An Open Letter to My Boyfriend's Mom

Where do I even begin? It's been five years...five years of getting to know your family...five years of getting to know your son...five years of growing together...and I STILL don't know how you did it. Somehow, by the grace of God, you survived raising him. Without you there wouldn't be him and without him, there wouldn't be an us. Life would be extremely boring. Even though a simple thank you is not enough, I'd like to express my sincere gratitude for all that you do.

First, let me begin by saying thank you for trusting me with your son. I know it probably wasn't easy at first, simply because people can be so good at masking their true intentions; but I can assure you that I see his true value and contributions to this world, and I won't ever take that for granted. I love him for the strong-willed, stubborn, goofball that he is. Thank you for instilling your trust in me. 

From the minute I met you, you welcomed me into your family with open arms. Prior to meeting you, I had heard all kinds of stories from friends about meeting their significant other's parents. It scared me. I heard horror stories of them not seeing eye-to-eye with their boyfriend's mom. I remember sitting silently on the plane ride to Utah thinking about all of the "what if" scenarios. Thankfully, those scenarios only came true in my head. I was so relieved to find out that Riley's mom was laid back, friendly, and a great listener. You never criticized me for my beliefs or values. Thank you for accepting me for who I am. 

That's what I appreciated most about your son when we started dating---he accepted me for who I was from the get-go. He never judged me for my past experiences and was always patient with my anxiety attacks. He encouraged me to get help when I needed it the most and helped me pick up the pieces. From day one he did the simple things like opening doors for me, taking care of me when I was sick, and being my guidance when I was stressed. After meeting my parents, my dad said, "you better keep this one". And I'm so glad I did. Thank you for raising a true keeper. 

Since then, that true keeper has transformed into an amazing father for our sweet baby girl. He works so hard to ensure she has all that she needs and more. He makes time to facetime her--even when he's worked an 80-hour week and is on the road. Stormee lights up the minute she sees her daddy and it's the best thing ever. Your son sets a prime example of how a guy should treat his girlfriend/wife; and, some day, Stormee will know to set her standards high and never settle for less. Thank you for teaching him well. 

I could go on and on about all these great things, but perhaps my greatest appreciation is that you are a wonderful grandma to our daughter. Even distance doesn't stop you from loving our sweet girl. From the gifts and facetimes, Stormee will grow up knowing that she has, not one, but TWO amazing women to look up to in her life. You've taken time off from work to help with the move and spend time with Stormee. That time is so precious and valuable in teaching our daughter that she is loved by many. Thank you for being a great influence and amazing "nama". 

Over the years, your support, guidance, and love has been tremendous. You have easily become a second mother to me. I couldn't have asked for a better family to become a part of and you are the true glue that holds it together. Thank you for the past five years. I look forward to many more family vacations, laughs, and memories. 

Sincerely,

"Kandi" with K and an I ;)

aka me :)

Photo by: Simply Shelby by Bailie

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