Annette Spendlove
Biography
Annette was born to Bert and Becky Martinez, the 5th child of 10. She did very well in school, attending Ben Lomand High School, participating on the Bonnie Lassie drill team and a cappella choir. Studying early childhood development as Weber State University, Annette was in LaDianeda sorority and elected Sigma Gamma Chi’s Fraternity sweetheart. In 1974 Annette briefly met Merrill Spendlove. Two years later he proposed and they were married. They have eight children, one having three kidney transplants. Annette has been PTA president five times. Her children have seven Eagle Scout awards, served missions, and one played division one basketball. Annette is a master municipal clerk and was president of the Utah Municipal Clerks Association twice. She has loved serving her community for 25 years. Mostly, Annette Spendlove is loving, compassionate and beautiful inside and out.
Philosophy on Parenting
What is a Mother, a Mom? All I knew was that I was holding my one-hour old son in my arms and there was this precious gift for me to shape, mold, nurture and love.
Where do I begin? it is easy when my children looked up to me for everything. Once they had their own wants and wishes, look out. I learned to dwell on their strengths and let them work out their disappointments. While letting them know I was always there to listen and encourage. i learned when to step aside and when to hold strong. This quandary didn’t come without mistakes and failures and many years of ups and downs.
Children have their own personalities to form. I learned love, forgiveness, patience, humility, but most of all, never give up and spend lots of time on my knees. We all want our children to serve others, be respectable citizens, be hard workers, thrive as learners, enjoy people, and love their families and their God. So, I needed to be their example. Being a Mother has given me confidence I never thought I would have.
It all boils down to two words, “LOVE THEM”. I love, loving them.
How Being a Mother Has Impacted My Life
Before having children, we decided to not let them play us against each other. In the deep reality of parenting, when your stomach is clenching, your heart is aching, tears are falling and you are praying but not getting answers, you just hang on and never give up. The joys and achievements of parenting are often broadcast, displayed, and sometimes published. The disappointments are sometimes quietly excruciating and piercing. I wanted my children to have joy, and know the importance of hard work and service; to have self-esteem, but not pride; to respect and trust, but question; to be independent, but still depend on and help each other; and to love their Heavenly Father and follow their Savior. Parenting is teaching them correct principles, hopefully by example, and desiring that they would make choices that would leave them free to choose again.
Activities
I believe that every student’s parents should have the opportunity to serve in the PTA. I started when my first child entered kindergarten. I was a room mother and seven years later, I was PTA president for two years at elementary school, one year at junior high, and two years at another junior high. I helped and was chair over several fundraisers and health fairs to help get needed classroom supplies. It was rewarding seeing the students and parents working together for the children’s educational success, health, and well-being.
For several years I organized the Town of Huntsville 4th of July celebration. With the help of many citizens, both young and old, we raised several thousand dollars to help Huntsville Town purchase park equipment, construct restrooms, and do other things that were needed. I have also been deeply involved in the planning and execution of Cherry Days, including the Grand Marshall Dinner and the Miss Cherry Days Pageant. This pageant is affiliated with the Miss America Pageant helping young women earn scholarships for education.
I have been active in my church working with people of all ages – children to adult. I was able to do many service projects with several of these age groups such as gathering cloth so that we could make quilts for young children in local hospitals, foreign countries, or our own neighborhood. We also were involved in painting neighbor’s fences, mowing and weeding their yards and taking a much needed meal to help relive the burdens facing families in the midst of a crisis.