Mother-in-love Blessings

Yesterday, we celebrated my mother-in-love's 95th birthday.

Today, I commemorate my first mother-in-love's 99th.

I have been twice blessed!!!

My first mother-in-love was "mom" for nearly 40 years,

my second for nearly nine and counting.

And both truly are moms to me!

So many daughters-in-law never have a good relationship

with their husband's mothers,

in fact, that is what they are, "husband's mother"

and nothing more.

I look up to, admire and love both of mine

and they me.

I was 18 when my first mother-in-love became "mom" to me.

Honestly?

I rolled my eyes a few times with her.

And she wanted more than once to turn me over her knee,

but did the grown up version instead.

She didn't so much complain about me (most of the time) as to me

when she had a problem with me.

Just like her own children.

And the same in reverse.

Just like my own mother.

And she loved on me.

In many ways, she was my protector, especially as a teen girlfriend.

Just like a mom!

I miss her deeply and look forward to that great reunion one day!

With my second, it has been a different kind of relationship.

I am not the first wife, stealing her baby from her nest.

I am bring him solace and comfort,

    dancing from mourning,

        life from mere existence.

I am significantly older.

As is she.

So, no eye rolling,

no adult-version spanking.

But lots and lots of love and friendship.

We have shared our hearts deeply with one another.

 

What a blessing to still have her!

I dread the day that I know is coming 

when we will have to say "good-bye" for a while. 

I think about my mother-in-love in Heaven

and wonder if she and my first father-in-love

have met my second father-in-love.

I wonder if all my and my Lanny Love's people

have embraced one another.

 

Perhaps today they are all sharing a cup of coffee and slice of birthday cake,

    my Al,

        Lanny's Judy,

            my mom and first set of in-love's,

                maybe my dad, I hope,

                    Lanny's daddy,

                        our grandparents

                            the babies we did not get to raise,

                                the siblings and aunts and uncles and cousins.......

                                    all the people that comprised my Lanny Love's and my lives,

and chatting about their people still here

just as we visit together about our people who are there.

I can see them in my mind's eye,

laughing 'til tears roll about the memories

and nodding knowingly about those things that brought the other kind of tears

but which they now see clearly.

It is a mind picture I enjoy.

 

These people,

are my heavenly blessings,

the ones I most look forward to embracing

right after Jesus!

How I love them all!!!

Happy birthday, moms!!!

Mom Garrett

Mom Newton