When my kids wonder if I love one child more than another — or if they think I’m favoring one,  I remind them that I love each of them equally — “you’re like a box of fine, exquisite chocolates, and I don’t have just one favorite.”

True, some days I may seem to favor the dark chocolate almonds, but then I want a butterscotch square, or a dark raspberry creme, or a bordeaux. Of course, there are those days when I have said to myself “– too many butterscotch squares today, I need a break.”

I have raised kids for a career. They are my big fat research projects (well, that and marriage.)

And I have a son-in-law and three daughters-in-law, and six grandkids to add to my chocolate assortment (plus another flavor on the way.)

My mom says that when I was one, I could recognize the See’s candy shop by sight and I would point to my mouth and make yummy sounds — maybe because my grandma used to give me little bites of chocolate from her box of candy. Or maybe they have See’s Candy Shops in the pre-earth life.

Progeny is the only thing that goes on forever–everything else–all matter–decays and is recycled and reused. I am thankful everyday that I made the choice to have these five kids (and motherhood is a tough, continual career that requires much chocolate, for real.)

“Though matter is replaced through an endless cycle of creations and dissolution, only spirit retains conscious identity, so that strictly speaking “only progeny is immortal,” each “mounting up from world to world” acquiring ever more “treasure” while “progressing towards His perfection which awaits them all.” (Nibley, Treasures in the Heavens)