by Maria Kubitz
When i was 6, my other sister was 4 and Madison was 2. So, Julia (the 4 year old) was being mean to me. So i threw a toy at her. She started crying and calling “Daddy! Mommy!” I took Madison with me and ran down the basement. I said to Madison, “Go upstairs and hit Julia with a book!.” Madison was confused.
“Why Shannon?” She asked. “Because, Julia is always mean to you. Don’t you want to get her back for it?”
Madison nodded. Got a book, went upstairs and started slapping it at Julia. Now of course a 2 year old can’t hit hard, but Julia just assumed it would have. Again Julia started yelling, “Daddy, Mommy!” While trying to grab the book away from Madison and hit her with it.
Finally my Dad came out and started yelling at Madison. She had no clue what was happening.
I felt so bad i started bursting into tears! “No daddy it was me! All me! I told Madison to hit Julia with the book.”
Madison hugged me and said “It’s okay Shannon, don’t cry.”
So my Dad understood and started yelling at me. And that was the end of that day!
Madison was always trying to make everyone else feel better and I miss her.
Submitted by Shannon Ritts in memory of her sister Madison Ritts
by Maria Kubitz
As many daughters do, my daughter Margareta wanted to do most everything that mom did. Although I don’t wear a lot of it, when she saw me putting on makeup, she would want makeup too. At 3 years old, I didn’t think makeup was such a good idea, so I would lightly brush on eyeshadow that was as close to her skin color as possible so that she could see some sparkles, but from a few feet away, you couldn’t tell she was wearing any. She also got to wear lip gloss on occasion. After I put them on, I would always comment “you have such pretty eyes and lips!”, so she started asking for “pretty eyes” and “pretty lips”. She would say, “Mama, I want pretty eyes.”
When her Aunt Heidi came for a visit, Margareta wanted to be just like her. She was thrilled when Aunt Heidi gave her the full makeup experience: foundation powder on her face, eyes, lips and the nail polish on her fingers and toes to match Heidi! She showed it off to everyone she could.
by Maria Kubitz
At the time, Margareta was maybe 2-1/2. We were in the living room playing with her brothers. Everything was crazy as usual, when all of the sudden we hear a really loud, gutteral burp that stopped everyone in their tracks. We stared at Margareta with wide eyes that such a sound could come from such a little girl.
Margareta looked just as shocked as the rest of us. She turned to me, and in complete awe, said “I farted in my mouth!!”
I’m not sure how long it was before we stopped laughing.
Submitted by Maria Kubitz in memory of her daughter Margareta Kubitz.
by Jill Ritts
It was the first day of school for Madison’s three older siblings. Anthony entering fifth, Shannon First grade and Julia’s first day of pre-school. Well Madison would not be forgotten.
She woke up early with the rest and packed her sleeping bag, her “goolbag” and insisted I pack her a lunch for her first day of school. She was so excited to be a big girl!
When Maddie and I had to leave a very tearful Julia in her new school, Madison was there to comfort her. “I go to gool too Julia” and she gave her sister a big fat hug.
When we pulled up in front of the babysitter’s house Madison was a little phased, she thought she was really going to school, but soon we all reached an agreement and Madison was satisfied with “pretend school” at the babysitter’s house.
“I go to real gool next year, right Mommy?”
Submitted by Jill Ritts in memory of her daughter Madison Ritts.
by Maria Kubitz
In our house, laundry day consists of several loads of dirty clothes being washed and dried. I usually sort the folded clothes into piles on the floor of the living room before putting them back where they belong. My daughter, Margareta, would often try to help fold the clothes, starting from the tender age of two. Even though I would usually have to re-fold what she already did, I enjoyed the company and the comraderie.
One day, I left my piles of folded laundry on the living room floor in Margareta’s capable hands while I walked back to the washer and dryer to start a new load. It took a few minutes to put wet clothes in the dryer and dirty clothes in the washer. When I returned to the living room, not only did I find my piles of folded laundry not so folded any more – I found that Margareta had played dress up with mommy’s underwear. I grabbed the camera while I was still laughing.
Submitted by Maria Kubitz in memory of her daughter Margareta Kubitz.
This website was inspired by the memory of Margareta Sol Kubitz in hopes of helping others work through the pain of grief.