The British Are Coming!

I can say hello to my mother-in-law! Hello, Mum! Welcome to my blog!

We call her "Mum" because she's British, and that's how they talk to their mothers over there. I would call her "Mumsie," but I have never heard Husband say that, ever, and I wouldn't want to inadvertently offend. (The only people I've ever heard say "Mumsie" were the little boarding school brats on television shows, and they say it with that special English lilt to their words, like the one I acquired while serving a mission there and the one Madonna was mocked for picking up. In her defense, it's hard NOT to start talking that way.) Our children call her "Nanna" to distinguish from my mother, who is "Grandma." See how nicely that all works out? Now, we just need slightly different names for fathers and I'd never have to say to Husband, "Which dad? Mine or yours?" I don't think it would be appropriate to follow the pattern of putting a "u" in "Dad" like "Mom" becomes "Mum."

Now my Mom and my Mum are reading this blog. Husband talked up my blog to his mother during a recent phone conversation, so it's just as well I've been including more pictures of the kids and pretending that what I write is somewhat about them and not just about me. She'll find out soon enough, though. Sorry, Mum. Mom already knows the sad, sad truth.

I'm really blessed to have such great parents and great in-laws. My parents and my in-laws are also very good friends with each other, so a visit from my in-laws is a happy time all around.

I first met my future mother- and father-in-law and nearly all my future brothers- and sister-in-law during my mission. My mission president arranged to have them all over to his house a little while before the farewell meeting for the month's departing missionaries, of which Husband was one. (For any returned missionaries reading this who don't know our story, that just elicited a gasp.) Prez walked me over to his house where they were waiting to meet me and size me up, and I nearly died of nervousness.

"Are you nervous?" he laughed, and held my hand comfortingly for a moment.
"I'm going to throw up," I responded.

But they were lovely (see how easily I slip back into British-speak?), and I felt nothing but love and acceptance from them. My father-in-law likes to tell the story of how he asked me what I was planning to do after I got home from my mission and I answered, "Marry your son, of course!" as if it was so obvious and he was just a little dense. He's not at all dense, of course. I just want to clarify that.

Right-o, I'm off to exercise, what what. Ta, me ducks, and be sure to check back for more about me.

Toodle-pip!