On this day I always find myself wondering what I would talk about if I were asked to give a talk on Mother's Day about mothers. I figure my story of mothers is not exactly the norm and I don't know what I would say.

This Mother's Day though I realized what I would say and decided to share it with you. Don't ask me why I just thought I would. I mean who is deranged enough to write a talk he will never give? Well since deranged is my middle name I guess I'll go ahead with the rest of this blog.

Today I would like to talk a little about a certain mother. See, there aren't many mothers that get to choose who their children are going to be. Most of them come after nine months of pregnancy and start off as a little baby and they usually come one at a time, with some exceptions.

With my situation my biological mother had some serious mental health problems and decided (not consciously like you and I decide) that she no longer wanted to be mine and my brother's and sisters mother on this earth anymore. Just so you know I have three older sisters and at the time three younger brothers. That’s right seven kids ages 3 thru 11 years old found themselves without a mother. Worse than that is that we had been without a mother in the home for almost four years and the oldest ones, at least, had become very independent. Kristin my oldest sister basically became our mom through that time and had a massive amount of responsibility put upon her at a very young age. Probably explains why she is so anal and loves tons of stress in her life all the time.

Anyway, so the year after my biological mother died my father decided that his seven children needed a mother and started dating. He found a woman who was teaching school down in Utah that had never been married before and had no kids of her own. They started seeing each other and things moved pretty quickly. He then brought her home to meet us. If you can imagine what was going through the minds of seven children who really hadn't had a mother for quite awhile and who were used to doing everything themselves when presented with the idea that this woman was to become their mother.For some absolutely insane reason this woman chose to be the stepmother of seven children the youngest of four. Can you imagine trying to take on that task? Not only are these children not your biological offspring but also they have been motherless for a very long time. So father married her and she moved into our home. What a bizarre time this was for all of us. All of a sudden there was structure. There were rules and someone was there to force us to follow them. There was punishment for offenses to these rules. We had a new mom and she took over.

We each reacted differently to her and at the ripe old age of nine I had mixed reviews. We were not easy on her. I remember vividly to this day not finishing my chores before school one day so she made me finish them and be late for school and I turned to her as I was walking out the door and yelled "I hate you, you aren't my mother!" and slammed the door and walked out.

I remember many times hearing the sobbing coming from my parents room after one or more of us had ganged up on her and made her feel as horrible as possible. Why she didn't give up on us I will never know. A lesser person would have flown the coop many many times. Yet she stuck to it. She kept on us like a fly on a fresh cow patty. Some days were of course better than others. When I was in High School I clashed with her more times than not. I was an angry kid and we got into many arguments. I'll never forget the night she caught me sneaking out. She lectured me for hours on end the next day. My dad was on a business trip at the time and I tell you what she laid into me something fierce.

I know my other brothers and sisters were much the same with the exception of maybe Lisa. There were some nasty moments and yet this woman continued in this thankless never ending task of raising some obstinate kids.I never appreciated her until I left the house. Which for me it was the day I went into the MTC. I never knew just how much she had taught me and just how much I owed her for helping me grow up until then.

I knew how to clean my clothes and keep my underwear white. I knew how to cook and clean and take care of myself. My parents had forced me to get a job the day I turned 16. I actually started four days before my 16th birthday and have held a job ever since. But because of that I knew what work was all about and didn't shirk from my duties. I knew how to manage my money and not squander it. I knew how to act in certain situations with proper manners and etiquette. I knew everything I needed to in order to survive on my own. All because of a woman who I had called mother in words but never gave her the title in my heart until then.

She had chosen to be my mother and never gave up on me. I give her much credit in making me the man that I am. I was nothing close to grateful at the time but now I cannot share how grateful I am in my heart. I know some of my brothers and sisters still do not feel as I do, but they should. Usually a child knows the mother from birth and there is a direct bond. This mother, my mother, looked at us and chose to be our mother. For this I cannot thank her enough.

So on this Mother's Day I would like to recognize my step mother, whom I call Mom, for her endeavors and never giving up on seven extremely difficult children.

Thank you Mom! I love you!