Every time my husband's parents come to visit, I do at least one thing to validate my competence as a mother.
Yesterday, my mother-in-law and I took the kids downtown for the morning. Cameron had a doctor's appointment and the older kids needed some back-to-school clothes.
The cashier at Old Navy had already rung up and bagged my purchase when I realized that my wallet was at home on the kitchen counter.
My MIL saved me a lot of embarrassment and time by swiping her credit card.
"It's not a big deal," she said as she put her arm around my shoulder. "I do stuff like this all the time."
This is a lie by the way. She doesn't do things like that EVER. But it did make me feel better.
"Thank you," I whispered. "I'll pay you back when we get home."
Over the course of the next few hours, my tab grew.
"Can I borrow 30 bucks for the doctor's office copay?"
"And 5 for parking?"
"And 10 for labs?"
By the end of the trip, I felt like that friend who always shows up to a restaurant without any cash.
It's my own embarrassment and shame (and nothing that my MIL said or did--she is awesome) that caused me to drive 30 miles with the gas light on in my car. I thought I would die if I had to ask my mother-in-law for any more money.
By the time I got to my off-ramp, I was sweating through my shirt.
"Is everything all right?" my MIL asked.
I didn't answer. I was too busy praying that I could make it home on fumes.
After we made it home and had settled up, I told my MIL why it always appears that I have a perspiration problem when she comes to town.
She laughed at me for ten minutes.
That's a good thing, right?
August 6, 2011
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27 comments
Your MIL is a saint....mine is the Spawn of Satan. Mine would have laughed and left me standing at Old Navy mumbling for words. How sweet is that?!
Can't beat a good MIL.
Sounds like a great woman! Count your blessings.
Absolutely count your blessings... mine is the Spawn of Satan too!!
My MIL is a good woman too, but she would NEVER go shopping with me. She is a stay-home-make-a-quilt, do-family-history sort of MIL. I guess I'm showing my age, huh!?
Sandy
www.twelvemakesadozen.blogspot.com
Hee hee.
The MIL sweats.
Don't you love how it's not the other person's reaction that matters a bit. If you're in the mental sin bin, there's no release!
Bet she loves you!
And your thrifty ways!!! :-)
Once again, you help me start my day with a smile and a chuckle! Love your blog.
Mine is the spawn of Satan too! And she would rub it in my face and then tell everyone what a bad mom I was and how much better she is.
Mine is half and half.... She's the type who takes you shopping because she has a coupon, but then mentions (more than once) how "you've grown" and "I think you need a bigger size" ..... just to make you feel REALLY good about yourself.
Oh no!!! Least she came through for you! =)
Am a new reader to your Blog and I love it! I am lucky like you in that I have a great MIL and we love spending time together. She, too, "has it together", only difference is that she is soooo thrifty. I get a lot of laughs over her Dollar Tree and WallMart buys. But she is generous too, I currently owe her close to $600 as she put a down payment for me for a trip we are taking together and a purchase she made for me in her area. Thank goodness she hasn't starting asking me for the money yet as I'm afraid to tell my husband!!
I also have the Spawn of Satan for a MIL. Just because I yelled at the kids once when she was on the phone with them, I'm a horrible stepmother. She also said DH and I would have a child together over her dead body.
But she also told me a month before the wedding that my husband and I could just live together so we wouldn't have to go through a divorce. Thank goodness she lives across the country.
You have a great MIL. And being a MIL myself, I do things like that because I love my kids and their spouses and because, when you are a young mother its always something else, and being a grandma you have the time and money. well at least I do.
Next time don't chance the gas thing, it's alot more embarrassing to ask the woman who has just paid your way through the day even if you will pay her back to hoof it or wait for the tow truck or better yet pull her son the bread winner out of work to rescue you. You were paying her back anyway, what's a tank of gas too?
My MIL is one of those that you like *sometimes* and trust *sorta* and like to spend time with *for a little while*. I like her in small doses. My FIL and her had a horrible, nasty divorce so the family is split into the awesome FIL side, and the crazy, taboo MIL side.
Sounds like your MIL is great!!
Love your blog - your stories are hilarious. Thank goodness for your MIL, huh? :)
My MIL is a saint and would have done just what yours did. However, I wouldn't have had to pay her back. =)
She is a lovely woman that knows that you gave birth to her 4 beautiful grandchildren. Some of whom I am sure remind her of her own son. No worries.
She is laughing because she loves you SO MUCH!
I once left my wallet in my MIL's car - then we drove to the airport and she had to Fedex it to me. It is a very interesting experience to go through airport security without ANY identification. Now I keep an expired drivers license in my toilet kit.
What an awesome MiL! You are so lucky. I know too many people with psycho MiL's. I'm not in that list, thank goodness.
I am a MIL 5 time over. But I have 4 son in laws and only 1 Daughter in law. It doesn't matter I would help them all. I believe in Karma, do good and it will be visted upon you 3 fold. I live a good life, you will too!
y'all...mine IS Satan. :( she hates me.
Sounds like your MIL understands what it is like to be a busy mom. Wish I had a MIL like yours.
I smiled so big reading this blog. This is my second marriage and both times I was blessed with fiesty yet very sweet and loving MIL'S.:0)I loved them and they loved me like a true daughter.I lost my first MIL to Breast cancer and my second(who had my husband late in life)to post surgery complications.I know they are now two of the many Angels that watch over me.Sounds like your MIL is one of your Angels here on Earth*Smile*
Can I just thank you for having such lovely things to say about you MIL. It was refreshingly un-cliché. And your kids attachment to her says wonders about all of you as a family. It makes me question whether you really are "the meanest mom". Cheers.
that was so funny! absolutely related to not getting the gas in that situation, something I would do too! don't you curse those people who have it all together?!
Just found this post. I'm glad you have a sweet MIL. It gives me hope that maybe mine can change. (Is that unrealistic?) For the last seven months she's tried to ignore that I even exist--won't even look at me when I speak and walks away when I say things like thanks for coming, how are you, and good to see you.
grr.
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