Mothers: Lost and Found

My wallet has an unfortunate tendency to go AWOL. Today it was recovered in a neon green toy bag hidden under the desk. All of the credit cards were located nearby, stuffed into a tiny red sock with white hearts. Hmmm. Suspicious.

Just a couple weeks before, this very same wallet went missing for several days, causing much stress and general havoc. Just when I was about to start replacing everything, I finally discovered it hiding in the Lego table drawer. Gee. Must have forgotten that I put it there...

While complaining to my father about my wandering belongings, he reminded me of an incident that happened when I was three years old. Apparently his work keys also went Missing In Action. After futilely searching every place imaginable, he finally confessed to his boss that he had lost them. What a miserable conversation that must have been!

Two weeks later, the keys were discovered when the ironing squirt bottle started shooting out rusty water. Apparently I'd buried the keys in the bottle and screwed the top back on to hide the evidence.

And so, on this special Mother's Day, I'd like to honor the mothers (and fathers) in our lives who not only survived parenthood themselves, but permitted us to survive as well.

Here are a few pictures of the favorite mothers in our lives:

Grandma Susie. I love this picture because it captures how Grandma appears in the eyes of her grandchildren. Head and shoulders above the rest, with a fabulous smile.

Plus, she reads the best stories!

Great-Grandma Hansen. The trademark smile gets richer with each generation. We feel so grateful to have Norma in our lives!

Aunt Christy. Over the years, our family has come to understand how it truly takes a village to raise a child. Christy won the hearts of our children while we lived close in Illinois. Oh, life was sweet as corn! Dinner is never better than when Christy is around.

Aunt Brianna. When beautiful Brianna is near, the kids are spoiled with attention. It's amazing how they naturally circle close--almost as amazing as the grace with which Brianna manages their chatter. We'll be thrilled to have Aunt Brianna a bit closer when she moves to Phoenix in June.

And of course, Aunt Callie. Apparently, aunts are not only great hair stylists, but also outstanding hair models as well. We're just gonna start calling you Tangled, sis. :)

Always up for a water fight, Callie is spunkier than any Rapunzel around. We can't wait to catch up with our Hollywood Kiwi this summer!

And last but not least, NomiAnn. While not typical, I chose this picture because it captures how NomiAnn most likes to be seen--not front and center, but lighting the way through the learning and smiles of her grandchildren.

Happy Mother's Day, all!