Mom - by Tia

I love my mother because she taught me about sacrifice and service. She set the example by always working so hard, and always giving everything she had for our family. I remember a time when she worked the 3:00 am - 8:00 am shift at Albertsons to help our family financially. She didn't come home and spend the rest of the day in bed either - as I would be tempted to do. She came home and raised 9 kids and ran our household. She is truly of pioneer stock.


I spent a lot of time in high school being embarrased by what she wore, or what she didn't wear. It wasn't until I realized that every last penny my parents made went to their children - the athletics and activities they were involved in, the dance lessons and competitions - that I came to appreciate her sense of fashion. There wasn't money left over to worry about fashion and style. There wasn't time in the day after raising nine kids and working to worry about facials and pedicures. She could have thrown in the towel and said, "No more. I want more for me." but she never did, she gave and gave and still gives and gives. Because she has always been the giver, I sometimes forget that she is her own person, with her own passions and interests. I forget to engage those things about her and talk to her about the things she loves to do. She is always too quick to ask about me and what I'm involved in for the conversation to turn to herself.

Another thing I admire about my mother is that she gave me independence and encouraged me to become my own person. I had different interests than most of my siblings, and that didn't deter her support. She came to my dance performances, sewed costumes, paid for $120 dance shoes, and sat there round after round at my competitions. It wasn't her passion, but you would have never known it by her support of me being involved in it.

I love my mother and am so thankful she has taught me and trained me. I don't know how she did it with what she was up against, but she did an amazing job.
 
I originally posted this on Megan Williams' blog the week before Mother's Day, but I think it is appropriate to post here as well.

Theodosia Bassett Keyes - by Tia

What a life she had! Learning more about her I understand why she just wanted to be left alone to sit in her chair, pet her dog Shaggy and watch episodes of Jeapardy and He-Haw. When she and grandpa Roskelley lived with us I was only about 4, but I have vivid memories of her. I don't remember what I said, but one time I was playing in the living room and she was in her chair and I said something (probably "stupid" or "shut up") and she called me over to her and in her old senile way slapped me across the face and said, "don't you talk like that!" I was crushed and ran off to my room to cry. I remember the night she died in our home, the bishop coming over and sitting in the hall listening to the adults all talk. I didn't fully understand it. Shortly after she died Laura, Beth and I had to sleep in the same bed she had died in and I was MORTIFIED! I had bad dreams and couldn't get to sleep for months!