By the time this posts I'll be up in Utah for the big American Mothers National Convention that's happening this weekend. (It is located in different cities each year...last year was New York City...as much as I love Utah, darn, I missed that one:)
I'm sure it's going to be a great weekend, but my stomach has been in knots for days in anticipation of leaving everyone again. I was just gone. It's kind of funny how much you appreciate the normal, every-day stuff when it's not as readily available as usual. But these kids sure are excited about the opportunity to hang out with very dear friends and a fun babysitter while we're gone.
En route to the convention, my Mom and I are signing books at Women's Conference in the early afternoon on Thursday (from 1:30-3:30). We had fun last time we did it, so I'm excited we get to do it again. Come join us if you're there! It's mostly my Mom's deal this time around in light of her new book I talked about here. It's a good one. (I'm doing a give-away for it next week.)
Before the American Mothers shin-dig this weekend I figured I better post these pictures from when they presented us (the Mother of the Year and I) to our state legislature.
I'm embarrassed to say that I have never been to our state capitol before this day.
It's a beautiful building.
This darling couple chauffeured us around. They are so sweet.
We were presented both at the House and Senate floors and we felt very honored.
Below the Mother of the Year is on the right, the past Young Mother of the Year and President of our state's American Mothers Chapter is in the middle by me, and the kind lady who was our guide (and was also the Mother of the Year years ago) is on the left.
Our Secretary of State also honored us with a proclamation and kind words:
It was a very, very nice day.
...Until Dave and I got a very, very flat tire on the way home:
I want to clarify that the Mother of the Year thing is not a competition. It's just really a way for people to nominate and honor mothers they think are doing a good job. It's a way to celebrate motherhood.
I feel a little silly that I was chosen for our state because I know mothers all over the place who are so very much more put-together than I am. They're not the ones who are flying by the seat of their pants and had a police officer show up at their house because their daughter accidentally called 911 (yeah, really, that was Claire two days ago). They're not the ones who can't seem to be on time for anything and who nag their kids (and husband). I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and some very nice people just happened to have the crazy thought pop into their minds to nominate me.
I am honored but also feel very inadequate. I know that may seem dumb, because I write all about my theories and ideas here, and maybe sometimes I can even make them sound grand. But I'm just a forgetful mom in the trenches trying to make deliberate decisions along the way. And I know that if I ask, God will help me somehow raise my children into what He wants them to be.Labels: American Mothers Inc.
We were presented both at the House and Senate floors and we felt very honored.
Our Secretary of State also honored us with a proclamation and kind words:
It was a very, very nice day.
I want to clarify that the Mother of the Year thing is not a competition. It's just really a way for people to nominate and honor mothers they think are doing a good job. It's a way to celebrate motherhood.