Every once in a while I stop myself in the middle of whatever I’m doing and realize I’m gradually morphing into my mom. No, unfortunately it’s not the selfless, Christ-like qualities I’m beginning to emit more and more of. It’s more the things like cutting my own hair (even the back) and reading random street signs as I’m driving down the street. Or the way we both feel amazingly calm and relaxed while lying in the sun slathered with baby oil, (it’s like therapy). Or how we could both eat newborn babies whole. Or the way we both love to travel, and want to soak up good books. Or the fact we both aimed for 10 kids. She got nine, I got my five. (Fortunately she’s the one who got the closest because we all know who could have handled ten better.) I say things like “whizzbang” and “newfangled” and “mad-as-a-hornet.” I laugh until I bawl…tears streaming down my cheeks, especially when I’m tired. I get things stuck in my teeth. Oh, and I love chocolate.Yep, I’ve got all those things down. They’re in the genes. No effort in that. Now I need to start working on being like her on the really good stuff. Like how she always puts others first..always willing to let everyone else do something fun while she stays behind to babysit or clean or cook or pull weeds. She’s one of the most selfless people I know. Or like how she will put flowers and a bowl of nuts or chocolate in your room when you go stay at her house and she doesn’t complain when she has a house full of people wrecking havoc. She’s the best hostess I’ve ever met. Or like how she tears up when she reads the scriptures and how she reads the Book of Mormon every single year for her annual BofM challenge. Or like how she makes people feel as if they’re the most important person in the world even when she’s got a million other things whirling on around her. Or how even though she had nine kids, she always made each of us feel like we were important and we meant the world to her. There’s no one on earth I’d rather try to emulate. I love my mom.

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10 Comments

  1. she sounds MORE than amazing shawni! you are so lucky to have such a great example on your life. my mom is great in a million ways too and i’ve always been proud that she’s mine. ni the work begins to be HALF as great as they are.

  2. I loved this post. It is true, now we start to turn into our moms. I have never met your mom, but I have read some of her books and I know why you turned out so wonderful.

  3. From what I have read on your blog and what others say about you, it seems like you have all those good qualities down. I love all the fun expressions you share with your mom. This is a sweet and tender post Shawni. Thanks for sharing. From reading her book, I can tell she is one AMAZING lady.

  4. I love our moms! All the “sayings” we inherit…Some of them not so contemporary these days but we say them anyway! I just read your post on Lucy. She’s a doll..you should talk to my sister Heather…she’s had some of the same issues with Kendyll and she’s 3 yrs old. She may be able to help?

  5. Now I know why you are so fabulous.
    Your Mom has a twinkle about her. You should figure out a way to package her, like a perfume, so a little of her could rub off on a lot of us.

  6. um, I’m pretty sure you have her great qualities. When you described her, I was like ya that’s Shawni. p.s. I love the sayings you inherited… “mad as a hornet.”

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