Happy Mother's Day!

Most of you mothers who will be reading this are driving home from a fun-filled weekend of visiting us.  So, first of all thank you for being here this weekend it meant a lot that you were here.

From the moment I was initiated to Mommyhood almost five years ago I couldn't wait for Mother's Days when I would open handmade gifts from my kids.  I was dreaming of a jewelry box overflowing with macaroni necklaces and shelves littered with popsicle stick picture frames.  And of course diamond earrings and gold bracelets lovingly picked out and purchased by Tim.
  Well my friends, that last one may not have happened (yet) but the time has come.  I have entered the era of handmade gifts and I have learned my lesson.  Be careful what you wish for.  A week ago while the girls and I were at Michael's they had a table set up where kids could make their moms jewelry.  Audrey being the crafty type went straight for the table and worked hard to make me what she thinks are the most beautiful pair of earrings.  She couldn't even wait to leave the store before giving me the earrings.  I smiled and promised I would wear them Mother's Day Sunday.  Luckily, I thought, that would give me a full week to find a way out of wearing the huge light reflectors that Audrey had made me.  Later in the week as the earrings sat on my jewelry box taunting me I noticed how hard she had worked on them.  Then I started to feel bad that I didn't want to wear them.  What kind of a mom would I be if I couldn't show people what a lucky mom I am to have a daughter who loves me so much and sees me as a much more beautiful person than I truly am.
  Needless to say I put my earrings on this morning and proudly wore them to church.  

2 Years 8 Months 4 Weeks and 1 Day

But really I haven't been counting.  If I would have bothered with that, a timeline of Tim's law school gig would probably include: One Lexi birth, a summer in Reno, 3 Halloweens (mouse, cat, ladybug, butterfly, abby cadabby, and tinkerbell), 3 Thanksgivings (2 of which I roasted the turkey all by myself!), 3 Christmases,  9 birthdays, 2 apartments, 2 wards, 6 church callings, 1 brand new niece/cousin, 1 brand new nephew/cousin, 17,369 episodes of iCarly, 17,370 Abby Cadabby movies, and 21 finals exams.

  Remember though, I haven't been counting a single moment since that fateful August afternoon when we landed in a tornado of 105 degree days and 90 degree nights, school loans and piles of textbooks.

  Before our family embarked on this adventure we were promised by good intentioned friends and family that the time would just fly by.  I appreciate their trying to help but it's simply not true.  I for one have felt every minute consumed by Law School and was beginning to believe that the much spoken of J.D. degree was just an urban legend, a mythical certificate that Tim would never really obtain.  Not to say I ever regretted our decision to continue Tim's education.  I just couldn't picture what it would be like once this new life we had adapted to was over.

   And through all of this we have had an abundance of good fortune in family and friends surrounding us.  They have helped me forget the years, months and weeks still waiting for us, they have encouraged Tim to forge on in his unique style of diligence, and most importantly have spoiled the girls with so many clothes we can't close their dresser drawers and so much sweets I'm amazed the girls have all their teeth.

  It's now been a full two days since Tim has graduated and it's just not sinking in that in three months we will begin a life as real people.  After Tim is finished with the dreaded BAR exam we will be involved and working in our community and even have a child in school.  The Real World is coming on full speed.  What to do!