Meeting the Boyfriend

I want to start off by saying that we had a wonderful Easter today. It was a four day weekend for us which was most welcome. It was rainy and cold Friday and Saturday, but cleared off by Sunday. We had a very moving Good Friday service at church that evening and the same for our Easter service this morning. Not to upstage the story of the Passion here, but since this is about our family I will shift focus to us, particularly Jenna.

Jenna has had a very demanding semester at school. Actually, most of them have been, but as she is approaching finals in a couple of weeks everything is coming to a head right now. Her 21st birthday came and went on Thursday with her hardly having time to think about it because she had so many large assignments due at one time that day. She didn't acknowledge any of the birthday wishes texted to her until the next day. Everybody but Vicki has Monday off, but Jenna decided to go back to school today to be able to maximize her time at the library.

No, what's really the big news around here is that Jenna brought a boy home yesterday. She has been dating Nolan for about a month now and thought it was time for all of us to meet.

We all knew this was her plan for a couple of weeks now, and I think of all of us in the family I've had the easiest time accepting it. Vicki and Jenna enjoy an especially close relationship and while there is no jealousy there on Vicki's part I think it has been an adjustment for her as she realizes she will have to share Jenna with someone else now.

Actually, the boys had a little trouble thinking about Jenna bringing a boyfriend home--Ben more so than Nate, I think. They've really not said a lot about it, but it is most obvious they struggled to work through this. I believe it went beyond it just being a little weird and more to the point of upsetting the status quo within the family. Ben, being his competitive self, was talking a lot of smack saying that he'd beat Nolan in whatever game we played. I'd say it was bravado to mask the apprehension. Ben would say I'm reading more into this than I should.

Ben and I ate supper out Thursday evening and I asked him point blank if he was having a hard time with Jenna bringing Nolan home. Turning the tables he asked me if I was. As I told him, it is admittedly a little strange since Jenna has never dated before now. However, I know her standards are high and that ultimately I trust her judgement. The timing is right and I am good.

So yesterday Jenna and Nolan met the boys for milkshakes at Thomas Drugs. Then the two of them went to Springfield for him to meet Mom. When the boys came home all we could really get out of them was, "Well, he seems normal,” along with sheepish grins.

Finally Jenna and Nolan came to our house. The kids played several games, we had pizza for supper, and the games resumed. So I will agree with the boys. Nolan seems normal (whatever that means). We all had a good time getting to know him. We like him and approve. Certainly new territory for us. We'll see where this goes.

Joe