My Awesome Mother In Law

I want to tell you how cool my mother in law is. She was born on a farm. That makes her cool right there. She grew up having her clothes made out of a corn feed bag. She knew no different. She says, as a child, she couldn’t wait to have the chicken feed delivered as she knew she would get a new dress. To this day, she relishes the simple things in life: family, friends, playing cards and Rice Krispies. You won't find her wasting time or money at a mall. She grew up eating whatever her family grew on the farm and without air conditioning, a car or many other conveniences. She worked hard growing up and was the first person in her family to go to college. She is one of the smartest people I know too. She grew up with not only strong family values, but a high work ethic. When my mother in law married, it was her desire and encouragement to send her children to a Jewish Day School. She realized she could not provide a Jewish education for her children alone. This was a time when it was not so cool to send your child to a Jewish day school, and it was expensive then too. My husband grew up loving his family and his Jewish values. He would beg his father to take him to synagogue. When my husband and I decided to become observant, my mother in law was understanding and supportive. It still amazes me how weird we must be to her and yet how accepting she is. That is because she sees the value. She always sees values. She never voices any concerns and whenever I voice my own concerns, she just tells me that I am doing a great job. My mother in law shows up to every bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, graduation, holiday event, sports event with a smile on her face, gratitude and support. I always tell people that I have the BEST mother-in-law and its true. Well, my mother in law is sick right now and could use everyone’s "refuah shelamah". For those who don’t know what that is, it is get-well wishes and prayers. She needs your prayers. Her name is Batya bas Sarah or "Betty" as we like to call her.  My prayer is for a full recovery and that when I grow up, I and am able to be as kind, generous, loving, accepting and as cool of a mother in law as she is to me.