Happy Mother's Day!

Meet Ruby, the bida/kontrabida of my life.

Name: Ruby Pineda Borja
Nickname: Baghdad (really)
Status: Happily married with 5 grown-up kids
Date of birth: May 13, 1959
Age when she gave birth to yours truly: 21 years old

Whew! I could never imagine myself being a mother at 21. But Ruby did it. She gave birth to 5 beautiful kids (clears throat) and raised them in her own unique Baghdad way. She may appear to be repetitive in almost eveything (read: nagger) but, in a split second, she will immediately give in to our "counterclaims". She's a toughie and softie combined. She taught me how to be strong and never be ashamed of myself.  She always reminds me that humility and discipline should be part of my system. She delights in my own happiness. She carries half, if not all, of my burden whenever I stumble. She is my staunch supporter, my ego booster, my resident grammarian and more. She is one helluva woman. She's our  family's answer to Gabriela.

Although a cake with the traditional message on top cannot fully express my overwhelming gratitude to her, I cannot also seem to put down in words my appreciation to this remarkable woman. 

A simple greeting which could easily melt a mother's heart would suffice, I guess. After all, she vivifies the word "mother" and lives up to that name even if her eldest (that would be me, guys) is - according to society's standards - old enough to be a mother. LOL!

I owe her my life. She is my one and only Ruby.

I LOVE YOU, MA! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!