My Mother-in-Law

Baking a second pie with Nana - Raspberry this time.... Mmmm

 It means the world to me to see Norah baking a pie with her Nana.

 

 Poncho from Aunt Joyce - She's not quite getting the concept.

 "No, arms down honey. You don't have to pull it over your face."

 "Oh, you mean like this??"

A couple of knitting nerds (ok, I'm crocheting). Case in point.

I can't tell you how much I love this woman. I've said it before but the term "mother-in-law" is fraught with negative connotation, and that's why I don't even like to say it. It comes out of your mouth and people automatically assume there's tension and animosity. I even mentioned to the ogre of a washing-machine-repair-guy my mother-in-law was in town and his response was "Ohhh....gotta be on the best behavior then right?!?" (with this sort of, *nudge, nudge, wink, wink*). I always want to explain it's not like that with her. Anyway, it doesn't take a psychoanalyst to figure out that simply having a mother (in-law) would be particularly meaningful for me. As a woman, when your mother dies when you're still only a child, the chance at getting a second one, is not something you take lightly. I cherish her and any time I have with her - she's a resource I haven't had since I was 16 and being a young mother means there are volumes of questions for a "mother figure".

She is such a wonderful mother too - it only takes one look at her Pinterest page to see what a perfect Nana she is(how hilarious is it that she knows what that IS, let alone HAS one). She has posted nothing but pictures of decadent cakes & baked goods, yummy casseroles with loads of melted cheese and then, knitting and crocheting projects. That's it. She's the Nana of the future. Versed in all things home-making - cooking, cleaning, clothes-making and wisdom and yet, also, slightly obsessed with the internet (ok, Facebook). ;) I love that we can tease her about having Bailey's in her coffee every morning (on vacation! she'll kill me for typing that.), and how much she checks facebook (which, admittedly, is the same amount as I do). The fact that we can be so playful with her is half the reason I adore her so much. She can answer any question I throw at her, she laughs at herself (and us) and she has never ever made me feel inadequate. I've heard some horror stories of the dreaded mother-in-law overstepping parenting boundaries, marital boundaries and just-plain meddling. Wilma has never so much as given me a glance that made me feel she disapproved of anything I do as a wife or mother. (Which is not even to say that she doesn't disapprove of some things - that'd be fine - but she certainly never lets it be known and that either means she doesn't feel it, or is a saintly pillar of self-restraint.) Either way, I'll take it and will forever be thankful for her in my life (and Norah's especially).