A Mother's Love is Like No Other

"Mothers are endowed with a love that is unlike any other love on the face of the earth."-Marjorie Pay Hinckley-

---- Happy Mothers Day to all who are mothers, or who have mothers, out there----- that should cover all of you:) hope you had an amazing day!!! 

Be Kind to Women - Happy Mother's Day

“Be kind to the women. They constitute half the population and are mothers to the other half.”

You Are Super Mom

"There will be so many times you feel like you've failed, but in the eyes, heart and mind of your child, you are super mom." 

~Stephanie Precourt~

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A Mother is the Truest Friend

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."

 ~Washington Irving~

She Never Did Care for Pie

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. 

~Tenneva Jordan~

Freebie Friday - Mothers Day Ideas

Mothers Day Bouquet, filled with pictures of the grandkids!

Free Printables about Mothers:

available in 7 different colors

Kids Mothers Day Card Ideas

Self-explanatory

A GREAT list!

Children, Nothing So Important

"You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out ... Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value ... The baby you hold in your arms will grow as quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of the rushing days." 

~ Gordon B. Hinckley ~

Just a Stay-at-Home Mom?

The news this morning was jam-packed with the comments made by Hilary Rosen, where she said, in speaking of Ann Romney, "His wife has never actually worked a day in her life." Ann Romney responded by saying: “I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys. Believe me, it was hard work.” Hilary Rosen has since issued an apology.

To be honest, I'm glad that the comments by Hilary Rosen were made because it has brought to light something that many stay-at-home moms feel, and that is undervalued.

I am a mother to 3 young children, aged 3 and under, and count myself fortunate to be one lucky ones to be able to stay home and spend as much time with my children as I can. The time when they are little before they head off on their adventures in school is so fleeting, and impressions made on these young minds and hearts can form a character and bond that yields fruit throughout eternity. The decision we made is not without sacrifice, temporally and emotionally. Vacations are out of the question, wearing the latest fashions is not even on my list of needs, to me the latest fashion is wearing any item of clothing that does not have baby goop or grubby fingerprints on - we just don't have a lot of the 'luxuries' that the world calls 'necessities'.

Being a stay at home mom can be a mentally exhausting job also (not to mention physically exhausting!), full of highs and lows. Highs when your children are playing so lovely together, when you see them learn knew things, when they hug you so tight that you think they are going to cut off all of your oxygen supply – but not so much when they are sick, trantruming or emptying out all the drawers for the ten billioneth time that HOUR. And this continues 24 hours a day. I have caught myself a couple of times when asked the question, 'what do you do?' replying, “Oh, I'm just a stay at home mom.” It has annoyed me - I have annoyed myself - that I would downgrade my role in this world to a just. Why have I felt the need to be almost apologetic that my contribution to this world is largely taking place within the walls of my home? In this area I was definitely influenced by the world. On television you see mothers everywhere who are 'doing it all'. We strive for accomplishments, to feel worthwhile, to better ourselves and may mistakenly think that these things are only attainable outside of the family unit, when the home is the very breeding ground for these things. Sometimes 'doing it all' is at the expense of 'having it all'.

This quote by Elder Neal A. Maxwell but things into perspective a little: “You rock a sobbing child without wondering if today’s world is passing you by, because you know you hold tomorrow tightly in your arms.”

The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) has said: “Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1942, pp. 7, 11–12.)

Did you notice the words that were used? Highest, holiest, next to the angels – we should all feel like that, and we can, when we stop comparing ourselves to others and seeking the praise or approval of man. Who you are is enough, you are doing the best you can. If you doubt that pray and ask Heavenly Father He will tell you how loved you are, He will let you feel of your true worth.

I have quite a few friends who HAVE TO work. Their financial circumstances are such that to provide a roof over their children's head they work. I have seen how torn they are having to do that. I have seen their tears at having to leave their children in the care of someone else whilst their heart yearns to be their full-time caretakers and protectors and joy-makers. Some have similar anxieties that some stay-at-home moms have, feelings of guilt and feelings of inadequacies. They sacrifice for their children in a different way than stay-at-home moms do, but those sacrifices made will be consecrated for the good of their children.

