I have, over the years, accumulated a number of amazing women who I consider as true mother figures to me. Church leaders, best friends Mom's, Aunts, friends, coworkers, etc...I count myself very lucky in this, because I know people who never have had a real mother figure, let alone a Mom, involved in their life. I would like to talk about a few mothers who have touched my life.
My primary and young women leaders...I considered all of them mother figures. Most especially my Young Women's president. Outside of my own family, I look forward to seeing her most when I make a visit to my home ward. She helped teach all of us the importance of going to and marrying in the temple. She helped each of us complete our Personal Progress, and taught us important Gospel principles...she was a miracle worker.
In college, the Bishopric's wives, the women in our Relief Society, and the older sister missionaries at the institute all became our mothers, as most of us were away from our own. The sister missionaries would pull out the sewing machines and patch our clothes for us, would cook lunch when we needed it, would be our tutors, would really step into a motherly role for all of us. They made college so much less stressful, and we all are in debt to them.
Here in Alabama, the Tuscaloosa and Northport wards...I feel like all those women in those wards became a mother to me. It's funny, when a young man broke up with me, nearly all the women rallied around me, and even offered to give that young man a good talking too. :) I didn't realize until that moment how much those women cared about me. Of course, I didn't ask them to do that, but I very much appreciated them showing their love to me by 'defending my honor', so to speak, in that way. :) These women that I have had the privilege to serve with in the Stake Young Women and the other auxiliaries...they are all just amazing women and wonderful examples to me, and they took care of me while I am away from my Mommy.
My Aunts...I can't say enough about them. I LOVE my Aunts, on both sides of my family. Talking with them is like talking with my best friends. They really love me, and I really truly love them. They keep me in check, too. They don't let me get away with ANYTHING...:) and I love them all the more for it. They care for me and what happens in my life. My cousins and my cousins wives are all such wonderful examples to me of good mothers, and I count them all as my friends. I love them all so much!
My grandma's, both of which passed away quite a few years ago now...I love them so much. My Grandma Madsen came to visit quite a few times, and we went and visited her. One of my favorite memories with her is going down the hill from her house and getting ice cream when she didn't tell our parents. :) And sneaking us out to go see a movie...I think it was Hocus Pocus! I loved her very much. She and Grandpa had the most amazing garden in the backyard, and these HUGE citrus trees. I loved going into the garden with her and picking the treasures that we would find...especially those yellow pear tomatoes. YUM!!! My Grandma Raisor is who I am named after, she went by the name of Beth. She was as sweet and lovely and angelic as a person can be. I think that's where my Mom gets her characteristics from. She had the most beautiful hands. She made homemade dolls, and everytime we went to visit we were able to pick ONE doll that we could take home with us. She would take me into her lap and say 'you know you are my namesake'. It was tough when she forgot who I was before she died, but I remember a rare lucid moment when she remembered who I was. I will never forget the feeling of love and gratitude that filled the room that moment. It's one of my most treasured memories. My step-Grandma, Connie...she was a wonderful light in my life. We were lucky to have each other while I lived in Arizona. She took care of me, and I took care of her. I am so happy Grandpa married her. She is a great addition to our family. I truly mourned her when she passed away...I will miss watching the Diamondbacks win (we stopped watching the game when they were losing), singing along with the Music Man, or just sitting in front of the Christmas tree as the lights made a dazzling display...in March...:). She was a great part of my life.
My best friends...I can't say enough about them. I prayed for them for years, and I got them at pretty much the same time. It's been amazing seeing Julie with her babies...she is just an amazing example of being a devoted mother and a wife. Becky has such a strong desire to be a mother, and I can't wait for the day when her dream will come true, which hopefully will be soon!
My sister, though not a mother yet, is one of the most wonderful mother figures I have. That might sound a bit strange, since she is my baby sister, but she was the good daughter. :) She got away with
everything, her being the baby and all, but she really has almost always been the one that my parents never had to worry about. She's responsible, loving, logical, hilarious, concerned about my well being, can make friends with pretty much anyone or anything except for maybe certain kinds of dogs, talkative, great team player, organized, fun, spiritual, down to earth, and all sorts of other wonderful things. She will be an amazing mother one day, and I know this because in many ways she takes amazing care of me. :)
But first and foremost, of course, is my own angel mom...she truly is an angel sent from God. There have been many times in my life that I have thought that my Mom's main mission here on this Earth was to bring me into it and to help me survive it. I can't imagine being in this world without my dear sweet Mom. Gosh, I am tearing up writing this. For her patience, her forbearance, for her unending endurance, for staying up until midnight so many Sunday nights so we can make a Walmart run to get the needed supplies for the school project that was due the next day, and by so doing teaching me to keep the Sabbath day holy, for putting up with my ridiculousness, for teaching me the Gospel, for starting my love affair with music, for opening my eyes to all things beautiful, for teaching me to forgive as quickly as possible, for forcing me to brush my hair, my teeth, for all the eye drops she had to force in my eyes as they were swelling shut, for kissing all my boo-boos, for loving me no matter what...I can never repay her for what she has given me. If you don't know her, you need to. She was the best playmate I ever had, she comes up with the funniest things to say or sing, she somehow survived me being a teenager and is still surviving me now by some miracle...she made home a loving and spiritual place to be. I was so lucky to get to spend my childhood with her. She made the world a magical, whimsical fantasy. I count myself lucky that she still takes my phone calls. :) She never knows what she will get from the other side, and I am so grateful for her patiently listening when the tears are flowing and my voice is cracking and 3 octaves higher than normal and then lovingly saying 'okay, you need to say that again because I didn't understand one word'. :)
She. Is. The. Best. Mommy. Ever.
To all of you who have been mothers to me, I wish you a very heartfelt thank you. And to all of you mothers, and I mean
all mothers, including future ones and those that are 'mothers to others', Happy Mother's Day!
