I swore I'd never grow older and smile smugly and tell young mothers, "You think this is hard, you just wait until they're teenagers," or any other such thing.  And I didn't, because I remembered that fatiguing stage of early child development . . .  and it didn't take me long to learn that parenting takes incredible energy, love, patience, enthusiasm, and sacrifice regardless the age of the child.

But . . . I did forget.  I forgot how full-time mothering slowly, but surely sucks every last ounce of energy from your blood.  This week I fell asleep, deep and snoring, before the boys almost every night.

Mothers, you are amazing.  You run on empty for days on end.  You give when there is so very little left to give.  And while you know your Father in Heaven appreciates what you do because you feel that warmth and appreciation when you see them asleep at night or as you push them in a swing to the heavens.  And while you also know your children love and trust you because they run with open arms and ask you to fix everything.  But maybe you don't know how much most of society appreciates what you do.  I want you know know how much I admire you.  Whatever the age of people you mother, thank you for playing such an important role on Earth.

Sheri Dew said, "As daughters of our Heavenly Father, and as daughters of Eve, we are all mothers and we have always been mothers. And we each have the responsibility to love and help lead the rising generation . . .

"Every one of us can mother someone—

"Never has there been a greater need for righteous mothers—mothers who bless their children with a sense of safety, security, and confidence about the future, mothers who teach their children where to find peace and truth and that the power of Jesus Christ is always stronger than the power of the adversary . . .

"We just can’t let the Lord down. And if the day comes when we are the only women on earth who find nobility and divinity in motherhood, so be it . . .

" . . . rise to the challenge of being mothers in these perilous times, though doing so may test the last ounce of your endurance and courage and faith . . . "

How much I love being a mother.  Then, now, and forever.  It's the best way in the world to spend every ounce of energy.