Here is mine:
My MIL expected me to follow her life and should learn from her. I told her that I appreciated her for show and educate me how to bake the kind of cakes, salads, more recipes, old grandma household recipes etc but I was realized that she expect too much from me because my life is different than her is modern time, not old fashioned way what she did. She offended when I told her in nicely way to respect me when I lead my life with my hubby differently than her. All what she said to me: "You don't know my son but me because I brought him up". I was like :-o and tried to clarify her to accept that her son is an adult.
We rented one bedroom apartment in 6 block apartment where 5 widows lived which it's only 5 minutes away walk from MIL's house. She control us and tell me what I do is wrong etc etc etc because she knows what her son like or dont like etc etc etc. She also brought overleft foods she cooked for my hubby and knows it's his favorite. I was like :roll:
Widow neighbors called MIL and complaints her about us what we made noise etc. etc. etc. What we did to make noise? MIL replied: we should not flush toliet during late night, should not bath in late night, should not vaccum late night (I usually vaccumed alot at 8.00 pm), should not hang our wash clothes at Sundays...., should not make "excrise" in our bedroom... bah bah bah.... I told her that we have no time to wash our clothes, clean our apartment etc because we go out alot at weekends and work full time every day.
Until one Saturday morning, I was terrible busy to prepare the cakes, foods, etc. for afternoon visitors. My widow neighbor remind me it's my turn to clean stairs. I thank her and told her that I will do it tomorrow. (It's first time). She said "No Way, do that now - I don't like to be disturb on Sundays because it's peaceful day. I sighed and told her that I have no time to do that. She can do that for me then I owed her back for next week. She stay stubborn so I shut the door front of her. Guess what???? She phoned and complaint MIL about me. I was like :-o when I opened the door and saw MIL stormed in our apartment without say "Good Day" or "Hi".... and screamed on me and call me "lazy"... how amshamed she is etc etc. She said to me: "Now I tell you, please do what neighbor say right now". I got enough of her support to 5 damn widows and told her firm to get out and also told her that I don't like her manner behavior as she stormed in our apartment. It make her madder and said that she don't understand why her son married me. I ignored her remark and said to her to leave please but she's stubborn and saw my basket then fill the water and clean stair for me. It also made me madder and shut the door, too. I told my hubby what happened when he returned from shopping and told him that I can't bear it anymore and want to move out which it should be miles away after patience for 2 years with her. Enough of her! He's mad and went off to them........
We bought the land to build our dream house. My MIL was mad and accussed me to try to take her son away from her when we told her that we move out soon. My hubby tried to convince her and his father that it's not possible for us to live one bedroom flat forever because we are going to start family... where will our future children sleep?.... MIL replied: She has a room for our children to sleep. I was like :-o and think she's werid woman. We fall out and have no contact for 2 years. We are happy to live our new house and travel alot... more happier....
Until we learned that my MIL lost her breast to cancer from my hubby's great Aunt. We reunited again after 2 years no see. They said nothing and learn to accept what we are. I thought everything goes smooth.... No.....
Until I had a first child. She start to inference our life and tell me what I do with my upbringing because she had an experience with her 2 babies...... I collect any experiences from my friends and find their tips are better than I had from my MIL. I told MIL to respect when I had different opinion than her and of course I also appreciate some of her tips but she should not expect too much from me to listen her. I stay firm and told her often to respect me but she won't listen. Carry on like this as usual. I told my hubby after 3 years mother care that I decide to let child minder to watch our child while I goes back to work. It shock MIL and accussed me again for stole her grandson. I ignored her remark and explain her why I do that because she show NO respect of my upbringing education.
That's time I expected 2nd child and wrote a nice letter explaining MIL how I felt. After got my letter, she turn into nicer person now and respect me more and more. We get on each other very well. Unfortunlately, she died of brain tumor when my 2nd son was 7 months old in 1996.
We broke our contact with my FIL after death of MIL. We know for a long time that my hubby never goes on well with his father since his childhood. He show no interest to contact us. We accept the fact that FIL had no interest to know us and his grandchildren and decide to break our contact with him in 1997. We saw him in town sometimes but he do as we are strangers.
My 12 years old son recongized FIL last month asking us either he's his granddad or not. We replied "Yes" with loud voice but his Granddad walked off quickly as he can without get notice from people. My hubby speaks loud on people's benefit. Why he do that? Because we heard the gossip spread out that we forbidden our children to see their granddad which it's no true. As you see that small town, where we lives get gossip easier and quickly. People know us well..... I guess that people realized now....
My children have no interesting to know their granddad because they receive no congrats, xmas, easter, birthday greeting from their granddad.
We don't care about FIL. We (4) and 2 cats are happy and do not need FIL around. Why should we worry about him?
AMEN!
She thought because of the tattoos, piercings goatee and leather. That I looked like a hatchet killer. 
All what they care is your "outside", not inside and your personally which it's sad. All what I hope that they are good grandparents to your son.
You didn't mention your parents, but I hope they are being good grandparents for your son.
I can image when I saw the picture of your mother like this with her parents in law. 
