I Lucked Out in the Sister-In-Law Dept. and I am Late to the Jewelry-Making Party

Do you ever wonder how and why some people pick their spouses? I often think about what are the attractions that draw two people together for the long term—what are they looking for and what do they need. My mate offered me a nice, normal, large family. When I was engaged I don’t think I ever said to my girlfriends: I want to marry him because he has a nice family. Or maybe I did--it has been a long time. But I know this: if I were to have made a list of desired attributes, I would have never written down that I had to like my beau’s family (This drives me crazy on The Bachelor shows how the Bachelor or Bachelorette always makes a big deal of having to like the parents).

My husband is one of six children, all born in a 10-year span, with parents who were married for over 50 years. After being part of his family for a few years I noticed a pattern. I realized that each of the four brothers (including my husband) married a woman with very similar attributes: we like to cook and had been doing so at a young age, like to read, are independent, have good jobs, were not raised in an “Ozzie and Harriett” type family, and choose to spend 90% of holidays with our in-laws. And we are very strong.

I do not have any sisters and it is a wonderful thing having sister-in-laws. They throw showers for you when you get married or have a baby (even though that may be anti-Emily Post); they offer to watch your kids; they share recipes and swap books; they clean your kitchen from top to bottom when visiting; they share and compare traits and quirks about the brother they married; there is no drama with each other; and they have transformed me into a Black Friday shopper. The only negative is that none live in my city.

I have returned this week from another vacation and only this time I got girl time with some sister-in-laws. We swapped books, cooked, made sangria, shopped, swam in the ocean, floated in a pool, went on a boat, talked about our husbands, watched a movie, walked at 6:30 a.m., had coffee outside, and shopped at Michael’s Crafts….because one of them taught me to make jewelry.

I am back and the Boys are still in Florida, (husband says they are going wherever the trade winds take them, which is island talk for they are spending a few more days in various parts of FL). I went to Michael’s Crafts during my lunch and bought my own jewelry tools and beads and things –and made this necklace. I think my sister-in-law who taught me how to make necklaces, bracelets and earrings has created a monster because I want to make jewelry every day. Maybe I'll set up a craft table near the TV so I can make my girly creations near the boys when they watch their Testosterone Channels on TV (which they inherited from the brothers who all watch those Discovery and Science and Nature and Man vs. Food shows).