In My Shoes...

I grabbed a pair of shoes and I heard Zack's voice in my mind say,  "Mom, wear your cute brown shoes like Rachel's." So I put my black boots back in the closet and pulled out The Rachel's. Yesterday I was feeling a little guilty and sad as I left my boys on their fall break to go to a lecture and study session at the U. On the drive my mind kept going back to the thoughts that went through my mind as I pulled on my Rachel's. I thought of the women in my life that inspire me to be better. I thought to myself, "I can do this."

We've all heard the saying, "If you could walk in my shoes..." As I pull on my shoes everyday I find strength in my shoes from the woman who lives around the corner, the woman who is driving their kids to school, the woman taking Trax to school or work, the woman in bed because she worked the night shift or stayed up late at a much needed girls' night, the woman who is at the gym, or at the temple, or making breakfast, or on her knees in prayer. I get strength from the women who fill my life with hope.

My Closet Includes:

The Rachel: A lot of function and a little bit of style; they are shoes of balance. The Rachel sends a husband to work with a prayer of safety as he protects the citizens of our community. They balance work to meet the needs of  family, while raising boys to be respectful, honorable young men. These shoes do it with no apologies and with style! These shoes are always good for a Diet Coke run, but most importantly the words of comfort that accompany the ride. The reviews for these shoes can be found from the noisy boys in the backyard, the client at the makeshift office table, the comments of the young women in the ward, and the teenage boys that think the wearer of these shoes is on fleek.

The Nicole: Planning each moment to its fullest, for the most pure of reasons. The Nicole ensures children have adventures and experiences that teach, guide, and inspire the mind, body, an soul. These shoes are simple, sturdy, and will take you anywhere your imagination and ingenuity will allow. They have walked quiet paths, and hard rocky trails, but these shoes always make it to the top of the mountain and ensure that you enjoy the view when you get there. These shoes allow you take the time for even the little things - finding a passion, date nights, girls' nights, picking clovers, and fulfilling the Lord's work. The best part about these shoes is that the more you wear them, the more you love them.

The Kim: No matter what the circumstances a little sparkle can brighten anyone's day. The Kim is the go to for a much needed girls' lunch. They shine a little light on a busy and burdensome week. They are the best pick for a short shopping trip, a Cafe Rio trip, or a ride for a coke. The Kim's aren't always out on display for the whole world to see, but when they come out they make a direct and deep impact to the wearer. Sometimes you might wear these when you do the hard things like sending your husband to military service, watching your daughter have her first baby, or sending your other child to serve the Lord across the country. The Kim's always remind you that you can do hard things and sparkle right through it.

The Melissa: These might be the busiest shoes of all. The Melissa's can be seen running, chasing, maybe even dragging several children around the valley. These shoes are comparable to one of a superhero; not only are these shoes busy with kids, but they are also always serving neighbors, running businesses, supporting husbands, doing extended family visits, having date nights, and one-on-one moments with kiddos. These are shoes of faith; they rely heavily on the Spirit to work at their best. The Melissa's inspire people to have faith in the Lord and His timing.

The Stef: These are shoes of creativity and dreams. The Stef gives you permission to know you can do anything. These shoes will take you to anywhere on your bucket list. The great thing about these is they have the talent and the hard work to get you there. If you want to remodel your house, start a business, learn a talent, support your kids through hard times, change jobs to make your family life better, or go on a spontaneous trip, these are your shoes. These shoes always make you feel good when you're wearing them. They have the "you can do anything" attitude and they really do work!

The Lisa: These shoes can also be called the 'Just Do It' shoes. The Lisa can pretty much do anything. If you need to get something done, wear these shoes. These shoes can run a household, run a primary, host a party, host another family for a couple months, support an entrepreneur, bake a pie, or a cake, cookies, tarts, okay... pretty much anything. These shoes are there for everyone, but be careful with these shoes because everything these shoes touch turns to gold, and if people know you have these in your possession they might ask a lot of you.

