Before I came into the world, you were already a seasoned professional at birthing, nurturing, and raising daughters. In fact, you were already a pro at life...
You were a graceful dancer, a lovely singer, a consistent athlete, a magnificent cook and baker, a proficient linguist in at least 7 different languages (including pidgin), a shrewd businesswoman, an incredible leader in the world as well as the Church, a team player, an analyst, a mathematician, an editor, a writer, a teacher, an artist, a politician, a computer expert, a distribution center, a grievance counselor, a caretaker..... The list can go on and on, and on, and on...
The point I'm trying to make is that I have a true Superwoman for a mother, and I am so proud to be your daughter.
Today is just short of the 6-month mark for me being a mother, and I have so far become the following: an awkward cook, a messy organizer, a court jester, a how-to bookworm, a wannabe interior designer, and a horrible 3-point shot. I realized that you, Mama, made motherhood look like a piece of cake, and I need a lot of practice.
But aside from the new roles I play, I have also learned some new skills: cooking (I'm still awkward, but at least I cook!), organizing, making a bottle with one hand, motivational tips, event planning ideas, relaxation techniques, crying on demand, storybook reading, and the art of distraction. I also have realized some new things. For example, it is totally possible to love somebody so much it makes you cry. (Shout out to Brandi!) You think you've given all your love to your significant other and you don't have any more to give -- just wait until you become a mother. (Fathers get it too, don't worry.) Suddenly, it's as if your body has a reservoir of love that magically bursts open from out of nowhere. It flows out of you without your permission, and you then become a fountain, which showers all your love on one single individual.
I've also realized that the joy of motherhood comes in the little moments, not necessarily the big accomplishments. For example, Baby still can't crawl yet; she can barely sit up and only roll over when rolling off pillows and the couch. I think she's behind, and sometimes it worries and even irritates me. But when she smiles at me, when she puts her tiny arms around my neck, when she holds out her arms for me to hold her, when she makes silly faces or sounds like, "up" and "ohm," and when she sleeps peacefully in her daddy's arms... those little moments make the big feats insignificant. I can't explain them, but I love them.
I know that being a superhero is a learned thing. Everyone is born with the potential to be a superhero, but only those who fuel that potential with the right desire will actually live to become one. I know that you, Mama, are a superhero, but I didn't know that I can be one, too. I, too, can be a multitasker, an analyst, an entertainer, a diplomat, an event planner, a businesswoman, a financial advisor, a real estate agent, and so on and so forth. I can multitask caring for a baby, tutoring my husband, and going to work. I can analyze what meals I can make with the ingredients we have at home, or analyze what needs to change in my schedule if Baby gets sick. I can still sing and make music, even if it's just singing Baby to sleep or playing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." I can plan birthday parties and prom nights, and resolve conflict between 2+ children. I can maintain order and discipline in our home, establish good work ethic, give allowance (or not, hahahaha), look for places for our family to stay, etc. If that isn't a superhero, I don't know what is.
So, Mama, I want to say thank you. Thank you for all the times you made me play the piano, for now I can fill my own home with music. Thank you for all the times you made me make rice, because I know you never gave up on me developing cooking skills. Thank you for all the times you made me fill out my own emergency cards and permission slips, because I am never afraid of paperwork. Thank you for all the times you told me to "look it up in the dictionary," because I know how to find answers to questions I have. Thank you for telling me to "water the plants," because I know the little things are just as important as the big things. Thank you for telling me to change my attitude, because I now know its value and importance. Thank you for telling me, "don't ever say you can't do it;" I've done more things than I ever imagined I would do because I took your advice. And most importantly, thank you for telling me you love me, because for a superwoman to love me that much...
I am the luckiest girl in the world. I only hope that my own daughters feel the same.
Happy Mothers' Day,
~Dassa
