My mom is so cute!

I received a Mother’s Day card in the mail from my mother yesterday that made my heart smile. I love that she takes the time to send cards to brighten my day even though she knows I will see her on Mother’s Day. During some of my difficult seasons in life, my mother sent me some of the most beautiful, heartfelt and encouraging cards. They always lifted my spirits. And she manages to always find a card that speaks right to my heart that makes me feel loved and honored. It’s a gift I treasure. I have kept each and every single card she has given me or sent me through the years. So back to the card I received yesterday …. What made this card I received extra fun is what she wrote in it.

When I call my mother, I always identify myself by name. I never say "Hi mom, it's me." I almost always announce myself as "me" on most calls to friends and family. Identifying myself by name to Mom is absolutely necessary because my youngest sister Nidia and I sound exactly the same on the phone. Our voices and diction are so similar that we can fool just about anyone for the first few minutes or so. We’ve had a lot of fun with that through the years.  

When I call my mother, I always say, “Hi Mami, it’s me Ruthie.” And she always responds with, “Hi Ruthie, it’s me Mami.” She's so cute! Makes me smile every time. Mami is pronounced like the American-English version of mommy.

So in her card to me, she wrote those very words (picture included in this post) and it made my heart smile. I’m so thankful for a mommy who knows how to make me smile and laugh. I’ve had some of my best laughing moments with her. And we laugh over some of the silliest things. When I got cancer, she ran to my side and dedicated her time and energy being my primary care-giver and when I can’t hear the voice of God when I need to make a wise decision, I can almost always hear hers ever so clearly through the wise words she has spoken to me and written to me through the years.

Thank you mommy for the gift of words, laughter, your time, your love, for taking caring of me when I needed you the most and for always encouraging me and reminding me where my truth north is. Thank you for being you, extraordinary and lovely. I will always love you more …