Meet the Knauss'

Most people probably meet their significant other’s parents much sooner in a relationship then after they get engaged. But, so it goes when you are in a long distance relationship. And I would guess that most people are nervous about this first meeting, hoping that the two sides hit it off. Because anyone who says that it doesn’t matter if you get along with your in-laws is crazy. It’s important and totally does matter. If there is one thing that I have learned from my previous marriage, it’s that.

My previous in-laws did not like me much from day one, whatever their reasons may be. I wish I knew because I bent over backward to change that. But it didn’t. And when I think about why they probably didn’t like me, there was nothing I could have done to change it. We were just too different in our values. This does not matter at all now of course but it does make me realize how much better a relationship is when you like your partner’s family and they like you.

From the minute that I met Chris’ family, they have been beyond welcoming to me. I was definitely more nervous for them to meet me than I was for them to meet my parents. I was very concerned about what they would think about a newly divorced, single mom dating their son and brother. If they had a problem with it, they sure never let me know. I felt instantly comfortable with them. They really made me feel like part of the family from day one. I absolutely love them!

So, as we all sat around together this past weekend, that’s what I thought about.  How important family is. How much I love my family. How much I love the new family that I’m becoming a part of. How when two people get married, two families are joining together, whether they like it or not. And luckily for me, in my case, it’s the former.

I think that’s part of the reason that I wasn’t nervous for everyone to meet. I know that I have the best parents in the entire world and knowing them, I knew that they would like my future in-laws as much as I do and vice versa. My happiness that I get to spend the rest of my life with Chris is now magnified by the fact that we both have amazing families that like each other. So, when it comes to splitting time at the holidays and going on vacations and doing the things that families do, I find so much peace in knowing that Chris and I will always be happy in who we do those things with because we will be with people we enjoy being with and love.  

Disney is the most magical place on earth!

I just got back from the most wonderful vacation to Disney World with my family and thought I’d share some of my thoughts on the trip that may help those of you who may plan a trip there in the future!

1. Disney is definitely the most magical place on earth. I don’t care how old or young you are, it’s magical.

2. Fastpasses are one of the best inventions ever. For those of you who haven’t been to Disney in awhile, they now have something that lets you cut in line! You go to a Fastpass kiosk, get a ticket with a time on it and during that time, you get to come back and go to the front of the line. And believe me, this comes in handy for some of the rides, like Toy Story Mania, that attracts huge crowds. Who wants to wait in line with a four year old for an hour? Not me, that’s for sure! Fastpass it!

3. Travel with as many adults as possible, preferably four or five per child. I advise this for anyone that has kids that loves Disney characters. There are lines all over every park where you can meet these characters and get their autographs. My father quickly came up with the plan of having the adults split up into the different lines and then just pass Peyton from adult to adult. It worked brilliantly! We didn’t have to wait forever in those crazy lines and we kept Peyton happy!

4. Bibbity Boppity Boo is a bippity boppity Noo! These little girls that were supposed to come out looking like little princesses looked more like teenage girls trying to sneak into a club with crazy hair extensions, body glitter and far too much makeup. Scary.

5. Some rides are totally worth a long wait in line. Those rides would include: Toy Story Mania, Space Mountain, Expedition Everest and Splash Mountain. Rides not included in that category would be: Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan. The two latter rides always seemed to have 45 minutes waits and for the life of me, I can’t understand why.

6. Apparently the phrase “excuse me,” means something different to different people you will meet while in the Magic Kingdom. I say this because after very politely saying, “excuse me”, I got verbally accosted. Once by a man who told me that I could wait for his wife to fix her hair because I would wait 20 minutes in line for a ride so I should be able to wait for his wife. Uh, ok. Then I said that seemingly innocuous phrase to another woman who then screamed it back at me. Apparently just pushing past people may be the more polite thing to do.

7. Again, Disney is the most magical place on earth! But I have to say, going with my parents, sister, brother-in-law and daughter was really what made it such a magical trip! They made it perfect and gave me memories that I will treasure always.

Remembering 9/11

I hate to admit when I am wrong, but I’m going to do it publicly right now. Several afternoons ago, I was complaining to my mom about why our troops are still in the Middle East, why they haven’t been brought back yet, because really, what were we accomplishing anymore?

And then a few days later came the news of Osama bin Laden’s death. I really didn’t believe that we would ever see this day. As someone who was in New York City on September 11, 2001, I was hoping we would, but didn’t think it was really possible.

I can still remember that entire day so vividly, as I’m sure most of us do. I think about it every time someone mentions New York City. I was only there for 2 weeks before the attacks took place and I was not wild about living there. But I will always feel a connection to that city and to the people that I spent that day with. It’s impossible to explain how it felt to watch out of a window as the second plane came flying in and watching the towers fall. They are the same images that we all have seen hundreds of times, only instead of being framed by a TV screen, mine are framed by my Brooklyn apartment window.

That day changed my life in ways that I am not fully realizing until now. I know that my life would be incredibly different if I had stayed in New York. But, I fully believe, and always have, that everything happens for a reason. Sitting in church this weekend, that belief was strengthened.

A young man who was just graduating from college gave the homily and I have to say, it was one of the best homilies that I have ever heard. He spoke about God having a plan for all of us, even if we aren’t aware of it. He is always there, guiding us and helping us in ways we may not expect.

I know that I ask God often for more patience with my precocious little girl (and I still need a lot of it!), hoping somehow that she’ll settle down a little bit. And then I realize, she is God’s way of giving me more patience. I need to learn how to be more patience and by being her mom, that’s how I’m going to do it. Of course, it’s not that simple, but nothing that’s worth achieving usually is. And I certainly don’t want to change her outgoing personality. So, to me, that’s God’s answer to my request.

I’m not sure what God’s plan was for Osama bin Laden and why it took us so long to find him. But I am so thankful for the troops who have spent the past ten years searching for him, not giving up on finding him the way the rest of us may have. They have all been fighting a war I know that I would never be brave enough to fight.  So, thank you to all of the troops. I hope they feel some vindication now for all of the sacrifices they have had to make.