Here's to you Mom.
I agree, you deserve an island when I can only really give you a candle, and even at that, that's the money you give me every month, lol. I really do need a job like you always say, but I promise I'm working on it!
Since Christmas time of this past winter, I had always thought about dedicating one of my articles to you, my favorite human being ever. My rock, my strength, my shield. Mom, you really are my best friend.
I grew up as an only child, and now I am so so blessed to have two amazing stepsisters and four sweet dogs that I all love dearly, but you've been there for me since day one, literally. I am always in awe when you remind me that you had me when you were 21 and you were pregnant with me when you were 20. You also tell me that you didn't ever start having minor pimples on your skin until you had me, oops! But honestly, I know you had to grow up so so fast, especially without my biological dad, and you even had to take a year off from college because of how time consuming and how physically sick you might've gotten. I'm not saying you were weak for it, or that anyone that has a baby in college will be unfit to be a parent, but I am so sure that raising a child in college would be something that I know I would be unequipped for, because this semester, life choices were so dynamic and uncertain for me, and I know I still have so many selfish tendencies. Being an only child was so lonely growing up, minus my cousins who I'm still so close to, but it was awesome because I formed my first real friendship with someone, and that person was you, Mom. I'll admit, when I was younger, I was terrified of you. And it wasn't anything you even physically did to me, because you didn't ever do any of that, it was just the strength and endurance I somehow knew you possessed from your demeanor. In other words, even though you and I are both very small, you really do mean business, and not just because you're a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Which brings me to my next point, even after you ended up graduating from college (I'm in that graduation photo too, and I'm really sorry I was so hard to carry), you went back to school online to get your Masters in Business Administration (MBA), and your CPA license, all while working at then-UTPA, now-UTRGV and raising me.
My stepfather came into the picture when I was in elementary, and at first, I was pretty jealous at the thought of sharing you, and I know as my experiences as an only child, I'd never really learned the proper concept of sharing. I really did want you all to myself. But, I allowed myself to get closer to him, and then you all got married when I was in 7th grade, and now my stepdad and I are super close :D.
You deserve to be happy, mom. I'm so happy we've been able to be so close to each other over the years. You've been with me through it all: grade school, college, and you know all of my secrets, because I can really tell you everything.
Even though I can be a real pain in the butt 95% of the time, I'm so grateful that you've been able to put up with me for so long, and see the genuine love I have for you, because you really are my best friend, and I can't ever stop talking about you and your achievements, because I'm just so proud of you!
I think sometimes, the fact that I've been an only child for most of my life, and the bond I grew with my cousins and my aunt and uncle over the years kind of backfired, because I often have to pick between spending time with my parents or my cousins and my aunt and uncle when I go back down to the Valley from college in Austin (did I mention it's basically 6 hours between Edinburg and Austin).
You also learned new lingo from both me and the magical world of Facebook, in which I've personally labeled you as a Facebook mom, haha. No one I know loves that app more than you do, tbh. Also, thank you for breaking me out of my shell and teaching me the dancing skills that the Latina women in our family all possess, because I know I hated dancing when I was really young. Also, thank you for always giving me motherly, wise advice, and for always making me laugh.
Lastly, I can't ever thank you enough for leading me closer to Christ, because I deem He and me's relationship very importantly. It's thorough the combination of you and God's goodness that our family was able to find and stay at Palm Valley Church (PVC), as well as be inspired enough to join a college Christian sorority at UT called Sigma Phi Lambda. I am so so blessed to have you as my best friend and my mom, who checks up on me everyday, and can relate to all my struggles, because you were there, too. Even though you can be extremely blunt most of the time, I know it's to speak truth into me and allow me to make my own decisions from your words.
Again, I'm so sorry this is a super late Mother's Day gift, but know that it all comes from the bottom of my heart. And to those who have an estranged or lost connection with their mother for any reason, I will be praying for strength and healing for you and your family.
Happy super late Mother's Day to all the awesome moms out there! Y'all are really killing it!
