Tita at my desk and proclaiming, I am Toni today!

Three years ago, a bright 18-year-old high school graduate enrolled at my college. After registration, the soft-spoken girl sat in my office and said, “I didn’t get many scholarships for college because I didn’t participate in activities.  I’m determined to become involved on this campus. Can you help me?”

And that’s where it all began. That student’s name is Martha, but she’s very quick to tell you that her friends call her “Tita.” And everyone in the world is her friend. She’s just that nice.

As that first semester progressed, she became very involved on campus, but soon found herself perplexed in my office once again. “My best friend and I want a job afterschool, but we can’t find one.” Ironically, I was in need of a babysitter for the Three Amigos who were in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade at the time.

Yep…you see where this is going. Tita became our babysitter.  And now, we couldn’t imagine our lives without her. Except, she hasn’t babysat for us in a while. She’s something more…she’s a part of our family.

• When I need fashion and makeup advice…I call Tita.
• When the kids need advice and they are too scared to talk to me…they call Tita.
• When the kids’ schools call and someone is sick, if I can’t get to pick them up…Tita will.
• When I want to spend money on shoes or purses unnecessarily, Tita talks sense into me.
• When I started juicing, she supported me by drinking green juice…even though I know she hates it.
• When she has the lovelorn heart of a 21-year-old, I’m there.
• When she was thinking about joining sorority life, we talked through it.
•  When either of us have a craving for catfish, the other one is available to partake.
• And when we have medical situations (thyroid cancer has affected both of us), we jump to the cause of the other.

So now, Tita is preparing to graduate from college, but the even better news is that we work together! And we have lunch together…every day. Because for us, a day without the other makes for a sad life. That’s why it’s simple, “Everybody needs a Tita!”