To: Sondra and Cynthia From: Janet Liebow of Farmington Hills When I married, my father said, "Have daughters. Sons move on in life; daughters are yours forever." God has been good to me and has given me two daughters. I treasure them both. They have given me the kinship and mother-daughter relationship that tran- scends my fondest hopes. We share the events of each day, both the good and bad, from mere gossip to major decisions to sim- ply doing things together. I cannot imagine a day without both a morning and a night-time phone call. Maybe this expresses why my father was right when he said, "daughters are yours forever." Now I have been blessed again. Each of my two daughters has a daughter of her own. To: Melanie From: Shelley Kunin of Farmington Hills I want to tell you why I love my lust-turned-8- year-old daugh- ter, Melanie. Not only is she my daughter, she is a joy to pal around with. Whether we are doing the mundane tasks of cleaning house or gro- cery shopping, she can make it fun. She has such an imagination that she involves me in her make-believe world and our task times go so much quick- er. We actually have fun while are and how much you are loved. we are working. She is a very Paige, you are such a loving sensitive little girl and has such daughter and you bring so much compassion for others. joy to the lives of everyone you I overhead her tell her friends the touch. You have a beautiful way other day that it really doesn't mat- of bringing out the best in others. ter what you look like on the out- Paige, as a-young child you had side; it's what you are in the that certain way about you that inside that counts. How always made everyone smile. wise she is for her Right from the day you were born years., you have been the kind of daugh- I recently lost my ter every parent dreams of having mother who was my — yeS, Paige, even when you best friend and con- drive us crazy. It has been such a fidante, and was joy watching you grow and see- concerned for my ing you become the wonderful daughter who also person you are. Maybe you don't was extremely close hear it often enough (only 100 to Grandma. Her times a day), because it's very attitude is such that hard at times to find the words to Grandma Beverly tell you that you are our Kunin is our guardian dream come true. angel, watching over us, You are our and that one day we will special trea- all be together again, and t sure, our she is now with other family mem- pride and bers who missed and needed her. I joy, and She certainly put it in perspective you are for me. loved more We are now going through the than you will Spice Girl wannabe phase, and ever imagine. Melanie has decided to marry Zac Hanson from the group Hanson To: Shezaf when she is finished with From: Marcie Nof college. Each phase of her life has been rewarding and wonderful. My daughter Shezaf has to be the As the song goes, "Thank greatest gift with which I have heaven for little girls." I am ever been blessed. Her personali- truly blessed. ty is enough to make even•the toughest person smile and bring To: Paige warmth to anybody's life. From: Adrienne Brill of Shezaf is friendly, wild, sassy, Oak Park . beautiful, crazy and sometimes naughty, but I would never want Paige, long before we met you her to be somebody different. In were part of Mommy's and her 21 months of life, I have felt Daddy's dreams. more love and joy than I ever Now you are imagined. She is my inspiration, our dreams come my future and the center of my true. Just as there life. I never understood the love of is no way to mea- a mother kr her child, and I must sure all the happi- say it was wurth every push for ness you have given the birth of my Shezafie. What I us, there are no words love most about her is how, at the to tell you how special you end of the day when she has final- ly gone to sleep, I go into her room and I lean over her crib and I smell all of the sweetness that surrounds her. It makes me feel like my day is complete. To: Shoshana Miriam From: Sarah Hartman- Silow of Huntington Woods Shoshana Miriam is the first child born in more than 40 years on both sides of our birth families. We think of her very existence as a miracle, partially because she is the grandchild of Holocaust sur- vivors. In addition, Shoshie is beautiful and has a terrific personality. She is good company and a tremendous amount of fun. I love seeing the world anew through her eyes; her innocence and curiosity remind me of how I once viewed it. Now, at 17 months, Shoshana is picking up language — both English and Yid- dish — like a sponge. The pride in her voice as she says "baby!" when she recognizes and points to every young face fills me with joy. However, nothing compares to having her sweetly say "Mama," then give me a hug. When ShoShana was a few months old, my husband asked me I how I liked being a mother. I remember responding, "I love I being Shoshana's mother." I To: Joshua and Kayla I From: Rita Winer of Oak Park I have two children, Joshua, 8, I and Kayla, who will be 4 on I Mother's Day. For the record, I I