Grateful Post: Day #16

I have written about this amazing woman before a few times but I guess, I just can't write enough good things. She is the one who gave birth to me and who I call mom. 

When my mom came to visit in Oregon while we lived there!

 Since becoming a mom myself, I have learned to appreciate her so much more. I call her all the time just to talk if I need someone to talk to and if I need help or advice with Primary and Kamden and life. She is always excited to talk to me and loves listening to me ramble about Kamden, which I love to do. This woman was meant to be a Grandma. She loves it and she lets her little grandkids drain her energy no matter how tired she is because she just loves playing with them so much. It doesn't matter what she has going on but she would drop anything if she needed to for one of those little ones!

My mom with Kamden when she came to visit when he was born!

 One of the hardest parts about living far from family is living away from my mom and not being able to see Kamden play with her and love on her and I know that is the hardest part of us living far away is missing that little guy. When we were there in September, while I was sick being pregnant and trying to manage full time classes she put the Grandma hat on every single day and just took charge for me so that I could rest, sleep in, or work on homework. Not to mention when both Kamden and I got sick with the flu while we were there she cleaned up after him so I didn't have to, rocked him back to sleep about a million times one night while I slept in between getting up to throw up and he struggled to fall back asleep after getting sick himself. I was so grateful for her that night and those three weeks. 

Helping Kamden into the highchiar during his one year photo shoot!

 Truly, I am always grateful for her and you have to understand her kindness and service extend way beyond what most people see. She took gentle care of both her mother and father in bad health, while my Grandma lived with us after getting west nile and she patiently reversed the role and did what her mother taught her to do years ago, to walk, talk, eat, and function again. She was by my grandma's side any minute possible whether it was in the hospital for months, the nursing home, or when she was finally able to bring her back to live with her to recover where my grandma was comfortable. A few years later she spent countless hours caring for her father with cancer reversing the roles with him just as she did with her mother. Her service has reached many out of her family too through a listening ear, meals, working in someone's garden, canning fruit or vegetables for someone at the last minute, or watching children while a mother was sick.

My mom and her twins!

 Thank you mother for teaching me a legacy of love, sacrifice, and service to any and all just as the Savior has done. Thank you for listening to me countless hours and helping me to be a better mother. I love you for this and so much more!