Mothers I have Loved.....

I've been thinking about Mother's Day this week. Thinking about how much I miss my mother...(who has been gone for 31 years now.) Thinking about myself as a mother, my daughter as a mother, and other mothers who have touch my life...

So Happy Mother's Day to those gone on ahead and those still here:

To my mother: Thanks for the memories.......the Sunday dinners, the family gatherings, the bedtime stories, the Christmas mornings, the movies we saw together, the endless miles of driving, the nurturing, the spoiling, the example, the love. I miss you, Mom.

To my Grandma Patch: Thank you for listening to the missionaries, and bringing the Gospel into our lives, for raising my Father to be such a hard-working, righteous, kind and loving man, for spending so many Christmases with us in Minnesota, for the life stories and the poems you left us, for the lessons of hard-work and perseverance, of getting up when life knocks you down and moving forward in faith. I miss you, Grandma.

To my Grandma Strom: Thank you for being there during my growing up years. For your toughness and resilience. For your courage to come to a strange new land and leave behind everything you'd ever known to start anew. For your no-nonsense approach to life and your example of working hard and playing hard. For your love. I miss you, Grandma.

To my daughter, Eleanor: Thank you for making me a grandmother. For bringing those two sweet boys into our family. Thank you for raising them to be responsible and brilliant and loving. I love you, Eleanor.

To my mother-in-law, Mitzi: Thanks for raising a wonderful son. For being a wonderful grandmother to my children. Thank you for your love and energy and willingness to help. Thanks for your example to my children of service to the Lord. We miss you, Mitzi.

To Lois: Lois is not my mother, but the mother of my best friend growing up. Lois was and remains my 'other mother'. Considering the amount of time I spent at their home growing up, she had a great hand in raising me and instilling certain values in my life. Thanks, Lois, for putting up with me, for loving me in spite of my short-comings. For your sharing, and caring, your endless patience and understanding, your unconditional love. I love you, and wish we lived closer so we could visit more often. I hope you have a great Mother's Day!

This list could go on and on, as there as endless women who have influenced my life by their actions and examples. So, to all the women in my life:

Happy Mother's Day!!

In memory of Robert Clayton Patch

I got word yesterday that my Uncle Bob had passed away. He was 87 years old. He was my Dad's oldest brother. You can read his obituary here.

Uncle Bob was one of my favorite uncles. Our families didn't spend much time together when I was growing up, as we lived in Minnesota and he in Utah, but the times we did spend together stand out in my memories.

I always felt welcome in his home, even when I dropped by unannounced, which I did more than once when I was attending college in Utah. One time, when I was struggling with which major to choose, and was leaning toward Philosophy (much to my father's dismay!) I went to visit Uncle Bob at his office at BYU, where he was a professor for many years. He acted as if he had all the time in the world for me. We talked about school and philosophy and I left his office loaded down with books on the subject.

Uncle Bob was one of those people who always made me feel like he was glad to see me. He never talked down to me when I was little, as some adults did. He always treated me and spoke to me as an equal. Impressive, since I could NEVER hope to measure up to him! He was one of the most intelligent men I have ever known. He was an unmatched scriptorian, an avid genealogist, and a devoted family man.

He will be greatly missed.

A Veteran's Day Thank You.......

On Veteran's Day................

Thanks, Dad......and thanks to your dad, too. And your brothers.

Thanks, Joe. And your dad. And your brother. And your sisters.

Thank you.....to all who have served. And all who currently serve.

Thanks for the time and effort and sacrifice on behalf of our country.

Thanks for keeping us safe. For giving us peace.

Thanks for giving all that you have for Flag, Family, and Freedom.

And thank you to those left here at home. Holding down the fort. Raising the kids. Paying the bills.

We may not like the war. But we love those who serve. So today, let's give thanks. Let's stand proud and fly our flags and rejoice in the freedoms that we have because of those who have given so much. Today.....let's remember.

Remember....

Here's to those who lost their lives on 9/11. May we always remember their sacrifices and bravery. May we stand strong again those who would do us harm. May we be prepared for whatever the future may hold.