thoughts on motherhood

With today being Mother's Day, I wanted to add some of my own thoughts about motherhood to the mix of posts swirling around the internet. 

The truth is motherhood is on my mind a lot these days. While I may not be an official mom yet, I confess I'm already starting to feel, think, and act like one.

Dale's boys already feel like my boys too. I felt a very strong love for Aiden and Brennan from the moment Dale told me about them when we were first getting to know each other. Dale's love for the boys and his devotion to being the best father he can be is one of the things that made me fall in love with him.

Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings we get to FaceTime with the boys and see their cute smiling faces. The calls are short but Dale and I both soak up every minute we can. I look forward with great anticipation to the day when we will all get to spend time together as a family in Albuquerque.

Knowing that I will soon be a stepmom is sometimes scary, but more than the little bit of fear I feel at times, what overwhelms me is the deep longing to connect with boys and spend quality time with them--to show them how much I already love them.

Right now they know me as Riss and they know Dale and I are connected. Anytime they say my name or ask about me it makes me smile and warms my heart. I feel very privileged that I get to be in their lives at all.

I'm grateful for the example of my own mom, who values motherhood above all else. She's always told me and my siblings that we were her dream. Her love is unconditional and even though I'm all grown-up and will one day be a mother myself, I still need her support, love, and influence in my life. Not a week goes by that I don't call to ask her a cooking or gardening question, or simply just to say hi and check in.

Motherhood is a sacred privilege and one of my deepest desires. I know not everyone gets to have a mom as wonderful as mine, others like my sweet Dale and my dad and aunt have lost their moms too soon, and many long for motherhood but lack the opportunity.

When the time comes, I want to be the kind of mother who puts my children's needs first, teaches them good principles, and most all, shows them unconditional love and support.

Happy Mother's Day to all the women who strive to nurture those around them!

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"No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child."

- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland