Memories of our Mama ...

Our Mom, Andrea Sierra, immigrated to the USA looking for a better life in 1968 along with husband and six children.   The four elder children were placed in Ms Thompson kindergarten class in Smith school in Deming NM. We learned English by reading Dick and Jane books while seating on the small chairs or on the floor was very memorable, but even more memorable was that at end of the school year our Mom went to visit the principal of the school. With the help of the secretary, Mrs.Valverde, they convinced the principal to provide summer school for the whole family.  That summer we went to school with Mom to learn English and she continued attending  adult basic education until she was in her sixties.  After all her seven children graduated from from Silver City High School she completed and  received her GED.  Her persistence and drive will stay with us. 

Ana Maria del Pilar  (Mapi)  daughter
How would you describe her personality in three or four words?
Fighter, for the right and sometimes for the wrong reasons, but looking now back, they were all right.
Do you remember any stories about the early years when the family moved from Mexico to New Mexico?
I remember her when we were preparing to come to the USA, dad was already here, we were left back. She started getting me new clothing from this lady that sewed.  I was getting a new dress every week to wear to church, as soon as she could afford a sewing machine here in Deming,  she continue till my prom dress 
What is a small everyday detail about her that people should know?
She was vain, then so was dad, and that helped us not feel less, when we crossed the border.
What is something you will always remember or be grateful for about Andrea?
I am grateful for her helping  me go back to Mexico.

How would you describe your mom's personality in a few words?  Determined, fighter, giving. ​Many of my memories have her in the kitchen.  I understand from my sister Mapi that she hated to cook (mom recently admitted this), so I find it odd that she spent so much time in the kitchen.   What I remember is not what she cooked but the mess she seemed to make.  One of the chores the sisters and I had to do is wash dishes after dinner.  Well mom might have been making hotdogs or beans, but she managed to use every pan that we had.  My sisters and I would get so mad.  She would take out a pan, but then what she was cooking would either not fit the pan so she would easily just grab another one. Really there were piles and piles after dinner.  During a holiday we would beg her to use paper plates.  Nope she would even take out the fancy dishes to add to the pans.  So when she finally moved in with me, I finally taught her that paper plates were the way to go.  As I tell this story I understand why most of my meals are a one pan meal. The thing that she learned from her sister as she was older was green chile enchiladas. Mi Tia Shata was a good cook, so I’m grateful that she passed on this recipe to mom. They are not the New Mexican green chicken enchiladas, but Mexican. They have tomatillo and green chile.  It was a time consuming task because the sauce took a while.  If she knew I was going to go visit.  I knew she would be making the sauce the day before, and then make the chicken and fry the tortillas the next day.  She would roll the enchiladas.  That was an eye opener for Leroy.  What no stacked enchiladas?!  Her enchiladas were not smothered in green chile but had crema.  Anyway they were delicious and special because she showed her love by wanting to make our favorite dish when I would visit.   Unlike cooking, Mom loved sewing, but the thing I think she really enjoyed to the very end was  nature.  I could talk about the love of trees but I think the love of flowers was always evident.  She shared that her mom loved flowers too.   Mom especially loved daisies.  I remember in Silver around the cherry trees she had daisies planted all around them.  She would go out and cut them for her flower arrangements.  When we would go visit dad in the cemetery, we would have to look for daisies.  

 The week before she passed, mom and a caregiver sat together to make a flower arrangement. I should have taken a picture. Not only was it pretty but it was her last.  

Another thing Mom loved was family.  She worked at making this family have strong bonds.  She would be asking, “Did you call your sister?”  If it was a no, it would be followed by a lecture.  In mom’s last years as the family got together, she wouldn’t share much, but she loved being in the middle and just listen to us.  This would make her so happy.  ​Thinking of my mom makes me smile, but I'm so sad that she is not here.  She tested my patience as she got older and became more stubborn.  She was just determined to get her way as when I was younger.  But I learned so much about her and myself these last years with her that I was so lucky to have her in my life until she was 94 years -1 day. 

Love you mom!​

The memories that come to mind when I think of her - She showed her love in the everyday things—being there, taking care of us, and making sure we always knew what mattered, which is family. That was just who she was.

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How would you describe her personality in three or four words? Old fashioned, private and giving.

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What are some things Andrea loved most in life? She enjoyed nature.

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​She was famous in the family for always rushing. She put me to shame because I would get tired before her. What do you remember about the early years when the family moved from Mexico to New Mexico?  All six of us sleeping in one bed, our own bathroom inside the house .

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What is something Andrea did for her children or family that showed her dedication as a mother? Made our favorite meals when we would visit and make sure we had everything we needed.

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What is a lesson or value she passed on that still guides you today? She never stopped wanting to learn she did not want to be left behind so she took her own initiative to get her GED, learned to drive, take computer classes at WMN.

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What is a small everyday detail about her that people should know? She masked her own feelings and always tried to pretend everything was "tranquilo."

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What is something you will always remember or be grateful for about Andrea?  The love that she showed my children was that everything else did not matter.

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Herman's memories of Mom

My name is Lydia Hurt. But my family knows me by “Lili”. I am the youngest of the seven siblings and Andrea was my beautiful mother.
When you think of your Mom, Andrea, what is the first memory or moment that comes to mind?
So many snippets of her play in my mind. I have early memories of her in Tyrone to Silver City, to Las Cruces to more recently in my moms later life in Albuquerque. I remember Mom walking over to the neighbors houses to ask if  their kids wanted to play or be friends with me because I was too shy. This lead me to having the best lifetime friends that are still very present in my life. 
Mom was always pushing me throughout my entire life to go out and to explore and do things. To live life.  Some of my favorite memories I have are those of just her and I. Mom would take me out of high school and we would go to Pizza Hut and indulge in their salad bar. Yum. Mom loved the flavor of the sunflower seeds with the Thousand Island dressing. Hahaha! Then we would go out shopping afterwards. It was the best! She was the best. She was always there for me. 
How would you describe her personality in three or four words? Selfless, Determined, Loving. Dedicated, Passionate,  Beautiful and Classy.
Above all she loved her family. The Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren lifted her. They all gave her purpose whether it was to feed them, entertain, take care of them while giving the grandkids parents a break. She loved taking the grandkids out for ice cream. 
Mom also had a true appreciation for nature and the outdoors. 
What is something she was famous for in the family?  I have already been missing my moms beans especially. Not sure why I can’t get mine to taste as delicious as her beans.
What is something Andrea did for her children or family that showed her dedication as a mother?
The last words mom spoke. Mom opened her eyes and saw that she was surrounded by her family. She struggled to say “Maravillosa” “Estoy Feliz”. Family was everything until the end.  The family is marvelous because she put the love, time, into each of us. Makes me feel so proud that with all my moms sacrifices, we all turned out all right and we made my mom proud. 
What is something you will always remember or be grateful for about Andrea?
I will always be thankful for my moms constant love.  Always giving herself entirely for family, her sacrifice of leaving her family, her culture, everything familiar to come to the United States so her children would have more opportunities for education, work and a better way of life. She gave up all of herself for each of us to be happy. 
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First earliest memories of my mom was when I was about four years or five years of age and it was June 24th, 1970 and we lived in Deming, New Mexico, and it was a hot summer as typical for southern New Mexico. I was inside the house and she called me through the screen door because she was outside. Innocently and quietly I walked outside and there is where I turned to my right and she had the biggest smile, but she was swinging a bucket of water at me. I was drenched from head to toe and she laughed her head off, and she ran to the hose faucet to fill up again. I was still confused in what was going on at that time Sister brothers starting to come outside and it turned into the biggest water fight ever. I ran inside to get a cup to fill up so I can wet my mom. It took a while as she was running around the house, laughing and drenching, brothers and sisters with her bucket of water. I did finally catch up to her and I drenched or I should say poured 8 ounces of water on her face. She laughed like it was no big deal and laughed at me because it was such a small amount. To this day we have pictures of that great day and later on realizing and or asking why did she do that. She said it’s John the Baptist day and I said who. That day I learned who John the Baptist was in the importance of water. That day the water, they cooled us and refreshed us, but ultimately it’s the water of baptism that she was teaching us to remember always. I also learned through her quick sarcasms and learn. She was also fun to be around with. Love you, mom and will always miss you.