Mother-in-Law not a Monster

This past weekend Josh and I drove up to a town outside of Tulsa to visit his (maternal) Grandpa Hank and to meet up with his mom Beverly (which I have already shortened to Bev) to celebrate Father's Day. Bev and I met on Skype about two weeks into my relationship with Josh but talking through a computer is a completely different feel as opposed to in person. I liked her then and she seemed to like me too still I was nervous the whole drive up to Oklahoma and Josh had a tough morning at work which made the trip a little tense.

When we finally got to his grandpa's house Josh kissed me sweetly and firmly, looked me in the eyes and tried to soften the mood and release any stress I had built up over the past few hours. It worked! We walked up to the door hand-in-hand and he knocked on the door. I could hear Bev as she approached us talking loudly and finally there she was, in the flesh! After her long tight hug with Josh she turned to me and did the same. It felt almost like hugging a long lost relative, there was so much love and tenderness, I had to fight back all the emotions so as to not break down.

Lucky for me I passed the initial test and it seemed like his mom liked me in person as well. We talked and talked and talked probably too much for Josh's liking but it was nice to be able to have such a smooth flow of conversation with her. Her openness made it easy to be honest and allow my emotions to be expressed. She has this wonderful laugh that rolls into two other types of laughs at the same time. There is an enthusiasm in her voice that gives off energy to those around her and keeps people wanting to stick around. We got to sleep in the same bed (which included some pillow talk Josh will never know about!) and that was an adventure all in itself. What I enjoyed the most was the simple fact that we could sit on the couch relax and just enjoy each other's company without there being an awkward silence. It was a blessing to know that we could get along so well from the get go. Bev has a part of her that my mother never could express but now I understand I had to wait for Josh to come into my life to enjoy two wonderful mothers for the rest of my life.

Josh's Grandfather Hank is just as interesting as his daughter Bev. He is strong and handsome at 70 years of age. He carries around Lexus his new puppy weiner dog (I get the feeling he's ready for great grandchildren). His passion for politics is astounding to hear about due to his experience with this country as a military man in the Air Force, seeing Nixon in office, and working back when minimum wage was just $3.25. His view on life is rewarding to hear about. His love for classic cars surpasses his dog which says a lot(he has a 1940's Ford Sedan sitting in his garage with hundreds of trophies lining the walls from car shows). He is light on his feet and words. A funny man who enjoys a joke or two (even dirty ones sometimes). His devoted companion Arlene is nothing short of a wife although she does not carry the title. Her beauty is sweet and soft. A good combination for Hank, but she also has her feisty side (no doubt repercussions from being in the military reserves, riding motorcycles with Hank, and being the "handy-man" around the house). A gracious couple whom I enjoyed and am excited to get to know even better.

I learned a lot about Josh and his family this week which only strengthens my love for him and my new family. It was a great time for us as we continue to mold our families together. This is a start of something rarely beautiful: two families instantly chained together willingly with a smile.