May 1995

Do you know my mom? Let me give you a little background...
My mother was a very young mother. Too young. She had my sister very early in her first marriage and I followed two years later. It didn't take long for that marriage to end and then she was left with two small girls alone. How does a single mother do it? Seriously, I want to know.

My mother did it. She raised my sister and I to be confident and strong. She told us we were smart, pretty, gifted, talented, the best. We always came first, were number one. She would believe our story over anyone else's. She gave us little things to make us happy and feel appreciated.

I always felt loved by my mother.

Yesterday she sent me a package, completely out of the blue. That, in itself, is not surprising; she sends the kids things all the time. In the package was stickers for the Ms and a book, Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch. I'm sure we have all read this book. I have read it a million times and probably cry every time. I saw the book and thought how sweet that my mother had bought this book for us. When I opened it I saw this note that I had wrote almost 14 years ago!

(May 1995)
Mum-
I hope raising Wendy and me wasn't too much trouble. I hope the three of us will always be together. Save this book for Chance and possibly my future kids.
I love you,
Niki

My mother wrote this note to me:
I read this note you wrote me and cried. How wonderful you are. Trouble? Never! I was such a terrible mom. I think that's why you turned out to be a Great Mom. I wish I could have been a mom like you. I love you.