#52 Stories--Story # 33

Who are some other important mother figures who have been influential in your life?

I feel like I was very lucky to have many women who modeled wonderful examples of womanhood and motherhood to me as I was growing up.  I'm luckier yet to call them my friends now.

I had a spattering of marvelous young women leaders--Irene Day, Diane Sefton, Toni Zamarron, Cindy Anderson, Sister Nordstrom, Lucia Cooper, and others--I'm sure more names will come to me as the days go by this month.  I spent many weeks of girls camps, Wednesday activities, and Sundays being guided by these wonderful ladies. They showed me how to be a woman of faith, a woman who trusts her Heavenly Father, who knows Jesus Christ and chooses to follow Him. They helped me develop a testimony of my own.  I'd have to include my mom in this group too, because she spent much of these years with me in some supportive role.  She's the best example of all.

I also had some wonderful teachers elsewhere in my life.  Stacy Thacker was a stand out Sunday School teacher as a young teen.  I knew that she knew the Gospel was true and she tried her hardest each week to get us to understand that same truth. 

Teddy Goodrich and Nancy Serigstad were female high school teachers that meant a lot to me. I learned more than just textbook material from them. They made me want to be a teacher someday.

I also had some neighbors and 4H leaders that showed me leaderships styles in the community and wider world. MaryLou Rawitser was our goat leader.  I'm sure she had better things to do with her time, but she was there with us each weekend the goats were showed.  Georgene Abbott was another 4H leader who taught me perseverance and stick-to-it-ive-ness.  Diane Scariot showed me another view of hard work and care of family. Kathy Larsen was a mom who had fun with her family and supported her girls in whatever they had going on.

Then I had a group of women who were friends' moms--who I maybe didn't have the same kind of relationship as their child, but I felt keenly their love for me.  Shari Hoggan, Jan Porter, Diane Sefton and Irene Day--fell in this category too, and Claudia Kambish, to name a few off the top of my head.  I knew they loved their kids--and counted me in that group more often than not.

I have been greatly blessed by so many wonderful women as I was growing up.  I am not sure they all understand how important and valuable they are to me.  I hope I have done my best to make them proud of me and that my own kids will have women just like them in their lives to teach them similar lessons.

Felt Great!

Last Friday I was called into our conference room at work and asked to have a seat.  Immediately I got nervous that they were about to fire me.  There was no logical reason to that instantaneous fear--only past experiences from working at my last full time job, for the Devil.

Scott and Travis sat down with me and asked me about the tasks I had been given since I started and what I liked, or didn't like and how I thought things were going.  I told them and expressed my sincere gratitude for having a job at all--especially with no job experience in a resume form to speak of when they hired me.

Scott, the owner, told me that he was really happy to have me working for him and that I was doing a great job.  He had a few more things that he wanted to train me to do so I could relieve some of the pressure he was feeling.  He knew I was capable of doing more and, as long as I was happy with some new assignments, he thought I was ready. 

He also told me that he was giving me a 50 cent/hour raise.

I was thrilled.  And it felt really great to hear how much they appreciate me being there and the contribution I am making to the company.  When they hired me i was worried I couldn't learn stuff fast enough, or remember what I was learning long enough.  Apparently, they were never worried.


Yesterday, when my pay stub showed up in my email, I noticed that Scott had applied the raise to my pay period that just ended--rather than waiting until the new one started on the 1st.  THAT felt really nice.  He didn't have to do that, but I'm glad he did.

I Agree, Whole Heartedly

As school ends lit week, I want to share a little article I saw on facebook.  I do not know Bo Wright, but I firmly agree with the sentiments expressed:

Bo Wright

I freely admit it. I've taken teachers for granted. Sure, as a kid, you wanted the ones that weren't too hard on you when you screwed up, or maybe the ones who never noticed when you did.

As a parent, you merely hope they will turn your children into the smartest kids in town. We look at state rankings of schools and hope ours is smarter than that dumb school down the street. Because, by God, my kid needs to have a good job someday so I'm not supporting them till they're 35.
 
I'll admit it. When I get my kid's report cards, or test scores, or whatever, I congratulate my kids for the good grades, and question the teachers about the bad ones.
 
Then, it hit me.
 
When your 4 year old, who's never been more than 8 feet away from you is dropped off at school for the first time, and you're at work all day stressing about it, the teacher is the one with him, making sure he's ok.
When your house is just so loud from your 2 or 3 kids being cooped up all summer, and you can't wait for the house to be quiet again, the teacher is the one who happily receives them.
 
When a kid is having problems at home, the teacher is the one that comforts them and gives them a sense of normalcy.
 
When you get a call that the school is on lockdown, because of whatever craziness is going on in the world at that time, the teacher is the one who is there to comfort them.
 
When an EF-5 tornado is zeroed in on your kid's school, and you are 10 miles away, helpless and hopeless to reach them in time, the teacher is the one who makes sure they are in a safe place.
 
When that same tornado, or even a crazy person with a gun, enters the school, and attempts to take the life of your child, and you wish you were there to jump in the way, the teacher is the one who does.
 
This is for all the teachers who I ever had, and every teacher my kids ever had, or will ever have. You may have never had to take a bullet for me, or protect my child from a falling wall, but it wasn't until now that I realized, you totally would have.
 
I apologize for never treating you with the proper respect. The same respect we give our fireman and our policeman, should have been given to you.
 
Thank you for everything you ever did, and everything you were in position to do, but never had to.
Good job, teach.

Over The Edge

I think today was it.  I have lost it.  And I snapped at Genius Golfer for it.  That makes me feel worse.  But the nugget of truth was still there--just the delivery wasn't ideal.

I get it that I am not a cook.  I don't enjoy it and find no pleasure in it other than I CAN keep my family alive.  But I tend to implement the "quick and dirty" method to a weekly menu and dinner each night.

GG has a different level of expectation.  Which, if you think about the fact that we've been married for 20 years now, it is a little late to come into the conversation.  So he is making the spaghetti sauce tonight.  And I'll probably eat all the "cheap" tasting guacamole this week by myself.  And if he wants the garlic bread sliced a different way, I suppose he'll do that too.

I am just glad that I can do a decent load of laundry.  Otherwise, I might not earn my keep around here.


Yes, I am frustrated.  Yes, I am feeling tired.  Yes, I am over-reacting.  Yes, it is probably hormonal. And Yes, I'll probably have to apologize, again.  But sometimes it would be nice to hear how great I am all the things I do accomplish.  I heard that kind of positive feedback from our water aerobics instructor this morning and it made me feel so good about myself.   I just wish I heard a little more of that at home.