My Mom....

I spent a little over 19 years being very close to my mom.... It is weird that I have spent way more time with my wife and she is my best friend, but before I met her it was my mom... It is difficult to write exactly what you want to say on a subject as important as this one... A person would like it to be scripture like, or at least the caliber of a classic novels that are written, but that is not me... I am very clumsy in my approach to be profound... My mom was there on every occasion in my life and yet she allowed me freedoms to help me find myself... I remember playing a baseball game when I was twelve years old and my mom was not in the stands... The only time she was not in the stands throughout my life before I went on a mission... It seemed that the day was overcast and gloomy... I felt like I was walking in quicksand and it was hard to play when I did not see her in the stands.... She used to wave to me all the time when I needed support because the task before me seemed daunting... But that day Jan was there and that was great but she was not my mom.... I remember hitting a ball and I ran to first, I felt that it was going to be a fly out to left field, but when I arrived at 1st base the crowd roared and my teamates came unglued because the ball went over the fence.... Wow, a homerun for the little guy, but it just didn't seem right because my mom was not there.... It was the only time she was not there.... When I used to come home from dates she would be there waiting and talking to me while I ate my Cheerios... I remember those talks as being a wonderful connection and a safe enviroment... She was there... When I was ill and threw up, even in the middle of the night she would rush to me and put her hand over my head and vomiting didn't seem so bad... She was there.... Playing "C" basketball her and Mrs. Scyphers was the only monthers there.... She ate three pieces of pies for me so we would not hurt Grandma Briggs feelings.... Yea, she was there that time but probably wishes she could have missed that one.... Christmas morning was great as she would put together something that was complicated so I could have fun... Egg ala Golden Rog and hot chocalate for me and my friends from the church every Sunday between Sunday School and Sacrament meeting... They loved the food and also the opportunity to watch ballgames also... Yea, she was there... She had a stroke and I found out later it was hit and miss, but she came back soon and she was there.... After my prayer when Heavenly Father told me to go on a mission, well she was there and I did go... The councel that I was a leader and that I didn't have to do anything that my peers wanted to do, especially when I knew it was wrong, saved me many times... Thank you mom for being there... The horrible feelings I had when I brought home a bad report card and she would cry, at that time I wished she wasn't there but she was and I eventually earned degrees on all levels... Playing a game in the Sports Arena where the Lakers played, yea that was cool and she was there.... When I came home with my heart shattered after being told that we were going to have to forfeit all of our games in my senior year and it kept us out of going to the playoffs, well she was there and allowed me to cry in her lap for as long as it took... Only once was she not there and I am sure God will never remember that day because she was the perfect mother.... 38, mom....