mother-in-law series 2: what's in a name?

In our household, my mother-in-law is referred to as Oma (grandmother in German), and as it turns out, I have a 12 year old dog named Uma. Even though we've been sharing space FIVE weeks at a time for the last FIVE years, still when I fuss at Uma for begging in the kitchen or begging in the dining room, Oma responds; she can't help it.

I'm sorry, I say to Oma, but Uma preceded you.

mother-in-law series 1: Get to Know Oma

I have a quirky and energetic East-German mother-in-law, who visits once a year for FIVE weeks. By quirky, I mean the bright orange lipstick, the black, felt beret, which she seems to feel naked without, and her asymmetrical touch (the one big clip-on earring, for example, instead of a matching pair).

These extended visits (five weeks instead of four or five days) started when the first grandchild was born, and I was (am) thankful for the help. I'm thankful for her presence, how she saturates my children with her doting love. How she saturates their ears with German.

Gratitude, however, doesn't always get me through an entire five weeks. Living in close quarters with anyone can be challenging, but my bottom line is that I don't have much to offer in the way of grandparents from my side of the family (foster princess, remember?) and so I feel it's my duty to suck it up, make it work, and even enjoy the experience once in a while.