Feeling a bit, just a bit, better today.

Scott and I have argued ad nauseum about this whole mother in law thing, and I don't think it's going to change without my making a stand.

And I don't know if I have the cojones to do that.

I try to feel sorry for her, she's really got to have a pretty sad life. She's extremely negative and is always talking about the bad things that go on in the world. I hardly ever see her smile or laugh. She doesn't see the good in the world, and that makes for a pretty miserable existance in my opinion. So on the one hand I try to cut her some slack. But then I think that's probably a bad thing, you know? If no one ever calls her on her bad behavior and her negativity then it might never change?

To be honest, I don't think it will change. It's almost as if the things we say go right over her head. Scott has been tough with her on several topics, one of which is homeschooling. But a few days later she'll start up about it again. If it were up to me, I think we would just have to cut ties with her. She's not someone I want intruding into my life. That may seem unfair to cut off a grandparent, but her energy is just stifling and it's causing strife in our family.

I just don't know what to do. I've decided that the next time she disrespects me, in my house, I have to say something. I have to call her on it, just so she knows she can't continue to do this to me. So she knows I'm aware of her little digs and barbs.

I think the worst part of this is that she's had an effect on others in the family. Scott's brother used to come visit us fairly regularly but never does so anymore. I can't help but think she's been filling his ear with her "opinions" about us and how we live. The worst part is, I don't even KNOW what her issue is with us! So our house isn't up to her ideal of OCD cleanliness, it IS clean! It's not like we live in a pigsty. And if this is her only issue with us, wtf? How silly is that!

And how crazy that this nutty little woman is effecting MY life like this, that the last two days have been ruined because of her. Why am I letting her get to me like this? I need some primal scream therapy.