Let’s talk about moms.

Growing up Mother’s Day was not only about my incredibly-super-fantastic-amazing-super-mom but about ALL of the women who helped raise me. All of the women I looked to when I needed advice. And ALL of the women who loved me unconditionally. There are a lot of people who fit into those categories (seriously, a lot) and even though I haven’t seen many of them for years I still think of them every year on Mother’s Day.

Since I practically lived at Carly’s house, I saw her mom as much as I saw my own. Not once did she yell or scream. Not once did she kick us out (and I’m sure she wanted to) and more than once she planned cool stuff for us to do. More than anything though, she let us be stupid teenagers and didn’t hate us for it. It may not sound like a big deal, but to me it was. Carly’s Grandma falls in this same category. Also she taught me that there’s no point in leaving stuff in the fridge for more than 3 days because nobody wants it after that anyway and it’s easier to just throw it away before its growing things. I’m pretty sure she still has the cleanest fridge I’ve ever seen.


Other neighborhood moms I have to include:
Heather’s mom who taught me how to swear (a talent I probably wouldn't have learned anywhere else) starting with the first time I ever walked through their door.
Megan’s mom who does it all. I really can’t think of one single ‘mom-role’ that she doesn’t fill. She's the kind of woman all the other moms hate - not because she's hateable....she's not....just because nobody can keep up with her.
Platt’s mom who is the queen of service, bettering yourself, and working hard.
Andrea who let me play mom to her kids….I look at kids the age I was and admire her for her faith in me. (yikes!) I truly can’t believe she trusted me with her kids.
Of course there were others, but we'll stop here.

My “work moms” are some of the most incredible women I’ve ever known. Ever. I was lucky enough to land a SWEET job at USDC in high school and stay for 2 years. The ladies I worked with were so good to me it’s ridiculous. They helped me make decisions. They taught me how to grow up. They loved me and celebrated with me when I decided to do something good. These women made me feel like a grown-up and a valued member of “the team”. I learned all about business and real life in that office. My 18-year-old brain could barely stand the thought of leaving there, ever. Even to go to more school. Mostly because I loved them so much. But of course they wouldn’t let me “settle” there because they thought I could do and become more. They were right, but I’d still like to hang out there for 4 hours a day. Also they taught me how to spell “development” and laughed with me when we saw that the receipts we’d been using for umpteen years said “devleopement” on them. I still can’t spell development without thinking “dev-lee-ope-ment”.


Now that I'm a grown up working with grown ups, I don't think of my co-workers as my own moms, but as my friends. Still Aundrea and Karleen are some of the best examples of motherhood a girl could ask for. I can't begin to list the things they've taught me, mostly by showing me how they are with their kids. They're kind enough to share their personal experiences and teach me from their experiences. I'm thrilled that Baby Egbert will get to know these women as adoptive moms (grandmas if they were old enough...they're not....no matter what Spencer says about looking "motherly" or how many grandkids they already have).

My Young Women leaders (Reeves, Gurney, Joy Lee, Bowman and a million others) were amazing. Mostly I think of Girl’s Camp when I think of them, and WOW did they put up with a lot. But, they “roughed it” with us and they attempted to help us have better attitudes. They taught me about trenching and being prepared. They taught me about drying out sleeping bags in the morning because I hadn’t trenched as I was taught. They taught me about responsibility and setting a good example (I didn’t act on that until MUCH later in my life…but I hope they know they taught it to me). These were women of faith and women of courage and I’m alarmed at the things they went through with me & my incredibly obnoxious group of friends (13^th ward anybody?).  Probably because most of them were moms of the other girls and couldn’t very well disown their own children. They also taught us how to work, serve and obey our leaders (even though we whined about it the whole time).

When I turned 18 and had to go to Relief Society (kindof against my will) there was a small group of women who made me feel more welcome than I could have dreamed. Dianna Otterstrom always said hi to me and asked how I was doing somehow she knew what was going on in my life (it was a mystery then, kinda like how the tooth-ferry knew when I lost a tooth….something makes me think the same source kept both people filled in….) She was also a “cool mom” and I’m pretty sure she was in YW at one point so I felt like I belonged wherever she was. It just so happened that she went to RS. Sister Maughn is the perfect example of poise and lady-like-ness, but not in a holier-than-thou snooty way. You still feel totally comfortable with her. She’s like the queen of England without the stress....or the tea.

I could go on all day, but I’m pretty sure you’ve given up reading by now. The examples of good moms in my life seems to never end. I’m continually surrounded by incredible women, some who have given birth, some who haven’t. Some who currently care for kids full time, some who don’t. No matter their situation, they’ve taught me the most important things about being a mom, and for that I am incredibly thankful.