For Mothers Day: Amazing Mothers Who Have Influenced Me

1. 

Amelia Hostetter, my next door neighbor from Lehi. She is a lot younger than me, but one of the greatest Mom's I know. Amelia is just good, compassionate, fun and faithful. She gives adoring attention to her kids. She is always positive about herself and her 5 little kids. You can tell she puts a lot of time into her children because she has 5 of the best, cutest children I have ever met. I don't usually like babysitting, but her kids were always a welcome addition to our home. You can just tell that Amelia walks by faith. I love how happy she always is-- like a breath of fresh air. How have I been influenced by her???? Well, I think of how happy and sweet she is and know that I need to be more like that.

2. Naomi Kitchen, my closest friend in Wichita. Naomi is like a week younger than I am. She is the only person that I have met as an adult that I knew for sure we would have been the best of friends if we knew each other in high school. Naomi has 6 children and a very busy husband who is a Bishop. She is open an sweet. She serves everyone whenever they ask. She left her home open for me to crash at when we were selling our home in Wichita. She is very patient with her children. I don't think she ever gets angry with them. How have I been influenced by her?????? When I think of Naomi, it reminds me to be more patient with my children and not crabby when my house is a mess.

3. Jane Robertson or just Great Grandma. She is John's grandmother. Grandma is mom to 6, grandmother to 45 and Great Grandmother to...A LOT and counting, and she remembers everyone's birthday!!!! She is 90 and does all of her own cooking and cleaning and everything. She tells great stories. She loves education and teaching and learning. Grandma is a fine accomplished woman. From Grandma's example John and I go to the library faithfully and we try to answer every question our children ask us. (We have it easy with the internet, though.)

4. Judy Robertson, my amazing mother in law and good friend. She has influenced me in so many ways. She made my husband the good man that he is. She is faithful and true. She works harder than any person I have ever met. If I need any help at all, she is there. She calls and talks to me all of the time and I really appreciate the friendship and adult conversation while I do my housework. I love and treasure her friendship. She serves her children and grandchildren and all of her neighbors. She spends a lot of time helping the elderly and babysitting. She keeps of with current events and cares a lot about America and society. She is an amazing mother. She taught her 9 children to be good, faithful, and productive people.I want to be a good mother like Judy.

5. This is my own grandmother, Yvonne Harrison, we called her Memere. She is my Mom's mother and she died of ovarian cancer when I was 19. I always wished she could have lived long enough to meet John. I know they would like each other. I think, I am probably more like my Memere than I would often like to admit. Memere was strict like I tend to be. She liked to read and learn things. I think I got half my nerdiness from my Dad and the other half from my Memere. Memere picked me up from early morning seminary when I was in high school. She would have me over for dinner and always have things set up so nice and pretty. Whenever I felt lonely as a teenager, I would go and visit Memere. She made me feel happier. She also quit smoking and drinking cold turkey to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She served 2 missions in California after she retired. One of my most treasured items from Memere was a letter she wrote me 2 months before she died in which she bore her testimony of the true gospel. Memere left a true legacy of faith for me. I have been ever grateful to her for listening to the missionaries, introducing my mother to them, getting baptized, and staying faithful, so that I could be born in a covenant home and spread that Legacy to my own children.

6. My very own wonderful mother, Pat Pardon. My mother is always serving people because she loves them. She serves without even knowing she is serving. If someone my mom knows is sick or down, she will just take in dinner or invite them over. My mother's home has always been open to the lonely, and depressed. My mother just loves people. She loves, her friends, her family, and even strangers. My mom loves her grandchildren. She would give them anything. If one of my kids wants something, even just candy, all they have to do is call grandma and it will be in the mail. (Fortunately, my kids don't really know this :)). My mom taught me to read my scriptures, to pray, to have faith and repent. My mom faithfully attended church and did her callings even when she suffered from a neck injury. My mother formed me and made me who I am. My mother served me in ways that I never knew until I became a mother. My mother still spends everyday of her life serving and helping her family. I have been very blessed to have born to such an amazing woman.