For my beloved Mother-Mrs. Elizabeth Tamayo Valdez-Tutaan (I presented during the Mothers Day 2010 celebration of IFI, Laoag)

Having a mother like you while growing up was the greatest gift and biggest advantage anyone could ever give me. It is because of the confidence and values that you instilled in me that made me who I am today. Thank you for shaping me into a person who I like and am proud to be. Thank you for letting me believe that we could be whoever I wanted to be, do whatever I wanted to do, there were no limitations except my drive, ambition and creativity.

Having you in my life is a sanity saver for me. If there was a text book on how to be the perfect mother to a daughter, it would have you as the role model.

Thank you for your unwavering support throughout my journey.

Thank you for reading all the books that I read, thank you for learning about a world that must be so foreign to you.

Thank you for taking me to hospital and sitting with me while I am sick

Thank you for meeting my friends, for always taking an interest in what we were doing.

Thank you for holding my hand when I had my problems and, for crying with me afterwards.

Thank you for always having hope for me when I didn’t have for myself.

Thank you for telling me not to give up when I said I couldn’t do it anymore.

Thank you for loving me through all of my rejections of help and love.

Thank you for sending me that text messages every time you can’t see me around

Thank you for being the perfect mother and my pillar of strength.

Thank you for saying to me, with your whole heart, that you love me 100%.

Thank you for you supported me throughout all my decisions, even though I know it was very hard for you.

Thank you for being there for me, when other people didn’t know what to do with me or for me when I was so raw with grief.

Thank you, for everything you have done for me and will still do, thank you for everything you have said, and for all the times when you said nothing and just listened.

Thank you for being my good luck charm, my teacher, my nurse, my engineer, my doctor, my accountant, my muse, my hero, my savior, my therapist, my cook

Thank you for being such a wonderful mother.

Thank you for million things, for everything. I don’t know what I would do without you.

Thank you mother, I love you, more than words can ever express.