What do you do when your mother-in-law lets you know she's been reading your blog (the kind of blog I write)? You keep on writing and making sure you fess up when you're supposed to.
She's a good one, as honest as they get. We had words once when we were both brought into an argumument that we didn't start. She chooses her words so carefully now and I hope she knows that I notice. I also hope I've reciprocated in respect of it.
She was inclusive of me, a girl who had a wild streak she probably saw straight through to. She helped just as much as she could in our wedding, offering her gown and reminding me that I needed to get on the pill, when I blurted out that I already was - one of those, "Wow, did I just say that?" moments. She conceded to my request of a pretty upscale rehearsal dinner and cooked & cooked for the reception. That was before the time of these spoiled, extravagant after parties.
She and Pop made the down payment on our first house and didn't put up much of a fuss about repayment when I didn't finish/begin Pharmacy school in favor of staying home. She made curtains and matching pillows, bought me clothes and then maternity ones. She was overjoyed at the news of a grandchild when my my mother needed time for it to settle in. They tandem babysat Megan with my parents for me to work part-time on the weekends while I was still in school. They paid for Christian couseling, which wasn't a quick "fix" for our marriage.... but WAS where I found my salvation. Months later when I laid the burden of my trespasses (having done the unthinkable in an unthinkable place) into Mike's lap, he went to them bewildered and she told him that my change was real and encouraged him to return to me. If not for her that night, there might be no Miranda... McKala... Michael... Melody... Macklynn... or Madalynn.
She was the first to get on board with "homeschooling", when my Dad was convinced I had joined a cult or something. She's shared stories of Mike's childhood, his disposition and struggles. She's talked woman to woman, even today, about marriage - empathetic, but telling me to make the hard "choices".
The money, oh my goodness, the many times they've rescued us from trouble... and when Mike in 2004 had a head on collision in his new GTO he hadn't even told them about, they paid our enormous bills while he was in a wheelchair for 5 months. We still owe them for that; they've been more than merciful about it with all that's happened since.
In her retirement, she's made all the children well thought out, gorgeous quilts (and to his credit, over the years Pop's made all manner of toys, doll houses, a chair and cradle). She saw to it that Mike and I got to go on that cruise (as she said, for the sake of our marriage) and enlisted in staying here with the kids, ready for a breather at the end. Nonetheless, she made ornaments, got them to practice early, and kept everybody in one piece. During visits she can be found in the middle of the children playing games and cooking with them. She laughs a lot and you can see it in her beautiful, compassionate eyes. She's way more than a mother-in-law; she's Memaw.
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