I've heard that a lot.
If you know me in real life, you see that I get along with my mother-in-law.
(If you’ve had a baby, I’m sure I’ve given you an LKB homemade onesie or hat. If you’ve complimented something I’ve worn, it was probably LKB inspired, or a gift from her.)
My mother-in-law is seriously cool. I love that about her, but that is not why I love her.
Just 2 of the reason I love LKB are:
- I love her because she loves Ben.
- I love her because she loves Piper.
My faith and my family (both immediate and in-laws) mean more than the world to me. I know I’m not unique for counting those 2 things as my pillars. At the same time, I know countless people that don’t get along with their in-laws.
That would suck.
Ben and I get along with each other’s families. No, we're certainly not all perfect and we are not all close. You won't find our families kissing on the lips, holding hands singing kum ba yah, but I think we do both get the importance of family. Maybe we both need family is a better way of describing it.
Ok, what I’m trying to say, and am finally now getting to (84 paragraphs later) is that I think LKB and I get along for reasons far deeper than our love for home decor and clothing.
Here are a few of the key things that make our relationship work:
- LKB and I love many of the same people! (Heck, she birthed and raised Ben and adores Piper.)
- LKB and I both value family.
- LKB and I want our relationship to work because we value family.
- LKB and I have a lot of common interests!
Does LKB think we have too much junk food in our house. Yes. Does LKB send me email links condemning pop. Ugh...Yes. Does she tell me about her friend's daughter who has never had real sugar. Yes, frequently.
Does that bother me? NO. Not at all. We are family and we both want the same thing - Great, close relationships within our family.
If I had a mother-in-law who wore shoulder padded blazers, drew her lips bigger with lip liner and was a blue grass groupie, I may not have as much in common as her, but I'd hope we'd find a common love, which would be easy since I married their child.
i have a fantastic mother-in-law too! it is really a great gift to have a great relationship with your MIL. i have so many friends who do not share that gift. i think a big challenge for most mamas is letting go of their boy. it starts now, with each decision that my son makes that i wouldn't. i think about how many more decisions he will make that i won't be a big fan of, including who he chooses to date and marry. but, those are his choices and i have already begun thinking, praying, and preparing for those little ways that i can CHOOSE to love him in spite of our different opinions. in fact, encourage him to be who GOD made him to be (not a mini-me!). i am already seeing the difficulty, but agree that it is my hope and desire that his lady and i will find common love!
ReplyDeleteMimi, that is brilliant insight! I have a lot of friends with 2 year old boys and I've heard a few of them talk about how they know it will be hard for their boys to start dating. It's got to be so hard, as a mother, to watch your child make someone besides you the center of their universe. Your future son or daughter-in-laws will be so grateful for your understanding that it's not about making them mini-mes. I really think you nailed why there can be so much strain in a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship. THANK YOU!
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