A Happy Day
We had a wonderful family gathering yesterday.
On Friday night, my husband told me that Y (his youngest brother who got married 2 years ago) wanted to bring his mother and father in law to our house for beraya on Sunday.
Y’s MIL and my husband used to be classmates; in the same school that my MIL used to teach. Ever since Y got married, he never got the chance to bring his in laws visiting to our house although we have been to their house once.
Anyway, I said ok. Let them come.. but what are we going to cook? We settled for laksa coz it was just a small do.
But as we were on our way to the pasar on late Sunday morning, we were informed that my MIL and FIL would be coming as well. I know my MIL doesn’t eat laksa, so we decided to cook another dish ie. mee goreng mamak, which my husband would do. Set!
With my MIL coming, we would also have to invite my other BIL, N, who just lived nearby. There were 7 of them in that family, which brought the total number of guests to 13 from the initial 4.
Since my parents were also in town, so I told my husband, “Wouldn’t it be nice if my mother could come as well?” I’ve asked her before but she said she wasn’t sure if she could come.
My husband said, “Sanggup tak kita ni? Ramai ni... Would there be enough food coz we didn't expect that many people in the first place?"
I resolved there would be enough for everyone. The most important thing was not the food; it was getting everyone together. Bukan senang nak get everyone together like this.
So my husband said, "Call again lah...”, which I did , and my mother said she would try.
So, I kept my fingers crossed hoping that they could come over. If they came, then we would have everybody that mattered to us under one roof!
First, Y arrived. Then my MIL arrived. Next was N and his family. Everyone from my husband’s family had arrived but there was still no sign of my family. In my heart, I was saying, “Maybe they couldn’t make it.. Never mind lah..”
But to my surprise, they did turn up in the end!
I was so happy to see both my brothers and parents! They haven’t been to our house in a long time and haven’t met my in laws for quite a while already. The last time was during Y’s wedding 2 years ago.
So, seeing everyone gathered yesterday at our house made me feel very proud. My MIL met all her besan and I must say, that was quite remarkable!
Since my mum and my MIL hardly ever met, I could sense that they were quite uncomfortable with each other at first. Sorang duduk kat luar, sorang duduk kat dalam. Bila yang kat luar masuk ke dalam, yang kat dalam pegi keluar. My FIL and my dad are ok.. they got on talking macam biasa saja.
You see, my mum and my MIL are similar in character in many ways. Both are strong headed, ex-teachers and very sensitive. I suppose, both wanted the other to make that first move. It was quite awkward at first, but after a while, they were ok. Siap gaduh lagi!
MIL: Dia orang ni, kalau raya, ada jugak tidur rumah Hajah 2 malam. Kat rumah saya ni, sekerat hari saja… pagi saja… lepas tu dah balik Ipoh! Dahlah tak pernah datang rumah.. nak jumpa sebulan sekali pun susah!
MUM: Hajah sebulan sekali… Saya ni, nak jumpa SETAHUN sekali pun susah! Kalau saya tak menangis, dia orang takkan tidur kat rumah!
MIL: Iyalah… Hajah selalu datang sini… selalu jugak jumpa si Yati. Ini dah lah dekat, nak datang rumah langsung tidak! (Mode: exaggerating)
ME: Suami saya tak ada, mak… (mencelah)
MUM: Iya, suami dia tak ada. Dia tak boleh keluar (my mother menyokong I, hee.. hee..).
MUM: Saya sekarang dah tak kisah dah Hajah… Nak balik, balik. Tak nak pun dah apa…
MIL: Itu lah budak2 ni… kita dulu suka tidur ramai2 kat rumah mak… sampai ke dapur kadang2…. Bla, bla, bla..
By this time, I’ve lost interest and my mother said she nak balik.
Anyway, despite the sindiran tajam tu, I’m happy that they both had a chance to meet and “talk”. Nasib baik duduk jauh-jauh, kalau dekat, I rasa.. sure selalu gaduh! Sorang kata macam ni, sorang kata macam tu! Hee.. Hee...
My husband was happy as well. He said it was a historical event as for the first time, both sides of our family got together at our house. Although it was only for a short while, we’re glad it happened and I hope we could do this again next year (although to be honest... I doubt so we can.)
All in the family!
On Friday night, my husband told me that Y (his youngest brother who got married 2 years ago) wanted to bring his mother and father in law to our house for beraya on Sunday.
Y’s MIL and my husband used to be classmates; in the same school that my MIL used to teach. Ever since Y got married, he never got the chance to bring his in laws visiting to our house although we have been to their house once.
Anyway, I said ok. Let them come.. but what are we going to cook? We settled for laksa coz it was just a small do.
But as we were on our way to the pasar on late Sunday morning, we were informed that my MIL and FIL would be coming as well. I know my MIL doesn’t eat laksa, so we decided to cook another dish ie. mee goreng mamak, which my husband would do. Set!
With my MIL coming, we would also have to invite my other BIL, N, who just lived nearby. There were 7 of them in that family, which brought the total number of guests to 13 from the initial 4.
Since my parents were also in town, so I told my husband, “Wouldn’t it be nice if my mother could come as well?” I’ve asked her before but she said she wasn’t sure if she could come.
My husband said, “Sanggup tak kita ni? Ramai ni... Would there be enough food coz we didn't expect that many people in the first place?"
