My Four Moms

I had an entirely different blog written for today but I realized that this would be a little more timely and important to talk about.

I have four mothers.

No my family isn't polygamists despite the Mormon Myth. I was birthed by one woman but throughout my life I have been raised by many and I love all of them as my mother, and they have treated me as if I was their son. On this day devoted to mothers I want to devote this blog post to them.

Mother #1 - Sandra Brand

This one is the easy one to explain why she's mom to me - she birthed me, but as I have learned in the past it takes more than birthing to make someone a mother and this woman has earned that title tenfold. She has inspired me to follow my heart and given me a role model for strength and is the personification of every virtue I could ever dream of becoming. As a single mother she very easily could have given up and accepted her fate but instead she persevered and pushed through all of her trials to raise the man who I have become. All I have done and wish to become is a testament to her. I love you Mom.

Mother #2 - Catherine Brand *photo not included because I can't find a good one but trust me she's beautiful*

Another easy one to explain why she is mom to me - She married my dad. She has done absolutely everything in her power to endear herself to me and help me in every possible way. I have no doubt that she played a main part in me moving up to Seattle. She tolerated living with me for over a year and a half. Trust me that's a big deal ask my roommates. In these years that she has been married to my father I have grown to love her as a mother, not just because of the things she does for me (of which there are many) but because of the perspective she has given me as a strong minded individual who never accepts no as a response. Always questioning, always learning. Constantly questing for answers to allow her to understand what is going on around her and absolutely wanting to help others with all that they need.

Mother #3 - Lynette Young
Ah my extended family. The closest thing I had to brothers and sisters would be the Young's. They were the friends that my mom trusted unequivocally to take care of me. Lynnette started out for me as my Den mother in scouts back when I actually enjoyed scouts. She taught me so many lessons and did such a wonderful job as a positive influence in my life especially when it could have been lost to the dark side. There was a time when this was my family. Fourth grade was difficult to me as I spent most of it in foster care. This wonderful family rescued me from a horrible, horrible foster home and took me in and showed me love. I lived with them for about 6 months and I truly grew to love them. I still remember my birthday from that year if for no other reason than my best friend Shawn ruined my presents and got in a lot of trouble with Lynnette for doing so. He never ever told me another gift I was given ever again. I know that even to this day I could turn to them if I ever needed something or just wanted to talk. Oh how I love them, all of them.

Mother #4 - Anita Farrell

Once I moved out on my own I found myself in Pasco and honestly that was the best possible thing that could have happened to me. I grew so much in my time in Pasco and I owe a great deal of that growth to Anita and Pres Farrell. I wasn't the most active member before I moved to Pasco, but I made a decision that once I moved there that it was time for a fresh start and so I decided to start going to church regularly. Pres was my branch president and was highly active in talking and meeting with members of the branch. I met with him every single week for a year, not because I was doing something wrong or working through some sin but because he cared. It is because of him I am an elder. It is because of him I have my patriarchal blessing. It is because of him I am endowed. Now Anita was always a doll. She spoke her mind and pulled no punches. In an effort to allow me to save money and to just keep me out of trouble no doubt they would let me come over to their house and do laundry every single week. I would come over every Wednesday with laundry ready to go, help Pres watch their grand kids during the day. Often they would feed me and generally take care of me in a time when I most needed it.

In a world where a lot of people aren't lucky enough to have one mother I have been blessed to have four of the best possible women fill that role. And so this Mother's day I wanted to take the time to say two things I don't know if I said it enough to properly show how much these women mean to me.

Thank you and I love you.

10 things...

So I have decided to make a list. A completely self serving and grandiose list all about myself. This is not like my last list two reasons: 1. it will be short, and 2. I will correctly use bullet points. Today's list is 10 things that make me happy that has nothing to do with other people. The rules are simple, I am to come up with ten things that make me legitimately happy that has absolutely nothing to do with other people. In theory this should be simple. Since this is all a freestyle thing here these are not in any order.

10. the Internet. I could get lost on the Internet for days on end, and I really do feel like I am often sucked into it's web (yes an overly used poorly crafted metaphor, sue me it's late and I lack creativity) but to have so much knowledge and power directly in my hands right along side countless dick jokes? It's like heaven I tell ya!

9. Baseball. Now I will admit I didn't grow up playing the game with my friends or even playing catch with my dad, but in recent years I have learned to greatly appreciate the game, even outside of the workplace. Sure I still don't know what all the stats mean and honestly I don't care, but nothing beats a good rally and the home team coming away with a win.

8. Cooking. The art of cooking and the mastery of it all is something that while I downplay it when I am cooking for myself is still something that can turn a bad day good. The look of a really nice produce section, or even better a farmer's Market can be absolute heaven on earth for me.

7. Shopping. I used to hate this as a kid, but then again which kids didn't hate it? Now I just go and walk around, lusting for clothes that don't fit or complaining about the ones that do. Interestingly enough even the complaining makes me happy. Which brings me to...

