A Fond Memory of My Mum

Another tough one! I love my Mom so much and I want to make sure I do her justice in writing.
I don't have a super good memory from my young days, but I do remember snuggling with my Mom when I was pretty young. I remember laying in her lap on the couch and showing her a cross stitch I made. She taught me how to do things like cross stitch, knit and sew. I don't think I was a very good student, but she was patient.
My Mom would always read to me. When I would wait for the bus or just before bed, she would always be reading to me. I think that is where I gained a thirst for books. My Dad use to tease us about the books we read (Ramona series, Babysitters Club and more), but we knew he was listening when he drove on trips or when we was home to hear it because he would use certain parts of the books to tease me and my friends.
Probably my most poignant memories of my Mom as I was growing up came from the trials we experienced. I remember driving to church with her after my brother died. She pulled over about three blocks away from our house and was pretty emotional. She expressed something along the lines of not being able to go to church. Then she seemed to take a deep breath and she pulled back on the road. She explained that church is where we needed to be and she had to go. What a great example!I also remember going on a lot of family vacations growing up. We drove every where. There were many trips to Disney World, one to a house boat in Georgia, other to Apple Valley, Ohio, French Lick, Indiana, Mackinaw Island, Nauvoo, Palmayra and a bunch to Chicago so she could attend the temple. She was amazing at driving those many, many miles by herself. She was also the queen of finding random places along the route to stop. I don't know how she found them pre-internet. (I still can't find random things when I use the internet.) I loved these vacations and hope I can take my family on some good ones as they grow up!
Hum...what else...My Mom was a big support of my athletics. I can remember a time when she played softball with me in the street when we lived on Dartmouth. It was fun to have a Mom that wasn't afraid to have fun and get dirty with you! She also got me hooked on family bike rides. She would hook up a trailer and pull my two brothers and I would ride behind them.
As I got older my Mom supported my decision to go to BYU. It was weird when we packed up my stuff and drove across the country and then she and my brother left me at the campus. When they got back to Michigan they packed up my Nanny's house (where we had been living) and ended up living in Nanny's "summer" trailer through a tough winter. They later joined my Nanny down in Arizona. When I came home for Christmas and other times, she always tried to make me feel comfortable. She would give up her bedroom, so that I could have my "own" room as opposed to the couch in the living room. I always felt bad, but she would not have it any other way!I think I made my Mom proud when I left on my mission to England. I remember being at the airport and Burns started to get teary eyed. That made me a little emotional, but before any tears were shed my Mom said something to the effect of "Don't start." That might sound harsh, but knowing our family it just fits with the eternal perspective we have. 18 months apart is nothing compared to the time we have until we see my Dad and brothers again. I am so glad we know we will see them again. My Mom has been amazing at helping our family understand that!
The final things that have made my Mom proud are my marriage to Tyler and having her grandchildren. She thinks I got a pretty good deal with Tyler and I couldn't agree more! Then to add Matyas and Amaya to the mix, has made her SUPER happy! She and Matyas are the best of friends. They love to play trains together and procrastinate bedtime for hours when we visit. My Mom is so amazing with little ones and it really shows in her relationship with my children!
There is so much more I could say, but I will leave it at this for now!
Love you Mom!