Does Your Family Have a Maryellen?

fureverywhere

fureverywhere

beloved friend who will always be with us in spiri
Location
Northern NJ, USA
Almost every family has one. Sometimes there are several, if their siblings allow them to survive to adulthood. The brother, sister, cousin who has been so successful everyone else pales in comparison. My brother's wife and I have gone through a lot with our kids. But somehow we're survivors.

Then there is her sister. I've written about her before. She would visit with her family during the holidays. Picture Christmas afternoon, my kids are swinging from the staircase. Maybe two are playing tag through the wrappings on the floor. Maryellen and her family open the door. The glare from their combined perfect teeth is dazzling.

They don't have a hair out of place and their matching clothing theme is festive yet tasteful. Maryellen makes Martha Stewart look asleep on her feet. I have a secret fantasy that her perfection is a sham. Her kids will grow up to write mean books about her. Her husband has ulcers and a boy toy on the side. She has vodka stashed in every room of her house...

But no, three of her children passed the bar. The youngest is still in college probably earning a grant for her bio-physiological project while working full time, buying a house, and volunteering with the under privileged. Now that Maryellen's husband has retired they can relax and travel...just keep busy and putter in the garden, that's pause for a light chuckle...that's what landscapers are for, of course.

We're going to a christening today. Please. Please...I don't want to sit near her table:(
 

Yes there are several college scholarship/successful/ types that are cousins of mine. It never bothers me I'm happy for them. Does this Maryellen person put you down or are you just not comfortable because her family seems to have achieved a certain standard? That wasn't clear in your post. I hope your get together was not too stressful for you.
 

In my family I am the MaryEllen according to the brother. I just keep in mind that he set the bar so low for himself that I come across looking pretty good in comparison.
 
My brother is the Maryellen in my family, except he's not full of himself. We all knew he would have more financial success than I would, and I was ok with that. I worked harder because he was more *the books guy*, but I chose that. I like it. It's made me a good living, kept me in shape, and I'm a more laid-back person because of it.

With all his wealth, my brother is pretty humble. His kids are another story. He could have named all of them Maryellen.
 
Well we got sent to their table. I just kept my mind on food and chatting with my son next to me. I forced myself not to listen to their sides conversation. Okay after the third glass of vino I didn't really care. All I heard was their trip to Aruba was lacking compared to their last visit there...first world problems and all that.

I mean bless them and their perfect little world. But no matter what your standard of living they're probably going to make you look wretched in some way...the food was excellent though.
 
My sister in law's sister. Yes a real person. I mean I don't think she intentionally brags. It's just that somehow she and hubby produced the perfect offspring, the perfect retirement plan, those frickin' perfect teeth, me and my denture both hate her. She had one sister pass from chemical use and another struggle with a problem kid...but somehow she sparkled above them all.

I can only imagine having the cojones to have an imaginary conversation with her...

So how goes things?

Oh the first three have their own law practices now and the baby has been head-hunted so much. She just needs to decide on the best offer. And how about yours?

Oh they've stayed out of jail and the middle has her eating disorder almost sorted out. Oh and Davy is so busy with baby and job we've only gotten an answering machine for two months but yep we're close.

Oh just fabulous talking to you and catching up!!!! But you know we have to make the rounds of the room, awwww air kiss hug hug...take care now, BYEEEEEEE
 
My older sister is the Maryellen in our family, the picture perfect wife, mother, wife and lady of the manor. She must have everything just so, but I know she's an obsessive compulsive control freak, afraid to venture out of her comfort zone. Communicating with her in any real way is almost impossible.

I'm not exactly sure who this 'Maryellen' character is, my guess its one of the people in the Mary Tyler Moore Show?
 
We have a lot of over-achievers in our family circle, but they're not braggarts, nor do they pretend to be perfect. The two highest achieving nephew and niece, grew up with a physically abusive father. They both made sure to live and work far enough away to not have to visit home very often. They are both very lovely, humble people.

What is "normal" supposed to define .. Stepford Wives?
 
I suppose I was originally making a bitter joke. When you're barely holding it together...and you see Kim Kardashian's kid wearing ski pants that cost more than some people make in a year. I mean Maryellen's husband was a successful businessman. They earned the right to vacations and perfection. But really I don't want to know. Oh and about the name, big Irish Catholic family, very close to her actual name.
 

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