"Yes, Honey, we know...




Strima, our cat who has been gone for about 8 weeks and just arrived home
VERY pregnant. 
She felt the need to flop down
 in the middle of the main aisle of the barn at milking time. 

 

...we all get tired at the end."

"Mother's Day"

"Styvmorsviol"

(Stepmother's Violet)

 Provincial flower of Angermanland, Sweden

"Last-last Sunday" (as they say in Sweden) was Mother's Day in the U.S. 

In Sweden it happens on the last Sunday in May,

just a week or so from now.

This year I have had some quiet time during my barn duties to reflect on my feelings about motherhood in a way that I have seldom done in the past.

Those reflective moments have given me some increasingly clear insights.

Here are seven of them:

1.   I have loved the role of motherhood from my earliest childhood memories. 

      I always wanted to be a mother first and foremost.

2.  For me no other calling can compare in importance to that   

     of a mother.

It has bound me to Heavenly Father in a very singular way

 that  has influenced all aspects of my life.

3.  Being a mother has meant loving my children during their best and worst times of life,

 no matter how they behave towards me or others.

4.  Motherhood will always require absolute truth. 

Even if it means it will be hard to hear and the relationship will be strained,

 the truth is always the only way.

5.  Mothering will never be a popularity contest. 

 It is not possible to be one WITH the kids if you are one OF the kids.

6.  Inviting a child to the earth brings with it eternal responsibilities

 that must be carried out.

No exceptions.

7.  When you give your heart to mothering,

 you give your heart to all humanity.

The Stepmother's Violet (Styvmorsviol) is one of the first blooms to appear on our farm after the long, hard winter each year. 

It holds a special significance for me at this time in my life.

When I first came to Sweden a man in our village pointed it out and explained it's meaning. 

He said:

"This beautiful flower, seen upside-down,
 means that a stepmother sits on two chairs

 and holds all her children in her heart and in her arms -

the ones she bore in love and the ones she chose in love -

they are the same."

I bore six children in love and from those children I also received four sons-in-law and one daughter-in-law.

When I married Hans I chose eleven children in love and also received their marriage partners.

I hold them all in my heart and in my arms,

 and I love them all.

 They are the same.

We hope you had/will have

 a wonderful

Mother's Day.

"Monson and Lopp, Esq."

Doesn't this title sound like a:

High quality

Gentleman's

Tailoring

Firm?

Well...in many ways it is.

Pictured here on the left is Elder Monson from Alpine, Utah and on the right is Elder Lopp from Orem, Utah.
Without question, these two young missionaries are 

 HIGH QUALITY

 men. 

Usually dressed in dark suits, white shirts and conservative ties,  sporting the traditional name tags of  missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, these GENTLEMEN arrived at our farm after a full day of missionary labors, and as you can see above, traded in their day clothes for some well-worn navy blue Blåkläder Swedish farm coveralls, and hopped to it with the mucking out in the main barn.

Their next assignment was TAILOR-MADE for those who are as willing and anxious to serve as they were that cold Spring evening.

 After a short tutorial from Gustav on the joys and effective techniques of calf-feeding,

they started right in.

And were they good at it?

Look at them!

Monson is feeding two ravenous baby calves simultaneously in two different pens,

and Lopp, not one whit behind him, is switching out the feeding nipples according to the age and abilities of the younger calves,

like a Pro!

Incredible.

Their faith is FIRM  in the Master
 they follow and serve.

After feeding them a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread and a take-home bag (so they could be home on time) of two containers of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, we sent them on their way to drive the hour and a half back to their apartment in Örnsköldsvik.

We love these good young men. 

They were an answer to our prayers when we needed some very real

HIGH QUALITY HELP.

THANKS ELDERS!