Special Easter Dinner

Today, I got one of the most special gifts that I have ever received. My oldest daughter came home with her boyfriend and they made a meal for us. I was not expecting such a great meal, and not because I didn't believe in her culinary expertise, but because I was evaluating her based on my own abilities.

When I came home from the yoga class, she was already cooking and the delicious smell of the rosemary and garlic potatoes hit me. I guess she had started baking dessert the night before. At that moment I realize that I needed to leave the kitchen area and I exiled myself to my bedroom. I wanted to give her room to shine...and she did.

Her menu was: Roasted peppered lamb, orange cilantro rice, beans, broccoli and cheese casserole, rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes, corn bread and raspberry-lemon bars. All these from scratch. I couldn't believe when I saw her boyfriend crushing crackers for the casserole topping. Everything was great and super delicious. Their act freed me from stress and worries that usually start a week in advanced. I am grateful because I had a few bad weeks, and I didn't have the energy or motivation to do the things that I usually do.

Despite this wonderful dinner, the most wonderful gift was her...my daughter. I have been blessed to have such a wonderful child, who has grown into a remarkable woman that is caring and willing at her young age to perform selfless acts like she did today. You amaze me and I frequently wonder what have I done to deserve you. I remember that the first picture I had of you as an infant, was in a frame that said "A Star is Born", and let me tell you that star is shinning brighter than ever.
 
Me dear daughter I love you with the core of my being and I am very happy to have you in my life. Thank you for a wonderful Easter dinner!

The Final Lap

I feel exhausted and almost fainting,

because of the stress of this long journey.

I need to finish, I shall achieve,

What used to be an unfulfilled dream.

My thoughts are running at full speed,

Always thinking what’s next on the list.

Could be results or implications,

Maybe a poster or presentation.

I am so tired, I can’t think straight,

Not even caffeine could keep me awake.

Some days I feel I can’t not more,

but still peel myself off the floor.

 It is insane, that the end is so near,

and soon this pain will disappear.

I will not fail, I will succeed,

because failure ain’t in my genes.

What will be next?

I sure don’t know.

But I will celebrate,

What I have done.

By Maribel Ortiz

The Road to Success Isn't a Lonely One

This week has been rough. Too much to do and too little time. At least that's how it seems through my student's eyes. I may have missed a deadline, but not because I didn't work hard.

While I was shoveling snow today, and wasting time feeling sorry for myself, while cursing my neighbors who all have snow blowers, and do the job in half the time I thought of all the wonderful things that happened to me this week, and even this month. I decided to get out of the self pity swamp that I have put myself in. Why is it our human nature to focus on the negative, on the shortcomings, on the 1% that we missed?

This past month has been wonderful, and I will share why. This week I found out that my research abstract was accepted to be presented at that Northeast Regional Nurse Practitioner's Conference that will be held in May. I am greatly looking forward to that. I was able to get a perfect score on my psycho-pharmacology exam, with a comment that said "congratulations on a stellar exam". My professor is awesome and he will not compliment if not deserved, so this one I took very seriously. My advisor commented on my manuscript and called a me "a great writer". I had a great week at work, I am adjusting well, I am meeting new people, and patients seem to be transitioning well to my style.

Most important than all that were two messages that I have received from my daughters. I still read them often and relive the warmth they brought to my soul. They go as follow:

"I want to thank you for everything you've ever done for us. It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful  you are. I've only gotten this far in life because I have the strongest female example to learn from. I love you."

"Hey Ma, I just wanted to say thank you for everything. I know I don't say it enough but I appreciate everything you do for me. Love you."

 All this wonderful things didn't go to my head or make me feel arrogant, by contrary I thought of the people that had been there to help me. I thought about God as my source of wisdom. I thought of the person that helps the most, and that is my mother. She does so much for me that I will need a notebook to write it down. She has been taking care of the things that I don't have the time to do so I can focus on the studying part. She knows how much disorganization stresses me out, and she makes sure the environment looks to the part. That is priceless. I also thought of my two youngest kids who never complaint when I am too tired to cook, too late for dinner, didn't get to the laundry on time, and so on.

I am so blessed. For all my successes this past month I will thank God, my mother and my children who are my greatest love and biggest motivation.

Looking back, I guess shoveling was therapeutic after all.