An Open Letter to KK on Mother's Day
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Your legacy will live with the stories your grandchildren
will add to our stories from 1973 to the present day. |
Dear Mom,
Kavaun wrote a beautiful letter to Beata for Mother’s Day, and it made me think of some of my cards to you when I was his age.
In the note, he wrote descriptions of different categories of moms, including a “Struggling Mom” and an “Okay Mom.” In his writing, he explained why Beata is in the “Super Mom” category, and it made us chuckle. We know that a lot of times as parents, we feel “just okay” and sometimes worse. Beata laughed aloud as she read his words.
Afterward, I read over Kavaun’s letter, and I thought of you and our life growing up on King Street. Over the years, we have shared a lot of laughs about some of your parenting antics. I am grateful you have shown me the importance of maintaining my sense of humor in this parenting game. It is evident to me that there will always be times when a sense of humor will be the only way to safely navigate parenting.
Kavaun and Roya crack up at the KK stories from my childhood! Now, they are adding their own tales to the mix, which fills me with gratitude.
Pretty cool that I got to share many of the ideas here in this tribute to you (linked here) with Roya June in the weeks leading up to her eighth birthday. Quarantine has provided a lot of family time and stories in our house. Naturally, you are a staple of storytime adventures. Sometimes I wish you could parent my children just so I could see if everyone survives. On second thought, Kavaun would probably love to sleep in a little extra if he were dressed for school the night before. And Roya would definitely appreciate spending time with elderly people in need of some company more than I did in the 1980s.
My mom - no one matches your spirit. Plain and simple, your legacy is guaranteed for generations because there’s no one quite like you. I took a poll - and people agree - you truly are a once-in-a-generation kind of woman.
Roya loves her birthday locket and treasures her special connection with you. She giggles when she recounts stories about KK and your electric fly swatters and the way you discipline your doggy grandchild, Norman. Roya grins when confessing to hearing you swear on those never dull overnight stays. Our little girl has a sense of adventure and creativity, similar to yours.
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Roya June loves her special
connection with you. The
kids also enjoy the treasures
you share.
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Kavaun, your protege, loves his conversations with you, and the way you embrace his questions and quirks. Kavaun and Roya inherited your curiosity. Kavaun's imagination is boundless and his ideas exist in a world of limitless possibilities. He is the only person I know who matches your fire. I suppose I should also thank you because I feel more connected to my grandparents as I wonder how in the hell we will harness this fire!
Speaking of grandpa and grandma, our connection to them has shaped us nearly as much as our connection to you (more on that, linked here). Our relationships with grandpa, grandma, our aunts, and Uncle Dan are among the greatest gifts you provided us in those early years. While my style is different than yours (let's face it, yours is a distinctive KK style unique to you), I hope I am wise enough to lean on others with your sense of vulnerability as my children approach the dreaded teenage years.
As it stands now, both of our children agree that you are a wonderful source of strength to lean on to lift their spirits, and occasionally set them straight.
They say you're cool because, “She always lets us stay up late, and she lets us have whatever treats we want.” Roya added, “I don’t think she's ever said no if I wanted something,” as Kavaun smirked and nodded in agreement. “She might say no, but I can talk her into it,” Kavaun quipped. They also mentioned the "treasures" you provide as part of your lore.
They say you're cool because, “She always lets us stay up late, and she lets us have whatever treats we want.” Roya added, “I don’t think she's ever said no if I wanted something,” as Kavaun smirked and nodded in agreement. “She might say no, but I can talk her into it,” Kavaun quipped. They also mentioned the "treasures" you provide as part of your lore.
We think you’re cool because somehow you instilled in both Ryan and I great “pickers” and a strong sense to recognize the remarkable character in others. We married women who are strong, independent and devoted. The mothers to our children have their own brand of fire, and they set an incredible example for your grandchildren. Similar to you, Amy and Ryan are devoted friends, always ready to help others in a time of need. Beata, like you, is smart, creative, and ambitious. Fortunately, we were in a position to better appreciate and value those qualities in our wives because of your example.
We can’t wait to see you and share new parenting stories in person. With more time to share tales of yesteryear while we're in quarantine, I am reminded that memories can be tricky. I do like the way we share our recollections as a family - lots of laughs, some honesty, and a collective understanding that sometimes our “best” is a combination of desperation, resourcefulness, and love.
We appreciate desperation and laughter a lot more now than we did in 1985. Sure, it wasn't always funny or desperate, but life together was usually pretty lively.
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| Making memories, one day at a time, one story at a time! |
A mother’s love flourishes in a lot of different ways. It can be messy, beautiful, and unconventional all at the same time. Most importantly, though, somehow making sure that your children always know they are loved is the trick all of the Super Moms have in common.
Ryan and I got lucky because we have one of those Super Moms, and so do Kavaun, Roya, Miles, and Jude.
Thank you.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Love,
Nick, Beata
Ryan, Amy
Miles, Jude, Kavaun, and Roya
