Robin Eggs

For mother's day this year, Bob bought me a beautiful plant to hang from the hooks on our deck. Miraculously, IT LIVES! Although I must say, it is not looking so spry as of today. I do hope it can survive my black thumb.

A few months ago, we realized a "robin" (who knows if that is what it really is) made a nest in said plant and laid four perfectly speckled eggs. Well, as you might expect, there is a lot of excitement about four baby eggs in our very own plant on our very own porch, and so we must see them on occasion. One of those times we may have touched them with our tiny fingers and the mother may have abandoned them. Rats! I tried to stop the touching, but it was done with ninja speed.  Like Ra's Al Ghul quickness. So these perfect eggs never had a chance to become what they might have if the mother had stayed, in spite of her fear.

I can think of so many wonderful mothers who have stayed though, when their kids were touched by scary things. Kids that outgrew, were healed, repented and thrived because their parents stayed by their side.

In one of my 43 wards, we had a very talented musical family that used to make us all feel bad about ourselves when they would bless us with their gifts. The kids all knew how to play the violin beautifully and could play things that would make you cry. Mostly from inferiority. The daughters were gifted and lovely and full of young potential. This was the family you watch on Sunday that makes you feel like an utter failure as a parent. I adored this mom and dad. But I didn't really know how amazing they were until I heard the story about one of these young girls coming to her mother and telling her she was pregnant. This sweet mother wrapped her arms around her daughter immediately and held her while she cried. Then she told her Heavenly Father loved her and that everything would be ok, that together they would walk through the unknown, the scary. No, this mother didn't abandon her daughter when she was touched by danger and needed her the most.

I am just starting teenager-ness. I block as much outside influence from them as I can, but it still gets through and it gives me the creeps! However, I am not a fair-weather mother, a robin of rainless-ness, a poultry of perfection. So bring it on little fingers of danger! Me and my mom-friends are ready. We have serious skills and are scarier that what threatens our kids. When you show up at our door, which we know you will, we will not be ashamed, we will not fly away, and we will TAKE YOU DOWN. We were saved for such a time as this. We have been prepared. And we will stay until our sweet little eggs become all that they were meant to be.