#aqueen

This woman

grew up with nothing in the Philippines

convinced a white man in the US, over letters, to marry her and bring her over to the states in her early 20s.

Went to midwife school

Worked in a hospital for over 50 years

Had 3 planned kids and a surprise kid ( my mother) in the 70s

Saved enough money to bring HER mother from the Philippines to the states to help raise the kids ( both of my grandparents had time consuming jobs and that’s just what she knew)

Is multilingual even though her English isn’t that great ( who cares this woman is a queen)

Supports all of her adult children in any way she can 2/4 of them have moved back home in some capacity ( one with both of her children in tow after 2 divorces)

Watched 7 grandchildren during the summer and after school whenever it was needed for about 14 years consecutively ( not all at the same time because we’re a bunch of different ages)

Flys back to her family every two years with a fuck ton of boxes of stuff to give them

Sends her family a fuck ton of boxes of stuff at least once a year ( most times twice a year, and I’m talking at least 4 giant boxes)

Has helped her children buy cars and house no question( this has unfortunately happened a few times, and my grandfather chips in too, but he’s been retired for about 20 years)

Has retired THREE TIMES and she got bored so she got ANOTHER JOB AT 82

She is very crafty, she likes to sew and knit and crochet ( I just love this about her)

She is the matriarch of her family in the Philippines and has been for like three decades. ( she outlasted several brothers but was the matriarch before that)

She regularly sends money to them too which helps support at least like 40 people

She owns a lot of property in the Philippines and lets people just live there that aren’t family. She also helps support them.

She was diagnosed with a crippling pain disorder like 40 years ago. The doctors told her that she would be in a wheelchair within 5 years of the diagnosis. She was in so much pain they prescribed her opiates. She said fuck no I’m not doing THAT. That’s LAME bitch. She has never used a wheel chair and she has not taken anything stronger than an ibuprofen for her pain. ( although she recently has had my mom driver her to a weed dispensary to get creams for her back, and I think it is adorable because she gets shy about talking about it)