To all the Moms without kids...

First of all, of course, Happy Mother's Day to my angelic Mother and wonderful Mother-in-law! I love them so much and look to them often for help and advice...more than they realize.

All day, I couldn't help but think of all the women I've been influenced by who aren't technically moms. Do they realize how incredible they are and that they fit the "mother" criteria, in most ways, better than I do? I'll tell you about a few of them but I will use their initials so I don't cause any unwanted attention.

First of all, E.M. is the most amazing sister around (oops, I let that one out of the bag). I wish I could tell you stories about how she mothered me as I was growing up, but they are all waaay to embarrassing for me to share. I can tell you that she is the master of femininity. When I hear daughters speak of how their mothers taught them how to do their hair, what matches and what doesn't match, and how to flirt with boys, etc., I have to attribute all those lessons to E.M (although I never really became a very good flirt and she may fear that her fashion lessons went to waste). She continues to mother her nieces and nephews and you will never meet a more adored Aunt.

Next is S.G. who I taught with at the MTC. This woman could bring the spirit into a room like that *snap please*. She taught with such confidence and power that I often wanted her to come into my classroom and work her magic on my missionaries. She knew how to command an audience and get people's attention (and made it look effortless). I sometimes wonder if I could rent her out to teach the gospel to Luke. He would be so lucky!

R.G. (doesn't read my blog) but she helps me out with Activity Days at church. I look to her for efficiency. I come to her with a gazilion activity ideas to do with the girls in the course of an hour and she, very kindly, gets realistic with me and formulates a plan that will actually work. She never tells me (out loud) that I am crazy for thinking that I can fit so much into an hour or that I should have thought of the specifics before jumping into such a big project. She is perfectly patient and incredibly talented at being the rationale mind. She is confident in who she is, always accepts compliments, and has an uncanny ability to get perfect strangers to open up to her (really, one time we were having lunch at a restaurant and the waitress just started talking to her about all this drama...I thought they knew each other). Trust me, I learn a lot about mothering from this woman.

And the last one I'll share tonight is J.G. I have to keep this one short so I don' t tear up. I'll send Luke to J.G. one day for lessons on faith. I don't know anyone with greater faith than this woman. I don't know anyone with more humility than this woman. Sometimes I feel like I babble on and on without really saying anything (I'm not being hard on myself, it just happens sometimes). But everything that J.G. says is thoughtful, kind, and true. She is one of those Mom's who would not say anything until she totally understood a situation and could say the absolute perfect thing. One of those Mom's who is quoted in Sacrament Meeting talks.

(p.s. she could also teach them how to make ANYTHING in the world, because this woman truly can make ANYTHING with her own two hands).

So thanks to all the women out there who technically aren't Moms but TRULY ARE MOTHERS. I need you in my life!