So my dad had this great idea this year and he let us all in on it back in February. I am a major procrastinator and would have waited until the last minute to actually type anything up no matter how much notice he gave me. So the 2 day reminder from my sister Carey was perfect. Dad wanted to compile a binder with letters, stories, etc from each of my mom's 5 daughters for Mother's Day. I started thinking on this project immediately and several times over the last 3 months. I was trying to figure out what to say. How do you sum up your mother? A mother can't be summed up. It is ridiculous concept. I didn't realize how impossible a task like this would be until I became a mother and learned for myself how little the boys realize I do for them. You can always tell a household where the mother is not mothering well but when things are running smoothly it gets a lot less obvious what exactly a mother does. With how messy and disorganized I am, I am pretty sure it is not even a little noticeable to outsiders what I do. My mother-in-law brilliantly described it to me as, "When your husband leaves in the morning and the house is messy and he gets back at night and the house is messy, he thinks you have done nothing all day. When your husband leaves in the morning and the house is clean and he gets back at night and the house is clean, he thinks you have done nothing all day." Excuse the punctuation and it is more of a sum up than a direct quote but you get the idea. It doesn't matter that in actuality you saved the house from total destruction a buzillion times and cleaned up what felt like the same messes a buzillion times and got the kids cleaned and dressed and where they needed to be and kept the kids safe despite themselves all that anyone can "see" is if the beginning and ending are the same. Fortunately I have been blessed with a husband who looks for things tangible like are the kids happy and learning. The few years I have worked and Jared stayed home really helped both of us to "see" what the other one does. I have an awesome husband in case you were wondering.

A side note: Could you imagine if all Heavenly Father judged us on was our beginning and ending? We would all fail since we all began perfect, pure, unblemished and without scars and then throughout life we gained bumps, scars, made mistakes, etc. Heavenly Father looks at the journey and knows that without Christ all of our ending results would come up completely, microscopically short.

All of my friends were so jealous of me because of my wonderful mom. I didn't understand why they couldn't see all the bumps, bruises, and scars and the 20 years of intense therapy I was sure I was going to need to fix the 18 years of raising my mom did. I was wrong and my friends were right. My mom is awesome. Not perfect, but absolutely awesome. She cooked family dinners nearly every day. She kept a mostly clean house (I would describe it as spotless now) with only a little help from her daughters and husband. (Growing up, I thought that my sisters and I did the majority of house and yard work.) She kept sane even though my dad was gone a lot with work and church responsibilities. She survived 5 daughters' teenage years and 5 daughters' hormonalness. She raised 5 girls who used their agency not always for good but who know Jesus Christ and value the Atonement and the need for constant repentance. She taught us the value of work and the value of the dollar (sometimes Jared is bothered by my cheapskatedness but it's way better than being a big spender). I never realized how much easier it is just to do everything yourself until trying now to teach my kids the value of work and the value of the dollar. Kids whine and complain and make mom's life miserable with every lesson she tries to teach them. My friends, even the stinky smoker ones, were always welcome in my mom's house. If they needed to smoke because of addiction she always told me they could smoke outside (of her pristine never stinky house. She didn't judge them but she hurt for them that at so young they already had addiction. On to that pristine, never stinky house thing. She couldn't use perfumes or candles (because of allergy) to cover up odors and yet the house rarely was stinky. I don't know how she did it.

If you know the hymn Because I Have Been Given Much that describes my mom. And yet I have a hard time looking at my mom's life from beginning to present and figuring out the much she was given. Her life has been hard. I know life is hard for everyone but if most of us take our hard lives and multiply it by 100 we still would not have it as hard as my mom. Also if most of us take the good in our lives and divide it by 100 we would still have more good than my mom has had. This has given her an empathetic heart for all who are hurting. I don't think she looks at her life the same way I do. I think she is grateful for all the good and the blessings she has had especially the 19 grandchildren, 5 daughters, 4 sons-in-law, 1 superb husband, and innumerable true friends.

I learned from my mom that marriage is hard but totally worth all the pain and effort it requires. I am forever grateful for that legacy and Jared and the boys should be as well. If I thought for one second that marriage was about me I would have been out of here pretty quick. I know from her example that marriage isn't about individual pride, selfishness, emotionality, or anything individual at all. Marriage is about creating a family and allowing nothing to conquer that family.

