Appreciating La Chele (my mom)

Let me start out by saying that my mom is a total bad ass. She's a tiny little thing with big hair and incredibly white legs. But don't let her stature deceive you- she's feisty. The relationship between mother and daughter can be a complex one, and no one can push your buttons like your mom. My mom and I went through some difficult, wonderful, and necessary changes in our relationship. I think if I hadn't gone through them with her we wouldn't have the relationship I have now. She's my homie. She understands why I don't pick up the phone after 6:30 p.m and why I do the things I do. In my almost 32 years of life this woman has taught me a lot:

- She taught me how to make rice without it burning or sticking to the pan.

- She taught me how to get rid of grease stains on shirt.

- I learned how to iron a shirt so that thing comes out looking CRISP

- I learned the value of sitting down, talking, and having coffee

- Through her I learned the importance of having a supportive and caring man by your side that can help you when you're down.

- She's taught me not to share every thought in my head with everyone (I'm still trying to practice that one) and that keeping silence in certain moments are vital.

- "Pensar con la cabeza y no el higado." In other words don't speak out of a gut reaction and actually think about what's going to come out of your mouth.

- I NOW understand the saying "El Haragan y El Mesquino hacen dos veces el camino" (The lazy and the stingy walk the same road twice).

- I've learned through her that you can be a strong bad ass and still cry and ask for help. It's OK to cry.

- I've learned the importance of supporting the dreams of those who love you by being always present for them. She went to every one of my performances, rehearsals, and shows when I was younger.

- I've learned to value the women in my life: my sister, my mother, my cousins, and my girlfriends. Every woman should have her fem-posse, her ladies, her chicas. I've learned to value and appreciate not only the complexity of my femine soul, but that of the women around me.

- I've learned to pee before you go somewhere (even if you don't think you need to), eat something to tide you over until dinner, breakfast, or lunch, the importance of always carrying Kleenex (although I still don't carry a packet with me), and putting on some make up before your husband gets home when you've been hanging around in sweatpants all day.

My mother once told me that I would never understand how much she loves me until I have a child of my own. I think I'll have to agree with her on that. I love her as my mother, but I will never truely grasp the extend of her love for me  until I hold my daughter or son in my arms. I've learned so much from my mom that I can't even begin to write it all down. I hope to someday be the kind of mother she was to me: loving, spoiling, and accepting of who my child is.

Te amo Chelita

Happy mother's day!