M is for the many things she gave me, O is for the other things she gave me…..

For those who don’t remember, this twist on the old standard was performed by Madeline Kahn on Saturday Night Live. The whole song was:

“M is for the many things she gave me

O is for the other things she gave me

T is for the thousand things she gave me

H is for the hundred things she gave me

E is for everything she gave me

R is for the rest of the things she gave me

P is for the presents that she gave me

Put them all together they spell “MOTHERP”

The one who means the world to me!”

I am a simple man (obviously) but I still think this is funny nearly 40 years on.

So, blontry this week will not be focused on India. I have had the pleasure of being with family in Portland since Wednesday evening. I have to be in Virginia for meetings next week, and while Oregon and Virginia are not geographically close, I was able to build in an interim stop in Oregon for only a couple of hundred bucks. It was a no brainer to extend my trip a few days and enjoy time with family. Not everyone was there, Emily, Michael, and Kai didn’t come up. And I was not able to see everyone else I wanted. However, everything else about the 3+ days was perfect. The weather was amazing; Oregon was at its most glorious; we were able to have two family dinners, including a belated second birthday for Carrigan; we were able to watch Julien’s baseball game including a couple of innings pitching; I got to listen to my beautiful, talented granddaughters and daughter by marriage singing, playing the piano and guitar, and composing a song together; I got to rassle and hug all the available grandkids; pretty much a perfect few days. Now back to reality. SIGH

Today is Mothers’ Day. I won’t be able to spend it with the mothers in my life as I am traveling back to Virginia and, of course, my own mother is not alive. On this Mothers’ Day, I want to broaden the focus from mothers to women; I want to take a moment for whomever ultimately reads this blog to bear witness to the importance of women in my life.

I have been blessed all of my life to be surrounded by and supported by strong, capable, kind, loving women. The first of course is my mother, Nedra Hurst Lundberg. She truly was an amazing women with so many gifts and abilities. I learned more from her than I can ever fully acknowledge or probably really understand. However, I want to point out three specific things here. First was a love, empathy, and compassion for others. The second is a love for and a belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The third is a love of literature and the joy of a good read. I am a pale imitation of her in all three areas but my love of others, the gospel, and books all clearly stem from her influence and example.

The second person I want to acknowledge is my wife Rae. Wife is not an adequate description or title for who she is to me: Companion, partner, lover, best friend, and more. She is finishing the job of raising me that my mom started. She has willingly and happily joined me in adventures in such exotic places as New Delhi India and Midland Texas. She has been a constant support, confident, and encourager (is that a word?). My greatest pride and joy come from seeing the people our children have become. Her influence on shaping them is incalculable. I honor her for being the mother and Nana that she is. I love watching our family interact filled with affection and joy. I know she deserves a great deal of the credit for helping us get to this point.

I am grateful for Evelyn Whyte, my mother in law. There is a long tradition of making mother in law jokes and complaining about one’s mother in law. None of that applies in my case. Evelyn is a woman who had the courage to leave the farm and open and grow a small business that became so successful that my father in law, leased out the farm and joined her in running it. She and Ken were entrepreneurs and full partners in two businesses and numerous investments. I have never known anyone who worked harder or loved more that Evelyn. She was the greatest single influence on Rae in her developing years. I will love her forever for the wonderful job she did in rearing and guiding Rae.

From individuals, I want to shift to two groups of women: first my sisters and second my daughters and daughter in law. When I wrote earlier that I have been blessed to always be surrounded by strong, capable, kind, loving women that includes my three sisters Meredith Simmons, Elizabeth Schlemmer, and Constance Erickson. I have not always had a close relationship with my sisters, but as adults I can say that I am filled with love and respect for each of them. They are each their own woman, with their own talents and interests. Each of them as lived her own life making the choices right for them and becoming amazing people in the process. I am grateful for the examples they have been to our daughters.

Speaking of daughters (and daughters in law) the heritage of incredible strong, talented, loving women continues into the next generation. Rachel Lundberg, Emily Beverlin, Rebecca Brown, and Sarah Clifford are all talented, capable, loving, kind, wonderful women. They have faced challenges and trials with courage and faith. They live their lives with joy. Each of them is doing a wonderful job or rearing and guiding the most wonderful collection of grandchildren that one can imagine! While they are doing that they each also continue to grow and develop as people and provide support to their husbands.

Finally I recognize and thank the other women who have influenced and shaped me: aunts, cousins, sisters in law, and friends. There are so many relatives and friends who have influenced me for good and from whom I have learned. Some went out of their way to help me. Some probably never knew that I was watching and learning from them.

Happy Motherp day!

Namaste