Mother’s Day 2025

It was so nice to be at church with my family. I enjoyed the many youth speakers and Peter Robinson's mission farewell talk. 

I had a lovely day being doted on this weekend. Spencer always makes it so special! Yesterday, he took me on a date to Allisonville Nursery. We got some plants for the veggie garden and some flowers I wanted. We also looked at some cool rock formations and Japanese pagodas... ideas for a zen garden on the east side of the house! :) Dad suggested we get inspired by the gardens on our trip to Japan this summer. I love that idea!

The kids used their talents and goodness to make me cards; Charlie crocheted me a "patch" for my travel backpack & it's so cute! I can't wait to sew it to my bag. The kids helped dad make my annual mother's day dinner: carne asada tacos with homemade tortillas, rice, fruit salad, and horchata! Josie & Perry made a DF peanut butter chocolate pie! mmm. While they cooked I took a nap on the back porch. I sleep so well out there. The sound of the birds and breeze in the trees always help me drift off quickly. Today though, I could hear a lot of car traffic and I couldn't hear the birds very well. So I played 'singing birds' sounds on my white noise app. I could hear the kids commenting on that, thinking it was odd. C'mon now... Sounds of nature are so calming. 

The weather was so gorgeous! We ate outside on the deck under the table umbrella. It was perfect. After I opened gifts, we went for a short walk. Some teenagers were drawing chalk hearts on the path. So sweet! We took a shadow photo making hearts to match.

After the walk, I was watering my flowers in the front yard with dad. Perry came out to hang with us. He got playfully cheeky so I lightly splashed him with the hose. We all laughed but then he went inside. (Although, dad & I both thought he was probably scheming some plan.) Spence took over the watering for me so I could sit. Perr came back a minute later and said, "You wanna go, mom!?" making us believe he’d had a squirt gun behind his back, but psyched me out with a bubble blowing gun. Too late though, Spence already jumped to my rescue and gave him a squirt with the hose. Perry shouted his defense "It's a bubble blower! Are you kidding me?" Then dad squirted him again, but kept the stream going! Perry didn't run, he didn't move, he just stood there in place and taking it! His shouts of "STOP! WHAT are you doing?! Oh my gosh... I'm soaking wet! WHY!?" It had me laughing sooo dang hard! His whole front was drenched and running down his face and front. When he finally got cold and had enough he turned to go to the front door but dad said, "You can't go inside like that!" Perry’s face dropped sarcastically and he slowed turned to dad. Then Josie opened the door to see what the drama was about. Perry & Jo both just laughed when they saw each other. Perr explained what happened, again defending his argument that he was essentially unarmed. Dad said, "You threaten my wife, ya gone git eat!" ha ha! Perry's dramatic and hilarious reaction will have me laughing for decades! I’m so happy the ring camera captured the whole thing! If you want a good laugh, go find that video!

I love my family so much. I am so grateful for this life with them. Even with ups & downs, hard & tiring, sick or energetic...  I love being a mother to these kids. I love you Kaden, Perry, Josie & Charlie. Even when you're grumpy or sassy or ignoring... (cuz that's what kids and all humans do)... I love you! Forever, no matter what. 

This morning, Warren texted me this photo of my mom I'd never seen before. It made me tear up. I don't know why. Probably because the longer I mother, and the more stages we go through, the more I understand her. And the more I appreciate her and what she did for me. She is so beautiful. I miss her.