My Mother is Arizona's Mother of the Year!

My family thinks she is "mother of the year" every year, but I am glad she was nominated (by a friend of the family) so that we can honor her in this way. Already it is hard for her to have this much attention and praise, but she deserves it more than anyone I know.

She is my Hero.

Keeping in mind that I am nothing of a writer, I wanted to share some of my thoughts about how my mother has influence me:

Many young girls dream to be beautiful ballerinas, but all I've ever dreamed of being was a mother, just like my own mother. I grew up in a large family of 9 children, but my mother showed each of us love and respect individually. None of us ever felt left out or unwanted. I remember as a child being asked on a daily basis about things that I was doing, like school projects or activities with my friends. As a teenager, I remember getting home from any date or party, and staying up late with my mother talking about boys, as if she was my best friend. Looking back, I realize that my mother is my best friend and taught me what it means to be a friend. She showed me that being a friend means that you need to be a listener and give of your own valuable time to others. She told me she loved me everyday!

My mother taught us, as siblings, to respect each other. When I was a child we all went to each others musical concerts and sporting events. Now that I am a mother and have young children of my own, I realize what a sacrifice that was for her to drag all of her children to all those things, but it helped us to be involved in each others lives and learn to cheer each other on for the good things we were doing. One of my favorite times of the day was mealtime, because we would all eat dinner as a family at the dinner table and talk and laugh together. My mother is musical and would often sing songs to remind us of principles she taught us, such as: " Let us oft speak kind words to each other", "There is beauty all around when there is love at home", "Let us gather in a circle and kneel in family prayer". She also said, "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. These are all things that I remember well, and now teach to my own children. I think the world would be a much more peaceful one, if we remembered these principles.

My mother also taught us to work. At a very early age I was given extra chores. It would have probably been easier for my mother to do some of those jobs herself, than to teach me and push me to do it, but I learned how to work and get the jobs done. I am now unafraid to learn new things and to work hard. When I was a teenager, my mother had to go back to school so that she could help support our family in a career. I watched my mother study hard. She would tell me that if I put forth my best work, that I could accomplish all the things I wanted to. My mother is talented and friendly to everyone, and thus by example, she taught me to share with others my talents. Now I am a mother and raising the next generation. Nothing means more to me than knowing that I have been taught the right way to help my children to become the best they can be.

What makes a mother: Loving arms, kind words, kisses, someone to feed and nourish you, a listener, a teacher, an example of right and wrong, someone to give of her time for your care, someone who serves in the community, a person that always makes you feel at home and loved unconditionally, someone who teaches you to work hard and inspires you to learn, teaches cleanliness, someone who cheers for your achievements, teaches that a family is there for each other, helps you explore your talents and gives you confidence and tells you to keep trying, a friend, a person that gives you rules and boundaries for your safety, a person who can manage her time, someone that is positive about living life to the fullest, someone who shows faith and lives her religion everyday, someone who prays. My mother is all of these things and more!

I love you mom!