Mother's Day

So the day I have dreaded for the past thirteen years is once again sneaking up on me. I HATE MOTHER'S DAY!!! There, I said it!!! I don't like going to church and hearing how wonderful mother's are. I know I should look at it differently but to me it's just a HUGE reminder of how much I miss my mother. How I wish she knew Jon. How I wish she could hold my children. How I wish I could call her and talk for hours. So many things that have happened the past thirteen years that I would love to tell her. After giving this much thought I decided I would write a tribute to my mother to help me get through this Mother's Day. I'm not a writer. I have terrible grammar skills and most of the time don't make any sense. So just bare with me as I try to put in to words what's in my heart.

LaPreal Knapp Ware was born September 26, 1944. She was number 10 out of 11 children. She was raised on a dairy farm in Mapleton, Idaho. My mother loved being on the farm. She loved going outside and working with her father. She called herself a "tomboy". When my mother was 14 her mother passed away. Her father remarried and moved to Logan, Utah. My mother stayed back on the farm and lived with an older sister so she could finish High School. Once out of High School my mother moved to Grantsville, Utah and lived with another sister. This is where she met the man of her dreams, my father. My parents married on September 15, 1967 (I think that's the year). They made there home in Grantsville, Utah. My mother wanted a big family. She loved children. She settled with 8 children but I think she would of welcomed more.
My mother was a great mother. She had so much patience and love. She hardly ever raised her voice and had a calming way of letting you know when she was disappointed.
My mother had lots of talents. One of them was baking. She would make about 10 loaves of bread at one time. She would always make sure we gave at least 7 of the loaves to neighbors or friends. She was always thinking of others and willing to share. She would make us kids deliver the bread so we could learn the importance of thinking of others.
My mother was a great listener. Friends would call and tell her everything. She never passed gossip. I remember being in College hearing something that happened in my home town. I called home to tell my mom. She of course already knew but wasn't going to spread it around and told me I shouldn't talk about it either.
My mother loved our savior Jesus Christ. She was a very strong member of our church. She gave countless service hours to help others. I didn't realize how many lives she touched until she was bed-ridden in her last year of life. The whole town came together and provided dinner for my family every night. Every single night for a year and a half my family had a hot meal made from someone my mother had touched with her life. I still get teary eyed thinking about this. I didn't realize my mother had been such an influence for good to so many people.
My mother had a great way of making everyone feel special and needed. If you ask any of my brothers and sisters they will all say they were moms favorite. The funny thing is we were all moms favorite! She made each one of us feel very special.
My mother is my best friend! I think she was very inspired. When I was in college my mother wrote me lots of letters. I couldn't figure out why she was writing me letters when we would speak on the telephone every Sunday and Wednesday. I now know why I received those letters. So I can read them today! If I want to chat with my mom I just go pull out my letters.
I love my mother! I miss her terribly. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her. She has influenced my life for the good. I would like to be the kind of mother to my children that she was to me (I'm failing terribly).
I believe that I will see her again. I believe that families are forever. That I will live with her and the rest of my family after this life. Oh, I can't wait for that day! I can't wait to introduce the man of my dreams to her. I can't wait for her to hug my children. I can't wait to see her precious smile and to hear her voice. I love you mom! Happy Mother's Day!!!