Love

First of all want to say thank you to everyone who has participated in our weekly pondering, I hope you have had a great journey. What a joy it has been to ponder about the women in my life and the lessons that have been shared. As I thought about what has made me "me" I realized that I have, as I am sure many other have been as well, taught, shaped and guided by love. Love is one of the most amazing influences in ones life and I think has been the most life altering influence in my little existence.

Mom
As I have pondered our question this week about my mom and what she has taught me I have thought of many lessons that she has provided and countless instances that she has exemplified them. However, I think that the most important lesson has been to Love the Lord. I have always known that my mom loves our Savior and that she has a deep and unshakable testimony. I never wondered where she stood on an issue or if it was the correct stance because I knew that she upheld and abided by truth. I never had to wonder where she was at night after family prayer, she could always be found sitting in bed reading her scriptures. I never had to wonder who the tissue was being passed to on Sunday, mom always had tears. I never had to wonder if we would ever have enough to eat, mom (and dad) always paid tithing. I never had to wonder if we would be together forever as a family, mom always keeps her temple covenants. I never had to wonder if she spoke truth, she follows our Savior. Along with seeing her example I also always heard her lessons. She taught me to find my own testimony, my own love, my own relationship, my own faith in Jesus Christ. She taught me how important it is to know who I am, where I am going, and that the Savior is ALWAYS by my side. I honor my mom for her faith and her desire to allow me to find my own testimony as well. I love you mom and thank you for teaching me about the Savior and his unconditional love.

As I continued to ponder this week I realized that there are many other women in my life that have also taught me about love and the many different avenues it exists in.

Grandma
I love my grandma so much and feel it such an honor to be her granddaughter. Of all the lessons that my grandma has shared with me the one that stands out the most and I call upon most frequently is the Love of Courage. My grandma is a very brave, strong, and courageous woman that has been placed in many positions to cultivate and develop her gift of courage. She has taught me to always give love, service and time but to never forget that I am an individual of great purpose. She has taught me to take courage and never fear, I hold the future in my hands and the only thing that can hold me back is myself. I had the opportunity to have her and my mom drop me off at college. The whole experience was a little nerve racking and quite overwhelming for me. As we unpacked my things and they prepared to leave my emotions got the best of me and my and tears started flowing. I was so afraid. So nervouss. So scared. My grandma looked me in the eyes and said, "Lacey, who has the power?" I looked back, with reluctance in my eyes and replied, "oh grandma, don't make me do it." She said, "go ahead it will make you feel better." As she pulled her arms up to the flexing position she asked again, "who has the power?" I laughed through my tears and responded with my arms also in flexing position, "I do." That memory has given me strength time and time again to push through the fear and reach my dreams. I love you gma!

Mama Rosa (or Nana as Cade would say)
I am so lucky to not only have an amazing mom but an incredible mother in law as well. She has loved me and accepted me, faults and all, since day one. As I have continued to ponder I have realized how much Rosemarie has taught me to Love Work. She is one of the hardest working people I know. The thing that I have learned from her though is not just to work but to do so with a happy heart. I have watched Rosemarie find happiness, joy, and goodness in even the most miserable of circumstances. I am also so thankful that she has not only shared her priceless example with me but also with my dear husband. I was so lucky to marry a man that knows how to work and has the deep desire to do all that he can to provide for his family. As I have thought about her gift and example of working hard I had to chuckle because that is actually how I ended up with my husband. I worked with Rosemarie at their family owned business. We worked side by side for a couple of months until she had to put even more work into the situation and convince Jared to take me out. What a lucky girl I am!! Thank you Mama Rosa for all that you have done. Thank you for finding the good in working. Thank you for teaching me. Thank you for teaching Jared. Thank you for loving Cade. I love you!

Alli...my baby sis!
Oh my baby sister Alli, how I love her! I have always been so worried that she would grow up with a "little sister complex" and feel as if she was living in my shadow because in all reality I wanted to be just like her. Although Alli is 4 1/2 years younger than I am she has taught me lessons far beyond her years. I think the most important lesson Alli has taught me is to Love Life. Allison is the happiest, bubbliest, most easy going person I know. She truly finds pure joy in all that she does and then allows others to feel of and enjoy in her happiness as well. I have seen Alli brighten the most dark of circumstances just by walking into a room. I joy in my sister, in who she is and who she makes me want to be. She has shown me how much goodness there is in the world and how to make the most of it. She has shown me that life is exciting and it is up to us to allow peace to penetrate our souls. I am so thankful for my baby sister and hope to become even half the woman that she is. I love you my alli and thank you for sharing your beauty with me.



Melissa
I, once again, am so lucky to have such a wonderful family. Melissa is my sister-in-law and I love her to pieces and am so thankful for her and her lessons. I have always felt a strong connection to Melissa and have drawn upon her strength many times. One of the greatest lessons that melissa has taught me is to Love being a Mom. We moved to Vegas when Cade was 6 weeks old and had to blessing and opportunity of living with Melissa and her sweet family for almost a year. Melissa was there during my early motherhood days and helped me through the "what am I doing?!" stages of infant hood. She has taught me to joy in what I am doing. She has taught me to put down the dishes and pick up the dump trucks. She has taught me that no phone call is more important than a toddler hug. She has shown me that it doesn't matter how gourmet a meal is as long as it makes it into their tummys. I have watched her run errands, drop off and pick up kids, make lunches, allow her dinner to get cold while others are eating, share her most prized possessions and kiss away tears, all with a smile on her face and gratitude in her heart. She has shown me that motherhood is a gift not a sacrifice. I am so thankful for her lessons and her continual reminders of what I need to be doing with my little one. Thanks Melis, I love you.

What an honor it has been to reminisce in old memories and to stir up warm feeling about the women that I love. Thank you to all the wonderful women in my life, those who I have mentioned and those who I have not, thank you for loving me and teaching me how to love!