Birthday Blog Time for My Precious DIL

My wonderful daughter-in-law (daughter-in-love as some say and that one is accurate too) Andi is celebrating her birthday and she is a May girl who loves birthdays just like I do. We share a great love and passion for our own special day which might have something to do with our Astrological sign, and Andi even taught me the clever trick about celebrating HALF birthdays as well!

She absolutely adores the birthday blogs that I love writing for my two children each year on their birthdays, and she looks forward to reading them. Since she is such a big fan of these birthday blogs, what better gift to give her than a birthday blog of her very own?

Andi has so many terrific qualities about her – a truly sparkling personality, and an adorable quirk of using acronyms (letters representing something like CIA, FBI, NASA, DIL) freely. The last time I saw someone use acronyms so endearingly was in “Sleepless in Seattle” where Jonah’s best friend, Jessica used them all the time. If you don’t remember her, I will link a clip here so you can see how adorable this quirk can be.

So my Andi is DIL, which stands for daughter-in-law, and I am MIL which of course stands for Mother-in-Law. When she calls me MIL, she does so in the most loving way you can possibly use an acronym, trust me on this.

A and Andi

She adores my son Brett, as I do, and she is the perfect wife for him. They are mushy, gushy, emotional types, and love the same things such as sushi and travel. They have the exact same value system, and I could not have picked a more perfect partner for him if I tried. And if I loved her before their marriage, now almost one year into that marriage, I am so grateful to her and love her that much more for making my son so very very happy.

B and Andi for blog

What I said at their rehearsal dinner in my speech to them (in between my overly emotional tears) is that I was always worried that Brett, who loves BIG – as big as the sky as I wrote in a former birthday blog for him– would find a girl who is equally BIG loving, unselfish, generous, and affectionate. And the answer is that I worried needlessly because Andi is truly Brett’s equal. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

Andi has a goofy side, also very endearing, and this absolutely charms my son and everyone else. We all admire her intelligence and her success with her career as well.

Although it may seem so, I am not exaggerating about any of her attributes. All of the above is so true.

B and A Honeymoon

Now, of course, I would like to take a moment to take a TEENSY bit of credit in this great pairing of human beings.

Although officially, Andi’s sister Emily (a friend of my daughter) and Brett’s sister Elissa first conspired to get these two together, it was a bit delayed until Andi was available. When that point in time happened that Andi was available and Brett mentioned it to me, I “casually” said in a text message: GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (And I think I used that many exclamation points.) I think the encouragement from his mom made him more decisive, or at least that’s the way I want to slant the story to take my minuscule credit.

When they first started thinking about becoming a pair, Andi was coming to Brett’s 30th birthday party, and private messaged me asking if she could bring anything. I wanted to answer, no, don’t bring anything but yourself, and also please marry him! I held back and wasn’t that pushy, and it happened in a lovely and natural way. They were married last Memorial Day weekend.

So in closing, let me just say to my fellow Birthday Diva Andi, I pledge to NEVER give you a combination birthday gift and anniversary gift just because the dates fall close to each other, and I also pledge to have separate celebrations. (And when you become a Mom, we will NEVER celebrate your birthday and Mother’s Day together, even though they are close to each other as well!)

I also pledge to always be the very best MIL possible.

Happiest birthday wishes to my DIL Andi, with lots of love from your birthday blogging MIL.

5 comments

  • Love this Blog!!! You both are very lucky to have each other

  • Love this!

  • Life has been busier than usual. My daughter is buying a house and selling her house and moving on July 13th. So I have been busy running over there to help her pack. However, I knew when I had a free moment I would come back to read this blog as I love reading your blogs on celebrating your daughter and your son when it is their birthdays. I think it’s both lovely and unique to experience all of these wonderful feelings about your DIL. It certainly makes it easy to find birthday cards for her! I hope it continues when she becomes the mother to your grandchildren. It was wonderful to read how you express your love for her and your reason why you chose to make a Blog about it. She is one lucky girl to have you for a mother-in-law law, Arlene!

  • Marilyn Mullner

    Love the way you have with words Arlene. What a nice tribute to your daughter in law. She is lucky to have you in her life and she as well to have you in her life.

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