So... the Valeria factor. This one will be a fun one to write.
I am named after my mother. I know this confused a few folks on FB at first because it looked like I was talking to myself! But the original Valeria is very much a real force and she's a pretty special lady. And we have a couple of things in common.
My mom is one of the most dedicated mothers I've ever known. No matter what activities her children were involved in, Mama was there. Football games, dance recitals, band concerts, just everything. And I loved doing that for my son. The track practices and all day track meets, the rugby games... had an absolute blast. I used to look around at some of the other kids and think "I wouldn't know his/her mom if she walked up to me right now" because they were NEVER there. It never occurred to me to skip an event... my mom wouldn't, why would I?
My mom is also Mrs. Fix It. God bless my Dad's soul, but my mom ruled the toolbox in our house. Putting stuff together, hanging shelves, moving furniture. Mom was a dynamo. One of her friends once told her that "Val could fix anything with a glue gun and a can of paint". I definitely picked up on this skill set. I love creating stuff, making it better, seeing a job well done.
My mom was also fearless when she had a vision. She started two small businesses in about 5 years. No grandiose plans, no huge contemplation. She saw something she wanted to do and she did it. And she enjoyed every minute of it. I love that about her. It makes me think... hmmm, I'm good at this, I could make this work. And because I'm good, folks will buy what I'm selling.
So among many other things, I learned:
The importance of being present in the life of my child.
The skills it takes to do what needs to be done without waiting for others to do it.
The gift of dreaming, and putting those dreams into plans and action.
And I learned how to cook a pretty good meal even when she thought I wasn't paying attention :)
Yep, it is good to be a Valeria.
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