I woke up this morning and that thought slammed me right between the eyes. Mother-in-Law.
It's such a 'thing'; mostly with negative connotations. And I ached in my stomach because I didn't want to be one of those stereotypical M-I-L's with attitude.
Last night at the party, Danica's dad slid up beside me, all bubbly and beaming and asked how I was feeling. Haha. I told him I didn't want to blow it. I wanted to do this right.
"Do what right?"
"This being a Mother-in-Law gig. I want to do it well. I want an "A" in mother-in-lawing."
"Uh Jane?"
"What?"
"I'm giving you an A."
Haha.
That was sweet of him but you know what I mean, right? Relationships can be so fragile. A couple of dumb-ass moves, a bit of miscommunication, a poorly expressed thought, and bam. Things can become messy in no time at all.
I just don't want to wreck anything. Things are so good right now.
Dear God,
THANK YOU. Aaaacccck. Danica is such a gift to our family; most especially to Drew. But to me too. Thank you for causing/allowing their paths to cross all those years ago at school. I know that everyone we meet has been brought into our lives for a purpose - thank you for arranging for them both to be Fundy kids.
Thank you for her family. Oh my goodness, You have handpicked the perfect inlaws for my Drew. So much love. So much not-dysfunctional. So much femininity. So much acceptance and fun and grace and wisdom in that home. Thank you that my boy gets to be a part of all that.
Thank you for Danica's dad. He has invested alot of time and shown a super-human amount of patience with Drew and I thank you for preparing him to be exactly the type of father-in-law that Drew needs. Thank you that he loves Drew. And believes in him. And trusts him to look after and love his daughter.
Thank you for Danica's mom. Thank you for all the meals she's shared, the spot on the couch she's let him occupy, the faith she has that Drew will love her girl well. Thank you for the way she's raised/influenced/guided her girls. They are all beautiful reflections of her.
And THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU for Danica. You've heard my 21 years of prayers regarding the wife for Drew and answered so extravagantly. She is the perfect mate for him. Loving, kind, outgoing, big-hearted, gracious, talented, hardworking, prayer-ful, thoughtful, generous, active, conscientious, principled, fun, teachable, inquisitive, and a follower of You. Plus she knows her way around a head of hair and likes to play table games.
God, I pray your blessing and protection on them during this next phase of their relationship. Surround them with folks who would inspire them to draw closer to You and each other. May these next months be filled with joy as they plan their wedding and prepare for their 'together forever'. Give them wisdom with how they allocate their time and their finances. Give them patience while they wait for the details to come together. Open their eyes, daily, to discover new things about each other so they may fall even more deeply in love. I pray that as they plan The Day that starts their marriage that you would be well-pleased.
And God? Sew my mouth shut when I should not say words. Open my eyes to see things from the other side. Allow my ears to hear the things that might not be said but must be heard. Give me energy to act on those things that need my attention. Mostly? I want to love them well. Guide me while I navigate new territory.
Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fav pics of my boys from Sunday:
And then there's this one.
Taken at the start of the evening.
There are 30 people in the kitchen, waiting for Drew and Danica to arrive. They've seen all the cars in the driveway, so it's not a surprise anymore... but they're taking their sweet time coming into the house from the laundry room...
So Max is chatting with them.
Encouraging them to take steps forward.
Gently coaxing them to come on in.
:)
Such a good day.
Three things I'm thankful for:
1. My three boys.
2. I'm thankful for the way they love each other.
3. The opportunity to watch Clint work this evening. And the thrill of being an 'extra' in one of his promotional videos. Haha. Pics tomorrow.
Shalom,
xo
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