What follows is what I was able to come up with after much pondering and much procrastination:

I still believe my mom would be awesome at potty training kids. She should start a toddler training center in Idaho. She could make big bucks. I just know it. Her skills with teaching are amazing. Her lessons are always well thought out and researched when she has time to prepare. When she sees a teaching opportunity though she doesn't pass it up. She takes whatever moments are required to teach anyone anything she knows. Most importantly she teaches with love.

I was so excited when my mom asked me to go to the Visitor's Center with her April 2008. It is one of those activities that you can never find time to do for yourself. The pictures and music were beautiful in the Reflections of Christ exhibit. I now own the music and the book of that artwork. Mom and I also found the best cafe- Sweet Cakes Cafe. Maxwell and I have been there a few times since. I am so much more adventurous with my mom.

I love watching and listening to Mom read to my kids. Despite her limited opportunities to hang with her grandkids, she makes every second count that she is able to be around them. My kids are able to trust that her love for them is real, complete, and individual. Sometimes the kids have wanted to call Grandma Jensen to share some special news. Elijah called when he lost his first tooth. Mom took the time to write a precious letter (we still have it) with a childhood picture of Grandpa Jensen. My kids also love to call her to talk about their grades in school. I love the special, individualized comments she leaves each grandkid on the blogs. What an awesome grandma!

Mom has never been afraid to learn new things. Many people her generation are not computer savvy. I remember our first family PC that Mom researched and picked out back when I was in middle school. I also love that she has her own blog. Blogs are an awesome way of communicating, sharing and adding to our family history. Each year Mom writes a family Christmas letter. One Christmas she made each of the girls a Holiday Family Treasures book. My only complaint is that I need a 10 inch binder. Each of her annual letters (and everyone else who sends me one) goes into the Holiday Family Treasures book. I am not the most organized soul, but I love to save things like this and Mom's binder gave me a method of "organizing" it. I also love each of the family recipes included in the book. The first year we had it I tried packing it away with all the Christmas décor. After a month or so I wanted it back and since then I have kept it with my recipe books.

I love her testimony that she so readily shares. I never have doubted that she knows the gospel is true. Many of my temple visits over the past nearly six years of being endowed have been as a result of her planning and sacrificing to make it happen. She watched Brigham so Alyssa, Carey and I could participate in a session at the Salt Lake Temple. She stayed patient with a crying Brigham and I really enjoyed my time there. It is only the second temple I have ever been in. She came out early for Maxwell's birth to attend my own endowment session as my guide or whatever that is called. She helped me to prepare for when I got to be my friend's guide when she went for herself.

I loved when she got her ears pierced for the first time ever. That was a memorable experience for Alyssa, Carey, and I. I am pretty sure that Cameron and Ashlee are jealous that they weren't there. I love girl time.

She has been financially helpful for my family. She worked to give us the Camry in great condition. When I needed enough money to pay the rent the year of Jared's accident she helped out. She has never brought it up or rubbed it in my face. She has bought groceries for my family on many visits. She is responsible for most new items that fit well that end up in my closet. She has purchased many wonderful games and books for my children that I never would have found on my own.

Some of my mom's characteristics that I am grateful for:

1.She has a motto of: If you are going to do something, do it well and do it right the first time.
2.She is a teacher. One of the specific lessons I recall was an object lesson involving a Campbell's Soup can. The point was to not label yourself or others. Do not allow others to label you.
3.She has an opinion on everything. She is a thinker. She is definitely my variety of feminist. Jared sometimes thinks my feminist values conflict with my religious values. I feel no such conflict and I have my mom to thank.
4.She is strong.
5.She is a great friend. Some people are looking to befriend the “cool” crowd. She looks to befriend those who need an actual friend.
6.Marriage is her number one priority and the most important bond in her life. I appreciate her passing this onto me.
7.She is supportive of each of her daughters' marriages.
8.She loves all of God's children. When someone needs help, she is ready to offer.

I love you, Mom! Thanks so much for being my Mom and for being married to my dad!