Tags: Davao City Edge Davao family M&S Marks & Spencer Metro Mom Mommy blog Mommy blogger Mommy blogger in Manila Philippines mompreneur motherhood
Motherhood never goes out of style. No two moms are the same, but all bear and share the same unconditional and selfless love that shape cultures and individuals.
In recognition of Mother’s Day, Marks & Spencer brings you a story of a business wo-mom named Elizabeth Lopez – Unlay—her love for family and intuitive decision-making style, as told by her 15-year old daughter, Francine Cassandra.
“I’m the second child and the eldest daughter of Elizabeth, who is fondly called Abeth by her friends. Let me tell you why I have the best mom in the world.”
“Here’s the big picture. We are four siblings, two boys and two girls, ages 6 to 18. Imagine what my mom is faced with? School work, teenage dilemmas, varying hobbies, age gap management, varied food preferences and mom manages them all quite well.”
“She takes care of dad, too. When he’s away, mom plays dad and looks after the business in however way she can.”
“On weekdays, a day starts by seeing us four kids to school. In between, mom does her paperwork and errands. She picks us up for lunch and asks how our day was, sees three kids off to school again and looks after Daphne, the youngest. It’s during Daph’s nap time that mom gets to go to the gym. She gathers us again at the end of the day to bond while waiting for dad for dinner.”
“The weekend is a different story. With everyone having their own itinerary, mom turns into a driver, cook and the ‘palengke queen’. She insists going to the wet market herself to choose the items for her menu. “
“Stingy? No, thrifty and wise. She said she only purchases what benefits our health. Quality will always be her priority. The palengke is where she finds the freshest of ingredients at the best price. Imagine how good and balanced her home-cooked meals are. But we do eat out on Sundays after Mass. Though she says it’s family time, I see it as her official day-off from the household chores.”
“After all the hard work she rewards herself by shopping. It’s her way to relax. I adore my mom’s sense of fashion. Like her palengke stints, she is as wise in shopping for great deals on clothes. She hunts for the best looks with value for money. This is why she sticks to the classics—elegant and simple yet powerful, and always stylish. She’s a jeans-and-linen-top kind of girl, goes for the safe tones of black and white, and pastels, which makes her feel young and vibrant.”
“Here’s another secret. Why I love her fashion sense so much? We’re pretty much on the same wavelength—and size. I can ransack her closet anytime. She doesn’t mind sharing. Like I said, she’s one wise mama. Letting me borrow her clothes saves us both on shopping money. Like mother, like daughter.”
“That’s my mom, Elizabeth. There may be a million adjectives to describe her but I’ll write one—her love is unconditional. That’s what matters most to me, to the family.”
Happy Mother’s Day, Elizabeth!
Fashion: M&S Collection Spring/Summer 2019 available at the Marks & Spencer stores in Abreeza Mall & SM Lanang Premier | Photography: Wizbren Ang | Make-up & Styling: Otoy Mercado
Story also published on my Metro Mom column in Edge Davao newspaper.
