mothers and daughters....turns out i am my mothers daughter.

i just had a realization.

i am very much like my mother.

the other day i was rushing around with a with a stack of cards, letters, a primary lesson to prepare, visit teachee phone numbers to call and i realized. i am my mother.

at first i had this surreal moment, like, how did that happen? but then i realized. it makes sense:

i admire my mother.

i think its amazing the life she has had.

how she has always been the strong one.

the way she KNOWS the lord. like, its so deep in her.

her endless care and love to help people.

the acceptance she shows everyone.

how she can so easily reach out and talk to anyone, and make them feel wonderful.

"Please look to your faithful mothers for a pattern to follow. Model yourselves after them...look to your mother. learn from her strengths, her courage and her faithfulness. listen to her."

Brother Ballard said, "even when you think your daughter is not listening to a thing you say, she is still learning from you as she watches you to see if your actions match your words."

And he is right. i didn't consciously try to be like my mom, or anyone in particular. but my mom would try and go to the temple every saturday morning. and before europe i had this idea in my head that i needed to go to the temple every week, and guess what day? saturday, night though. haha, not quite the morning person she is. the idea that i should stay with piano because it will help me serve in the church. of course, i didn't care about then when i was little. but i have already had 5 callings to serve in the church by playing piano.

I am NO WHERE near the woman my mother is, but it did make me happy to see that some of her amazing nature got through my independent thinking mind and has become part of me.

"Teach your daughters to find joy in nurturing children. This is where their love and talents can have the GREATEST eternal significance."

It's scary to see how some roles i play in my life now are already similar to that. playing piano in primary and teaching the 5 year olds. and my job as an aupair. i think about runny noses, smiley faces, bubbles, stories, princesses, treats, crayons, teething, colds, rubber duckies, and nappies way more than a non-mother usually does.

its neat and a somewhat daunting challenge to think that they are silently learning from me. i hope to be able to prepare them. to help them see their potential to be beautiful, intelligent, meaningful daughters and sons of god.