I've been trying to write about my beloved mother, but unlike my usual spur-of-the-moment style of blogging, I wanted to do justice to what she really is, so it took so long to put in print my thoughts about her. Loving, thoughtful, generous, patient, religious, kind, helpful, industrious, warm, quiet, intelligent, cheerful, etc. etc. that's my mother - "Inay". Exemplary mother, exemplary wife, Beautiful - inside, out. She took very good care of all of us - Tatay, my siblings and me, our grandparents, our cousins, our relatives, our helpers, etc. etc. She prepared good food, nursed us when we were sick, prayed so fervently for our intentions, Tatay was a very lucky man, for having Inay for his wife. I grew up seeing how well she took care of him. When he wakes up, the newly washed face towel, and toothbrush with toothpaste, is already prepared for him. Before he takes a shower, the towel and his clothes would magically be there in the bathroom ahead of him. His cup after cup of hot, strong coffee would be waiting for him at the exact time that he would be wanting it. They always ate together, Inay so lovingly even peeling shrimps for him. This kind of service that Inay afforded Tatay, was even more dedicated when he got afflicted with alzheimer and was bedridden for a number of years. She refused to leave for any place which would require her to stay overnight, not wanting to leave Tatay's bedside, especially at night. She did not go back to the United States for fifteen long years, because my father preferred to stay in the Philippines. I don't remember her spanking anyone of us. Neither did she shout when her patience ran out. I've never heard her complain when we were misbehaving. We just kind of felt that she did not approve of our behavior when she becomes very quiet, not speaking a word for hours. In the late fifties until the early seventies, she owned and managed a store, which could have been the prototype of the convenience store now. In it were groceries, breakfast/snack items, toiletries, cigarettes, over the counter medicines, school materials, cosmetics, fresh fruits and vegetables, fishing supplies, and spare parts for grey marine machines used by basnigs, and many more. Calculators were unheard of then; but I marveled at how fast she computed numbers! She did her own 'bookkeeping', decided on what to sell and where to procure them, and how to display them. She prays the rosary many times a day, goes to mass on Wednesdays and Sundays. She prays her novenas for special intentions for each one of us, and that includes her in-laws and her grandchildren and great grandchildren now. She has a collection of rosaries , images of saints and spanish fans. I know that her prayers made us what we are today. For that, we couldn't thank her enough. "I thank You, Lord, for giving us the best set of parents, Inay and Tatay!" We grew up in a home full of love and joy. They worked so hard to give us everything that they didn't have in their lives. When Tatay passed away, Inay mourned in silence. We are trying our best to take her mind off the sadness. She spends half of the year in the Philippines and the other half in the United States. "Lord, please bless Inay with good health and a long life, so we will have enough time to repay her for all her love and sacrifices for us. She deserves all the happiness and comfort in this life."
