Loving, nurturing and inspiring are three words that only
begin to describe my mother. My mother is truly my inspiration for all things
that I do, both past and present. My mom was my best friend, my confidant, my
role model and my personal cheerleader. It is difficult to express in words how
my mother and our relationship have impacted my life. She too was an Early
Childhood Educator and the impact that she had on so many children’s lives has
inspired me to pursue ECE as a career. My mother always encouraged me to follow
my heart and believe that I have the ability to do anything that I choose. She
always wanted me to succeed in whatever I put my mind to. I was my mother’s
only child and I was her world. She
always nurtured and supported me. I remember when I was a child, she would
attend every performance I had. It did not matter whether or not I was making a
speech in front of the school or saying one line in a play, she was always there
to support me. Her support and time spent with me meant more to me than any monetary
or materialistic thing she could provide. Although she is no longer with me on
earth, I know that she is always with me in spirit and in knowing that it
motivates me to continue to strive to reach my goals and never give up. I know she is watching over me with a smile on
her face because I am making her proud. 
Understanding, caring and full of wisdom is three words that
describe my grandmother. My grandmother is the rock and the matriarch of the
family. She is full of knowledge and wisdom and she always shared her life
experiences with me. We would sit and talk for hours and we still do til this
day. She always encouraged me to live to my fullest potential and not to settle
for mediocracy. I think I was secretly
her favorite because we have this unbreakable bond and I carry many of her
character traits. I remember when I was a little girl at her dry cleaners; I
would take the scrap fabric leftover from her alterations and make dresses for
my dolls with them. She saw that I took
an interest in fashion and sewing and she taught me how to sew. She taught me
how to sew by hand at the age of 8 and on the sewing machine by age 11. My
grandmother was always my go to person whenever I needed advice on a major
issue. She always knew what to say and just the right advice to give. She was
and still is my support system. After my mom passed in 2004 my grandmother
stepped in and became that mother figure I needed. She comforted me in my
darkest hour and she reassured me that she was there to support me although my
mom was no longer there. This grew our bond ever stronger and now we are
connected at the hip more now than ever. 
My uncles played an important role in my life. They were the
strong male role models in my life, since I did not have a close relationship
with my father. They taught me many life lessons on relationships, finances,
leadership and entrepreneurship. I could always go to them for advice and they
would always give me good honest advice. Although they had daughters of their
own, they always treated me as if I were their daughter. I always held a
special place in their heart and for that I would always be grateful. 
