What a day to be a mother!

It is a gorgeous day and there was never a happier Kit. I get to be a mom. Of these three angels. And wife of this angel. (That's our yummy dinner he's grilling)

And daughter and granddaughter of these angels...

Church was wonderful--The primary sang 2 songs in sacrament meeting and this was the first time I had a child up there singing to ME. I cannot believe how my heart was singing as I watched her walk all the way up to the stand (we were way back in the overflow), sing both songs looking at me with a big smile, and walk all the way back to my arms. Joy. Pure joy.

Then in Sunday school we were talking about spiritual gifts and all the ones that we absolutely need, should ask for, be worthy of, and are entitled to as mothers. The teacher had someone read aloud the Proclamation on the Family and we discussed the responsibilities mothers have and then the spiritual gifts available to us as we try to fulfill them. A few examples include discernment, faith, testimony, charity, pure knowledge (like the mother at Haun's Mill after the massacre when she prayed and received a specific answer of how to heal her son's hip), and patience. What a blessing to know that we can ask for and receive these powerful gifts in the essential responsibilities given to mothers.

I was also impressed with the warning given at the end of the Proclamation that talks about the negative consequences that follow when eternal truths are ignored or blatantly disobeyed. It's easy to see the consequences that our society is facing at this moment as the family is attacked on all sides, but today I thought of how I, personally, will reap the same penalties or the promised blessings every minute of every day based on how I apply these principles as a wife and mother. (duh, that's the whole point, I know--I'm just a little slow :) )

Thursday was a perfect example of this. In one day I saw both the penalties of ignoring and the blessings of seeking and applying a spiritual gift. Namely, patience. That morning Kevin was really late getting home from the gym when I needed to get Ryn to dance. I was getting more and more frustrated as the minutes passed, but then I stopped and prayed and asked for the patience I needed to forget about it and not dwell on it. Instead of fuming and fuming, I just got to work doing all I could do and reminding myself of what a great man Kevin is :). The blessings that followed: when he got home, I and the girls were ready to go, genuinely happy to see him, we arrived in plenty of time, and everyone had a wonderful, happy morning.

I'm ashamed to say that the opposite happened later that evening when he was late getting home from work. (I know, I'm completely lame--my sister-in-law hasn't seen my brother for 6 months straight and never complains.) This time I didn't ask for and certainly didn't apply that gift. The penalties: I was miserable and made everyone else miserable, too. Luckily, Kevin and the Lord are both patient with me and we haven't reached the "calamities" yet, but how sad to miss out on even half a day of happiness and blessings that I could have had and could have given to my family.

Moral of the story: Being a mother is the most wonderful, difficult thing in the world and I need all the help I can get. Thankfully, a loving Father in heaven knew this would be the case and prepared the way for me and all His children to compensate for our inadequacies and repair our imperfections through spiritual gifts and the atonement of His Son.

I'm so thankful for a mother who seeks for and blesses my life with so many spiritual gifts. I'm so thankful for other righteous women--a mother-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, aunts, grandmothers, cousins, mission companions, roommates, teachers and friends that have done the same. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!