Women

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I want to accomplish and become as a mother and as a woman. When I contemplate this, specific women I respect, love, and honor come to mind. I've been blessed in my life with an abundance of not just average, not just good, not even great, but exceptional women. They each have taught me something invaluable. Life lessons I strive to live by and model my life by. 

One obvious woman is my mother. She is hands down the most amazing woman, who can and has endured all kinds of hardship and sorrow and still comes out on top. She has taught me the value of hard work. She raised 5 kids, cared for a very ill and physically handicapped husband,  not to mention farmed the family farm and oversaw an apartment complex our family owned. I had no idea what this all entailed until recently, when I was confronted with less than desirable situations and she was knowledgeable and could offer assistance and advice. I think about her, being stretched to her limits, yet I never remember her being so overwhelmed she couldn't provide fun, happy memories I think back on often. She exemplifies patience and long suffering. The next woman I think of often is my Aunt Becky. We were able to spend lots of time playing at her house. We even lived there for a summer. I always felt so at ease at her house. It was as if she was my second mother. I loved her pop out books she had, and thought she was the coolest person in the world to have so many pop out books. That summer we lived there she left candy and messages on our pillows. I have few fonder memories than that. She made me feel so important and loved. We got to do a candy stand and sell candy at her house (cause they actually had neighbors) she made everything fun and exciting. I don't know if it was when we were there living or a weekend we were staying there, but I was helping her clean the house; she taught me the correct way to vacuum, making it look nice when your done. Not a time I'm vacuuming making perfect lines in the carpet goes by that I don't remember that day, when i was vacuuming her pink carpet in her beautiful front room. She exemplifies teaching and serving.Another woman who many more people know now these days is my Aunt Linda. Before she became the General Relief Society President and teaches me and millions around the world through her inspired thoughts and words....she was just Aunt Linda to me. She always had such an orderly beautiful home. I also looked forward to sleepovers at her house. They had the most beautiful yard, not to mention their awesome playhouse....and people....their neighbor had a pool on their backyard! That's pretty impressive to a farm girl who's closest thing to a pool at her house was the pond at the end of the flooded garden. :) I remember going to our annual Burton camp out and standing at the back of their vehicle in total fascination and aw at her organized totes with all their camping supplies. Everything was labeled and had its proper place. I would dream of being that organized and orderly. I would try to label and organize things in my room each summer after seeing how beautiful and organized everything she had was.  I honestly remember planning on doing that when i grew up.....she exemplifies to me a house of order, a house of peace.

My sweetest Grandma Burton. Oh how i miss her. She had a gift to make everyone feel so important. She lived a life of service and love. She served my grandpa perfectly. Everyday i make my husband take his own lunch to work, each time i throw his white shirt in the dryer I cant help but to feel just a little guilty that I'm not doing more to serve him. Each time i bring out Rhodes rolls for dinner i feel like i could be taking one extra step and making homemade rolls for my family. She would get up so early EVERY Sunday and make rolls. She was a perfect example of perfected love and service. Not a second thought for herself. No time spend worrying about herself. She exemplified serving till you couldn't serve any longer...and even now, she serves us, I'm sure of it. 
My wonderful Grandma Pete. Oh how i miss her. She has been gone so long it seems. She was wonderful. I long for her long talks with a glass Kool-aid. She worked so hard. So took care of so much. She was a farmers wife. She supported him in his long hours, thankful for his hard work. She was always available to talk to, she always took time for us kids. She was the perfect friend. 
I have many great Aunts, cousins, and friends. All of them teaching me some skill or attribute i would like to obtain. I only mentioned a few, but all of them and i mean all of them taught or are still teaching me something. 
I think too often we think we can slack off and give excuses to let things slide. I know i do. I justify not making my husbands lunches by saying he is a big boy, I justify my disorderly home by saying its cause i have too many kids and things going on in my house during the day that its not worth it. I justify letting myself and my image go by saying there are more important things....really. There is no excuse. I can do all those things. Its just about being disciplined. Something so many today, myself included, let everything bog us down so we let so much go by the wayside. It is impossible to be perfect. I know that. But, i think ill use these thoughts i have written down as a new beginning  Writing this reminded me of so much more i could be doing that really isn't difficult or that time consuming. No, i most likely wont get up early on Sunday morning to make rolls, but i can wake up 15 minutes earlier to make my hard working husband a lunch. My house will still look like 9 kids run around it all day long, but i could get a little more organized and have a proper place for everything.....and actually put it back there when I'm don't using it. And if it doesn't have a place or i don't use it often, just to get rid of it. No more clutter. I should be more disciplined and take better care of the body i have been given. 30 minutes less sleep to stretch and strengthen my body would be so much better than those 30 minutes of sleep. 
I am going to try to be just a little bit better each day. I want to be more like the great women I have been blessed to have in my life.