I'm planning a small birthday party for my daughter-in-law Saturday.

Daughters-in-law are special. Though I love having "real" daughters, a daughter-in-law is someone who has enough disconnect to the family to give a true pulse on the things we might miss. For instance, she felt my mother was getting lost in the shuffle at one of our gatherings; and she we right. We were too busy interacting to notice.

She fills in the little gaps we unknowingly keep open.