My Mom
- Becoming a mother myself, it finally dawned on me how much my mom had to sacrifice to give me life, raise me, and love me. I can't begin to describe the love I feel for Pearl, so I can only imagine that's how my mom feels about me.
- No one does laundry like my mom. Jeff thinks it's freaky actually but I think it's one of my mom's best "quirks." She has to sort clothes into a million piles... white socks, boy's undies, white tee-shirts with print on them, red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, light blue, black, purple (sometimes you can combine with pink), prints, and on and on. Seriously, it's a little over the top but I never had to worry about my clothes looking old. The best part of her laundry obsession was when I turned her loose on Pearl's clothes after she was born! That was the best part about having my mom stay with me.
- She always stuck up for her kids. I remember one year I was having some problems with my high school soccer coach and my mom was ready to wring her neck until she stopped hurting me. Many times we kids had to beg my mom to not call the school, a teacher, or some bully's mom. Guess you don't mess with an angry mom! This lesson also applies to banks who screw her over, a business who won't give her the deal they should, etc.
- She cries in movies. Ok, so we typically make fun of her for this one but I still remember as a kid rewinding the original "The Incredible Journey" to the end where all the pets are reunited with their family just to watch my mom sob and sob and sob. Mean, huh? But she still cries in those kind of movies, especially anything Disney related or with animals in it. Sometimes you need someone else to cry for you and my mom's the one!
- My mom is a bit feisty, just like her mom, and I love it! Who doesn't like being around people who genuinely care about others, can make fun of themselves, and get a little sassy once in a while. Everyone loves my mom. I still have old co-workers tell me how much they loved working with my mom and what a great person she was in their lives. I have to agree!
- Gwen taught me how to do hardanger. It's a Norwegian embroidery, sort of like doilies or cutwork, but better (and way, way more expensive to do). It was something her mother taught her and Jeff always said he wanted his wife and girls to learn how to do hardanger too. I was fascinated by it and Gwen had the patience (and still does) to teach me how to create these breathtakingly gorgeous tablecloths, runners, and other fun things. I love knowing that I am carrying on a family tradition. Not to mention that I've never had to buy my own hardanger fabric because Gwen has generously given me hers. Good thing too, because I'm not sure we could afford to buy it!
- She always takes Pearl for us when we go to Aggie games. I can't say how much we appreciate knowing that we can drop Pearl off for 3 hours of fun with grandma and know that they both love it! It makes it so much easier going on dates knowing Pearl is in good hands, with lots of candy around for bribery. And she's even willing to go to Boise, ID as babysitter with us so we can watch the NCAA Tournament games.
- She feeds us. Sounds a little dumb, but really, Jeff's mom and dad invited us over for dinner every Sunday the first year we were married. It literally kept us alive some weeks! They still feed us and always have dinner for us when we drop by. I'm sure if we still lived down the street from them, we'd be getting a free Sunday dinner every week.
- She raised a great son, who luckily wanted to marry me, and still puts up with his shenanigans and teasing. And believe me, it's not easy somedays :)!!!
- I've never heard her say a bad thing about some people who I know have really hurt her in her life. I admire that quality so much and strive to emulate that, although I'm not very good at it. It simply amazes me that she has enough self control to not say hurtful things about others.
- If you thought my mom was feisty, you should meet my Grandma! I love how she can crack an inappropriate joke once in awhile and says what she thinks. She is just hilarious to be around! I remember shortly after Jeff and I were married, that she told me that she really, really like him because she could tease him and he teased her right back. I mean, can your husband slap your Grandma's butt (or your mom's for that matter) and say "What's up toots?" and both start giggling?
- I'm named after my Grandma. I love my given name, Kay Jenette, and the fact that I share this with her. I've always loved knowing that I was named after a very strong woman who has taught me so much about how to live my life. And you can't help but love someone who's self-given nickname for her and my grandpa is "Ho and Oh" (Whorton and Orel Kay).
- My Grandma is a hoarder, which while sometimes scary, has actually worked out in my favor most of the time. You see, growing up, anytime I needed a new dress or clothes I just went shopping at Grandma's. She kept everything and by the time I got to high school, all my mom's old dresses were totally fabulous and stylish. No one ever had authentic dresses, skirts, and the best leather jacket, like I did.
- One of the best memories I have of my Grandma was doing sealings in the Logan Temple. Jeff and I were lucky enough to get to do sealings with my Grandpa as the sealer and I remember it was a really, really busy day at the Temple. The next I remember was seeing a flash of white run to the door, stop and walk past the doorway, then speed up again. It was my Grandma running around making sure everything was in order in the sealing office. I burst out laughing because she was totally trying to not let on that she was running in the temple but I caught her!
- She hates cooking and so do I! I never have to feel bad about it because she always tells me I'm doing the best job I can as a wife and mother and to not be so hard on myself. She married a man who can cook and so did I! Now that is a good example to follow right ladies?
