Mother's Day Version 2010!

Mom playing with Marin: This reminds me of the time that Camie came home from school one day and caught mom playing with some dolls by herself - she swore to Camie that Jenae had been there just a few minutes before. :-)

I have known many wonderful and magnificent women in my life, but my best human example of love and charity have come from my mother. Whoever was around at dinnertime got fed, whoever needed a place to stay the night could stay with us, and whoever needed a little extra love, you could count on it from my mom. (We call this the "Johnson" way - my grandmother must have passed this trait on to my mom and her siblings).

As I am trying to choose one memory to post about this year, I am thinking of all the times that mom took care of us (eight kids) when we were sick. I know that there were times when she could hardly get out of bed herself, but to soothe a sick child, she did. Lots of foreheads were caressed, children rocked, and medicine given. I remember several illnesses where mom was by my side, taking care of me and my siblings. I remember as a teenager calling from the upstairs line to the downstairs line and asking her if I could take the day off from school (we called these mental health days - they were rare, but mom accomodated us as long as we were getting good grades I think). I do have one confession to make - one time in 3rd grade I had recieved a homework assignment on Monday that was due Wednesday. Tuesday I stayed home from school because I had pink eye. On Wednesday I went back to school, but realized I had forgotten to do the homework assignment. I started to cry and my teacher didn't even ask any questions - she just told me she didn't think I was well enough and sent me to the nurse, and pretty soon mom came and picked me up - no questions asked! I think I was perfectly fine, but it didn't hurt me to be pampered for one more day and I finished that homework assignment.

So mom, from all the children you have helped, both mentally and physically, you will have our eternal gratitude and love! And thanks for believing us, even if we did sometimes "exagerrate" a headache here and there - sometimes we just needed the sympathy. You are a "Gem" of mothers! Happy Mother's Day, and lots of love - Alyssa