Happy mother's day!

Looking back to the past 26 years of my life, i realize that so much of who i am and who i have become is thanks to my mother. She has been a great mother who did a great job raising both my sister and i.

So in honor of mother's day, i decided to take a walk down memory's lane and make a list of lessons my mom has taught me through the years, whether they were intentional or unintentional.

- My mother always taught me to be a servant at other people's home. Don't ask your host HOW you can help, but instead just BEGIN to help. Wash the dishes, fold the clothes, set the table, clear the table, etc.
- She always made sure we said thank you, no matter how small or simple the gesture. Basically, don't ever take anything for granted. A car ride, a simple note from someone, a gift, etc. - always say thank you.
- She taught me to be kind to others, even when it becomes an inconvenience. This is really something that stands out in my life. Even though my parents were divorced when i was young, my mother always made sure we had a gift for my father for father's day, his birthday and Christmas. This was also true for my dad - he always gave us money to go take my mom out on special occasions or buy her gifts.
- She taught me to be a smart shopper. Whether it was on groceries, school supplies, clothes, or even braces, she always made sure she got the best deal.
- She taught me to love education. To both love being an educator and to be educated.
- She taught me to love to cook. Even though my mother is as Anglo as they come, she can cook the best Mexican and Lebanese food. She loves learning new recipes.
- She taught me to love reading. I remember at one point growing up she made us "buy" TV minutes - for every minute we read, we could watch 2 minutes of TV.
- She taught me to enjoy the simple things in life. If you've ever seen my mom eat a good corn on the cob, or any good meal, you can see her close her eyes and just say: "mmmmm...."
- And last, but not least, she taught me to love Saint Bernards. Oh my, did she make me love Saint Bernards! I could never own any dog unless it was a Saint - enough said!

If you have grown up with me and gotten to know my mom through the years, please leave a comment with any other things that comes to your mind when you think of her :)

Happy Mother's Day!