Another Ode

I realize that this isn't exactly about Oliver, but it is. And this isn't to down play the support I get from my own mom, which is invaluable to me, and I love her but because she is my mom it goes without saying.

No, this blog is primarily about a woman who gets very little credit for her part in helping to raise my son. She lives 3 hours away, but her support and love has been one of the rocks of my parenting style. I hear from so many women how unsupportive and mean their mother in laws are when it comes to the way they are raising their children. Alas, I can not join their ranks. I can not angrily pound out a diatribe about what a witch my mother in law is and how I don't get how my husband escaped unscathed. Instead, I smile to myself and silently thank God for my mother in law.

For reasons out of her control, she couldn't raise her sons completely the way she wanted to. Due to lack of support from her workplace and having to return to work so quickly, she couldn't cloth diaper and breastfeed for as long as she wanted to. However, her determination that these are the best for babies, encouraged me and supported me when I made the same decisions about how my son was to be raised. When others scoffed, she smiled. When others protested, she encouraged. When others argued, she was on my side. She is one of the reasons my son is intact, cloth diapered, breastfed, healthy and happy.

It wasn't always this way. I used to think she was angry with me because I was used to loud mouthed frogs (my family) who were only quiet when they were mad. It made me uncomfortable that she was so generous and had such a servant's heart, I was used to being the hostess. I admit, I didn't like going to her house much, until, that is, I had my son. Her home became a resting place for me. Somewhere I felt safe from questions and critisizm about how we were raising Oliver. A place of encouragement and a soft place to land when I felt like the world was against me.

I never wonder how it is that her son, my husband, turned out the way he did. It was obvious once I got to know her. He inherited her slowness to anger, her hardworking spirit, her graciousness of character and her unfailing, unwavering loyalty to her family. Thank you Mom!