By the time this posts I’ll be up in Utah for the big American Mothers National Convention that’s happening this weekend. (It is located in different cities each year…last year was New York City…as much as I love Utah, darn, I missed that one:)

I’m sure it’s going to be a great weekend, but my stomach has been in knots for days in anticipation of leaving everyone again. I was just gone. It’s kind of funny how much you appreciate the normal, every-day stuff when it’s not as readily available as usual. But these kids sure are excited about the opportunity to hang out with very dear friends and a fun babysitter while we’re gone.

En route to the convention, my Mom and I are signing books at Women’s Conference in the early afternoon on Thursday (from 1:30-3:30). We had fun last time we did it, so I’m excited we get to do it again. Come join us if you’re there! It’s mostly my Mom’s deal this time around in light of her new book I talked about here. It’s a good one. (I’m doing a give-away for it next week.)

Before the American Mothers shin-dig this weekend I figured I better post these pictures from when they presented us (the Mother of the Year and I) to our state legislature.

I’m embarrassed to say that I have never been to our state capitol before this day.It’s a beautiful building.

This darling couple chauffeured us around. They are so sweet.We were presented both at the House and Senate floors and we felt very honored.

Below the Mother of the Year is on the right, the past Young Mother of the Year and President of our state’s American Mothers Chapter is in the middle by me, and the kind lady who was our guide (and was also the Mother of the Year years ago) is on the left.
Our Secretary of State also honored us with a proclamation and kind words:It was a very, very nice day.

…Until Dave and I got a very, very flat tire on the way home:
I want to clarify that the Mother of the Year thing is not a competition. It’s just really a way for people to nominate and honor mothers they think are doing a good job. It’s a way to celebrate motherhood.

I feel a little silly that I was chosen for our state because I know mothers all over the place who are so very much more put-together than I am. They’re not the ones who are flying by the seat of their pants and had a police officer show up at their house because their daughter accidentally called 911 (yeah, really, that was Claire two days ago). They’re not the ones who can’t seem to be on time for anything and who nag their kids (and husband). I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and some very nice people just happened to have the crazy thought pop into their minds to nominate me.

I am honored but also feel very inadequate. I know that may seem dumb, because I write all about my theories and ideas here, and maybe sometimes I can even make them sound grand. But I’m just a forgetful mom in the trenches trying to make deliberate decisions along the way. And I know that if I ask, God will help me somehow raise my children into what He wants them to be.

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14 Comments

  1. Shawni-you deserve this award. I'd have nominated you too! 🙂
    You are an inspiration to us all with your positive attitude and your love for all of things "mother"…the good, the bad, the ugly. (911 calls, slamming doors, smashed fingers, temper tantrums…). I have laughed at so many of your stories and totally related. But you have also inspired me so much with your approach to motherhood (full of gusto!). I have nodded my head reading your posts about all your "wonderings"…when to push, or pull back, how to make sure they learn the important things about life before they are out of our nests…we mothers worry about the same things, and that is solace to me when I feel like I might be crazy with worry.
    Your love of life, your love of family, your love of tracking memories through photos, the way you see little things your children are accomplishing, how you take seriously your responsibility of your children's spiritual growth…is contagious and motivating to me.
    Congratulations!

  2. i agree, you do deserve it BECAUSE you are NORMAL!! Yu work hard at been a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and that is the type of person i would nominate in a heartbeat! Good for you! PLUS, i LOVE LOVE your black skirt in the pictures 😉

  3. Congratulations Shawni!! I completely agree. You inspire me time and time again – and in so many ways. For example, we started celebrating Easter all week long and we pulled out the yarn! The kids loved it. I know keeping up this blog is time consuming – but please know you are about a great work.

  4. Congrats! You will be so grateful you documented everything in your life..the worst of times will seem not so bad. Have a safe and spiritual journey this weekend.

  5. For all these reasons, you are exactly the right woman for this honor. You inspire mothers all around you. And we're cheering for you!

    "But I'm just a forgetful mom in the trenches trying to make deliberate decisions along the way. And I know that if I ask, God will help me somehow raise my children into what He wants them to be."

    That's exactly what I'm banking on. Congrats again.

  6. I wish I could be at Women's Conference to meet you and your mom! I have your book "A Mother's Book of Secrets". I LOVE it!! I actually live in Arizona too, but I would fly to Utah just to meet you!! 🙂

  7. …….and you're so modest and humble to boot, too!! Accept is Shawni. You ARE mother of the year. ; D

    Congrats!! That is SO cool!

    And congrats to your mom on her latest book. I hope to meet the both of you for real someday.

  8. And what you said at the end of this post is, to me, why you're so wonderful. I don't know you personally, but your humility, and "real-ness" are a breath of fresh air. A normal person, doing extraordinary things! That's what a mother is. 🙂 Thanks for your light.

  9. Oh Shawni – you do deserve it! You are an awesome mom!
    I also hate it when someone calls 911 – then forgets that they did it and mom only finds out when she listens to the police department on the answer machine after a fun filled week at PCH after a child is airlifted to the hospital. Funny how someone using the phone would then forget to answer it once the cops call to see why they called 911 and hung up… and also funny that neither daughter nor hubby seemed to remember the cops stopping by at 11PM while mom was away…but the neighbor didn't forget to mention it…hmmm…

  10. Shawni, what an awesome way to celebrate motherhood! Thank you for lifting & inspiring the rest of us.

    I was down at BYU Women's Conf & I'm so sad I didn't know beforehand you were there! I would have loved to run by & actually meet you in person. Next year, maybe. 😉 Anyway, a thought I had during some of the great classes was: It feels like a mini-women's conference whenever I read my favorite bloggers. You ladies are real & inspirational and make me want to do so much better. Thank you for sharing of yourself. Prayers for that little Lucy; staring down a dark tunnel is a hard feeling. You've got this.

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