My first Mother's day as a mom was 4 years ago. Todd was about ten months old. I had fallen in love with a necklace long before this day ever came and has hoping that I would get it. Aaron's sister had a jewelry party weeks before and I had seen the necklace in her magazine. I pointed it out, telling all the ladies there that I had wanted one of these for years and that one day, I would have one. Now, if you know Aaron, you know that he is not a big gift giver. He has a hard time being creative in that area, and usually has no idea what to buy (and I have to admit, if you don't know how to shop for womans clothing, I am kind of hard to shop for.) Well, lets just say, I goofed this year. I was walking around Fred Meyer one week before the big day and found the necklace I wanted at 50% off. So, sure that I would not get it from Aaron, I bought it. I wore it and showed if off to my sister in laws, who acted excited for me, but later told me how mortified they were. See, one week later, on Mother's day, I received the exact same necklace from my husband. At the party, his sisters saw how much I would love it. They schemed with my husband and purchased it for me for the big day.
Two years later, I was about eight and a half months pregnant with Brooklyn when Mother's day rolled around. We were in the family ward in Rexburg at this time and Aaron and I had slept in, so we trekked into Sacrament meeting about 20 minutes late. The chapel was full and we searched really hard for two seats together anywhere, knowing that we could hold Todd on our laps. In the overflow there were two seats by a family. We snuck back and as I sat down, the father looked at me and told me I couldn't sit there. His son would be back momentarily. So, Aaron grabbed the extra seat and saw one sitting against the wall, unfolded it and I sat on it, only to have it colaps to the ground, right under me. I sat there on the floor, mortified. People turend around and stared. The blond woman in front of me practically turned her self around in her seat to stare at me until I was able to get on my feet. Being as pregnant as I was, the only way I could get up was if I shifted to my hands and knees and pushed myself up- all in my Sunday dress. But before I had to do that, I felt the arms of my loving husband under my arms and he helped pull me to my feet. Aaron gave me the one seat we had that worked and scrambled to find another seat. That same blond lady then shifted herself in her seat once more to gawk at me, then she opened her mouth and plainly said, "That chair is broken." I smiled at her and told her that I now knew that. I sat there. Aaron found another chair and joined me and we listened to the meeting. But shortly later, I kept seeing heads turn from that same family who denied us their seat. The wife would whisper to her husband, look at me and laugh. She did this very openly- like she didn't care that I saw her laughing at my expense. This went on and on, and unable to bare any more, I went to the cultural and bawled. I cried, and cried, and cried. I couldn't stop the tears from coming. Aaron came out to comfort me, but I decided I wanted to go home. I left and he stayed to teach our primary class alone. After a while, I felt better and came back to help Aaron with all those kids. After church, I made my way to the library to return our chalk only to pass that same wife who, stopped in her tracks and began to laugh. As we were eating dinner after church, Aaron asked me if there was anything I wanted to do for mothers day to make it more special for me. I began to cry and told him I wanted to go Burley to be with his family. This is where the day turned great. We surprised them all. We pulled into Aaron's Grandma Crane's house and walked into the back yard where they were having a Mother's day BBQ. I remember Todd running excitedly to his Aunt Mandy and giving her the biggest hug his little arms could give. I was grateful to be there.
And so, Mother's Day. I admit as I laid there in bed on Saturday night and thought of all my Mother's days, I actually wondered if I could get out of going to church (I am kind of scarred from that one year- I've had that thought every year since). I wondered how my day would go. I don't know if it was watching Aaron in the kitchen with Todd and Brooklyn squished tightly around him as they made me a Mother's day cake, or if it was sitting around the table making and coloring cards for the Mom's (and Grandma's) in our lives. Maybe it was playing games in the family room as a family or watching Aaron frost the cake with a fork. It could have been to unbelievable talks that were given in Sacrament meeting. Whatever it was, I enjoyed it. Aaron let me take a nap right after dinner and he cleaned off the table and cleaned the kitchen with the kids. He changed Cole's diaper that exploded up his back. He held my hand and smiled at me as the kids laughed and squealed as we played games together. That is what I told him I wanted for Mother's day. I wanted to make cards and play games. And as the evening finished out, the power went out and we laid in bed with our kids and talked to each other. He told me stories from when he was a kid, he told me why he loved me and we talked and talked until we decided the power was not coming back on and ventured into our own room for the night.
Just a note, I wandered onto this blog a couple days ago. This wonderful man just lost his wife and newborn baby and is left with three young children to raise. I think they could use a few extra prayers.
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