Dearest three children of mine,

Years from now, when I send you on your ways to conquer Harvard/Columbia/M.I.T and the world beyond, I ask for you not to be ashamed of your family.  In nine days I will turn thirty-three-years-old and being ashamed of my background will be the biggest regret I've had, to date.

In college I denied eating scrumptious-orgasmic-mouth-watering-processed-filled-sausage and instead pretended to love the Reuben sandwhich.

I was always uncomfortable when my immigrant father visited My University filled with pure-blood-Irish-Catholics-half-tattooed-with-shamrocks never quite sure of what he would say.  Like at Murphy's Irish Pub when he screamed "Guinness.  It's THE best Polish beer.  You do know, that the Irish stole the beer recipe from the Polish?"

Yeah.  I had no friends for some time. There's hope for you kiddos.

I ask you to embrace our family's quirkiness and run with it.  You might believe that nothing says "Happy 4th of July!" like Russian eggplant spread on the table (no-one in our family is Russian) until someone later in your life ruins it for you by saying, "Dude I had corn-on-the-cob at my 4th of July BBQ!"  Remember that being unique is very special and Russian eggplant spread is totally normal.  For us.

Just as special is a Dziadek (grandfather in Polish) wearing a Babcia (grandmother in Polish) apron while flipping sausage and gracing you with mentionable quotes,  "I keep people on the toes!"

Embrace it.  He, and everything he stands for, is awesome.

Be warned kiddos, Dziadek may one day hire an accordion player for your BBQ.  Thatisnotall.

And he will ask you to take photos with sausage(s).

Enjoy every minute kiddos and smile throughout it all.

Embracing our family/heritage is the most important beginning of your awesome journey.  Claim it now because corn-on-the-cob is soooooooooooo yesterday.  And Russian-eggplant-spread-on-rye-bread-chased-by-a-Guinness-while-dancing-to-an-accordion is soooooo  tomorrow.  You can thank me for being ahead of the game.

XO
Mama