You, Me, & Penelope : To Elvia, Love- Mom.

A few weeks ago my Mami flew to NY to help care for me during my wisdom teeth procedure and it was full of a lot of Mexican food eating (I missed her home cooking), moseying around Brooklyn, Manhattan, and her meeting some of my NY friends. After over a week together I wanted to give her a gift that I had thought of a few months back.

I gave her a journal to write in, for me. I explained that I wanted to have this journal after she passed away and I wanted her to fill it with advice on how to: be a better woman, good mother, good wife; as well as special memories of our family through her eyes.

I had put off giving her the journal for a while because I didn't want it to come off as morbid nor did I really think I had the strength to have the conversation with her about one day her not being here anymore without sobbing. Well turns out I didn't, hehe. This was such a difficult conversation to have mainly because my relationship with my mom is really the single most profound relationship that I’ve ever had in my life. She's truly my best friend and the thought of us not talking multiple times a week is hard for me to ever accept.

I told my mom to please give me all of the advice that she could give me, I was going to be so lonely whenever her time comes, and that I wouldn't be strong enough to deal with it. She then just said, "Mija, don't cry you're the strongest woman I know." Which then followed a lot more crying on my behalf. (ya, I'm emotional...could you tell?) I then asked her what would be the best advice I could share with all of you and it is one that she's given to me over the years and is close to my heart: All you have to do is try, it's okay to fail but it's never okay not to try.You can never disappoint yourself if you know you tried as best you could.

As Mother's Day quickly approaches I think it's important to show our mothers the love and admiration we have for them, maybe doing something in their honor such as donating to their favorite cause, making their favorite recipe and Instagramming a picture of it, painting a picture for them, etc. This year I'm planning to make an herb garden with some of her and my favorites. I haven't quite decided how big I want it to be but here and here are some great ideas!

* Also, some really cute journals.

**Lastly, here are some pictures of my Ma and I over the years and photos from her time in New York, check them out if you'd like! :)

Going to a futbol match in Los Angeles.

At my UCSB undergrad graduation!

In California for her birthday dinner.

Not being touristy at all. Who us? Never.

At brunch this past summer in California. The only reason I wore this dress to brunch is because she made me change out of my red shift dress because "it was way too short and everyone could see my undies" then I told her to "stop staring at my delicates" and then she told me that "I was loca" Okay that was a long story.