A Tribute to My Mom

A few weeks ago my brothers and I found out that my mom would not be able to have a liver transplant due to her weakness. She has been bedridden for most of the month. She has been sleeping a great deal along with being in and out of consciousness. Her voice is very week and she is unable to talk much. Yesterday a doctor called from Wisconsin for a consent to a procedure since she was not mentally aware enough to consent herself. I remembered to put her name back in the temple after that phone call. She is in a lot of pain. I was able to talk to her Monday (the 13th) briefly to tell her "I love you..." "I miss our chats" She hoped we could talk more later. I told her "thank you for being my mom - Jacob 6:12 - thanks for putting that in my cards in college....(we still use it and the boys and Chris all know it)...I'll never forget it..." Her voice struggled with every somewhat raspy breath.
Mike called me on Monday the 6th to tell me she was not doing very well and has been in the ICU (since the 4th). Mike called me on Friday, October 3 to let me "speak to her" - she could not speak much.


On Tuesday, September 30th I had tried calling (most of my calls go to the answering message), a hospice care worker answered the phone for her so I was able to talk to her briefly. She was very tired, told me she loved me too. When I said bye and I'll see you later, she said "See you later Alligator" and weakly chuckled. I replied with a chuckle "in awhile Crocodile. I love you... your my princess too you know....bye I love you" She said, "I love you"

As a young child my mom would stroke my hair and tell me I was her princess... (when I felt like an ugly duckling). She taught us to be independent, that choices are important and even let me wear stripes and flowers or polka dots (whatever I chose to wear). She helped me feel important, loved, and appreciated. Whenever we were apart she always gave us hugs and kisses over the phone, "mmm mmm mmm and myah myah myah (with the kissing sounds of course)."
"Mom's Hugs Are Special" (I found a quilted heart magnet for mother's day one year). She also gave the best back scratches.
We have not always gotten along as moms and daughters sometimes disagree, but it is the love and friendship that I remember now...where my focus is now and has been for awhile. Little tiffs or disagreements from the past do not matter much in the long run.
My mom loves M&Ms, especially peanut (she just can't have them now - we found secret stashes on occasion, or empty wrappers...).
She was politically active and even a campaign manager when I was about 10 (she taught me what was wrong with certain movements and how all life is important).
She hiked the Grand Tetons in college and often spoke of this as a favorite achievement.
She even skiied the moguls.
She loves chocolate and Rocky Road ice cream (or any).
She absolutely loves the Blamires granola recipe (I even made her some for her very own at Christmas - she loved that gift).
She loves dolphins and taught me about people who are dolphins versus sharks (with her counseling degree). She likes butterflies too.
She chose to earn a degree at BYU in child development so her own family would be better than the one she grew up in. She also received a master's degree in career counseling.
She wants us to be better and have a better family...
She taught me modesty in dress....when a bag of hand me downs came to us in California and I (about 4) was curious about a green 2 piece bathing suit she gently taught me modesty - she continued to teach me so all my dolls were dressed modestly...
She taught me love of God's name, a few months later in our home in San Jose I said His name in vain. She stopped me and firmly yet gently taught me to never speak his name in vain.
She loves her framed picture of the Washington D.C. temple.
She helped teach me hope, faith and love of the gospel.

I love you my dear mama! Please take care always!

I wanted to write this to mostly help me. Thanks for reading and listening to me talk about my mom.