It takes an army...

I was laying in bed the other night thinking about my mom and how blessed I am to be a mom.  Yes, this is an after mother's day post, but I was just thinking that I have a fabulous mom.

You know those epiphanies you have while you are half asleep?

This is one of those times where I was really tired, but couldn't sleep because my mind was just racing about all the people in my life who have helped mold me, taught me, and inspired me.

Starting with my mom.

My mom, if anyone knows her they'll agree, when I say she is such a pure person.

She is one I call a good naive.

I believe that Heavenly Father has created some people with just pure hearts, pure minds and just simply good natured people.  I feel our world contains a small handful of these people, and my mother is just one of those.  I am such a blessed person to have her in my life.

She is so humble, so loving and SO ANNA.

If you know my mom, there is no better way to describe her other than, Anna.  

She is just a beautiful person.

My mom has worked full time (outside of the home) since I was 5.  She always wanted to stay at home, but was never able to.  Because of that, she also relied on "the army" to take care of her children. Before I get to "The Army" let me just express how wonderful my mom is.

She worked from sun up to sun up.  She watched as others were blessed with wealth and good fortune, and she did her best to make sure we had enough.

 I wanted her to be my best friend so I told her of all of my boy crushes, my enemies, my friends, and often sat on the edge of her bed as we chatted about my dates.

She taught me to love the Lord.

She was my cheerleader.

And she was really, really good at it!

I knew I could depend on her and that although my life circumstances were not picture perfect, 

she taught me that I was the one who could change that.

Education was important to her and she always encouraged me to do my best.

"The Army" is what I call the saints of women involved in my life who loved me without condition.

They were there because they had been called to serve, and they went beyond what they were "called to do" and did it with love.

First up, was my BFF's mom, Kelli.

I am lucky enough to have one mom who cared about me, but to have a second is more than most people are blessed with.  Kelli was everything I wanted to be.  She was a stay at home mom who spoiled her children with warm cookies and grapes, homemade dinner at 5:30 everyday, and most importantly a listening ear after school. I remember my friend, Megan, went home for lunch almost everyday in grade school, and high school.  She knew her mom would be there so she could do boy chat with her, catch her up on the latest friend gossip, and of course, have a little lunch date with her big brother's friends.

I hung around Megan's house most days, and Kelli was kind to invite me to dinner most nights.

She was Megan's best friend, and its what I wanted with my mom and my future kids.

Kelli was such an example of standing for truth and taught Megan that as well.

I still remember her giggle as we'd sit around the counter, and I remember the love that flickered in her eyes as she listened to her children.
I knew she loved being a mom and was really good at it!

In our church, we have programs for children of every age.  I love it!  When girls turn eight, they get to join a little program called Achievement Days.  It was like girl scouts, but without all the badges and pack meetings.  Anyway, I think I was 10 or 11,  and we had a new lady move into our ward.

She was called to work in our group, and little did we know, she would be one of the most influential leaders in our adolescent years.

Her name?
Patty Conan.

She didn't have children of her own, but you would never know because we were her children.

She had about 10 daughters, who she LOVED!
There was no questioning it.

Patty went way beyond herself to show us that she was in for the long haul.

She graduated with us from Primary to Beehives (12-13 year old girls program).

I remember we were getting ready to go into Jr. High and we all gathered at her house. We talked about our future teachers, future boyfriends, clubs we'd join, and who'd we be.

Patty stood on one side of her counter as we filled her kitchen and she just said, "I just love you girls" with a giggle. She listened, she cheered us on, she supported us, and mostly, she loved us.
And we loved her.

We were beyond blessed to have her in young women's for almost all six years we were there.

I loved her warm hugs, her cute Disney obsession, and everything about her creative genius.

She inspired me to be crafty and creative and I still wish I had a quarter of her genius in me.

Thankfully, her and my mom have become good friends, and I get to see her often.  I get greeted with the same warm hugs and giggle, and I still feel Christ-like love emanate from her whenever I get to see her.

Another program in our church is called Sunday School.  We have our second hour of church dedicated to learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I always had some pretty spectacular teachers growing up, but when I turned 16, I got to go in to Sister Jones' class.  Mary Jones was someone I will always admire and look up to.  She has set such a high bar for me as to what I can achieve, and who I want to be.  Along with every other woman I have mentioned, I want to be her.

Mary Jones talked about her mission and how great of a blessing it was in her life.

She had attended BYU-Hawaii and I really wanted to model my life after her righteousness.

I was so in awe of how much she knew about the gospel. 

She LOVED her Savior, Jesus Christ.

She testified of Him often, and prepared her lessons by the Spirit and was always what we needed to start our new week at school.

She loved us, and we could feel it.

She also loved her life, she loved who she was and it seemed that there was never a challenge she couldn't handle.  I know that currently she is a song writer and singer, a play director, and so involved in her children's life.  

I just wanted to be like her in so many ways.

The last woman I want to mention is my mother in law, Connie.

I get teary-eyed thinking about how much I love this woman.

She was left with a very unfortunate circumstance to raise her four children alone.  

Her husband, Trevor's dad, passed away when he was five.

Connie doesn't have a college education, and had to find odd jobs that she could make ends meet.

She often took Trevor with her to work (which was a job in itself from what I hear) and loved her kids unconditionally She trusted them to make good decisions and did a FANTASTIC job of raising them to rely on each other, to be forever friends and stay close to God.

She was their protector, the provider, the caregiver, the everything!

She is one of the most charitable persons I have ever crossed paths with.

I often tell myself that I agreed to marry her son, just so I could have her as a friend in my Earth life. I mean, I love Trevor and I am more than blessed to have him as my eternal companion, but I was double blessed to have Connie as my mother in law.  

I don't even know how to describe my love for her, other than just complete admiration of the person she is.

I know that when I married her baby boy, that I had HUGE shoes to fill.

She has been patient with me as I have learned to care for her son, and has cheered me, stood by me and loved me when I struggle.

I know this is a long post, and I am sure many won't finish, but let me clarify that I have had many more people involved in my upbringing. Between my older sisters, sister in laws, other church leaders and other of my friend's moms who love me, I want to say a HUGE thank you!! 

There are not enough words to express my gratitude for those of you who have hugged me, who have loved me, and coached me as I have tried to be the person I wish to be.

I have a lot of people who were in "my army" who I am eternally indebted to.

As I look at the world around me, the world my children have to grow up in, I am grateful that I have the gospel of Jesus Christ to rely on and to guide me as I rely upon "the army" that lies ahead of me.

I hope that my children can be blessed with such incredible people as I have been.

Here's to you. Thank you for being in my life as a friend and example! You may not know, but I look up to you!

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