*WHENEVER I HEAR "MOTHER"...

... It reminds me of the flower shop owner who once told me that Mother's Day was the busiest for her and when I asked why, sabi nya ..."I guess it's because not all of us have sweethearts but everybody has a mother" ... it makes sense.

And then I remember my sis-in-law, Sonia, who gave up her better future to Canada so she can have her first baby. Si Iris who always have the pride in her eyes and in her words for Luis. Si Marilyn who checks the expiration date ng mga pagkain for Andre' . My Tita Leny who endured the pain of working abroad, away from kuya King, Jeff and Gene. Ang Lola Tess na laging nag-aalala about Anja and Mac sa lahat ng bagay. Si Nanay Letty who raised my 7 great cousins. My sister Honey who had a dangerous delivery sa hospital and I thank Papa Jesus that she made it alright. Si Riza who taught her family to be closer to God. Si Ate Lisa A. who I find cool to be a mother and kabarkada at the same time nila Jen at Heidie .Si Joyce who won't stop working for her family kahit super dooper payat na.

But most of all, I remember my MOMMY who back in grade school would bring me food in the classroom straight from her night shift work to make sure I won't go hungry. She didn't mind collecting and carrying that heavy balde of "kaning-baboy" from the kapit-bahay & restaurants for the baboys she and my Dad raised so we have extra income for the bills and tuition fees.

I miss the days when she comes home from work and she'd call me from upstairs -- I knew there would be Indian mangoes or toron or pansit at iba't-ibang klase ng prutas na pasalubong nya. It's funny too how she would tell people that I was a "bad girl" but she never forget to say na mabait din ako in some ways .. that sounds fair enough :D .

Even if she didn't buy new stuff for herself or pang-mayamang material things for us, there will always be food in the house...we never get hungry.

We didn't have much, but with all her hard work and love for family, it didn't feel hard at all. I guess that's what "Ilaw ng Tahanan" is all about. What a great inspiration she is and she's always there to guide me kahit sa pagpili ng boyfriend.

She is not a big fan of cooking but when she cooks, it is like eating an out-of-this-world-menu but it sure tasted pretty damn good! Tinolang manok na may toyo, san' ka pa!

We didn't agree in some things, we argued a lot, I made her cry few times but inspite of that she never changed...she loved me with all her heart... I felt it... I still do...always.

Being thousands of miles away from her now, I miss her and all the things she does and I realized how important good mothers are and they deserve to be treated like a Queen. She is a Super Mommy in my whole world and I love her from the bottom of my heart.

Having her and all the great moms around me who had shown good examples of what "Mother" is all about , I will try my very best to be one hell of a Super MOM too someday...just like them... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ! 05/13/07