Dad's 70th bday and mom's love

April has been the busiest month for me ever! Just last week alone, there were 4 bdays going on and this week I am preparing for my best friend/sister, Mari Nakano's wedding. My aunt, Tita Bie, turned 75 on Monday, my dad turned 70 on Wednesday, Akiko turned 30 on Thursday, and Emiko turned 30 on Friday! Oh, what a week of family and good girlfriends!

This past Saturday, I spent the day with my dad. I had to get my car fixed and ready to pass my smog check so I can re-register it for the year, so my dad picked me up from the mechanic and drove with me to my "vocal dojo" class. Everyone LOVED my dad and it was so cute to watch him lipsync the vocal exercises with the rest of the class. Being a singer himself, you could see how into it he was and how much he enjoyed to observe my class.

Afterwards, I took him to have some Ethiopian food for the first time at Merkato in Little Ethiopian. He enjoyed the food as we ate traditionally with our hands (both Filipino and Ethiopian style) and we got to enjoy our afternoon intake of alcohol. Mine with my glass of honey wine and dad, with his Ethiopian beer. Returned back to my place and we both took a power nap before picking up my car and dropping off the fried trout for my mom thought I bought her from Merkato. It was a well day spent with my dad for his bday.

I spent the evening with my mom and over dinner she asked me if I loved her. I was taken a back by this question and she said that she felt that I didn't like her as a mom. I reassured her that I did love her, of course, followed by the different reasons I loved her. I brought up the many times I noticed how she prepared food for us everyday of our lives and I was able to bring a good lunch to school everyday. Because of this example, I have to cook a good lunch for myself everyday, as co-workers are amazed at what I'm eating. I tell them it's because my mom did the same for me. I told her how I don't have a sweet tooth and eat healthy because of her. I reminded her of how many of her clothes I wear with pride and told her that I have written poetry about her. I reminded her that I was filming/documenting her life story. These were enough examples, I think, to show her how much I loved her. She began to see and understand as tears filled her eyes. I gave her a long, reassuring hug afterwards and told her "of course, I love you mom!"

It's days like these that are SO significant in my life. My mom is turning 73 this year, and my dad, now 70. I told them both on Saturday that I would miss them when they die and that makes every second spent with them even more valuable and special.