Chronicles of the MIL: From Quest to First Visit

[Simoni]

Today I'll start a weB LOG about my mother in law.  But since the blog section does not get much attention here at RWD, I'll do it as a thread under this, the Married section.

The story will begin as I share my search for MIL (and you newbies think you are looking for a bride, huh?).

Once that history is laid down and you learn how MIL met and initially got along together, we'll fast forward to this month and her first visit to the USA.

Lots of fun things have already occurred since her arrival two weeks ago.

And readers-- feel free to post your experiences with or about your MIL. 

[Simoni]

Looking for MIL in all the Wrong Places

No matter what the country, stories abound about mother-in-laws (MIL).  And most of them are not all too positive!  So newbies, if you think your MIL from your first marriage to an American woman was bad, what do you expect from an FSU mother-in-law?  The good thing is that odds are she will not speak English and will not understand a word you are saying to her! LOL

I dated FSUW for several years before committing to my wife, Marina.  During that time, I met several possible MILs.   The next few posts will be their stories...

[Simoni]

My plan for this thread is to share the events that led up to my finding my mother-in-law, and then detailing her adventures in America on her first visit here.

Unfortunately, I have been to busy to write the prequel info yet, and it's partially due to....

MIL fell out of an elevator into the street and broke her hand and wrist!

She is ok, but her hand and arm are very swollen and we are making lots of trips to the doctors and hospital.  She'll be fine, but the trip iteanrry has changed.   Her saddest part is that she can't hold her grand daughter anymore...

[GoodOlBoy]

MIL fell out of an elevator into the street and broke her hand and wrist!

How terrible!....Very sorry to hear about your MIL's accident Simoni.

If I could ask, did you have insurance to cover her and if so, how much was it?

I like my MIL VERY much, she is a real sweetheart (like my wife).

When I stayed in Omsk for 3 month's she took VERY good care of me while Marina was at work.

Sadly, my MIL has never visited the GoodOl' USA.

She has a lot of health problems stemming from her diabetes.


GOB

[Simoni]

How terrible!....Very sorry to hear about your MIL's accident Simoni.

If I could ask, Did you have insurance to cover her and if so, how much was it?

I like my MIL VERY much, she is a real sweetheart (like my wife).

When I stayed in Omsk for 3 month's she took VERY good care of me while Marina was at work.

Sadly, she has never visited the GoodOl'USA, she has a lot of health problems stemming from diabetes.


GOB

Thanks, GOB.  It's great that your MIL took such good care of you over there, and a shame she can't visit you in Florida.

As you'll see when I write this trip report up as a prequel to current times, my MIL and I got off to a bad start. Now, it could not be better.  Really.

And no, there is no insurance and I'm amazed how much doctors and hospitals charge.   We'll spend thousands of dollars on this, but I am blessed with abundant resources, so I am not worried about the cost.

However, given this experience, I'd advise others to BUY insurance for family when they come over here to visit.  I will the next time.

[Gator]

Sorry about your MIL's injury.  Hope she recovers without pain.

This will be a good thread.  Splendid idea.

I have two MILs.  The first was her grandmother, the woman who raised her while her mother was away doing anything to avoid motherhood.  Grandmother was an extraordinary woman, a former stage actress who owned a car in Soviet days and even took trips to Italy and Greece.

The morning after first meeting Sabina I was introduced to her grandmother.  Grandmama knew some English, and we had an interesting chat.  When I said that I was concerned about my age difference with Sabina, she reminded me of Senator Strom Thurmond.

When Sabina's grandmother died, she renewed her relationship with her mother.  I eventually met her.  She knew English well as one of her past jobs was to translate material for Soviet broadcasts beamed into South Africa.  Unlike the grandmother, mother is not a warm person (e. g., she complained about watching the grandchildren when Sabina and I would take adventurous trips not suitable for children).

When things calm down at your home, I look forward to your chronicles.

[Simoni]

Sorry about your MIL's injury.  Hope she recovers without pain.

