Here we are in Florida in the new year. It is 38 degrees here at 10am - starting the the coldest snap in five years. It will get down to 26 tonight. We are being accused of bringing the cold down from Ohio and I can't disagree.
It's been a bit dreadful down here. The MIL has a very set routine and it has flustered her to have us here and try to cook and converse with us. I was getting more and more irritated yesterday as it brought back memories of the summer. I helped grill dinner, but couldn't handle more than five minutes at the table with the two of them so I ate quickly and went into the bedroom. I was flopped motionless on the air mattress when Mr. Ipsissimus came in and flopped next to me. We talked for a bit, with me expressing my frustration. He started telling me how hard it was even for him and how depressed he was getting by the whole visit. He compared his mother(the snail) to mine (the perpetual motion woman) and talked about visits to my family being so dynamic, active and fun. He'd been thinking all day about how much my marriage to him has changed him - though he was never quite like his parents, he had their tendencies to let the world ebb and flow by around him without ever dipping more than a toe in. Marriage to me has pushed him more into the deeper waters and he finds he really likes it and grabs at life more. After we talked, things seemed more manageable. We were in this together finding ways of coping with his mom and that is a huge difference from three people at odds.
I think for me that is a huge thing to reflect on this new year. We've had a hellish year. No doubt about that. But Mr. Ipsissimus has become more because of it. No, he still doesn't clean regularly, or cook. But emotionally, he's grown and changed and become a true partner. He has learned the value of my emotional support and began returning that support, becoming a true partner. The little things fall away in the face of that united front. My best friend lives with me and I can hope for better years and better things with him beside me, supporting me.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
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2 comments:
Happy New Year, Ipsissimus! I know what you mean about a hellish year past. And the value of a united front. It really does make it a little easier to accept the small annoyances knowing that your partner has your back no matter what. That means everything.
I hope your visit is okay and at least you get to see the sun for a bit. Can you bring back some warm weather with you? I'm wearing my long underwear with my jeans today and my legs still feel cold!
Love,
Shameless
Well, it looks like we will be bringing warmer weather with us: it'll be in the upper 50s when we get back Monday and 60 on Tuesday. Which is certainly better than it is right now: 47 degrees with a brisk wind that makes it feel in the 30s. It was 25 overnight, freezing the MIL's oranges on her bushes. Sigh. It'll get back in the 70s right before we leave.
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