Elder M. Russell Ballard said: “There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.” (“Daughters of God,” Ensign, May 2008, 108–10.)

Because of the importance of the role of motherhood our Heavenly Father will guide our decisions, if there is any way possible to stay home with your children, do it, make the financial sacrifices so you can do this. I promise there is nothing more rewarding as this, and nothing as important. If this is not a possibility, know that Heavenly Father will make up the difference. So let's seek His will in this important matter, and let's be kind to each other.

So am I just a stay at home mom? No, because there is no 'just' when it comes to being a mother.

Cherish Children

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided, but for the feeling that you cherished them.

~Richard L. Evans

Your Most Precious Jewels

"The most precious jewels you’ll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children."

Mothers

“You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out ... Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value ... The baby you hold in your arms will grow quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of the rushing days.”

~Gordon B. Hinckley~

Motherhood, the First Assurance

"Motherhood is the greatest potential influence for good or ill in human life. The mother’s image is the first that stamps itself on the unwritten page of the young child’s mind. It is her caress that first awakens a sense of security; her kiss, the first realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first assurance that there is love in the world."

~David O. McKay~

Mothering in Moments

"Families need unstructured time when relationships can deepen and real parenting can take place. Take time to listen, to laugh, and to play together. The joy of motherhood comes in moments."

~Russell M. Ballard

Love Her Mother, Elaine S. Dalton

"The greatest thing 

a father can do 

for his daughter 

is to love her mother."

This was from my another one of my favorite talks from General Conference, 'Love Her Mother' - not sure that's the official title, but that's what I'm calling it - by Elaine S. Dalton. As the mother of 1.75 girls (I have another girl coming next month) I made sure my husband gave his FULL ATTENTION to this talk, luckily he does a miraculous job at loving me already:). So to feed my latest obsession I whipped up a few printables of it for you......(if sharing please link back to this site, thanks;)

To download click HERE

To download click HERE

To download click HERE

To download click HERE

(I give credit to www.furrygraphics.com for the paper for this last image)

Motherhood is not a Hobby, it's a Calling

"Motherhood is not a hobby, it's a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for."

Elder Neal L. Anderson, quoting Rachel Jankovic

This is a quote from one of my favorite talks from Conference by Neal L. Anderson. Bloggin' with Bobbi created a super cute printable that you can download HERE for free, what a great reminder of such a powerful principle.

Peanut Butter Smudges and All

Marjorie Pay Hinckley:

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." 

I Love These Eyes!

This is just a thought I want to write down. Recently I have played a little game with my 3-year old son, basically, I'll touch his eyes and say "I love these eyes", then touch his nose and say "I love this nose", then his cheeks, and say "I love these cheeks", and I carry on until I've covered all of him. He always has a big smile on his face when I do it to him. Anyway, after a couple of days on playing our little game, I caught him in the chair stroking his arms saying "I love these arms", then onto his tummy saying "I love this tummy", you can probably guess how happy that made me as a parent to see my little man loving the skin he's in. The last quote I posted on here was about instilling a strong identity in your children and I really believe that is so important, because if children know they're loved, it's so much easier for them to love themselves, and then it makes it a whole lot easier for them to love others, and the cycle continues.

Today would be a great day to show and express love to those you do, too often (speaking for me) I assume that love is known, but why leave doubt when you can leave your sure witness:).

Strong Identity

 

"Create meaningful family bonds that give your children an identity stronger than what they can find with their peer group or at school or anyplace else. This can be done through family traditions for birthdays, for holidays, for dinnertime, and for Sundays."
('What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest', M. Russell Ballard)

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

Happy Mothers Day, One and All!

The Most Exquisite Love of All

"Mothers are the people who love us for no good reason. And those of us who are mothers know it's the most exquisite love of all."

~Maggie Gallagher