Competition and Brothers

So, last week, Jim and Joshua went down to The Lakehouse (where my in-laws live) for a couple of days. The whole reason they went is because Jim's brother, Jeffy, was going to meet him there...and they were both going to run a 10k on Saturday morning.

I am not a competitive person. Even tho I'm a first-born child, I don't really have any of those typical first-born characteristics. I just want everyone to get along...and be happy. Because you know the one most important thing our society needs? "That would be harsher punishment for parole violators, Stan. And world peace."

My mother-in-law...she had 3 boys...and they were going all Jacob and Esau on each other from the time there were two of them. And then when Jeffy came along, it was all out war. All the time. Now that they are older, they not only love each other, you know...because they're "bruhs..." they actually LIKE each other. But they are all LOUD and they are all OPINIONATED and they all always think they are RIGHT.

It's exhausting, really.

I have 3 boys, too...AND A DAUGHTER...and I totally "get" the competition thing. Altho my boys aren't nearly as bad as Jim and his brothers. Or maybe that's just my opinion.

So, when Jim told me that he and Jeffy were going to run this race together, I thought, "heeeeeeeere we go." And when Jim told me that he ran a personal best, I wasn't surprised. But then I heard the REST of the story. He told me that he ran with Jeffy for a while and then he said that he ran ahead and told Jeffy, "you'll probably catch me on the hill." But Jeffy didn't catch him on the hill. Jim beat him by SEVERAL minutes.

I'm sure we will hear ALL about it over the holidays. And EVERY HOLIDAY for the rest of our lives.

The other thing that happened was that Jim texted me to ask, "you use JIFFY cornbread mix, right?" Which, I thought was funny since he KNOWS I do...because he made it perfectly clear from the get-go of our marriage some 100 years ago that he did not like JIFFY cornbread mix. He liked the way his mother made cornbread...from scrap scratch. And sometimes I do it that way, but most of the time I do it the JIFFY way.

And so I knew he was going thru the groceries at his mom's house. I've written before how she loves to load us all up with the extra groceries she buys at The Krogers on Tuesdays. Because it's not only senior citizen day...it's double-coupon day...and they "practically pay HER to shop there." And she said that, many times, the cashier will call the manager over because my mother-in-law is saving so much money, "it just can't be right."

Whatever.

I told him, "yes, I will use some JIFFY cornbread mix...but NOT TEN BOXES OF IT."

Their family kind of goes overboard on things.

I had already gone to the store while Jim was gone. I wanted to get all organized and buy everything I needed for our Thanksgiving meal...so my pantry and both refrigerators were pretty well stocked. And then Jim came in from The Lakehouse with so many groceries...I can't even tell you. And, a lot of it was stuff that we don't even use! What in the world? When I asked him about it, he said, "well, Jeff was grabbing things so fast...I had to get it before he did." And I was, like, BUT WE DON'T USE THOSE THINGS."

And he looked at me like I was crazy. Like, it doesn't matter if we use it or not...we can't let Jeff get it.

And before y'all think I'm being ungrateful...I totally appreciate everything my in-laws have done for our family. I do. But Jim brought home two dozen eggs with an expiration date of 10.24.14.

And it's 11.24.14.

And the eggs I bought that were "fresh" at the time...will be "old" by the time I finally get to use them.

So I guess it goes without saying that I will be using those old eggs to make the cornbread.

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony." Psalm 133:1