To my moms

Happy Mother's Day! I started the morning thinking about my mom, but this past week I have been thinking about my grandmothers also.

Grandma Cleda. My parents joked that they almost named me Cleda Eleda, I almost wish they had (almost). The first time I was ever away from my parents for an extended period was to visit my Grandma Cleda and Grandpa John. I remember the trip so well. I was scared, but Grandma made me feel so at home. She took me to movies and spoiled me rotten. I remember she took me to Denny's for breakfast one morning and I decided to have the waffles with strawberries on top. They were fantastic, for about 40 minutes. Afterwards we were driving to Tammy's house and Grandma had to pull over because I didn't want to throw up in her car. We stopped on the side of the road for a few minutes, but finally I got back in and we made it to Tammy's before I got too sick. Until just now I had forgotten how much I remembered of that trip. Most of all I remember how wonderful it was, and how grown up it made me feel! I love my Grandma Cleda so much for the wonderful memories, the walks to Alpha Beta to buy us goodies and feeling so important when I was almost as tall as her, and then finally passed her up (which has not happened with many people for me).

Grandma Joan. I think she is one of the few people who has actually seen me at my worst and my best. When I was at college I was jealous of some friends who were able to go home on weekends to see their moms. Grandma Joan turned into my college mom. What means so much more to me is that she became somewhat of a grandma for my roommate Natalie, who had zero family nearby. When I recieved the news that a close friend of mine was in a coma, and then later when he died, I was at Grandma Joan's house. It meant so much to me to have the comfort she and Grandpa Gene offered me at those low times, as well as all the other times. She was the physical comfort so many times when my mother could not be. I loved when they would come down to Provo to get me for the weekend before I had a car, or when they would just come and take me to lunch. Some of my early memories of G and G B (as they appear in my cell phone) are when they would visit in Simi they would always take us grandkids to Thrifty's and buy us an icecream cone (sometimes we even got douple scoops!). I am so glad for the years I had to be near her that I was able to learn more about her and learn how much we had in common (Meet Joe Black). I know that I am her favorite (but you don't have to admit it on here, because others will get jealous). So many wonderful memories with this woman who I love and I know loves me!

Finally that other lady... Becky my mom. I love you. She is one of the true "choice spirits." I know this for a fact because only a truly exceptional person would be willing to take me on and even more, love me. I love you Mom.

I really wonder why I was allowed to come into a family with these three amazing women (and their supports-but Father's day is next month). I see so many children everyday who are given such awful deals, but it reminds me how blessed I truly am.

(Mom's paragraph is shorter because I have more personal things to say to her--I really do have great stories about her, too.)