My First "Official" Mother's Day

This Mother's Day was my first "official" Mother's Day. Last year I was pretty darn close to being an "official" mom -- I was like 8/9 of a mom! I was definitely spoiled this Mother's Day! Below is a picture of the absolutely gorgeous roses that Grant had his dad pick up for me. I think they're some of the prettiest flowers I've ever gotten. I was also big-time spoiled to get a jogging stroller (also pictured below), which I LOVE!! I'm training for a 5K on the Fourth of July, and I want to take Eliot along for the big race, so we hunted and hunted for just the right stroller and finally found just the one I wanted. I've already tested it out several times this week and really like it. Some of my favorite Mother's Day gifts, though, were my cards: an adorable monkey card from Eliot and a home-made (yes, HOME-MADE!) card from Grant, which, as much as he tries to downplay, turned out awesome.


Appropriately, just a couple days before Mother's Day, I was cleaning through some paperwork and found some notes I had written down that had 10 points to be a good mother from President Ezra Taft Benson, a former prophet of the LDS church. From the other notes on the paper, my best guess is that I came across the list sometimes when I was at BYU. I looked up the original source and thought I'd post the list, because I loved it so much. For all of my fellow moms -- present and future -- this is for you.

President Benson has offered ten specific suggestions for mothers as they guide their precious children:

1. Take time to always be at the crossroads in the lives of your children, whether they be six or sixteen.

2. Take time to be a real friend to your children.

3. Take time to read to your children. Remember what the poet wrote:

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be—
I had a mother who read to me.

4. Take time to pray with your children.

5. Take time to have a meaningful weekly home evening. Make this one of your great family traditions.

6. Take time to be together at mealtimes as often as possible.

7. Take time daily to read the scriptures together as a family.

8. Take time to do things together as a family.

9. Take time to teach your children.

10. Take time to truly love your children. A mother’s unqualified love approaches Christlike love.

Ezra Taft Benson, To the Mothers in Zion, pamphlet, 1987, pp. 8–12; see also Ezra Taft Benson, Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1990, pp. 32–36.