My Perfect Day-Mother's Day 2009

As I sit here in the quiet comfort in our 'cuddly room', I bask in the memories of this day. My perfect chemically dependent day began with a hot shower at 6:45am, followed by an Excedrin (it has 65mg of caffine to keep me awake this early in the morning, besides, it helps with the joint pain). I only had to try on 2 outfits before deciding on which one to wear. As I walked downstairs I was greeted by the sweet fragrance of my favorite fresh flower…the stargazer lily.

Roger placed them on the kitchen table with an endearing card which read: “Thank you for sharing life with me—from the cuddly room to Mongolia!” I am reminded this morning that soon we will be in outer Mongolia. (I try not to think about our impending 13 hour flight to Seoul, Korea.) Then I see the box of cherry cordials from Cummings Chocolate and I quickly forget about Mongolia.

I got ready in time to eat my traditional breakfast; 1 hardboiled egg, white toast with blackberry jam, and 1/2 glass of orange juice. I will save the chocolate for later.

I loved driving to our church assignment at the juvenile detention center. We listened to classic music and I was able to put on my lipstick in between traffic lights. I always feel safe when Roger drives. He is a conscious, conservative and defensive driver. I appreciate that he values driving safely.

We were a few minutes early (unusual for me) and were immediately asked to offer the prayers for sacrament meeting. I loved hearing the quiet piano prelude music as we entered the small chapel. Roger put his arm around me when we sat down. I loved the feeling of being cradled in his arms.

The sun was shining through the beveled glass windows which stretched across the high beamed ceiling. It’s a simple chapel...8 small pews on each side of the center aisle. Six folding chairs were placed behind the podium; 3 for the branch presidency and 2 for the guest speakers. The branch president welcomed 25 volunteers and announced a census of 94 incarcerated juveniles. The sacrament was blessed and passed by four older adult men. Reverence and peace filled the room.

A recently returned missionary offered a 5 minute talk on gratitude. I felt his humility as he shared his conviction of how an attitude of gratitude brings happiness. The second speaker was a high councilman from the Cottonwood Stake. He honored with reverence the divine role of womanhood. Interestingly, I didn't feel guilty about my imperfections of womanhood or motherhood. Those many years when I sat alone with my 3 children on similar pews in the distant past always brought guilt and sadness on Mother's Day. I dreaded this holiday each year; but not today. I was sitting next to my kind, loving husband...my best friend, my companion with whom I feel valued...an equal partnership based on mutual trust and respect. I loved hearing Roger offer the closing prayer. I loved hearing his voice in simple humility. The meeting is over in 45 minutes....just another plus of our current assignment.

Ninety-four teenagers are escorted into nine classrooms. During the week the Granite School District use the classrooms for secular learning. On Sundays and Tuesday nights, these classrooms are transformed into shelters that offer comfort and hope. The Spirit of God is able to touch each child and we are humbled to be instruments through which the Spirit can work. We can imagine how this will be in the Spirit world where the disciples of Christ are sent to Spirit prison to minister to those in need. Heartfelt prayers are offered by these young people and my soul is fed. The hour quickly passes.

After classes and the young people return to their cells. We usually convene into the chapel again for a 30 minute in-service, but since it's Mother's Day, we get to go home early. On our way home Roger and I ponder and discuss the wonderful feeling we felt this day. We bounce ideas back and forth on how we can reach these kids....truly a partnership of learning and growing.

Once at home, I quickly started putting lunch together. In a couple hours, Drew and Courtney will arrive for our traditional Sunday dinner. Greg and Paul are in Houston visiting with Nicole, Jason and Kate for the weekend, so it will be just the 4 of us. I have time to practice the organ. I love hearing the different sounds of this musical instrument. I'm learning "Ciacona in C" by Pachelbel. The fingering is very tricky and it's very tedious. It will probably take me all summer to learn the piece, but I enjoyed my 1 1/2 hours on the bench.

Then off to visit Pauline (the Harrie children’s grandmother...she's 90) for Mother's Day. She is so spry for a woman her age. Although she's forgetful, she is an amazing woman. She has experienced great trials and adversity, yet through it all she presses forward. We hear the same stories again, but we smile and act as if we haven't heard them before. She looks so radiant today. I'm glad we were able to bring a little happiness into her day.

