Mommy and Daddy

(Beverly and Curtis)

Just the thought of writing this letter has me in tears, you mean more to me than I’ll ever be able to adequately express, so instead of crying my eyes out I think I’ll take a different,  more fun approach. Let’s talk about a few of the lessons you’ve taught me!

Daddy you’re up first…Ma hold tight, I got you!

Daddy…My twin…I used to try to deny it but I’ve finally faced the facts, you look like me…I mean, I look like you LOL You were the first example of a real man I saw. Thank you for never over reacting when I told you about things. Thank you for giving up your life so that I could have one. I know I joke about this often, but I honestly can’t think of a time when you told me “No”. I really think I would probably have a kicking and screaming tantrum if you really said “no” to me and meant it. Far too often I hear girls talking about how their fathers weren’t a part of their life’s, or how their dads are deadbeats. I’m sooooo thankful I don’t have that testimony. Not only are you an active part of my life, you’re one of my best friends.

Do you remember our first major disagreement? I was 9 and we were in San Antonio TX about to go school shopping. I was being a brat and refused to get in the front seat of the car. Still to this day, I don’t know what the big deal was about me wanting to sit in the back seat, but anyhoo, we sat in the driveway for what felt like hours going back and forth about me wanting to ride in the back seat. It ended with you going in the house and leaving me right there. Determined to prove my point, I stayed in the backseat of that HOT car waiting and you eventually came back out and took me shopping. After we shopped you had your hands full with my bags and proceeded to open the car door, as you always did, but before I could hop in, you threw all the bags in the front seat then opened the back door for me to get it.  LOL Lesson learned: No matter how upset he is, a true gentleman will always open the door!

I remember you teaching me how to change a tire before I was even old enough to think about driving. Your words “You don’t need a bonehead to change your tire, you can just do it yourself.” I can still see you now in that hot sun changing Dania’s tire, while she and I stood there looking on. You had us out there in that Texas heat for hours talking to us about cars. I remember going to school telling everyone I knew how to change a tire and check the oil in a car. Lesson Learned: it’s okay to play the damsel in distress role, but you also need to know how to handle things for yourself!

Oh yeah, remember the time we were going to great grandmas house in VA and you kept swerving off the road because you were sleepy? You asked me if I wanted to drive, I said yes, so you pulled over to the side of the road. “Stay in the right lane, don’t take any exits, and don’t go over 65” were the instructions you gave before reclining in the passenger seat and going to sleep. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone you let me drive and on the highway at that. As soon as I got to a phone I called home to tell my mom I drove on the highway. I was so excited about driving that I forgot I was only 13 and had no business driving anybody’s car. You and I both got in trouble that day! Lesson Learned: father daughter time is just that, don’t tell mom ANYTHING

Your turn Mommy, My Favorite, Sorry Daddy you call everyone your favorite so now it’s my turn 🙂

Mommy…BB…Superwoman…the Ultimate come back kid. I won’t make this too mushy, especially since I just wrote you a mushy blog for your birthday, but we’ve been through it all. I think I spent the last 2 years of high school telling you I couldn’t wait to go to college and move out, only to get to college and come home every single weekend.

I think the funniest thing ever was when we had just had the “don’t sit on everybody’s toilet” conversation. We were at a cookout over one of your friends houses and all the kids were playing up stairs. I had to have been about 4 or 5. I ran down the stairs yelling “momma can I sit on their toilet?” You didn’t answer yes or no, you just got up, took my hand, and walked me to the bathroom…then held me up so I could pee LOL Lesson learned: don’t sit, just squat.

Oh do you remember us walking through Crabtree and seeing this lady getting her ears pierced? I don’t know what made me ask if I could get mine pierced too but I did, and to my surprise you said yes. I was terrified but I overheard you tell the sales lady “I don’t think she’s going to do it” I was determined to prove you wrong. I climbed up in the chair and sat there as the lady’s looked at me like “is this kid really doing this.” Darn right I am! What other 4 year old you know with 2 holes in their ears?!?!? Lesson Learned: When someone says you can’t, don’t say a word, just show them that you can!

Last one….Do you remember you and Ms Wanda always talking in Pig Latin? I remember you two were just going on and on talking as if Leigh and I weren’t even in the room. Ya’ll just knew we had no clue as to what you were talking about. I just sat there playing with my dolls and watching cartoons. Then as soon as ya’ll finished talking, I told you everything you said. Then you had the nerve to get mad at me for “being in grown folks conversation.” Ummm hello ma, grown folks were talking loud over my cartoons. I had no choice but to listen. LOL You never spoke in Pig Latin around me again. I had known how to speak it for months, I don’t know why I decided to be motor mouth that particular day.  Lesson Learned: Never tell everything you know.

All jokes aside, you guys are my heroes! My loves! My support system. My friends. My role models. I think Boyz to Men said it best “You taught me everything and everything you’ve given me, I’ll always keep it inside. You’re the driving force in my life.” Even with all that either of you may have had going on, you guys have always been my biggest cheerleaders. Through ups and downs, adolescence and puberty, wars and addition, from a childhood to womanhood…From serving this country to serving your families, you two have been there every step of the way and I LOVE YOU BOTH. I pray I make you guys half as proud as you’ve made me!

Love Always,

Daddy’s and Mommy’s Girl

PS. Daddy, can I have $500 in my *Hilary Banks Voice* LOL

Ma, I’m going to see a man about a bull…don’t worry I won’t ride him LOL