My In-laws

We leave Wednesday for our trip to West Virginia to visit Eric's family. We'll be gone for both our 5th anniversary and Andrew's 3rd birthday. This will be the first or our kids' birthdays that Grandma and Grandpa Melby will get to be with us for. Uncle Paul and Aunt Beth will be there too. We are so excited about our trip. All my life I've loved trips. Especially road trips (even though I have horrible motion sickness). I hope that I'm passing that on to my kids. But more than the trip itself, I look forward to visiting my husband's family.

It's funny that all the silly (and mean) in-law jokes just don't apply to me. I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that I love my in-laws. And I'm not just saying that cause I think they'll read my blog. I really do. Eric jokes with me that I talk to his mom more than he does. He jokes, but he's right! I know that my in-laws love me in return. My mother-in-law had only boys so I sometimes feel like I make up for her void of never having a daughter (well, me and my brother-in-law's wife...who's also really great). I look forward to visiting them at their house so much. They are the best hosts. Every time we are there it literally feels like vacation. Isn't that what everyone wants? I can never understand why some in-laws are just so rotten. I just know that I'm so thankful that mine aren't.

Not only do I feel this way about Eric's parent's, but also his brother. If I remember right, I met Paul before I met their parents. Eric and I drove from Indiana to Illinois to meet Paul for the annual Fantasy Baseball Draft. Well, the fact that I wanted to participate in this was an automatic in for me. Was I trying to make a good impression? Of course! Was I really that into it? At the time, yes! Have I stayed that interested? ummmmmmm no! Seriously though, when I met Paul, I remember thinking that I would have liked to have been friends with him if I had met him elsewhere. The one thing that I will say about Paul is that this guy has more useless (and useful) knowledge than anyone I have ever known. I guess that comes with being...well brilliant!

Maybe the number one thing I love most about our visits is breakfast. Doesn't that sound funny? I mean every day we eat breakfast right? Well, not only is the food always good (and I don't have to make it), there's something really special about being leisurly in the morning and sitting around the breakfast table for a few hours just talking and laughing. It's especially fun when Eric's brother is there cause inevitably we get the pleasure of hearing them reminisce about their childhoods. It's even funnier when they happen to tell a story that neither parent has ever heard. I have often wondered how one family can have so many funny stories to tell. It doesn't really matter how many times the stories are told, they will be funny every time!

So, to my in-laws: I love you all so much and I love being a part of your family!