My In-Laws! Part I

So, this post is going to be a little braggy, but it's braggy about my in-laws so that's okay, right?  This past weekend, I had to be in Chicago for a class that I'm taking in the CAYMANS next week so I went up early.  Erik's mom took the day off work, and we met at P.F. Chang's for lunch! I love P.F. Chang's!  I know it's Americanized Chinese food, but still -- it's yummy.  We had such a good time.  We did get into a bit of a good-natured tiff.  You see, I'm selling her my car when we move to Boston and New York.  Only, I don't want to sell it -- I want to just give it to her.  She's doing us a favor by taking it because otherwise I'd have to do a private party sale and, well, that sounds like a lot of work.  But she won't take it as a gift.  What was funny about this whole thing is that the waiter came up while we were having this dispute and she told him that I needed a drink because I was too wound up.  It was 12:30pm, btw.  Yay for my MiL advocating wet lunches!

Here's a picture that I made the waiter take of us:

But anyway, we really had a lovely time.  It was nice to just hang out and do girl stuff.  She kept saying what a good time she was having and that she's lucky to have me as a daughter-in-law.  She also bought me some mascara and a top (that I was planning on paying for) to even things out because she bought Erik some new clothes for his trip to Arizona (how cute).  The thing is that I'm the one that's lucky.

I'm lucky with both of my in-laws.  As many of you know, I don't have parents anymore (obviously, I had parents at some point or I wouldn't have been born).  I spent all day Friday with Barb and spent all evening Saturday with Barry.  Both of these were sans Erik -- so I got them all to myself.  It was nice to hang out with both of them and I feel like I had a really great visit (who doesn't love visiting people that are just bursting with pride about them?!).

I feel like I'm not doing them justice right now in terms of this post.  I think that maybe I should start from the beginning.  Please excuse the long post.  I tend to hate long posts, losing interest before I have to scroll down, but please bear with me because I think it will help me explain how much they both mean to me.

So, Erik and I met shortly after moving in freshman year.  I didn't notice E (too stressed about having my mom move me in), but he noticed me and pointed me out to his parents.  His mom still has the first email he sent her mentioning me.  It's pretty cute and we almost read it at the Rehearsal Dinner but he vetoed.  Anyway, his parents came to visit for Parent's Weekend, which was in the fall, and we all got together for dinner and a trip to the mall.  I had been in crew and so.. um... lost a cup size.  I need to go to Vicky Secret and had to explain this to E's parents since we were all at the mall together.  Yes, I shopped for bras with my MiL before I was even dating her son.  To set up the awkwardness of the situation, I should mention that I was a very late bloomer when it came to bra/ underwear shopping.  I vividly remember buying my first thong, and it was traumatizing to say the least.  The fact that I was shopping for bras with Barb was just mortifying because I was mortified to be in Victoria's Secret in the first place.  That's just one example of having E's parents in my life -- they are the type of people that will just do what needs to be done and help you out.

When Erik and I broke up after college, I think it was very hard on both of them.  In fact, I think it took until I moved up here for grad school for them to come around and regain some of that trust.  E's mom and I kept in contact throughout the separation, and it was just tough.  Now, I can't imagine my life without them. 

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Time out.  I'm not feeling overly mushy tonight so I just don't think this post is going to turn out as planned.  Erik keeps talking to me and it keeps throwing me off.  I'll have to do a Part II of this one.  At any rate, you get the gist of it, I hope!  More later. :)