Courtney and Drew arrive promptly at 3...I'm a little behind with dinner and they help with last minute fixing's. Roger is grilling my favorite....ribeye steaks....medium rare. I tried a different combination of veggies today. I stir-fried mushrooms, sweet pea pods and zucchini together. It was yummy with the steaks. Then Alicia popped in. She presented me with a gift certificate to Banana Republic (awesome) from, "your Harrie Children". But what was most special were the words written on the card:

...'thanks for all that you do for us and for our father. You are always so thoughtful and willing to help us out...'

I love the Harrie children. They are a part of the person I love, and I love them, too. One day I will greet their mother and report on my sacred stewardship entrusted to me in this mortal life. They are so respectful of me entering their lives AND they are very patient with my multiple idiosyncrasies.

Usually when the telephone rings, I wait to see if Roger will answer it…but not today. I was looking forward to the calls from Alisa, Matt and Adam. Alisa calls me often during the week just for some ‘adult conversation’. However, the weekends I usually don’t hear from her because Sheldon is providing her with adult conversation (thanks Sheldon!). It was a delight to hear her voice and pretend I was in their sacrament meeting watching DJ and Ciara sing the traditional Mother’s Day songs. Then Adam called. Now I know Adam doesn’t like talking on the phone….he is a texting master. I’ve learned if need to talk with Adam, I text him and he’ll usually responds with a texted reply within the hour…so a phone call is a real treat. We talked for almost 45 minutes. He’s learning to play the piano and it was fun to hear him play a few pieces. Then Matt called. I had to chuckle when he said he was in the middle of making dinner for Kasey and the kids. He said half the noodles had escaped quickly down the drain while he was draining them. Then he said he was going to put spaghetti sauce over the noodles and mix it with browned ground beef and corn and top it off with grated cheese...interesting. Kasey and Matt surprised me with a cool online class on photoshop and a quick guide for taking photographs. I’m so excited to start the class.

I remember my mother telling me the story of the poet and song composer, Carrie Jacob’s Bond. My mother paid us $5 to memorize classic poems. “If” by Rudyard Kipling was one I memorized and “A Perfect Day” by Carrie Jacob’s Bond was another. I remember looking in poem books for the shortest poem to memorize, but she continued to reward us for memorizing most any poem.

Carrie Jacob’s Bond is probably best remember for writing the song “I Love You Truly”, for which she became the first woman to sell one million copies of a song. In her own words Carrie said:

"The only thing that seems to me at all remarkable about my life is that I was nearly thirty-two before I ever even thought of having a career. In Janesville, Wisconsin where I was born in 1862, I was early given some instruction in music and painting, but anything that I could turn to in case of need was not taught me. It was the necessity of supporting myself and my little son that made me a writer of songs. It is true that even as a little girl, when I thought of the future, I always thought of myself as a songwriter."

Left virtually penniless, disabled by rheumatism and with a young boy to raise by herself, Carrie Jacobs-Bond overcame adversity and through her own faith and hope, built a music publishing empire and became known worldwide. Carrie, who probably didn’t experience too many perfect days immortalized a perfect day for the whole world to enjoy:

When you come to the end of a perfect day,
And you sit alone with your thought,
While the chimes ring out with a carol gay
For the joy that the day has brought,
Do you think what the end of a perfect day
Can mean to a tired heart,
When the sun goes down with a flaming ray,
And the dear friends have to part?

Well, this is the end of a perfect day,
Near the end of a journey, too;
But it leaves a thought that is big and strong,
With a wish that is kind and true.
For mem'ry has painted this perfect day
With colors that never fade,
And we find at the end of a perfect day
The soul of a friend we've made.

I add to Carrie’s poem these parting words (kindof corney but heartfelt):

Love and serving have painted MY perfect day
With the sounds of your voices that will never fade away,
They’ll be no end to my perfect day
Because these memories with me will always stay.

Thank you mom for sharing your passion of learning with me. Thank you mom for giving me life that I might give life to others. Thank you mom for loving me no matter what. Thank you mom for cheering me on through the hard times. Thank you mom for your sacrifices in my behalf. Thank you mom for teaching me the gospel of Jesus Christ through your example. Thank you mom for your angelic example of following the spirit of the law. Thank you mom for teaching me compassion and patience as we said our long goodbyes through the entangled web of alzhemier's disease. 'Til we meet again.

Your daughter,
Bev