The Rena: These are the shoes of comfort. Wearing The Rena is like wearing a big hug. Wear the Rena's when your having a rainy day and you want to curl up with a cup of cocoa and a chick flick. The Rena can be seen all around the neighborhood; they are not selective shoes and are handed out to everyone willingly. They are the shoes everyone wants to have, whether it be the new neighbor, the sick mommy, the mourning wife, the missionary mom, or the momma that just wants to pull her hair out - the Rena is there to offer a hug (and maybe even a cinnamon roll). Everyone needs a pair of Rena's.

The Kristen: These shoes are the shoes of support. These shoes are unique and stand out on their own, but when the Spirit speaks these follow. These are the shoes of quiet faith. They are worth more than the owner even knows, they are beautiful, strong and sturdy. The Kristen's are the shoes that support the priesthood. They are those that say I'll go where you want me to go. They teach the wearer to have faith in the path that is laid out in front of them, because the path will lead to peace. These are the shoes that standout because of what is inside of them; they are made with the best materials and are unique, but don't have to be covered in diamonds to be valuable.

The Katia: These are the shoes of adventure. These shoes have walked many lands and in many languages. These shoes find the best of any circumstances. These shoes scream, "I can find happiness anywhere, doing anything, with anyone!" These are the shoes that can be away from loved ones and familiarity and find joy on whatever adventure they are on. And these shoes are a gorgeous - inside and out! People are drawn to these shoes because of the details, but speak to the wearer in very unique ways.

The Donna: This is the shoe of renewal. This shoe inspires planting roots deeply in the most important things: faith, values, God, and family. But The Donna says to go after your dreams, seek constant learning, have fun, laugh out loud. The Donna doesn't expect perfection, but expects hard work. The Donna doesn't judge the wearer; if your foot is a little swollen or your socks don't match, The Donna doesn't care. It's the journey matters for The Donna.

The Marlene: These are the shoes of service. These shoes are quiet, but powerful. These shoes are faithful shoes that speak to you if you're willing to listen. These shoes can be seen giving someone a hug on bad day, fulfilling their visiting teaching, delivering bread, or making a visit. These shoes raise the smartest kids! The Marlene's are admired by everyone that looks at them, but they are quiet and don't need the brightest spotlight. The Marlene stands out on its own merit.

The Michelle: These are the shoes of priority. These can be found in the service of family, Heavenly Father, church callings, and friends. The Michelle knows how to prioritize what's important. These shoes know if you put Heavenly Father and Family first the rest seems to work out. These shoes can be found teaching children to work, on Friday date night, writing letters to missionaries, hosting dinners, pulling scones at football games, and teaching brother-in-laws to make cookies. The Michelle has priorities in order and is the shoe of the unselfish.

There are many shoes that walk my neighborhood everyday, and walk into my life at every moment.
The Sarai-The shoe of perseverance to overcome.
The Lisa D. - The shoe of laughter.
The Tiffany - The shoe of strength.
The Annalice - The shoe of guidance.
The Becky - The shoe of preparation.
The Kandice - The shoe of education.
The Aubrie - The shoe of laughter.
And many, many, many more!


Every shoe speaks to me in it's own way and at different times depending on the weather, the comfort vs fashion, the plans for the day, or whatever I need to make it through the moment. Although each of the shoes in my life are different, they are the same: they protect me from the storms, they cheer me up, they give me strength, they are fun to have, they keep me warm, they walk with me every day, they are there when I need them. Each pair gives me faith in my divine plan and with hope that I can be better and fill my shoes in a way that the women in my life fill theirs. I am so grateful for every pair of shoes I have and I look forward to the future shoes I will acquire in life (I'm glad I have a big closet)! So the next time you hear the statement, "If you could only walk in my shoes..." Please know my reality - because you inspire me, you have walked in mine.