The journey is my home: Happy Mothers Day!

I love this holiday. I am so thankful for Grandma Bjorkman, Grandma Johnson, and especially for Mom. Here's why...

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I kick things off with the one and only Grandma Bjorkman. A few memories growing up: tea sets; sleepovers; delicious lunches; and just how many times did we take advantage of her cable hookup to watch BYU football games?

In April 2003 a new era began: the Gma days. While her living with the fam has been a "challenge" at times and proof that Mom is nothing short of a saint, Grandma provided some of my favorite high school memories and continues to bring the fun every time I return to Idaho. Unfortunately, it sounds like she has declined since I was last home, but posted below are a few Grandma Bjorkman highlights (pics and quotations) from years past.

Turning 88 and posing with her sweet cake
June 13, 2005

Sporting the Y cap and chic shades
Memorial Day picnic, May 2005

Waiting for church with Abby and Savannah
July 2, 2006

Favorite quotes from Grandma B:
"Jeff, I didn't mean what I said about your hair"
-Grandma, breaking the silence at the dinner table, after she had said absolutely nothing about his hair. At the time Jeff was growing out his hair for the surfer look. Gma was not a fan.

"We shall see, Ron. ::PAUSE:: We shall see."
-I can't even remember what Dad and Grandma were talking about, but chances are Dad had just gently vetoed one of her many decorating, vacationing, or 90th birthday ideas. Oh, and the best part was how she said this with the exact tone of Mr. Burnes from the Simpsons. It was hilarious.

"Well, Tom says I've been patient"
-Said at least once a day for about three months after Tom did in fact say she'd been patient during the apartment remodel.

"But I'm 90, Marilyn! I'm 90!!"
Line from a classic kitchen table conversation I was privy to last summer. She had just celebrated her 89th birthday two weeks prior to the convo and was convinced she had already reached the next decade. I won't give too much detail, but she was insisting certain things just couldn't be expected of people her age.

"I think the piano was a bit too loud"
-Grandma, in a hushed voice during her interview with Jon on Karen and Eric's wedding video, once again telling it how it is after the Vickery's musical performance.

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March 2005

Growing up, I didn't spend nearly as much time with Grandma Johnson as I did with Grandma Bjorkman, but the time we spent together I remember fondly. When I was three or four, she took care of us while Mom and Dad attended a Rotary Conference. Let's just say she knew how to enforce the No TV On Sunday rule. And for that, I'm grateful. Apparently, during this same visit, I yelled at the older brothers when they were eating all the food at dinner or something like that (this is what I'm told), and she liked how I stuck up for myself at a young age. We always had a special connection after that, and sometimes when we'd visit Idaho Falls she'd tell me that story. I always enjoyed visiting the farm. The first time I ever liked broccoli was in Idaho Falls. She also made us hot cross buns that trip. When she moved from IF to Orem, we helped her sort through stuff and I burned my hand as we burned old files, etc. She treated my hand with ointment and gave me a stuffed pig, which I still have stored back in Idaho. She was always the nurse and always the comforter. The last time I saw Grandma Johnson was when I visited Utah during spring break of my freshman year of college. I spent an afternoon with her and I am SO thankful to have had that time with her. We walked through her garden, had lunch with her friends, and chatted. She was so sweet that visit.

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The two hardest working people I know are my parents. I will give Dad and his oft quoted "I will work harder" (Boxer) highlight time in June. As for Mom, it is hard to think of a day that she is not up by 6 am and working straight through until she goes to bed. I don't know too many women who install a sprinkler system, build shelves in their garage, work on never ending landscaping and gardening projects, bake a record breaking 27 (or some comparable figure) pies at Thanksgiving or, you know, raise eight children in their spare time.

Not only does Mom work all day long, but she usually spends this working time for the benefit of others. She is so selfless and service oriented. She wants everyone to succeed and is willing to do whatever she can to help others, especially her children, reach their goals. She always likes to share thoughtful advice. Even last week she tagged on a couple of exam tips at the end of an email for me.

Life requires patience and motherhood requires a special patience. I am particularly thankful that I have such a patient, patient mother. Otherwise, I could still be the moody, strong willed, and demanding Andrea that I was during my earlier years. I give her full credit.

Mom is so fun to spend time with. She can be very entertaining, especially when she becomes animated telling stories with full hand motions or watches movies. She never fails to jump at least once during the action of a movie.

I appreciate Mom's passion for life and for her hobbies. She has always been an avid gardener. She loves music, and I'm so glad she passed this love for music onto her children, as it brings me such joy. She loves to read and she loves to learn. I've had several great teachers throughout my student life, but, really, my parents have always been my best teachers. Mom is so passionate about education and making sure that everyone has the chance to receive a quality education. I'm so impressed that even as Jeff is on the verge of graduating, she still spends loads of time with her education committee continually improving the Emmett School District.

Mom is one of the best examples of how to love and treat people. She takes an interest in everyone, and when she says she loves everybody, I really believe it. Whenever someone moves into the ward or neighborhood, she's always one of the first to welcome and include. She's a very good listener. I cannot match her empathy. She'll hear or read about a tragedy in the area and she genuinely grieves for the loss, whether it is of friend or complete strangers.