Ah, family get togethers

are so much fun, especially when the mother-in-law storms out in a teary-eyed huff. This time it was my fault - sort of.

Everything was going well. She actually showed up this time to her grandchild's birthday party, which these days is a rarity. To be fair, her health is failing and she has a really hard time getting out of bed most days. So anyway, to our surprise she shows up, and after dinner she and my sister-in-law Mandi, and I were sitting together discussing an estranged family member. Mandi and I were defending said family member against mother-in-law's accusations about her. I have been getting VERY tired of the way this person has been portrayed by mother-in-law for YEARS. Now she's back on the warpath again, spewing venom about her very own daughter, which for the LIFE of me I don't understand. I ended up getting a little too emotional about the whole thing and opened my big mouth - basically contradicting every rotten thing coming out of mother-in-law's mouth. I tried doing this in a "nice" way, I guess to show her the error of her thoughts, and explain to her that this family member (her own daughter, remember?) has really tried to make a change in her life, and if she could just meet her in the middle, think of how great it would be to have so-and-so back in the family again. She wouldn't have it. ANY of it. She got really pissy when we didn't side with her, and at this point, Mandi brilliantly left the conversation. I should have followed her lead. I stayed, and it got worse. Much worse. She brought up something that happened years ago, which DID NOT happen the way she said it did. I called her on it, (nicely, I promise) and told her it didn't exactly happen that way - and that was the end of it. She couldn't handle it, and off she went crying into the bathroom. Dad came into the living room and made excuses for her telling everyone she wasn't feeling well - something about her ankle being swollen, so they had to leave. After about 5 minutes she exits the bathroom and makes a b-line to the front door without a word to anyone. How's that for drama?

Now, the reason I'm blogging about it, is I really can't let it go. It's upsetting to me. I'm upset because SHE's upset....because she acts like a 5 year old tantrum-thrower if she doesn't get her way. We were having an ADULT discussion, we were debating both sides of certain issues, and because I didn't agree with her she gets to act like a baby. I love my mother-in-law, in fact we are very close, like mother and daughter. We always have been close. I hope our relationship isn't damaged, but I'm sure she'll always hold this little episode against me. To be honest though, it was bound to happen. I'm so appalled at the way she speaks of her own daughter I couldn't hold it in anymore. Something had to be said. So, in that respect, I don't feel it was my fault. At least one thing's certain, it'll make saying goodbye a little easier when we move.