1. You let us work. I wanted to iron and you let me. Around age 5 or 6 you lowered the ironing board for me, gave me a bunch of pillowcases to iron and let me go. I got a kick out of spraying and getting the creases out. I started young and never quit ironing. In high school you started paying me money to iron shirts and other linens. You let us have paper routes which I know was more trouble for you than it was for us. You drove us to other jobs at the nursery, the ball park and the mall.2. You let us bake. At a really young age I had a tiny set of working pots and pans. It seems that we had a weekly event of making cinnamon rolls and various cookies. You and I had a matching apron set. Later, in high school I was in charge of Tuesday night dinners, for a time during in high school.
3. You let us get dirty. I have picture after picture reminding us that being outside was so fun. We played in puddles, we played in dirt, we played hide and seek in the weeds, and we swam and floated down the ditch. We buried ourselves in the grass pile and stuffed fall leaves in our clothes. You seemed to love it when we made mud pies for you as well. I never remember hearing you complain about how messy we would get.
4. You let us build. We made sheet forts in every room in the house. Books and stools and pillows were pilfered from each room to provide anchors and weights. Making sheet forts is still fun even as an adult. We made snow forts in the front yard; you even brought us hot chocolate upon request. We made dirt forts in the alley, we made forts in our huge trees, we had a great real wooden fort in the back yard, and we even used the corn stalks as forts one fall day.
5. You let us ride. I have amazing memories of bike rides. Family rides around the neighborhood, long rides on trails, quick rides in what seems like endless circles in the driveway. One summer I recall taking a morning ride with you each day on our bikes.
6. You let us be imaginative. We played dress up. You had the most glamorous nightgowns that were perfect for dress up. You shared your treasures. You also had lots of jewelry that you let us play with. We also wore lots of matching clothes that you usually made for us. Matching p.j.s, matching dolls, matching dresses, matching summer outfits. You let us have huge Lego battles over taking the basement. You provided tea and cakes and even a tea set.
7. You let us sew. All of us from Jeromy on down to Keri have multiple creations that you helped us accomplish. From fleece socks and vests to complicated skirts, dresses, and quilts. I actually remember trying to sew a life size dolphin in 4th grade. My fins didn't turn out right but you didn't try and change them for me, you let me try and work out the issues on my own.
8. You made regular days and holidays special for us. Somehow you found the time to sneak in little extra "things" to make holiday times more interesting. Holiday meals with napkins and required manners, themed thanksgiving dinners, ancestry portrayals with clothing depicting the times, secretly planning fun trips requiring covert actions, preparing and giving the coveted scrapbooks. Sticking to Christmas themes and traditions. Making the food on our lunch plate look like a face, and playing board games.
9. You let us be wild and crazy. You'd throw a sheet down in front of the TV and let us eat popcorn. You'd let us play cut the flour. You'd let us climb on the roof. You'd let us toilet paper friends houses and you even supplied the toilet paper. You didn't freak out when you learned Dan rollerbladed out the side of the minivan. You laughed when you heard Shane peed off the roof and the neighbor caught him. You hugged us instead of chided us after a lost night in the woods. You let us sleep in the garage. You let us hooky bob. You supported skipping school occasionally for a killer day on the ski hill. You allowed brodys in the church parking lot, sledding in the street, kids to be Anasazi campers, children to go off and live in another country. You allowed us to have raging "clean" parties in the basement and make music videos for New Years Eve.
10. You showed us and told us you loved us. In high school, even though I didn't want it I knew that you would offer a prayer, a hug and the words "I love you" every morning before walking out the door. If something was broken or ripped you did your best to mend it. If a request was made you did your best to grant it. When something had to be memorized for school we soon found vocabulary words taped to the outside of the shower door or as a dinner placemat to help us get it into our minds. You read us book after book on the orange couch, you also took the time to teach the gospel. You practiced your seminary lessons on us. You kept a journal for each of us. You took us to see family. You attended all of our recitals, school events, races, and games. You drove us all over the city for lessons and reminded us to practice. You encouraged, you inspired, you suffered and endured a lot for us.
And you still do.
You are a GREAT mother.
