ABOUT MY AMAZING MOTHER IN-LAW - LONG POST

Hi,

If i shared a post that i have an amazing mum, you may be wowed or not, simply because she is my mother, and it is expected that a mother sacrifices for her child, but i  believe if i say my mother in-law is amazing and deserves a blog post, you would want to know my reasons.

I shared this story about my Mother in-love on a private group, so i reckon why not share same to a larger audience.

I prefer to refer to her as Mother in-love, because she has shown me uncommon love.

I would start from the very beginning and pick pockets of events that showcase her awesomeness.

Hubby while we were dating, mentioned that the only thing his mum can't stand is laziness,"if you are not lazy, you can't have a problem with her". I am neither lazy, nor super hardworking but I know what's due morally and culturally, so I wasn't fazed by that.

MEET THE PARENTS- On my first visit to the house,she had prepared her signature Egusi soup, after pleasantries, she went to the kitchen to pound yam for us. I offered (jokingly) to help her with the pounding, knowing fully well that I couldn't pound if my life depended on it. She refused out rightly and hubby told her not to mind me as I didn't know how to. She laughed without taking offence at me and my 'joke' and sent us off to the living room.

THE WEDDING- After Nikkah (Muslim wedding rites), a day prior to the wedding reception, culturally I was expected to sleep over at theirs since the union had been solemnized. MIL knew how much I preferred to go sleep at the hotel, so she arranged with my best friends and a family member to sneak me out without the knowledge of the women and extended family members that were around for the wedding. Yeah how cool is that?

FIRST PREGNANCY- MIL moved in with us about a month to my EDD with the view that i can pop anytime in between. During the wait, she asked to be shown around my kitchen ahead of my delivery, so she can sort cooking. She went with me for my weekly appointments at the hospital, a fan believer in pre-delivery exercise, we took daily walks within the estate, gisting, discovering beautiful architectural works inside Lekki. on one of such walks, my slippers cut and MIL insisted that I swap with hers, I refused but she was adamant, stating my pregnant condition as excuse. I almost cried but I made do with thanking and praying for her.

To shorten this episode,I put to bed via cesarean almost a month after her arrival, she bath both baby and I, washed my panties and cooked. I have a phobia for circumcision, but she happily took him in for circumcision; I refused to go near my son's diaper, i couldn't even look at or nurse his  circumcised penis till he was completely healed. She did all that. When I had infection on the CS site, she was with me all through the hospital visits, she would ask me to express breast milk so I could sleep while she feeds him, she spent a total 3 months with us, only took a week break in-between to spend time with her hubby while my mum took over. Mum is a school principal so couldn't take long periods off work.

2ND PREGNANCY- Same old routine only this time it's February and in cold weather London. I remember when she said we should start the stroll like we used to, I didn't feel up to it, but she kept saying I shouldn't be lazy. Off we went but after some minutes of chilly wind she suggested we go back home )) I got home told hubby and we both teased her just a little.

Anyone that knows me well, knows my addiction to noodles, but imagine my sweetest surprise when like hour or more after I left recovery, MIL came bearing a cooler of hot noodles. She said she knows how much i love it, but she hoped that she made it to my taste. Trust me she would naturally prefer to pound yam or something but she simply brought what was to my liking. She actually wanted to follow me to the operating theatre, but hubby had to,while she watched over our first child.

As usual circumcision runs,bathing, washing, cooking were sorted by her. Weeks after my surgery, I insisted on bathing myself, I did, and came out the bathroom feeling dizzy and she blamed me for not letting her bathe me. I resolved after a while and when she had to do Medical check ups to resume cooking and that was about 2 weeks before her return to Nigeria. And just before she left she made us a large pot of Egusi to last us for weeks after she had gone.

3RD PREGNANCY- Similar routine, mum was able to spend more time this time, especially after I had complications and had to go in for corrective surgery days after the CS. Tough time it was (another long story) and both mums gave their 190%.

Is that all my MIL does? NO.

She once told hubby to make sure he gives time to the children's homework and stuff and stop being all work work work.

When I was without help for like a month and with 3 boys to attend to. MIL will talk to hubby that he can't leave the task to me alone. Afterward she will call to tell me, she has spoken to him and hopes he's complying.

During my sister's wedding, I stayed at my parents for the period, MIL brought food over for me, and naturally my long throat sisters too.

She makes it a point of duty to thank hubby and I, for everything myself or even hubby gives her. It doesn't matter if I was there when he gives her, if she calls, she is saying thank you to me as well. No entitlement mentality whatsoever.

My mum adores,respects and prays for her. She refers to her as her big sister. My dad says she is a very wonderful mother in-law. My parents both speak well and pray for my parents in-love as they are both amazing.

My FIL is the real MVP. He has 4 boys and a girl. Over 10 years ago, he went to Saudi Arabia for hajj and bought jewelry for his daughter and guess who else? He bought 4 sets of jewelry for his sons' future wives. At that time, they barely had girlfriends. So now that I am blessed with all boys, I have decided I'd keep buying jewelry, by God's grace my first gift to my DILs will be a pair of 'vintage' gold earrings.

And hubby's only sister?!!! She's phenomenal, let's just say I have the most amazing in-laws

Okay I don't and can't thank her enough, but I do pray for her and them all. I also pray that I am blessed with the right resources to do as much as she did or more.(at least be able to afford hands to the physical ones, because even at this age, I can't match her energy levels). I pray as I age, I don't forget what I enjoyed and that my DIL will one day say nice things about me.

My MIL is Nigerian, Yoruba, Kwaran, Offa (with tribal marks actually), and she is amazeballs.

So here i am saying, a good woman is a good woman irrespective of their
One thing I know for sure is she has a good relationship with her hubby, so i guess there's no room for bitterness or transferred aggression.

Thumbs to the amazing in-laws out there, may we have them, may we know them, may we be them