Beauty and the Beast | Fort Bend Focus Magazine

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast: Mother’s clearly the Beauty. Guess that makes me the Beast.

By Patti Parish-Kaminski, Publisher

I love my babies, and it’s a stupid, over-the-top type of situation. And although I only gave birth to two absolutely perfect human beings, I have been blessed with so many amazing young’uns in my life who I have claimed as my babies. I strive to be a positive, supportive influence on them all, and these precious babies tolerate me lovin’ on them. I have truly become that crazy old Southern woman with the big hair and bigger heart, and they not only accept me, they embrace me for all of my eccentricities, which are constantly on display. And best of all, these precious babies love me back. There’s just nothing better.

I am a fierce momma, and I know exactly where I got it. My mother is a beast. She is a force to be reckoned with. She is the most positive, fierce woman I know, and I believe that I am all that and a bag of chips every day because my mother told me so. And you know what? She still tells me that I am all that – smart, pretty, strong, doing a great job – all the dang time, and I absolutely believe her because she’s right about most things. Always has been.

Growing up from time to time I asked Mother about siblings and why I didn’t have any. Mother always responded with such positivity about me being all she needed or me being such a perfect child why in the world would she try again. The truth of the matter is that I was likely a lot. I do know for a fact Mother had to deal with several other mothers and teachers regarding accusations of me being “bossy” or an “instigator” from a very young age. Some people are just born leaders.

Lisa Ann and I with two of our precious babies: Kathryn and Becca Kluge.

I tend to think I’m amazing. I value the life that I have, and I value the people who are part of my life. I devote time and energy to my people lovin’ on them and lifting them up. And I constantly add to my list of people – especially my babies. I don’t believe that there’s anything special about that. I’m just doing what Mother told me to do, being what she told me – and still tells me – that I am. I’m everything, and I’m doing a great job because I try, I care and I don’t give up. That’s what I share with my babies – all of my babies – that lesson of self-worth, self-value, self-love. That’s the lesson I’ve learned, and I know it’s true because Mother told me so. And she told me so again, just this morning.

See y’all next week – on the porch!

Patti Parish-Kaminski