Do you like your Mother-In-Law?

Mother-In-Law

Just that word, can conjure up a bunch of things in one’s mind.

Mine lives in Washington State, and as you know we reside in Minnesota.

So, I’m good, right?

Wrong.

  

I googled the word Mother-In-Law and the first picture that comes up is this…

Uhh….

Another that caught my eye was this...

Ummm....scary!

I must say, I got lucky in this department.  I love my Mother-In-Law.  

 And, I love her even more so, since we had kids.   

I now know I am blessed to have her, not just lucky.

I consider her a good friend.

She is known as Betty or Mama Betty or Gigi to everyone who knows her.

She is the mother to 5 kids, and the Gigi to 6 grandchildren, and her job is never done.

She is hard-working and remembers the “baby” days like no one else.  She can tell you the smallest memories of each of her children in a way that makes you want to remember those things about your own.  She finds the joy in my children that only a Nana or a Gigi can. And she does things for my kids that I would never take the time to do.

She recently came to visit.

We spent time with her showing what our daily life consists of and how we have chose to parent our kids.

She embraced it and added advice on what worked for her….never in an overbearing way.

Tatum is getting to the age when she doesn’t forget who someone is when they leave.

And every time we see a “hairplane” she states, “It’s my Gigi coming to see me!”.

We Skype, when we can.  But,  the 2 hour time difference is tough with our schedules and hers.  But, I hope she knows when she visits…she leaves a piece of herself behind in my kid’s memories.

If you don’t love your Mother-In-Law, remember this.

She gave you her son.

And you wouldn’t have your own family without her.

And some day, you will be a Mother-In-Law,

And don’t you want your baby boy’s wife to be grateful for the gift you gave?

I love you, Betty.

Regardless of where you live, a part of you is here, in Minnesota.

Oh, by the way, she is my #1 commenter!

Toodles…