To Our Mommas: Thank you Schema Moms! at Schema : more than ethnic

It's the end of the weekend, the end of Mother's Day and after celebrating a yearly breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner with our moms, we'll all go back to our daily routines. It might be a while before we tell our moms how much we love them and likely another year before we recognize our moms for all the things they've done for us. Meanwhile, they'll be the ones thinking about us everyday, making sure we have enough to eat, nagging us about our messy rooms, advising us not to stay out too late, and patiently waiting for us to come back home safety after a weekend party.

So now that Mother's Day is over, let's raise one more toast to our moms. Thank you for loving us unconditionally and for making us better people!

"I'll never whistle at night"

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Mothers often refer to their child as a gift from God. I can wholeheartedly say that my mom has never failed me and never will for as long as she lives. With her sometimes weird, unique and very odd life lessons, over the past 23 years of my life, I've learned that, as long as I listen to my mom, nothing can go wrong. How could you not love someone who tells you not to whistle at night because it'll bring out the snakes? Or someone who can make your tummy ache go away just by simply rubbing your stomach? My mom is tall, slim, with big honey brown eyes and a high nose bridge. I on the other hand, am the chubbiest one in my family, with small Asian eyes and nose. She often jokes and tells me that she found me under a bridge. I can only hope to be half the person she is. Her courage, confidence, patience and knowledge of everything in life amazes me. She is my best friend, role model and the rock of my life. My mom is MY gift from God and she's the greatest gift that God could have ever given me. There's nothing in the world that I can't accomplish with my mom on my side. Sa-rang hae uhm-ma!

—Christina Jung, Co-Editor in Chief

"Momma Ho, you CRAZY...but I guess I still love ya"

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Don't be fooled by my mom's chubby cheeks or her alluring smile, she's deceivingly crazy. Momma Ho is the reason why I talk a little too much, laugh uncontrollably at the little things, am easily amused, have an overly active imagination, why I still watch cartoons, why I've seen Pride & Prejudice (BBC Version) about 100 times, why I sleep cautiously for fear of her spying on me at night (I've caught her a couple times), why I get drunk off half a glass of wine (this is beyond bad "Asian" genes) and why I like eating hard-boiled eggs with soy sauce and sugar. Momma Ho is also crazy because she likes to show everyone who visits, a 24" by 16" portrait of my four-year-old self, insists on calling me her "birthday baby" in front of everyone I know and constantly suggests suitors like youtube star KevJumba (who is at least five years my junior), because he "respects and loves his dad, he's a good boy." But I guess, as weird and as crazy as my mom is, she shows me everyday how committed she is to her family and how deeply you can really love someone. Mom, thanks for making me as weird and as crazy as you are.

—Claudia Ho, Co-Editor in Chief

"You sacrificed everything for me"

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My mom has made a lot of sacrifices throughout her life to get me to where I am today. The biggest would be leaving her family behind in Malaysia and immigrating to Vancouver. For that reason alone, I am truly thankful. Her sacrifices for me and her family are endless, and I don't think I can ever convey how thankful I am. I can only try to make her a proud mother as I am proud of her. I'm continually awed by her strength, intelligence, courage, positive outlook on life, and unconditional love. I can only hope I will be able to instill the values she has on me unto my own children in the future. I love you Mom!

—Jocelyn Gan, Managing Editor of People To Watch

"You taught me how to win fights and hold grudges"

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My mother's favourite child is my dog, Rascal. She often questions why she had me at all, since I haven't done much for her, and mostly think about what I can get from her. We often have competitions as to who can hold a grudge longer. I first won when I was 16. When I came out of my room four days the smellier, and she had already been out of hers a day, my acceptance speech was dedicated to my mother, who taught me a great life skill. My husband will never win a fight. Thank you, Ma.

(juuuust kidding, I love you!)

—Gayatri Bajpai, Schema's Prized and Gem of a Writer

"I strive to emulate your ways"

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A lot of people say I look like my mom. It's probably true. I take after my mom in many ways, and she's got to be my role model in many respects; she inspires me with her sheer intellect, multilingual abilities, and uncanny resourcefulness, always able to compensate for my shortcomings and lapses in judgment. It's hard for me to fathom how she managed to succeed and prosper in Canada after moving to Vancouver by herself from Hong Kong for university; an education which her parents never had to pay a penny for thanks to her industrious ability to provide for herself and garner full scholarships every year. Her example of strength and independence is one I always strive to emulate, and her life is a constant reference point in setting my own goals.

—Justin Ko, Schema Intern

"I can't imagine a day without my mother"

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My mother, Loan Pham or affectionately known by her clients as Helen is a woman who I strongly admire and love. She was forced to leave the North of Vietnam to the South during the Cultural Revolution, living a life of poverty during her childhood with eight siblings. Despite the Vietnam War breaking out, my mother earned a scholarship to attend university and attained a degree in Russian and Russian literature. Soon after, she fled Vietnam by boat and arrived in Hong Kong. There she lived in a refugee camp, and was transferred to the Philippines after a few years. From there, she was granted asylum in Canada. She met my Father here in Canada, and I'll leave the rest of the story up to your imagination. I can't imagine a day without my mother - she's simply sublime

—Michelle Pham, Schema Intern

"You never cease to amaze me!"

As I approach becoming a dad, my appreciation for my mom grows each day. As I learn how hard it must have been to lug me around in her tiny 5' frame, in the summer heat of Manila, riding the bus ... my admiration for her swells. I owe a lot to my mom. From her I inherited my entrepreneurism and my workaholism. She's always pushed me to exceed my own expectations, even when things like learning English might be a barrier. Instead, she looked at me as a young child and said, "You must become an orator." Not just good at speaking English, but above average.

When I ran home, report card in hand, with almost straight A's (excited to share that the other kids were getting a $1 for each A), she sternly said ... Oh, I know you can guess. She expected me to over-achieve.

I know that sounds harsh, but she was also always cheering me on, always removing the barriers. In Grade 3, after changing neighbourhoods in Edmonton, the new elementary school wanted to put me back a grade because of my accent. She was enraged. She bullied the school to give me an IQ test and I was put into an advanced split Grade 3/4 class. She was and still is unstoppable. When being a financial controller ten years ago seemed like the glass ceiling, she went back to the Philippines to lead her family's business, get yet another university degree, and a few years later was recognized as the top private school administrator in Cainta, Rizal (Philippines).

To be honest, we fought a lot when I was a teenager. She raised a never-say-defeat son, and we found ourselves butting heads. We got through that. And now I see she only ever had my best interests in mind. When I first brought my now wife home to meet the family, she was the one to say, "Treat her well. This one is the keeper. Really, Alden. You're not so easy to live with." You were right, mom (about the keeper part). No one screams louder watching hockey, and no one prays harder for me. There's no mediocre with this lady! Thanks for being an over-achiever mom.

—Alden E. Habacon, Founder, Schema Magazine

Got a shout-out for your mom? Tweet us at twitter.com/schema_magazine!

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To Our Mommas: Thank you Schema Moms!

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