My mother, Mildreen Thomas is the real MVP of my life, outside of Jesus. She is one of the most creative, fun-spirited, loving and selfless people I know. I've learned a lot of what it means to be a strong mother from watching her growing up. During my childhood, my mother would navigate the responsibilities of 2-3 jobs at one time, while going to school, and raising me and my brother as a single parent in the upper-middle-class neighborhood of Westfield, NJ where she was the first African-American meter-maid for the town. I know, how Sway...how?
My mother worked hard but was fly, she had the pageboy bob, snatched waist, beautiful clothes, loved a good cocktail and knew how to party. She was fun but stern and everyone knew not to mess with her children! Honestly, I don’t know how she did it, but she never allowed me or my brother to feel any less than our counterparts. I mean we took tennis lessons, golf lessons, swim lessons and participated in any after school activity that our hearts desired...and I'm pretty sure we did all of those activities for free or at a discounted rate.
I know she thinks I give her a hard time, but my mother was a miracle worker. We never saw her sweat, and as I can only hope and pray that I can be as good a mother to my son as she has been to me. My son Gabe came at the perfect time, because although we had a strained relationship for awhile (as many women do with their moms), Gabe has helped bring us back together. It is from her I modeled how to become a mother, how to fry chicken, how to network, give sass, and hot comb my own hair when it was a thing, so it’s only right that she is featured as one of the first ‘Moms We Love’ here on The PRMommy.
Plus I'm in PR, I'm writing this a few days after Mother's Day, and my mother deserves ALL the praise. Thank you mom for everything you've done and all that you do.
xoxo, Dreena
