Just In Case Anyone Remembers Me....

Hey y’all!

It’s been over a month since my last post in this thread http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=33688 about what’s been going on in my life. Everything that I said in that post, came true: My mother in law passed away August 10th, and I have been living in her house with her two young boys since a couple of days prior to that. So far, so good!

I didn’t have access to a computer for pretty much that entire time: my computer JUST YESTERDAY made the move from my apartment, to my new abode at the house. Can you say WITHDRAWAL???

I have missed you guys so much, and can’t wait to find out everything I’ve been missing out on the past month.

So faster than you can say “alternative guardian” (say, maybe I should start a “Ask the Alternative Guardian” thread), my entire life has changed. Last time you saw me, I was newly married, my husband was going to school in a distant city, living in an apartment with my best friend. Now I am living in a house with two young boys (12 and 13), my husband has indeed left to start school, and my priorities are drastically different!

Anyway, that’s the update on my life. Thanks to all of you who sent words of encouragement and advice … many of them are coming in VERY handy. Love you all, and I am SO glad to be back!

Laura

great to see you back Brunetter.

My sympathy for you on your loss.

FWIW, I admire you on your decision to look after the children. your reward will be great.

{{{{Brunetter}}}}

I was wondering if we would hear from you…

it is indeed a great and caring course of action you have taken…just think of all the great threads you’ll be able to start…lol…

glad to have you back home (SDMB).

Nice to see you again, Brunetter. Glad to hear things are going well, so far.

Thar she is.
Welcome back. Your dreams are your ticket out.
Sheesh. Just parsing out a few of the possible topics from your post, try not to dominate the boards here, will ya?
A 12 and 13 year old? And you will be getting on the computer when?!
Well, we tease you a lot, cause we got you on the spot, welcome back.

I remember you! You’re that funky chick who emailed me a long-ass time ago. Then you stopped . . . but that’s okay. Not many people can tolerate me for extended periods of time:)

Glad to see u back.

{{{Brunetter}}

Great to have you back. I have missed you greatly. It’ll be great to talk to you on a somewhat more regular basis again. :slight_smile:

Hey, Brunetter, welcome back! Just remember we’re here for you if you need advice, a shoulder to cry on, or just a place to blow off steam!

My best wishes to you, and my sympathies to the loss of your mother-in-law.

You will be much blessed for helping these kids, and you sound like the kind of person who will do just fine.

seems like I’ve heard the name before…

Welcome back!

Kid! Your back!

Glad to see you! Still real proud of you!

Of course we remember you! You’re doing an amazing thing, it just shows the strength of your character. Good luck.

As if we could forget.
Welcome back.

Welcome back. Your absence was noticed.

I admire you for the responsibility you are taking on. May the floodgates open and you become inundated with good karma.

See ya in chat. (Read ya. Whatever. Don’t get technical.)

welcome back.

i’m sorry to hear of your mother in law’s passing.

the boys are lucky to have you to help them through this very tough time.

i think i have found a new hero. brunetter.

You’re raising your brothers-in-law?

Unusual situation.

Hey-O, I was wondering when you’d return. Ya, I remember you, silly goose… when someone signs my Guestbook, I remember them for life. Sorry, you’re cursed, too bad.

Yeah, the most unusual I’ve ever heard of.

Then again, there aren’t many women who get married when pregnant with their first child to a jerk with a heavy temper, have another child, leave the jerk and run to a faraway place with two young kids, raise the kids by yourself for several years, meet another man, have two more kids, find out this guy’s a jerk too, leave him, and are left raising four boys with an agespan of 14 years between them - all alone.

That was my mother-in-law.

My husband is the oldest of the four at age 26, and the two I’m living with are 12 and 13 years old.

I’m finding it kind of difficult to define for myself and the kids, exactly who I am to them. I am not quite a mom - but I’m more than just a sister-in-law, also. And “guardian” sounds way too cold and aloof.

Thanks to all of you for your warm words of welcome back!

wow, brunetter, i’m clashing with my hair here.

seriously though, you are doing a fantastic thing moving into your mother in law’s house. i’m sure the boys have had enough upheavels lately, staying in their house, with all the supports (school, friends, etc.) around them just keeps it a bit more stable for them. that you were able to juggle around your life to create this stability for them spells hero in my book.