Mother's Day

I have always loved being a mom and Mother's day is a very special time to remember all of our mother's. But sadly, it has become a bitter sweet day for me. We are coming up on the 3 year anniversary of when my mom passed away. It's hard to believe that so much time has gone by since I last saw her. I still miss her and wish we had lived closer so that I could have spent more time with her. Especially in the later years of her life. She was quite a character and full of life! So here's to you Mom ...Happy Mother's Day! I love you and can't wait to see you again.

Mom was always taking care of one of her many plants. She's one of the few people I know who actually had a plant room!

My mom and dad on one of our many summer vacations to Bear Lake. Surprisingly she was afraid of the water and couldn't swim. (I think she had a scare as a child and almost drowned). My dad would carry her out to a floating dock on the lake so she wouldn't get her bouffant hair wet!

My mom and her mother (Grandma Ima), her brother (my Uncle Rich and Aunt Nancy). She loved her mother dearly and would visit her often.

My mom is showing my great aunt Mable some of her handiwork. My mom was only 5 feet tall, my sister Kris is 4' 11" and my Great Aunt was only about 4' 9" (before she started to shrink! They loved having someone in the family who was actually shorter than they were!

My mom in the Salt Lake airport after returning from a trip to Denver to visit her mom. She's wearing a welcome home coursage that we brought to surprise her. We were so happy to have her back at home.

My mom posing in our front yard on a sunny afternoon after attending church.

Mom in her kitchen getting to know her first grand child Stefanee. Oh ...that's my sister Kris catching some zzzz's off to the side.

My family came down for a visit and to help us celebrate on the day that our oldest son Eric was given a name and a blessing at church.

A visit to our BYU apartment when Eric was just a toddler. She was always embroidering a set of dish towels for someone in the family.

She and my dad came to visit us in Arizona after our second son Mike was born. Here they are with our oldest son Eric ...who'll be 30 in July!

She loved her grandkids.
My mom and dad yucking it up. I told you she was a character! You can see a bird cage above their heads in the background. She loved parakeets and canaries and always had one in the kitchen. She taught one to talk. I still remember it could say it's name: "Pretty bird, pretty bird."
Mom came to visit us in Oklahoma after our youngest child Stephen was born.

This is one of the last pictures I have of my Mom and Dad together. We took them to her favorite Chinese restaurant -the Pagoda in Salt Lake City -to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
My mom with my sister Kris. Looking great even after having fought cancer for 20 plus years. You are amazing Mom!