Top Latina Mom Blogger

Last Friday morning, half way down the stairs to fix the kids’ breakfast, I looked at my phone to find a notification of the tweet pictured above (along with several other tweets of congratulations). The 15 minutes after that was filled with screaming, jumping and, yup, crying. Latina Magazine named De Su Mama a Top Ten Latina Mommy Blog!

Top Latina Mom Blog

I called my Mom right away, who was jumping up and down too. Latina Magazine, people! The publication that so many of us have grown up on named ME a top mommy blogger – and I had no idea they knew I existed! I quickly went to the article online, and was even more elated to find MY face in the second spot!!! Right after some of my favorite women in the blogging world, and a site where I also contribute, SpanglishBaby.

In the midst of all the chaos, Alina was there – celebrating and jumping and telling me how happy she was. I was actually impressed with how quickly she translated the screaming and change of energy into the positive experience that it was… she was genuinely very very happy that I was so happy. I had to stop, in that exact moment, and snap this photo of her next to my laptop screen. I hugged and kissed and thanked her. Because my personal dreams of writing and one day becoming published, of creating a voice and legacy of which I can call my own, seem so much more feasible now than they did before I become her mama.

Giving birth to Alina gave me the courage to give birth to DSM, and to appreciate the woman I was in ways that I had never allowed myself to do before. How do you thank someone for that? How do you thank your child for allowing you to love yourself the way that they love you? I have no answers for that.

I waited about an hour before sharing the news on Facebook. I needed to calm down. First I shared the picture of Alina on my personal page, where my friends and family went nuts! I had no idea how many of them actually read the blog, how much they supported me and how genuinely happy they are to see this little blog succeed. That post was “liked” close to 100 times, which has never happened.

I then posted the link on the De Su Mama Facebook page, where again, readers came out of seemingly nowhere to congratulate and “like” the link that named DSM a Top Ten Latina Mommy Blog. Believe me when I tell you that every “like” goes noticed… and there were many first time likers on that status. I cannot tell you how humbled I am by that expression of support. Whether it be readers of a blog, best friends or a solid family unit, everyone needs people who can be unselfishnessly happy for your success. That is a difficult skill to learn. And I know I have that in you. So thank you, my beloved readers. Sincerely and 100% from the heart.

I have no idea where this path will lead, but I hope you guys will stick around to find out. Our legacies are living things – each day, we define what’s meant to live on once our souls have left this earth. And, by bestowing De Su Mama an honor such as this, I know that there are others out there yearning to build their legacy, too.