A quilt of Mothers

I am a very lucky girl, I was raised in a world where I had Many forms of Mother's.  My Mom of course was and still is a hands on mom.  She is the first to throw a party for any occasion, she came to all my softball games she could make.  Growing up she was always making play dough on rainy days, holding me when the world was a bit scary, cheering me on when I did not think I could keep going, and loving me unconditionally.  She is the reason I do everything I do, she inspires me to keep going, to dream big and know that anything is possible.

My Grandmother Was also my mom, she covered all the bases that grandmothers cover but went a step further, she taught me how to sew, to throw a baseball and how to live off the land.  She gave me love that I carry with me today and lessons to last a lifetime.

Then there is my Aunt Ginny, she had me in the summertime on Flathead lake.  She was and still is a pillar in my upbringing.  I baked my first batch of cookies solo in her kitchen, we still refer to that summer as "snicker doodle summer" because I had to continue to perfect the recipe.  She taught me the art of housekeeping, how to make a bed properly and an appreciation of having a made bed every evening.  She is an interior designer by trade and I owe my sense of decorating to a passion she instilled in me.  She taught me how to read a map on one of our many road trips,  For graduation she gave me a suitcase, knowing that independence and a sense of adventure were key to my growing up.

Carol Camp is one of my moms.  The summer my parents divorced my mom needed to work in Alaska for the summer and my father was working, so I went to stay with the camps.  I was 12 and a bit of a handful, but Carol had 4 girls at home already and didn't think twice of taking me under her wing.  She guided me in the few months I was there.  She held me when I was confused and angry at the cards I had been dealt that year.  Carol taught me the strength that can be found in faith.  And as the years have gone by she has never stopped being a mom to me,   Always willing to give advice and love. 

Penny is my step mom, she has always been my source of all things practical, she will give me a straight answer to many a problem which has been such a blessing.  She has lived an organic life and has been considerate of her place on earth and how we live in a circle, what you give is what comes back to you.  She has been a lifesaver time and again to Nathan and I.  She has a sense of adventure, always ready to try new things and always believing in me every time I am ready to take my next adventure!

Moms come in every form, there have been times my sisters have been my moms.  Shelly was always guiding me with advice when I was in high school and when I was first married.  She was the first person I called when I felt like motherhood was overwhelming as I had rocked my screaming baby for 3 hours straight.  She calmed me down and guided me through. Errin has taken care of me when I am sick, even as a grown adult.  She is one of the most generous people I know, she helps me with all the hair brained ideas I come up with and when I have too much on my plate she is at my door with open arms and helping hands.
I met a gal the other day who had lost her mother at a very young age.  She had been raised by her dad.  He would sew every costume for every Halloween, bake cupcakes for her birthday.  Even went to work with finger nail polish on his pinkie a time or two. 

I have taken a bit from  all of these "moms" and added them to how I raise my son, I look at all of them as pieces of a quilt I am making...to keep my him warm.

 Happy Mother's Day, and Thank you to all the Mom's out there.  Love, Jennifer

Thread image http://www.123rf.com/photo_8208466_close-up-of-thread-spools-needle-and-thimble-with-a-tape-measure-in-the-background.html

Quilt image http://cynthia-stcharles.blogspot.com/2010/05/scrap-quilt-wedding-gift.html