Thanksgiving

     This year, I spent Thanksgiving in Waterford, Wisconsin - Population 5,016.  This was to be the dreaded Meeting of the Parents.  I met this boy approximately 4 months ago on OKCupid.  We officially met on our first date just over 3 months ago.  Since then, we've fallen in love and everything has been nerdy, geeky awesomeness.  However, with neither one of us being originally from Chicago and my stupidly stupid work schedule, the only time meeting families can happen is during the holidays.  Stressful?  Yes. 
     So I agreed to go to Wisconsin.  For four days.  After just finishing finals at school.  I was kind of freaking out.  Boyfriend was incredibly supportive in dealing with my large amount of "green-sweater-or-blue-sweater-oh-god-what-if-they-don't-like-me" texts.  He patiently answered every single one of my approximately 500 questions.  He even assured me that if for some illogical and completely unknown reason they didn't like me, he would still totally keep me.  There are many reasons I love this boy.
      We were to leave on the 6:30 train to Kenosha on Wednesday evening.  Wednesday morning dawns bright and early.  I awaken; I stretch; I cough up a lung.  That's right- I was sick.  Super sick.  Sore throat, cough, achy body, runny nose, the whole fucking deal.  I nearly OD'd on DayQuil just to make it through working at the Terrible Job.  Could the day have gotten any worse?  Could my stress level been any higher?
     No, actually, and I didn't have to worry about it.  We arrived in Waterford just fine.  His parents are lovely people.  His aunt is really sweet (and currently lives in my hometown, so we had something to talk about).  His grandparents are darlings.  And best of all, they like me.  Really.  I felt like Sally Fields.  The tiny town even has a super cute used book store.  In fact, aside from one terrible coughing fit that actually made me throw up in a parking lot (witnessed by no one other than the worried Boyfriend), the trip was a success.  I feel silly for having worried so much.
     The whole situation made me think.  In high school, we think nothing of meeting our boyfriends' parents.  They live there, or they're the drivers to and from events.  It's nothing.  In college, it becomes sort of scary, but very few consider that it will go badly.  Only as adults do we place so much emphasis on it.  We stress.  We become highly critical of ourselves.  We imagine the parents judging our every single word and gesture.  It's ridiculous. 
     However, I think Boyfriend is a little relieved he doesn't have to actually meet my parents.  He does have to meet everyone else.  :)

That is a Pharmacy Station.  Gasoline + pharmaceuticals = WIN!