"Who ran to help me when I fell,
and would some pretty story tell,
or kiss the place to make it well?
My Mother"
~Ann Taylor
The joy in motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction.
~ Elder M. Russell Ballard
When I created my Updated Bucket List for YEAR 77 I included the idea of having a number of special Family Gatherings during the year. These would include birthdays of family members, holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, tours of some of the unique places in the Los Angeles area, and Mother's Day. Mother's day is a special occasion where we express respect, honor and love towards our mothers. The day is an event to honor the contribution of mothers, acknowledge the efforts of maternal bonds and the role of mothers in our society. Those of us who have lost our mothers can still honor and remember them on this special day.
Bonnie and I both feel we were lucky that she was able to be a "stay-at-home Mom" where, in addition to all the efforts required to manage the household, she was able to devote time to raising our three daughters. Bonnie loves our girls unconditionally, as I do, but she was able to be there for them all day, every day, as they grew and matured; as they needed help, guidance, and encouragement. I think a child's ability to connect with the world around them begins with their connection to mom; that those who are loved, nurtured, encouraged, and spend their formative years in a safe and secure environment, grow up to be healthy, well-adjusted, confident adults. Bonnie did a wonderful job, and to our delight, Jenny, Tracy and Heather all fit those results.
Also to our delight, our three girls turned out to be wonderful moms like their mother is. Admittedly, Tracy devotes her special talent to her doggies rather than children, but it is very much the same. Jenny is a wonderful, devoted and loving mother to Bekah and Matthew - I hope they appreciate her. Unfortunately, Jenny lived through the tragic experience of losing her still-born child Christian. And Heather is also a wonderful, devoted and loving mother, not only to her son Griffin, but to her children Meghan and Curran who came into her life through her marriage.
On Mother's Day morning, Sunday May 13th, family members met at Rudy's Mexican Restaurant, one of the favorite places for all of us, to have a Mother's Day Brunch. We accept as normal these days that all family members can't make these gatherings. Mike, Matthew and Rob all had to work, Meghan is working and living in Boston, and Curran is away attending college at Humboldt State in Arcata, CA. You can see the rest of us in the photos below - first photo left to right is Sean, Bekah, Jenny, Bonnie, Ron, Griffin, Heather, and Tracy. The three mothers being honored are in the second photo - Happy Mother's Day to Jenny, Bonnie and Heather.
Click Photo to Enlarge - Use Arrows for Next Photo
I couldn't find many photos of past Mother's Day celebrations. The first one on the left below was taken at the Alta Vista family home in 1982. The second photo was taken in 1988 at the Jonathan Beach Club Mother's Day Brunch and included Mike; the third one was taken in 1989, also at the Beach Club, and included Mike, as well as Clyde & Millie.
Click Photo to Enlarge - Use Arrows for Next Photo