This will be a good thread.  Splendid idea.

I have two MILs.  The first was her grandmother, the woman who raised her while her mother was away doing anything to avoid motherhood.  Grandmother was an extraordinary woman, a former stage actress who owned a car in Soviet days and even took trips to Italy and Greece.

The morning after first meeting Sabina I was introduced to her grandmother.  Grandmama knew some English, and we had an interesting chat.  When I said that I was concerned about my age difference with Sabina, she reminded me of Senator Strom Thurmond.

When Sabina's grandmother died, she renewed her relationship with her mother.  I eventually met her.  She knew English well as one of her past jobs was to translate material for Soviet broadcasts beamed into South Africa.  Unlike the grandmother, mother is not a warm person (e. g., she complained about watching the grandchildren when Sabina and I would take adventurous trips not suitable for children).

When things calm down at your home, I look forward to your chronicles.

Thanks for sharing about your MILs, Gator. 

I never met Marina's grandmother, but she had a major impact on Marina. She was the one that talked to her about God when the state frowned on people of faith.  The family still owns her home, on a river about an hour outside of Dnepr.  They call it their "summer place," and still keep the garden going.  I have VIVID memories of a nighttime swim with Marina in that river.  Mama mia!

[Simoni]

Sorry about your MIL's injury.  Hope she recovers without pain.

This will be a good thread.  Splendid idea.

When things calm down at your home, I look forward to your chronicles.

She had a lot of pain (there is a bone chip involved), but the meds are taking care of most of it.  We almost have to tie her down to make her not overdo things.

We will have more X-rays done next Monday, two weeks after the injury.  At that time we will know if it will be surgery or just the cast.

She is impressed with the level of medical care in this country.

[Simoni]

She continues to cook, with my wife as her assistant.  Next to my mothers, it is the best food I have ever tasted!

Next I'll show you what I just had for lunch!

[Simoni]

What is more basic grub for a man that meat and potatoes?

For lunch, we had a delicious pork roast (melts in your mouth) and Ukrainian potatoes.  With a little salad thrown in, too.

DELICIOUS!

[Simoni]

Space exploration and being first in space is a mark of pride to the Russian people. Hence, MIL and Marina had a great time today watching nasa.gov and the prep for the space shuttle launch. 

We have a good view of the lift-off, since our balcony faces the east, and the cape.  Combined with the TV, it is fun to watch. 

But once again, the launch was scratched.  We'll watch again tomorrow night.

[Maxx2]

Wow! That looks tasty. I can't wait for lunch.

Sorry to hear about your MIL injury. How was it that the elevator unloaded out into the street? Was it something for mass transit?

My ex-MIL was a sweet woman and just 4 years older than myself. Actually she was better looking than her daughter. Several months after my marriage broke up I was dialing a number in Russia. You know how some of their phone systems are. That is you have to dial and dial until the number goes through. I was doing this and got distracted. Then dialed the wrong number that I had dialed many times in the past. It was my soon to be ex-wife's Russian phone number. Her mother answered. She said "Maxx!" and then spoke to me in Russian some words I didn't understand but they were very soft and soothing. I just said "Ladna, ladna" (I'm OK) kind of sad like and she said back "Ladna" with a gentle sad laugh. The whole tone of her voice told me that she was sad about everything.


Maxx    

[Simoni]

Sorry to hear about your MIL injury. How was it that the elevator unloaded out into the street? Was it something for mass transit?

Thanks, Maxx.

We have 4 elevators, all together,  in the hallway of our high rise.  One is for freight, and dogs.

MIL had never ridden in the freight elevator.  That faithful morning, a friend from our floor was getting in the freight elevator with his dog and ushered MIL in with them.  That elevator had doors on both sides; the others don't.  So she was leaning against the "wall" when the door opened, and out she fell into the breezeway where freight is loaded!

[Simoni]

Poor MIL loves to cook, and even though she now only has one good arm due to the break, I am still eating feasts!

I came home from lunch today to find this on the table...