The things we do for love...

DH is wonderful. He is a great person in spite of his childhood and parenting, certainly not because of it.

Today was his mother's birthday. I'd tell you which one, but she doesn't even have it straight. Let's just say around 60th, but as my son said "She looks A LOT older than that!". (Shhh...don't tell her, ok?)

So the kids didn't have school today, and I agreed that we should take them to visit her. Nevermind that this will be Hopes 4th encounter in her entire life with her "Mere'-mere'". I have no clue why she likes it spelled that way, I always thought it was "Ma-Mere'", but I'm not French, am I?

Last week, she called and asked me to buy her a new computer. She has never owned or operated one in her life, but she wanted my advice on it. She probably wants to use ESPN.com in order to call her bookie and bet on football, but I wouldn't dare say that to her face. Anyways, I ordered her a nice machine, and it showed up on Monday. She also asked for towels from Costco, so I got those too.

We drove DH's truck to his work, then all got in the minivan for the final leg over. I haven't been there since she first got sick. I forgot how damned dark she keeps everything, and how much she smokes. Why did I forget that? Matthew's asthma is very mild, but we keep him AWAY from triggers like smoke. It took about 20 minutes in her place for him to start coughing. I started before he did, and I don't have asthma.

So I took the kids to the playground at her apartment building. It was absolutely gorgeous outside, about 78, sunny with a light breeze. Perfect for sitting under a tree and watching my kids on a tire swing thru half open eyes. They had a ball.

Apparently, DH didn't. See, he stayed with his Mom in that nasty little smokebox. I came back and set up her computer, showed her how to play Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. That's a decent first lesson, don't ya' think? I also logged her into her email, and showed her how to turn the thing ON and OFF. She's good for a week, and has my number. I don't know what was said between them, but DH was a bit of a grouch after that.

I was happy to drop him off at work and skip dinner entirely with him. The kids and I ate Chinese. Then we started the long trek home. 2 hours in a car with three children and no adult help can be tricky. Especially when you have the MIL of all headaches (probably all that smoke). But I made it, and got the kids to bed.

I think going to his Mom's makes DH digress a bit back to his childhood, which is not AT ALL who he is today. I can say I won't hurry to get back there, and neither will my kids.