I Love New York (Part 1)

For the long 4th of July weekend, I took a major step and brought my wonderful boyfriend Russell home to meet my parents for the first time. The trip was originally going to be centered around a friend's annual July 4th pool party but unfortunately schedules didn't align and we had to miss it. With more time on our hands I knew we couldn't leave the Northeast without visiting New York City. Russell had never been to the Big Apple and is a big Broadway fan to boot. Its a perfect trip.

A special note: I've got a lot to say about this vacation, so I'm going to break it up into parts one and two. Part one mainly focusing on Connecticut and family while part two will just be Manhattan and New York.

I've never brought a boyfriend home before. I guess its one of those milestone moments that moves you along in life. From the beginning I knew the visit would go well. Before you ever meet him, my boyfriend is good on paper. The term 'good on paper' comes from Sex and the City and refers to a guy that, if you listed all his attributes on paper, would look very appealing. It can also be thought of as all the questions a mom would ask. "Does he have a good job? Where does he live? What kind of car does he drive? Is he close with his family?" (You get the idea) A guy might be kind and wonderful but he's a tough sell to dad if he can't keep a job and live in his parents basement. Russ is great on paper and when you meet him in person his charm and manners can sway even the harshest critics. He proved me right in every way. Everyone laughed and felt relaxed without the awkward getting to know you shy phase. My parents approval isn't needed but there's still something amazing when your new man wins over your mom. It makes you feel like you've done something right as their child.

On to the details. We arrived in Connecticut late Wednesday night and checked into a hotel near my parents house. Although it can feel rushed having a flight right after work, I like getting into town the night before so I can rest and be ready to go the next morning. Thursday morning we woke up rested and headed to my parents house to have a cookout with the family. (Pugs included) It was a great visit. We took family photos, ate a good meal and enjoyed each other company. It also marked probably my last afternoon ever in the house I grew up in because my parents are set to move to their new house/condo at the end of the month. My dad proudly took us threw their new place still under construction. He even took us up to a scenic overlook so we could have a pretty picture to bring back.

As I expected the afternoon wrapped up around 6 pm. Our next stop was a comfortable evening at Jeff and Ollie's. They were nice enough to invite us over for some fireworks and hotdogs. Although it was a small group we still had a lot to laugh about. Overall it was a short but great trip. Hopefully next time we'll have more time so we can see more friends and family.

P.S. Its interesting seeing your home town through someone else's eyes. Russell couldn't get over how green and lush everything was. Having grown up there, I guess I took for granted all leafy trees and green grass.