Things My Mother Taught Me

I usually don't post on the weekends but since it's mother's day (and I really have nothing to do) I decided to write this out while it was still in my head. I wanted to make a list of just a few of the valuable things my mother taught me.

• Patience is a virtue.
  I think this one was mostly directed at my father (who has a tendency to speed) but I feel like I've benefited from it. It's something that is applicable to almost all aspects of our lives and I'm sure it will come in handy once I create spawn of my own. 
• The importance of hard work.
  I'm so glad my mom took the time to try and keep trying to get us to help clean the house with her. We each had a chore that was specifically ours and then we helped out with all the other messes (which were many). Now that I live away from home, I know how to keep the house clean, do my own laundry, and all the little things like sweeping the corners of the room.
• It's all about presentation.
  Luckily, my mother was always a good cook (with a few experimental exceptions) so we were always well fed and the table always looked presentable. Just today my mom sent me a picture of a mango tart she made: 

Beautiful, right?

I tried to practice this talent she had and let's just say I'm still working on it:

That's right. Zoom in on those beauties. 

• Be like Christ.
  My mom is one of the best examples of being Christ-like. She has an incredibly large heart with lots of room for love. She is sympathetic to even those she doesn't know and  is always so sacrificing. She is a great example of charity and love and has always let us kids know how important it is to keep Christ in our lives.
• The importance of reading.
  Growing up, we didn't have cable TV so we spent a lot of time reading books. I remember the first book I ever read: Great Day for Up by Dr Seuss. I remember sitting on the couch with her as she helped me sound out each word and I've been reading ever since.
• Creativity is key.
  Mom would make homemade play-doh for us and save large boxes so we could use our imagination and create a spaceship or pirate ship or whatever tickled our fancy that day. I remember my mom always encouraging me in my artwork since I could pick up a pencil (except when I drew on the toilet seat). 
• What a mother should be like.
  My mom has always been an amazing example of a loving, patient mother and I feel less apprehensive about the future when I have my own children because I know if I just do what my mom did, everything will work out fine and my kids will have a great example, just like I did.

I hope my mom is reading this (because I told her to!) and I hope she feels loved because I know I love her so much and I'm so glad that she is mine.