Happy Birthday, Mom!

"The mother loves her child most divinely, not when she surrounds him with comfort and anticipates his wants, but when she resolutely holds him to the highest standards and is content with nothing less than his best." 

Hamilton Wright Marie

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Pat, our mother, advocate and best friend celebrates her birthday today. Mom, we love you for everything you are and everything you have taught us to be. We are better women and mothers because of your influence and guidance. We celebrate you today with a small tribute and expression of our love for you.

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So I'm convinced that my mother knew me and me my mother before this life. That has been testified to me on a number of occasions. I think the question that I have is who convinced who to be together in the same family? After some thought to this question, I am pretty sure that I begged her to be my mother. You see I knew I needed a mom who was real, would care for me, teach me the gospel, be an excellent example of trying to live a Christlike life day after day, accept me with my strengths and weaknesses and form a everlasting friendship with me. I am sure as I begged her, I made it clear I wanted and needed all this in a mother. And not only did she accept way back when but here on earth she has delivered and been all that to me and more. Is my mom perfect? Nope. But that is not what I was looking for in a mother. I express my thanks lovingly to my mom for being my excellent mother, exceptional friend and a magnificent woman. I am humbled and elated that we have had much time and many experiences together and look forward to lots more in the future. I am so grateful we can celebrated the wonderful you, today! Have a DYNAMITE birthday, Pat!

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P--patient
A-affable
T--teachable
R--righteous
I--industrious
C--clean
I--intelligent
A--altruistic

My mother is all this and so much more. One thing I appreciate about her that I hope to emulate as I age is her openness to learn, grow, change, and perceive differently rather than be "stuck" or "set in her ways" as I see so many people, especially as they get older. She is constantly evolving and allowing herself to be refined into a more superb, grace-full, Christ-like woman. Mom, I admire, adore, and love you! Thanks for giving me life and then blessing it immeasurably.

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Other than being fit and very pretty, in her current phase of life, my mother may appear to be ordinary. But really she has lived a life of extraordinary accomplishments. Most of what she has accomplished and endured is an accumulation of many moments or many days, day after day, doing the right things with the right attitude. I cannot imagine what it was like to care for the physical needs alone of nine children and a self-employed husband who was often out of town. Pregnancy, meals, dishes, laundry, and shopping, plus diapers and potty training, managing emotions and conflicts, school and music and sports activities, adolescents and young adults, driving, dating, missions and weddings, plus serving many others over and over in church calling after calling. There are many women who do and have done these things. Maybe what makes her different (as I view it) is her ability to look back without pride or regret. She knows she did the best she could when she could, and she judges others in the same compassionate way. A family friend has said that she has a common sense approach to the Gospel that is uncommon in women of the Church and is refreshing. She is classy but modest, intelligent but grounded. She is so appropriate that when she comes to visit me and we are folding laundry, she asks exactly how I fold my towels or my baby's onesies so they can be just how I would want them. How could I adequately describe or appreciate a such woman in a paragraph?
Happy Birthday, Mom. I hope you are around for a long time. I still have so much to learn from you and so many moments and days and years to enjoy with you. I love you.

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"She who can paint a masterpiece or write a book that will influence millions deserves the plaudits and admiration of mankind. But she who would willingly and anxiously rear successfully a family of beautiful healthy sons and daughters whose lives reflect the teachings of the gospel, deserves the highest honors that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God. In fact, in her high duty and service to humanity, endowing with mortality eternal spirits, she is a co-partner with the Great Creator Himself."

David O. McKay 

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A few words to and about my favorite Mother-in-Law:
1. She is the only woman I know that begins a story with the genealogy of the key actors.
2. She is the epitome of a Regal Woman, beautiful and confident.
3. She has the qualities of a woman "Yoda". Insightful, fun, honest, foreseeing, and understanding.
4. She knows what it means to "comfort those that stand in need comfort". She was there for me when my mom died, and with her arm around me while I was shaking, let me know that I was not alone. How much that meant then and still means to me today.
5. Although opposites in many ways, Patricia is the exact compliment to Merlin. What an inspired Eternal relationship.
6. She has been accepting of everyone that is honest in heart, and me too.
7. I love Patricia, for her I would fight her battles and win.
Happy Birthday.

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I love you, Mom for being the unbiased mediator, mentor, and friend. You teach me so gently and selflessly every time we speak. Thank you for raising three amazing sons who know how to treat and respect women, serve the Lord and cherish their families. I feel your love and prayers constantly in my life and know you love each and every one of us with a Christlike love. Thank you for being my mom and keeping me close when my mother died. You are the invisible woman of cathedral building.  You are one of the most precious gifts in my life.

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Pat, Mom and Grandma:

Beautiful • Magical • Loving • Fancy • Awesome • “hot” –in both ways

Sweet • Healthy • Excellent • Tough • Crafty (makes crafts) • Loves her grandkids

Smiley • Fun-loving • Amazing • Understanding • Trustworthy • Radiant • Quilter

Creative • Spiritual • Motherly • Stylish • Responsible • Unselfish • Heroic • Inspiring • Perfectionist • Traditional

Funny • Seamstress • Good sport • P.A.T. Dynamite • Green thumby • Humble • Inspired • Temperance • Steadfast and immovable

Matriarch • Hard worker • Virtuous • Lovely • Of Good Report • Praiseworthy • Faithful • Charity • Kind • Prayerful • Industrious • Teacher • A Daughter of God • Gratitude • Pioneer

Sincere • Thoughtful • Positive • Elegant • Understanding • Great laugh • Generous • Giving • Meek • Full of integrity • Dignified • Calm (except during BYU football and when playing Ryan in Skip Bo)

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My lovely mother spends her time and energy on things that are of eternal significance.  She knows that relationships are what matter in the long run.  Think how much time it takes just to check in with her nine children and their children.  Over my twenty year marriage she has not ever spoken negatively about my husband, a vast accomplishment that inspires me to act as well when I have children-in-law.  As her mother and grandmother before her, she views her children's spouses as her own children and treats them with love and respect and as works in progress.  My mom is kind to herself and others while maintaining high expectations and a happy world view.  She listens well and can give advice and withhold advice judiciously.  She chooses activities and interests to balance her life and expand her vision.  I love to have her visit my house--it's like having two of me working through the problems and projects except she has fresh eyes and a better attitude.  We know how to derive satisfaction from work when we are together.  We have great conversations, drink green drink twice a day, walk outside for exercise, and rethink spaces/sort/pitch/clean/organize over and over in my house.  This kind of tangible love keeps me going long after she is gone.