The Most Wonderful Mother In Law

in the world is not married to my Father in Law. His current wife is beyond beyotchy but that's a story for another blog day.

My wonderful Mother in Law showed up at my Mom's house about 8:30 p.m. Saturday evening. She and her best friend Janet made a road trip from Marshall all the way to Waco. It's about a 3 1/2 trip one way so she went way above and beyond being the most wonderful Mother in Law in the world. If you follow my blog you know my Dad is in the VA because of Dementia and not being able to walk. My Mom lives with 2 of my siblings and my sister Cheryl is mostly responsible for all the financial stuff. My Mom's and Dad's social security barely covers their mortgage, bills and medications and sometimes like now my Mom's meds fall into the gap range and she/Cheryl has to pay full amount for them. She's gone a few days here and there without insulin because of it. Anyway, my most wonderful Mother in Law brought down a Christmas basket that her church gave out to the needy. It was supposed to be a Christmas basket but Mother in Law added to it. Family takes care of family is her motto and in my family the words married into/step/half or whatever the relationship is doesn't exist. Family is family. (Father in Law and his current wife do not believe in this motto. Their motto is money is better than blood...again a blog entry for another time. Maybe a scary story for Halloween next year) Anyway, she and her friend Janet brought down a carload of a Christmas basket. 12 rolls of paper towels (I thought of you Lori), multi packs of kleenex, 36 rolls of toilet paper, the big bottle of Tide detergent and Gain too, multiple can goods, 10 pounds of beans, a huge box of rice, bunches of hamburger meat, a Ham and a ton of other stuff too. I can't even list it all. This lady is definitely on Santa's nice list. I can't wait to see her on Friday and give her the biggest hug. Her explanation of why they brought it down early? It just didn't make any sense to unload it from my Brother in Law's truck, put it in her house and freezer and then load it all up again on Thursday back into his truck so he could bring it down on Christmas eve and she felt up to a road trip anyway. What did it matter that she didn't get home until after 1 a.m. that night and had Christmas services at church the next morning? To her it didn't matter and that brings to mind the old saying from Dr. Seuss.........Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. (paraphrased) I'm glad my Mother in Law is a person that MATTERS.

So.....

what's the most bizarre Christmas gift you've ever wanted? Chris wants to get me a gift that costs about $100. It's something that has to do with a computer or printing pictures I'm pretty sure since he went into Office Depot and looked at it. He wanted me to go in the store too but I know he'd have shown me what it was that he's wanting to get me and I don't want to know ahead of time. I told him to just get me a little something since payday falls the week after Christmas this year and then get me the big gift that weekend. He couldn't think of a thing to get me so I finally told him what I really, really, really have been wanting. An ironing board. Yep, straight up and simple. So today I was at Target and found one for a little under $13. I told him about it and he told me to go ahead and get it. Now I can prettify all of our clothes and hang them up instead of pulling things out of hampers or folding things and trying to stuff them into drawers. Yeah! Now to get him to actually buy me some perfume for an actual Christmas morning gift. ;) LOL.

Smile.........

My Daddy today (12/5/09). I'm taking the kids to see him tomorrow. He looks so very old and tiny to me in this picture that my sister took today. So much like his Daddy looked when he wasn't well toward the end of his life. Jessie nearly cried when she looked at the pictures and that almost made me cry too. I've got this song in my head because my Dad always did these goofy smiles. (Ironically, my Dad was born in 1938, 2 years after the song was written.)

Smile though your heart is aching;

Smile even though it's breaking.

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by.

If you smile through your fear and sorrow,

Smile and maybe tomorrow,

You'll see the sun come shining through for you.

Light up your face with gladness,

Hide every trace of sadness.

Although a tear may be ever so near,

That's the time you must keep on trying,

Smile, what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile,

If you just smile.

That's the time you must keep on trying,

Smile, what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile.

Lyrics by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons.

Music written by Charlie Chaplin, 1936.