Words with Family!

So Christmas is approaching and my husband's like we are all going to my mother's the day after as a family. We all know how I feel about that idea!!! So I agree not like I had a choice or anything. It's the day of and usually this is when my anxiety kicks into high gear but no anxiety. We get there and his mother along with 2 other relatives I haven't seen in a while are outside the kids go upstairs and the 2 relatives immediately engage in conversation with me so there were no real greetings exchanged. I'm still feeling out the situation. The mom gets ready to go upstairs, me and hubby about to go to the store. I remembered I had cookies in my bag the kids made her I used that as an icebreaker wasn't to bad. Now We are all upstairs and I can either make it awkward and act like the odd man out or treat it as any other family event and be myself.... This was how I turned the tables I was my natural charming, helpful, funny self. How can you have any anger or animosity with someone once your reminded of all the reasons you loved them in the first place? That night there was a shift it's not back to normal but it's headed in a better direction. I'm glad I went and I'm glad I went at the situation differently. It takes 2 to fight if you pull yourself out the ring the person is left fighting alone!!!