I love Josh's mom. Who else can leave him gasping like a fish out of water? Well, besides me. I decide to give him an out.

"Josh, why don't you get the Wedding album while I clear the table?" He looks at his Mother for permission to get up. That's so sweet. I guess he has some manners buried in there after all. She nods at him and he sighs in relief and heads to our bedroom. I'm guessing he'll take a few minutes to recoup before he comes back out.

Mom joins me at the sink and we work quietly together for a few minutes. She's putting leftovers away while I rinse the dishes and load the dishwasher.

When we are done, she pours us each some coffee and we head back into the living room. Before we sit down she hugs me and says

"Thank you for being you. You are the best thing to happen to this family in 30 years. I really couldn't love you more if you were my own daughter."

My eyes fill with tears. This is the reason I've called Josh's Mom every week for the last six years. She always makes me feel good about myself. Her love has always felt unconditional even when there was no reason for it to be that way. I can't imagine my own Mother saying anything like that to me even though she loves me in her own way.

"I love you, Mom." I manage to whisper.