I am not just a mother-in-law, I am a mommy

When a woman has a son, there is a connection that begins from the second he is born. My son is my oldest and he “made” me a mom. Before he came into this world, I was a wife, I then became, a mommy. I never really knew that I even wanted a son. I grew up with so much estragon, that I just assumed I would not be able to handle any testosterone in my life. We didn’t find out what we were having, so I was amazingly surprised when Joseph was born over 8 years ago. He was my new best friend, the little man that blessed my mornings, my afternoons, and my middle of the night. From the moment he was born we had fun together. He made a trip to the bank, a pleasure. He got lots of attention, and I was always eager to show him off. His big green eyes made all the old ladies melt. His smile would light up a room, and he was my little boy.

From the beginning, I planned his life. I was determined not to allow him to join any “rough” sports. Hockey was definitely not in the future for MY son. I could not imagine him playing a contact sport that he may get hurt doing. I could not picture my precious little boy getting pushed or poked while he was on sharp skates, on a hard, cold ice floor. I expressed my worries to my husband, and well you can imagine his reaction (he is from Montreal;they eat hockey for breakfast..lol) He thought I was crazy, and signed him up when he was 6, he has been playing since.

A woman falls in love when she has a son. It is like no love you can ever have. There is the love of a father, the love of a husband, and then there is the love of the boy you brought into this world. He looks at you for love and attention. He knows you will run around the world for him and protect him from any harm. He knows you will love him and care for him until you’re dying day.

When you marry your husband, most of the time, you don’t understand the emotions his mother feels when he “leaves” her nest. You look at him and think he is “mommy’s little boy” and that he needs to toughen up and cut the cord. We poke and make fun of them, and tease them when they call her, and miss her. The truth is; we don’t realize what the connection is, until we have our own son. Then, it is us that baby our boys, hug them, kiss them and adore them. We realize only then, that our mother-in-laws knew about the bond, way before we were around. They were the ones that woke up with them in the middle of the night when they were sick, they were the ones that cleaned their cuts and scrapes, and they were the ones that felt the pain more, when they didn’t make the team. Only then do we realize the love of a mother for her son.

I was introduced to the Robert Munch book “Love you Forever” many years ago. I read it to my baby cousin almost every day. When I would read it, I didn’t really appreciate the words. Now, I can’t even pass the second page without shedding a tear. It touches my heart and soul and plays with my emotions. I read it to my son, and he knows that is “our” book. He smiles, thinks it’s cute, but he doesn’t really get it. He doesn’t understand “I love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” Those words are deep and true.

One day my 2 boys will hopefully begin their own life, with a wife and eventually their own kids. I pray that I will be around to see them become parents. I pray that I will witness the bond they will eventually share with their own children. I also pray that their wives will look at me as the woman who raised them, loved them, cared for them and nurtured them. I pray that these women will see me as more than just a mother-in-law, but as their husbands’ mommy.
That’s my peace today!

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
6 chicken legs (back attached)
7-8 potatoes
4 carrots
1 onion
15 pitted green olives
4 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp dried rosemary

You will need a 13x9 roasting pan.
Wash chicken and pat dry. Peel potatoes, onion and carrots and chop into large pieces. Place carrots, onions, and potatoes in the pan. Beside the veggies, place the chicken. Salt and Pepper generously on all the food, toss with your hands to make sure you salted everything. Pour olive oil to generously on all the food. Spread olives and garlic on chicken only. Sprinkle the dried rosemary on both chicken and veggies. Once you are almost ready to place in over,sprinkle breadcrumbs (almost rubbing) on the chicken.
Cover with foil and place in oven at 410 degrees for 1 hour and half. Remove foil the last 20 minutes to brown and crisp.