6. Complaining. I LOVE to complain. I realize that sounds weird, and that might not sound right to some but honestly there is very few things I get more pleasure from than complaining. Venting your frustrations with the world, or even just those patient enough to listen can be exhilarating and very relaxing. This is why you will often hear me whining about nothing at all simply because I want to be heard.

5. my phone. For the first 2 years of having a cell phone I had a crap phone. Sure it did what I needed it to do, call, text and update my twitter, but it wasn't anything special. I was content, and often cited the mantra of the cheap phone user : "Hey it was free". Then for this last Christmas everything changed. I received the G1 from t-mobile from my dad and stepmom and I realized exactly what I was missing out on. Not only do I never want to look back but I am actually looking into a lobotomy just so they can take out that part of my brain that stores the memories of that phone.

4. a clean room. Now if you actually LOOKED at my room you wouldn't actually believe this one but it's true, a good clean room always makes me happy. The trouble is I lack any and all motivation to keep it that way once it is clean. It usually lasts about a week or so before the laundry piles up or the bed doesn't get made. Still when I do clean my room I always feel like I accomplished the impossible. Maybe that's why it makes me so happy.

3. movies. Alright this one is an easy one and is a bit obvious but I want to talk about it more so I will. I don't know what spawned my love of movies but I do know that a lot of my happiest memories have come from watching movies. Even really horrible movies. In fact one story that I am going to share is the one time I was so in need of air conditioning without running up our heating bill (this was before a movie ticket cost your first born child) I went to go see the movie "the In Crowd" by myself. Now when I say by myself I don't mean I was the only one in my party, no I mean I was the only one in the theater. This was it's second week in the theater too it is that good of a "Wild Things" knock off. Happiest moment of the summer.

2. Greenlake, especially in the spring and/or fall. Oh how I love greenlake. It is so calming and Serene. Sure it gets really crowded and whatnot during the Summer but that is for obvious reasons, it's amazing. It reminds me of the Levies in Lewiston where my mom and I would always go feed the ducks when i was a kid growing up. Maybe that's why I like it so much. It's a shame I live so close to it but I don't think I have been there in months.

1. Laughter. Some would say that laughter is a byproduct of being happy and thus should be disqualified but I disagree, especially since this my list and I make the rules. A good hearty laugh can immediately change a gloomy depression filled day a complete 180 degrees. just one laugh. No matter how sad you are too. It really is amazing. for example I was gravely sick yesterday and my friend Kurt came by and dropped off some soup and Popsicles. In the little while he was there he made me laugh so much I was feeling better before he left. I was still sick but I had forgotten all about it. Thanks Kurt.

Anyway that's my list. Just for fun though let's see what my list would have looked like if I had made it so it wasn't all about me:

10. You.
9. hearing from you.
8. talking to you.
7. hearing your name.
6. knowing you are reading this.
5. that you don't think this about you.
4. or even better that you actually do even though it isn't.
3. that I just confused you.
2. Your kind heart.
1. You.

This is why I shouldn't teach (also why I probably should)

So last Sunday I taught Elder's Quorum. Normally this isn't a bad thing. I greatly enjoy teaching and talking about the various topics and I will be honest, unless I am leading the discussion there is very little chance I will actually participate. Not because I don't want to but because I feel like there are others in class with a greater understanding of the church than I could even dream to achieve and I hate sounding stupid. I always accept when someone calls me to ask me to teach regardless of the subject (which would be why I have taught the law of Chastity 3 times in 3 years).

I should have turned down this one though.

The lesson was on apostasy and how to keep ourselves from falling away from the church and following the leaders. Unfortunately the only way I could think to conduct this discussion was to reveal far too much of myself and my life. I had to talk about the apostasy of my father, my mother, and myself.

I didn't use the manual at all. One doesn't really need one when they have so much rich personal experience to draw from.

I don't want to get into it here, mostly because if you're reading this you probably already know the story, however I am instead going to use this post to thank those of you who helped remind me why I love the gospel so much and give me the strength to continue going. Here are just some of your names in no particular order -

Dean
Mark Johnson
Kurt Kaiser
Aimee Elber
Sandra Brand
Lynette, Dick, Margaret, Anna, Jared, Ira, and Leah Young.
Liz Allen
Ian Jones
Kai Jones
Rob Schunk
Morgan Dipo
Derek Child
Nickie Hugie
Jared Rorher
Allen & Carla Bushman
Rachael Knudsen
John Farrell
Anita Farrell
Nick Andros
Brice Davis
Zach Wadsworth

If I left anyone off it's not because you don't mean anything to me, but rather because I wanted to keep it short. I want you to know that I love you all so very much and I know that without you to give me strength and leading the way as an example I know I would not be where I am today. Just knowing you and the love you have for me despite my screw ups makes me want to be a better person.

Thank you for loving me and I want you to know I love you too.