Let’s Celebrate Mamas! Happy Mother’s Day

Today is Mother’s Day!!!

You might be thinking, but isn’t Mother’s Day on Sunday? (For those of you living in the USA.) Correct, but in Guatemala they celebrate Día de la Madre on May 10^th every year. And it might be surprising, but Mother’s Day is celebrated on different days all over the world. I’d love to go into that and discuss the different traditions and celebrations for different cultures, but in this post I want to celebrate a very special woman who I get to call my mother.

You know the typical phrase “You’re turning into your mother!” And every daughter rolls her eyes and denies the fact that they are turning into their mother! Yep, I’m included in those rolling-eye-daughters.

But in all actuality, I don’t think us daughters need to react that way when someone tells them you remind them of your mother.

I think there is a full-circle type of relationship between a mother and a daughter. You’re a kid and you want everything that involves mommy. You grow into a teenager and are annoyed, roll your eyes at their comments, talk back to them and don’t want anything to do with them because they embarrass you.

Then you grow into an adult, graduate from college and then move back home with mom and dad. They take you in with no questions, no ands, ifs or buts. You’re now an adult and having to figure out your life. You realize your family is always there for you, especially your mom and dad. So you and your mom become really close and again want want everything (well almost everything haha) that involves your mom.

Ya see, full-circle.

Maybe it’s only me that has this “lifecycle” of relationship with my mother.

My mom and I never had a bad relationship, we just never saw eye-to-eye during my teenage years. I wasn’t a rebel, but I didn’t always respect my parents. I talked back, I gave them attitude, I rose my voice when I should have just listened—typical things like that that make any parent’s lives difficult.

But yet, my mom always forgave me. She always told me she loves me and that she will always support me.

After I graduated from college, my mom and I got closer than ever. I moved back home and we bonded over coffee on Saturday mornings, margaritas at happy hour, wedding planning with a little bit of wine. I learned more about my mom, and about myself, in that year and a half, and I’m forever grateful for those little moments we spent together.

Now being away, those are the moments I miss the most. Waking up on a Saturday morning to the smell of coffee coming from downstairs. Making plans to meet after work at Mamacita’s. Going to church on Sundays and lunch afterwards. I miss you every day mom. Don’t ever forget that.

I’ve been away from Texas for two years now, but the minute I hopped on the plane and have been away from my family, there are so many occurrences where I’ve realized that I really do sound like my mother!! I still roll my eyes at that idea, but I have this sense of pride in being compared to my mom. I love my mom so much, she’s the woman, along with our dad, who has given me and my sisters their everything.

There is nothing we can give back to them to thank them enough. We love you so much!

(You get two Mother’s Days now since I’m living in Guatemala!)

Thank you mom for your love, your patience, for teaching me right from wrong, for supporting me always. Thank you for trusting in me, for letting me follow my dreams, for showing me perseverance and reminding me that everything is going to be okay.

Thank you for giving me the backbone to stick up for myself, for the happiness you give me after a long, hard day. Thank you allowing me to be independent, and depend on you when I need to. Thank you for showing me how to do my makeup, and for doing my makeup when I still need the help.

Thank you for making me laugh and for laughing at my ridiculous jokes. Thank you for watching over me and taking care of me when I’m hurt. Thank you for getting mad at me when I was in the wrong. Thank you for teaching me how to be a good person.

Thank you for everything.

I love you.

Photo Credit: John Villarreal