To the Mothers...

Dear Momma,

Thanks for raising me.

I think you did a fine job...does that surprise you?

Also, thanks for your nose and chin. I really like them. And I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bit prideful about the fact that my sisters both got Dad's chin, and I'm the only one that got yours.

.

And thanks for my wedding dress. You did such a good job on it! Remember how pretty it was? And it seriously fit me like a glove.

.

Thank you for giving birth to me, especially since you did it without an epidural...I'm sorry that I was in a hurry to get here. (I was born 13 minutes after my mom got to the hospital!)

.

Thanks for teaching me the value of good manners. That goes a long way in life, even now that I'm grown up-ish.

.

Thanks for teaching me how to make pies, and pretty ones at that. I think that pretty pies are the only thing I bring to the table with all of my talented sister-in-laws.

.

Thanks for helping me figure out what to do with my Sunbeams for their moms today, they turned out darling.

.

Thanks a million for giving birth to my five best friends too, and will you teach me how to make my kids all be best friends with each other? I would hate for them to miss out on the fun that we all have.

.

Thank you for my Bosch, when I took it to Enrichment once, the ladies in my ward were quite impressed.

.

Oh, and thanks for my sewing machine...sorry it is still at your house.

.

Thanks for putting up with me as a teenager. I was kind of a jerkface. Sorry.

.

Thank you for being the best mom ever. I love you so so much!

.

Love,

Mel

...

Dear Janet,

Thanks for raising Philip.

I think you did an amazing job.

Rumor has it that he was kind of a little hellion, so it is very sweet of you to not remember so much of that.

And even though he is a boy of few expressions (much like his namesake :)), I know that he appreciates you and loves you to death!

Also, thanks for passing along your very kind eyes. That is one of the things that made me fall in love with the boy, his eyes are kind of amazing. I am hoping that at least half of our kids get those eyes as well.

Thank you for teaching him the value of hard work, and not to be lazy.

Thanks for teaching him how to do laundry and clean up too...he's really good at both of them and doesn't think that he is above housework at all.

Thank you for the brains that you also passed on. He's really smart. Yet another thing that I'm hoping our kids get from him.

Thanks for being such a good teacher, all of your kids have benefited greatly from it.

And if you don't mind, would you teach preschool for another 10 years or so? I am afraid that our phantom kids are sorely missing out.

Thank you for the bread recipe, as well as all of the recipes that are Philip's favorites that you've passed down. I hope that someday my kids will think I am as amazing as a cook as your kids think you are.

Thanks for making hot chocolate every winter. It really is the best.

Thanks for letting me steal your only boy. I love him a lot.

Love,

Your favorite daughter-in-law,

Melissa