To all the Mothers out there...

I felt the need to hijack my wife's blog again. I don't know what comes over me. I think it's the romantic in me, as Captain Renault said in Casablanca.

Yesterday was of course, Mother's Day, and with that comes breakfast in bed for Melissa and a special Sunday Dinner, both of which I have the honor of cooking.

Breakfast is easy. I have been cooking it since I was a little boy. I don't know why I learned to do that. My mom was always right there to cook for us. Maybe she was sleeping in? You tell me mama.

Dinner on the other hand was not easy. First off, I don't know where anything is and the kids don't seem to either, even though they help Melissa cook and bake all the time. I grew frustrated and as I struggled, I began to realize that I didn't like the job too much. It's kind of ironic because as most of you know, I usually love to cook. 

So then I started to think about the fact that my wife does this every day... multiple times. As the day went on, I went in the bedroom where she was relaxing and asked her how she is able to go through a day without killing the kids.

Here is what I mean:

I was trying to follow directions with these new recipes and Ariana felt she needed to shout out nonstop exactly what she was doing. Ammon was crying because he couldn't figure out how to wrap his present to Melissa. Zoë couldn't figure out how to oil and flour a cake pan- even after I showed her multiple times. Tori was biting bananas- through the peels. Britain and Kalixta felt they needed to make 28 homemade Mother's Day cards apiece because 27 wasn't enough- which meant that there were scraps of papers and crayons everywhere. My only savior was Nik until he decided to take a magnifying glass and use the sun to burn Ammon on the back of the neck.

Then Melissa came out and reminded me that I still needed to make this and that. I began to feel overwhelmed and of course I cracked and had to ask for her help. She did it happily making me feel even more guilty.

I wanted to post this because I know that many of you are mother's who read this blog. I want to tell you that I NEVER want your job. It takes a special person to be able to do that day in and day out... it takes a woman. I grew up indirectly being taught that women's work was lesser or not as important as man's work.... baloney! I feel sorry for any man or woman who says or thinks that. Thank goodness I belong to a church whose leaders constantly remind us men how blessed we are to have a woman in our homes. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf says, the soul of a woman is truly remarkable.

I know society looks down upon motherhood. I have heard some women say that they don't want to ONLY become a housewife. Many of them want to prove that they are just as capable at working a job as men are, so they forgoe or put off motherhood to accomplish that. I have worked with some of these women and you know what? They are right... they are just as capable as we are and more often than not, even more so.

So in light of that, how amazing it is to see a brilliant woman relegate herself to ONLY being a housewife. She could be doing so much more right? She could be managing people, leading her company in sales or running the whole thing. I honor those of you elect women who seek and choose motherhood. Your job is the hardest on the planet and the most important. Thank you for honoring the role that you play. 

I hope that all you mother's out there never forget how amazing you are. I don't care if you don't do everything perfect, or that you forget things, or that so and so seems like such a better mother than you. Don't listen to that. It's just that old nemesis of ours, Scratch, and he hates you. He hates all of your kind, and he'll never leave you alone until he has convinced you that you are worthless. There is nothing farther from the truth... than that.

~Adam

Comments

[Melissa Laing]

Thanks Adam again! I must tell you that one his own our out of gilt Brian did give me a nice mothers day it was just a week late. He made me breakfast, dinner and dessert on sunday and I know he was worn out by the end of the day. He also did a little cleaning te he. But I am not sure I really thanked you for alowing me to share your dinner with you. You made my mothers day better too! So you actually cooked for two of us! I don't think I will ever forget that mothers day dinner.I could have stayed at home and moped around and felt sorry for myself whitch would have led to Anger at Brian. Thank you for being the kind of friend I knew would let me have a piece of cake and tell my sad story, but I got a whole dinner instead and was able to laugh of my sadness. Thank You!And you too Melissa you didn't have to share same goes for you! Love you guys! Melissa

[Kjersten Troxel]

Adam we said! But you must know, I don't know ANY mother that does as many activities with their kids as Melissa does. She is remarkable!
Sometimes I resort to tv or video games to stop the insanity...that or send them outside. I let the boys "help' a lot...but the above tasks get me thru the hairy times
I love that Melissa helped you when you asked. She is exactly the kind, gentle woman I knew you'd find when I first met you...good choice friend!

[liz]

What a nice post! Melissa is a great mom, she deserved the little break. Good for you for cooking for her. You have a great family!

[Sylvia Basua]

That was beautiful son I really enjoyed your story, and about u cooking when u were a little boy, no I wasn't in bed I never could sleep in with you boy's in the house, remember the fireplace? No leaving u boys alone was not a thing to do, I must of been watching u cook cause u and Lou always wanted to cook. I'm glad u got to experiance the life of a mother, thank kids for helping your dad, I loved it. Happy Mother's Day Melissa. See U soon.

[Marci]

Melissa is truly an amazing mother!!!

[cherie]

what a wonderful post, adam! love your words and thoughts. and yes, melissa is one amazing woman!!

[denise]

Now if only someone would pay us for what we're worth! ;) Glad you took good care of Melissa on Mother's Day. :)

[Sylvia Basua]

Brother, that story bout the kids is so funny I'm cracking up here! It's so close to home. Mariyah is Nik, Marqus is Tori, and some where inbetween is the rest, I dont have as many kids as u but they all play a part, you are so awesome to admit that!! Lol It really does take a women to handle all that and Melissa is truly an awesome mother and wife, Happy Mothers day sis.
~Diane Moore

[leslie]

awww cuuuuuuute!

[Angel Linde]

Very sweet Adam! And even a little poetic. Thank you!!