Ever since I was in college, I already lived away from my parents. This is because I had to attend college away from home. Even though they send the money for the payment of the apartment, I make sure that I am hands-on on everything else. The same thing continued until my younger siblings went to college. When I started with my business, I practically worked for the payment of everything. I am now the head of the household and still continued running the home according to my rules, that my brothers accepted.

The first years of our marriage was spent away from each other.  I was in Baguio living with my brothers and G was in Laguna, staying with his family. Change happened only last year when I had to move here in Laguna to be with him. The original plan was for us to rent our own place while we are looking for a house to suits our budget. Unlike what was originally planned, we didn't have a place of our own. We stayed in their house because MIL doesn't have anybody with her in case we left. SIL started staying in a boarding house near her work and BIL did the same thing. They only get to go home when they feel like it and sometimes on weekends. I was okay with this arrangement at first because I was also concern with MIL and her health status. Besides MIL was good to me. She considers me as family.

Since this is not my home, there are things that I cannot do even if I wanted. Things like not allowing the dogs to enter the house, keeping the kitchen and sink clean at all times, polishing the floor everyday, etc... I tried doing it but I heard a lot of words from them. I was also fed up because since they frequently see me doing these chores, they expect that I'd do it always and that they have the right to just leave their plates anywhere and let me do the dishes.

Things changed on the latter part of the year. BIL moved back, SIL goes home more frequent too. Because of this, I had to make 'pakisama' with more people. We again thought of having a place of our own. This time, we are already undergoing infertility work-ups. Check-ups, medicines and tests are not that cheap, especially for us who mainly depend on hubby's salary. the thought was again crossed-out. 'Konting tyaga pa', that was always on our my mind. I knew that I can still stand it. Until hubby and SIL had a BIG MAJOR misunderstanding. At first, it was just between SIL and hubby, but later on, she included me too. This is simply because I am her brother's wife. The timing was so right, because by this time we already found the house that we wanted to buy. We immediately closed the deal and hope to transfer as soon as the house is up...

Right now, we are still here at MIL's house. SIL does not go home anymore, BIL1 moved out of the country with his family, BIL2 went abroad to work... it is now again the three of us staying here. Our house will be up soon, maybe in a couple of months more... by then, I really plan to move out here. The only problem that I am thinking now is that MIL will be left alone by that time... but I won't stay here any longer. I want my own place. As one n@wie said, there will only be one QUEEN in a household. That time, it will just be ME and no one else.