Over the weekend, I went back to my hometown to spend time with my mom and sister. Every month, we try to get together for a few hours of Us time. Usually that includes lunch, pedicures, lunch, and froyo. I always look forward to it.

Though we don’t speak a lick of Tagalog, my sister and I call our mom Nanay, which as you can guess means Mom. And she loves it — as do her friends. Whenever they hear us call out for her, a huge smile spreads across their faces along with an “Awww! They call you Nanay?” It seems to be something they take pride in. 🙂

We didn’t always get along when I was growing up, but what teenager does? Now that I’m well into my adult years, I understand the sacrifices she made and continues to make. I admire her resilience, her work ethic, and her make-no-excuses and take-no-excuses attitude. When she sets her mind to something, it will get done, come hell or high water. I work hard so I can afford her the life she deserves, and I hope to give that to her soon.