Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! I thought I’d take some time here to pay tribute to my mother, *the* BEST mother in the world… because she was made *just for me*, just as your mother was made *just for you*. And vice-versa.

My mom loved me even before she knew me. Even before she knew she would love me. How is that possible? My mom has/had a great devotion to Our Lady even as a young child, who didn’t even know how to pray. She just knew she was praying to Mama Mary. As a young woman, she knew enough to ask Our Holy Mother’s protection so she could avoid occasions of sin. And she prayed, prayed, prayed. I credit her prayers (and my Papa’s too) for all the blessings in my life. Knowing just what a rotten person I’ve been at various times in my life, and how selfish and prideful I still am, I am convinced that it was her prayers that got me through all the rough spots, her prayers that caused a shower of gifts to fall upon me. My marriage is a happy one, my hubby is one in a million, my kids are generally good kids. Where would I be had she not prayed, prayed, prayed all these years?

I always remember how she took care of us when we were sick. There was one particular evening when my sinuses were so stuffed up and my cough was unproductive. She consulted her books and decided I needed steam inhalation. So she brought over a can and a lighted candle to my room. The can had a mixture of water and Vicks vaporub (LOL, a precursor of our modern vaporizers). She held the can over the candle, so that the flame could heat up the liquid inside. She had me hold a newspaper tube to my face so I could breathe in the vapors. A few seconds later the newspaper burst into flames. I was struck with how ridiculous everything looked and I laughed. And laughed. And got quite a scolding. Me being the insensitive brat I was, I didn’t even consider for a second how difficult it must have been to hold both objects while making sure I was getting the precious vapor into my system! Talk about ungrateful.

There’s a set of pictures in my album — seven or eight shots of me, dressed up in different things including a flowergirl’s dress, dance costumes, a play doctor’s outfit, etc. My mom the photographer had arranged the “shoot”. What fun for a girl of 6 to play supermodel (I’m sure that word never even entered my mom’s mind, though, plus it didn’t exist in those days, AFAIK :D).

When I was growing up, my mom never bought me designer clothing or shoes or allowed me to follow any of the fads going around. How incredibly wise she was (still is). So I grew up without being overly attached to labels. I’m trying to pass along the same habit to my kids. Though it’s a harder challenge I think, even with food labels these days, e.g., even “organic” doesn’t necessarily mean what we want/expect it to mean all the time. Same thing with “free range”. But when it comes to clothes, shoes, etc., I will still buy an unknown brand as long as I’m not compromising quality/durability.

My mom taught me about food. Not how to be a gourmand — though in a lot of ways she was one — or how to impress people, but good basic stuff — like how to cut a chicken, how to clean fish, how to grind meat with a knife, how to pick vegetables and fruits…. she cooked basic dishes, but every now and then she’ll throw caution to the wind and make up something that ends up delicious (or at least that’s how I remember it). For instance, on my 16th birthday, she came up with bacon rolls filled with cheesy mashed potatoes as one of the side dishes …. delicious and a hit at the party!

She taught me about art appreciation, a love that she inherited from her father. She took me to museums and exhibits when there weren’t a lot of choices for this in the Philippines at the time. She gave me a love of music too, another legacy from Lolo. She always had a bit of wanderlust and left home at 19 to travel to the US and work here a few years. She came back and gave up a career to marry my Papa and raise us. Funny how it all worked out that we moved to the US 20 years later and she got to use her old SS# when she applied for jobs and bank accounts.

She has/had a great love for her parents. Her respect and admiration for them used to puzzle me, but now I understand. Their honor and their sacrifice made such an impact on her person. I only hope I’m able to give her in turn the love and respect she deserves.

She’s my biggest fan and my greatest supporter, next to my hubby. There isn’t an endeavor I undertook that she didn’t encourage, that she didn’t praise, though she also is my protector and never fails to caution me against possible pitfalls. Even though I am an adult, she still watches out for me, makes sure I don’t stumble unnecessarily. And yes, she still prays for me, all the time. Sadly, in this respect I don’t think I’m even half the mom she is. I pray for my kids, but I know I should pray more. Especially since they need it so these days.

She’s my #1 ally, but she still doesn’t hesitate to correct me when she sees me straying. A few years ago when I was carrying a little cross that I found too hard to bear and complained constantly, to the point where I made life hard for dh, it was her dh called for advice and comfort. He knew she (and Papa) would get me back in line. I’ve always joked that my mom loves my dh more than she does me, though of course that’s not true.

When I was 5 she taught me how to pray the Rosary. I thought that Hail Mary and Holy Mary were two different prayers and therefore took two beads. She was impatient for a bit, but didn’t waver from the task at hand. Even today she makes sure my kids know their prayers. What an example she is! Every evening at 6 pm, but especially when my Papa was late coming home from work, she’d turn on the light on our Sacred Heart image in the hallway and ask me to say a few prayers with her. I learned the value of a good marriage from them — there were nights when I’d wake up at 2 am and hear him and my mom just chatting and laughing. They truly enjoyed each other’s company. I also learned how much work (and joy) one had to put into a marriage to make it last. To this day she tickles Papa, teases him, makes him laugh. She also angers him more these days — hee… but I look at this stage of growing old together as just another stage in their relationship — they are committed…. period…. have been for 41 years. There have been snags along the way, but their abiding love for each other stays. I hope my dh and I can grow like this as well.

She is loyal to friends and family, but more than that she is fiercely protective of her (7) brothers and (2) sisters. Being the oldest of 10 she grew up with a huge sense of responsibility, and she still carries this burden (very cheerfully, might I add) even now that all of them are adults. She does not shrink from any opportunity to admonish a sibling if she sees them doing wrong. She gives, and gives, and gives, even sometimes when her efforts are misunderstood or unappreciated. She has a streak of selfishness — just like me — but you wouldn’t know it by the way she helps those around her who are in need.

She’s independent, she’s capable, she’s smart. She traveled around the world at 20. But her feet have always been firmly on the ground. Her dreams are huge, but steadily anchored by her faith. She’s got ambition, but always tempered by an eye that looks to God and what He wants for her and her family. She knows her worth, she knows the good that she can do and does, but has never been sucked into “feminist ideals” that take the life out of a healthy, God-directed relationship. She won’t be a doormat, but she knows her role as her husband’s helpmeet.

I could go on, but I’ll stop, so I have something to write in next year’s tribute:).

Thank you, dear Jesus, for my mom. I wouldn’t know where I would be without her.

God bless you, Mommy, today and always. Thank you for you!