I am thankful for all moms.

Many people have told me how great my Mom is. I've heard she is an angel, that she is beautiful, that they love her and look up to her. I just want to point out that when she was young she liked to put dog poop in a paper bag and set it on fire on the neighbor's porch. Then she'd ring the doorbell, run off, and watch as they stomped it out.

Also, she got in trouble with the police in New York City for dropping balloons filled with shaving cream from a high rise.

Also, as a girls camp leader she brought a boom box with bear sounds and scared the girls so bad that they started praying and crying in their tents. The other leaders were furious, except for Maud Gunnell Richardson, who just laughed about it with her.

So my Mom is probably not who you think she is. She is so much better.

When I was 8 years old she told me, while tucking me into bed, that the Holy Ghost is like a comforter. My Mom is a great comforter. When my younger brother Jared was suffering with terrible mental health issues sometimes he would lay down by my Mom and have her put her hand over his ear as a comfort.

She also owns the virtue of long-suffering. She made friends with the people at the Juvenile Detention Center after so many visits.

I have a theory about my Mom: She always sees her kids as naked babies in the bath. When her kids are not perfect: Naked babies in the bath. When her kids are misbehaving: Naked babies in the bath. When they get hurt or in serious trouble: Naked babies in the bath! Moms know that their kids arrived with all kinds of joy and life and potential and a little chaos. They see through the nonsense and remember their true spirit. When the world chews people up and leaves them feeling hopeless, moms see naked babies in the bath.

I'm thankful for moms. Everyone is thankful for moms.

I'm attaching a photo of my Mom when she was totally exhausted and jet lagged but took the middle seat in the back of a rental car so my brothers could have a little comfort and rest. Also to keep them from fighting. (She is also a peacemaker.)