I resolved there would be enough for everyone. The most important thing was not the food; it was getting everyone together. Bukan senang nak get everyone together like this.
So my husband said, "Call again lah...”, which I did , and my mother said she would try.
So, I kept my fingers crossed hoping that they could come over. If they came, then we would have everybody that mattered to us under one roof!
First, Y arrived. Then my MIL arrived. Next was N and his family. Everyone from my husband’s family had arrived but there was still no sign of my family. In my heart, I was saying, “Maybe they couldn’t make it.. Never mind lah..”
But to my surprise, they did turn up in the end!
I was so happy to see both my brothers and parents! They haven’t been to our house in a long time and haven’t met my in laws for quite a while already. The last time was during Y’s wedding 2 years ago.
So, seeing everyone gathered yesterday at our house made me feel very proud. My MIL met all her besan and I must say, that was quite remarkable!
Since my mum and my MIL hardly ever met, I could sense that they were quite uncomfortable with each other at first. Sorang duduk kat luar, sorang duduk kat dalam. Bila yang kat luar masuk ke dalam, yang kat dalam pegi keluar. My FIL and my dad are ok.. they got on talking macam biasa saja.
You see, my mum and my MIL are similar in character in many ways. Both are strong headed, ex-teachers and very sensitive. I suppose, both wanted the other to make that first move. It was quite awkward at first, but after a while, they were ok. Siap gaduh lagi!
MIL: Dia orang ni, kalau raya, ada jugak tidur rumah Hajah 2 malam. Kat rumah saya ni, sekerat hari saja… pagi saja… lepas tu dah balik Ipoh! Dahlah tak pernah datang rumah.. nak jumpa sebulan sekali pun susah!
MUM: Hajah sebulan sekali… Saya ni, nak jumpa SETAHUN sekali pun susah! Kalau saya tak menangis, dia orang takkan tidur kat rumah!
MIL: Iyalah… Hajah selalu datang sini… selalu jugak jumpa si Yati. Ini dah lah dekat, nak datang rumah langsung tidak! (Mode: exaggerating)
ME: Suami saya tak ada, mak… (mencelah)
MUM: Iya, suami dia tak ada. Dia tak boleh keluar (my mother menyokong I, hee.. hee..).
MUM: Saya sekarang dah tak kisah dah Hajah… Nak balik, balik. Tak nak pun dah apa…
MIL: Itu lah budak2 ni… kita dulu suka tidur ramai2 kat rumah mak… sampai ke dapur kadang2…. Bla, bla, bla..
By this time, I’ve lost interest and my mother said she nak balik.
Anyway, despite the sindiran tajam tu, I’m happy that they both had a chance to meet and “talk”. Nasib baik duduk jauh-jauh, kalau dekat, I rasa.. sure selalu gaduh! Sorang kata macam ni, sorang kata macam tu! Hee.. Hee...
My husband was happy as well. He said it was a historical event as for the first time, both sides of our family got together at our house. Although it was only for a short while, we’re glad it happened and I hope we could do this again next year (although to be honest... I doubt so we can.)
All in the family!
My in laws with their "besan"
(L to R: My mum, my MIL, Y's MIL, my FIL, Y's FIL, my dad)
The two strong women in my life..
Comments
Your mum looks so sweet in pink. Kirim salam to your mum and dad, ok.
Yeay... both had stated their points! I felt a bit uncomfortable jugak when my MIL said that. "Ni hah... nak mengadu ni..", she said to my mum. When they were at it, i saw Mariah just smiling at the couch, probably thinking, "Habis lah Yati...". Hee... hee... but it was alright, no harm done.
My mum ajak Nordin's parents pegi Umrah next year, ramai2. That would be nice, isn't it??
You mak mertua yang "cool". Relax lah, kan? Buat apa gaduh2 pasal nak balik raya ni, betul tak?
Tapi kalau dah lama2 tu, sedih jugak kalau anak2 tak ada dipagi raya. As we get older, itulah yang we look forward to during raya and times like that.
My mum pun baru tahun ni she makes a fuss about it. Agaknya dah lama rasa "tak adil" and she needed to say it out! But that was just a matter of saying. I took it as "sindir anak dan menantu"!
you are a good daughter and daughter in law!
My husband & I practice taking turn when it comes to Hari Raya eversince we got married 15 years ago. Alhamdulillah, both my parents and parents in law understand and had never made a fuss of it. Tapi during Hari Raya Haji we would normally go back to my hometown (we abandon the system "giliran")...mmg tak adil lah kn? Hwever until now nobody has raised the issue of balik kg during raya haji..so I pun buat2 tak tahu saja lah...
Issue balik raya ni sensitif lah... :) Lain kali i nak pegi holiday je lah masa cuti raya. Nobody will get upset!
Lucky for you coz you take turns balik raya. That's only fair.
But my situation is different. My MIL insists that all his anak2 ada with her on raya morning. It's not fair on my parents lah, kan?
But tak apalah... dia yang lebih tua. I just hope my parents would understand my predicament every raya.
Your mom's baju is really nice!
Jah
I notice parents tend to do that: make space for their children in case they want to stay over. But the number of times they stay over is very rare. So, rumah besar2, tapi tak de orang. Kesian..