Rolling along

Thanksgiving was a good time. I left work as soon as I could, sneaking out the door around Noon so we couldn't waste any time gettng the road from Will's place. It took me a little less than two hours (me speeding? Never.) over back roads, because seriously, unless you're a little north of crazy you don't drive on the highways. On the holiday weekends. Ever. I stopped at Will's just long enough for a bathroom break and we were on the road again.

It's about 2-1/2 to 3 hours to Will's grandparents' farm on the Eastern Shore. If there's one thing we've gotten good at it's long car rides together. There is no truer test of a relationship, in my opinion at least, than being in a car with someone for an extended period of time. I mean, there's no where to go it you get into a fight or someone gets mad about something or god forbid, someone really cuts a loud one. We do car trips really well, have good conversations and can have long silences that are not uncomfortable. Other than the battle over the iPod (which I lost horribly, apparently one of the things we DON'T have in common is our taste in music. To his credit though, he let me plug in my music for a portion of the trip.) we made it to the farm in good spirits.

Thursday was fun and way more relaxing than I expected to be. We slept in until around 8:30 or so (that's sleeping in at the farm), joining Will's incredibley super wonderful Mom-mom, Inge, who on top of cooking that day's meal insisted on making breakfast for us too. Other family members filtered in eventually, Will's mom and dad, his grandpa (or Pop as Will calls him), Casher and Uncle Steve. We scarffed down the yummyness and spent the rest of the day doing what Mom-mom asked us to...staying the heck out of her way! And in the middle of moving chairs and the extra table, watching the Macy's parade and doing a whole lot of nothing I had something happen to me that had never happened before in my entire life.

I got horribly homesick.

Me, the girl who headed off to camp for a week at a time for the first time at the age of 9 without even a second thought of her parents. This girl who likes nothing more than hopping in the car and taking off for parts unknown, who went off to college and heard nothing but complaints from her prents because she didn't call home unless she needed something. Got horribly, terribly, tears in the eyes, quivering lip, homesick. Most of it stemmed I think from the fact that this holiday, was the first one I spent away from my family. Ever. In all my 33 years I was with at least a portion of my own family for the major holidays and seeing Will's big family coming together just reminded me of everyone at home. And I guess I'm just getting more sentimental in my old age.

It just came over me all at once and I knew I had to get out of the house before I totally lost it. So I suggested a little walk with Will around the farm, thinking that would help...we got 50 feet from the farmhouse and I totally lost it. Poor Will, he just pulled me in and let me get it out (just one more reason to love this man). The tears, the sobbing, everything came out and once they did, I felt better and realized how rediculous I was being. I mean, considering we are planning our future together, there are going to be many, many, many more holidays spent away from my family. We finished our walk, stopping to say hi to the cows and the new calves (so cute) for a little bit then went back to the house to clean up for dinner and wait for the rest of the family to show up.

Dinner was loud and boisterous and fun, with all of the young people (Will, his three cousins, the significant others and baby Nolan, his cousin Aaron's 16 month old son) at the extra table and the "adults" at the big dining room table. The food was amazing because NO ONE can beat Mom-mom's cooking. I mean no one. Tom Colicchio has nothing on her. We finished up eating and after everything was cleaned up and the house was quiet again, we settled in to relax with "Home Alone". It was a nice quiet time with Will's parents, his uncle and Mom-mom. We cuddled up on the couch and let the day just end on a quiet note, heading off to bed as soon as the movie ended.

Friday we travelled back to Pennsylvania so we'd be ready to go for the wedding we were attending Saturday about an hour north of here. And I must admit, I was glad to be back home if for no other reason than Will and I were able to spend more time together. With him being two hours away now, every minute we're together is more important to me and more precious. It also reinforces for me, at least, that I have finally after so many failed attempts found someone I want to share my heart and my life with.

We've got a busy month ahead of us, full of parties, another wedding, my birthday present (Flyers vs. Avalanche, in Philly...I LOVE MY BOYFRIEND) and of course the weeks around Christmas and New Years. The posting will probably continue to dwindle as I am still deciding whether to keep the blog or not. But that's another post for another time.