Meet the Parents

So, my excited and nervousness of my last blog was all blown to pieces Friday night. I went home from work that day, and meticulously packed my bags. I had everything laid out just right, all the things I needed and wanted packed perfectly. When I get nervous, being prepared helps tremendously. I was so happy, I had my sexy new suitcase I had just bought and my sexy new clothes. My laptop with DVD's to watch on the plane, my iPod, my old iPod for John, my camera and my nicest lenses all packed and ready to go to NY. I was excited, ready and excited.

At 7:30pm John picked me up from my condo, I loaded my sexy suitcase and laptop backpack into his Jeep and we drove to Hoppers for dinner with my Nat and Nano. Dinner was great, the pizza was yummy and the beer was better. At the end of the night, around 9:30pm we finished dinner and John and I got into the jeep, ready to go pack his bags and get to bed early, as the cab was picking us up at 5:00am. As we shut the door to the jeep, we hear the sound of glass falling. I look in the back seat and the window is shattered and my carefully planned and packed luggage is gone! Gone, gone, gone! We had been robbed.

So there I stand, having lost everything I worked so hard to get ready just right. After filling out the police report, we found that WalMart was the only store open. I end up standing in the isle with the cosmetics and toiletries in tears, overwhelmed and not knowing what to do. Sweet John just hugs me and holds my hand as I try to clear my head enough to buy what I need to survive for a few nights in upstate NY until we can get to a shopping mall or something.

At 2:30am we finally get to his apartment, me and my small duffle bag filled with old clothes and WalMart makeup. I crash for 1.5 hours out of pure exhaustion while John packs his bags and then wake up and hop in the cab and get on that plane for NY.

All in all, it turned out just fine. The next morning I'd come to terms with the loss and was determined not to let those theives ruin my trip too. We found a JCPenny's by the second day, and another WalMart. I survived. I wore the same clothes many times, but I survived.

NY was gorgeous, the fall colors were out in full force, and the little country towns were so adorable, it almost hurt the eyes. John's family and friends were so kind, and so wonderful and just put me right at ease. It was a wonderful vacation all in all. I fell in love with that area of the country, and with all of the people I met. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be a NY'er myself.

I figured after suffering such a loss, I deserved some good news. And I was rewarded with such. When I got home, I had 2 job offers on the table! I ended up taking a position with Overstock.com as a Senior Account Manager for their Bed and Linens department. A job I'm really excited about. Things happen for a reason. I have lots of shopping ahead of me, and pray that my insurance comes through with a healthy reimbursement check. I have a good new job, memories of a wonderful vacation, and a stronger bond with a man I continue to fall head over heels for again and again.

Excited and Nervous...

So tomorrow morning at 6:40 am I fly to Albany, NY with John. I am pretty nervous about the whole excursion, but excited to see someplace new, and his Mom said she'd have string cheese at the house, so that helps. I actually ended up taking the day off work so that I could get ready. I waxed my eyebrows, got talked into a "gloss" on my hair, bought some new clothes and little plastic bottles to fly with. I know, I shouldn't stress out about it, but I'm the first girl he's brought home since moving to the "behave" state, so I'll be a little bit on display. You always want to go into these things with symetrical eyebrows.

Apparently John's best friend from college, Fin, is picking us up at the airport, straight from attending a Bat-Mitzvah in New Jeresy. Then we are staying at his house, with him, his girl, his sister, and her husband. It will be me, John, and 4 NY Jews. I've never been to NY, and I've never met a real Jew before. They said they will have beer and vodka on hand, and I have already packed my drinkin' hat. Hopefully vodka will transcend religious differences, I think I'll get started on the plane just to be sure.

Sunday night is the big extended family party. I think John's more nervous about this one than I am. Extended families are usually slightly embarrassing. I know I have a few of those relatives that I like to hope I'm not really that closely related too. He's nervous, but he hasn't met my uncle Monty, or my Aunt Lori, who apparently didn't bring the salad to the last get together because she was in the slammer for drug distribution. Yeah, we all have those families.

Overall, I'm really excited. It should be a beautiful time to see upstate NY. I get to have another bunch of new firsts: First meeting of the boyfriends family, first time in this little town, first time hanging out with Jews, first time shooting guns...oh my.