C - Peanut's dad
PE - Psycho Ex (aka Peanut's dad's piece of trash girlfriend)
D - Peanut's grandfather (aka C's step-dad)
L - Peanut's grandma (aka C's mom)
Yesterday morning, I woke up at 3AM, drank a cup of coffee, and woke up Peanut. We got dressed, loaded up the car, programmed my GPS, and was on our way to our Road Trip destination by 4AM. MapQuest told me that we'd arrive in Lebanon, TN at 1PM that afternoon... so a nine hour drive was a head of us, and that wasn't including stops.
Peanut was already fast asleep just 30 minutes in to the trip. Which wasn't so bad. I had the radio on, there were very few cars on the road, and it was a good time to think about how the trip could play out and how everything was going to go with me and C's parents.
It wasn't long before I started seeing lightning, and just 45 minutes in to the trip, I got to drive through my first down pour. I say first down pour, because it definitely wasn't the last. In fact, it rained pretty much the ENTIRE nine hour drive.
We made our first stop just outside of Little Rock around 6:30. We grabbed some breakfast to go, took a bathroom break, and was back on the road by 6:45AM. I was shocked when we made it to Little Rock by 7AM. That's only three hours after we left, and we had stopped. I was making great time.
The drive between Little Rock and Memphis was long and boring, but we crossed in to Memphis around 9:30. Peanut was in awe at the skyline and we both thought it was very neat that the state line between Arkansas and Tennessee ran down the middle of the Mississippi River. There was no stopping to get a picture with the state line for that reason. But, Peanut did manage to take some great pics of the skyline and the state line from the car.
After we got through Memphis, it was a long, wet drive to Nashville. We made it to Nashville around 12:30, and we finally arrived in Lebanon (where we were heading) at 1:06PM. That means I made the drive in 9 hours and 6 minutes, with three stops on the way. That's pretty good timing.
We arrived at our hotel and got checked in, and then it was time for us to head on over to D & L's house. What a warm welcome we received. It felt so good to see them again, after it being 15 years since I last saw them. Even though so much time has passed, it seemed like only a few weeks had passed. They hugged me, hugged Peanut, and from that moment on, treated us like we'd lived there our whole lives.
I felt so at home with them. The way they spoke to me, they way they joked around with me, it just all felt so right. Like I belonged there. Peanut was a little more nervous, but that's not surprising. The time was ticking away towards her meeting her father for the first time in her life. I assume she was absolutely TERRIFIED. I have to admit, I was also nervous. I mean, I knew he was going to show up with PE and I just didn't know how that whole situation would play out. Both Peanut and I absolutely loathe her, so I knew we'd feel uncomfortable.
A few hours passed before they finally arrived. C, PE, and their three kids showed up (well, their one kid and her two kids). The minute they walked in, Peanut jumped up and grabbed her dad. He was shaking so bad, it was hard for him to return the hug. I could tell he was just as nervous as she had been. After seeing their warm reunion, I decided to slip out the front door. I just couldn't handle being in the same room as PE.. the desire to punch her in the face was just too overwhelming. So, I went outside to where D was cooking on the grill. It felt nice to stand out there talking with him. My ability to breath returned back to normal, until he sent me inside with the hamburgers.
He told me to walk in to that house and just be myself, and that's exactly what I did. I took the hamburgers to the kitchen, joked around with L about how much trouble we'd had cooking them, and just completely ignored the ice glare I was receiving from PE. In fact, the whole time they were there, I didn't look at her ONCE. Not a single time. I couldn't tell you what she looked like, what she was wearing, if I could actually see the horns growing out of her head. I have no idea. Plus, there was no way I was making eye contact.. who knows what kind of damage that would do to my insides.
Too much mean? Maybe? Oh well... I'll try to lay off a little.
The rest of the evening went really well. I continued to make myself at home, joked around with D and L like we'd been family forever, and completely ignored C and PE. Peanut got to sit next to her dad for a while, in between him having to get up and check on PE... cause you know, she can't handle not being checked on every 30 seconds. It drove Peanut crazy, so she finally just decided to lay down on the couch with her "Papa" so her dad wouldn't have to keep getting up and down every five minutes.
The reason I am making so many digs is because I was not happy that he even showed up with her in the first place. My baby girl couldn't even get one evening alone with her dad, and that makes me angry. Can't help it. I know I sound like a petty school girl, but I don't get to speak my mind on here near as often as I like.. so I figure I'm going to now. I will admit, though, it sure did feel good knowing how AMAZING my life is and how nothing she really is. Whoops, there I go again. My bad. I will try and say something nice....something...something.... OK, here's something. She did manage to stay out of the room last night for a little while, as long as I wasn't in the room. So, I guess she did try to give C and Peanut some time along. There, a nice thing.
Pushing the petty aside, I can say that I absolutely ADORE D and L. They are amazing. I know that I'm really going to miss them when we have to leave tomorrow.
Tonight, instead of staying at the hotel again, we'll be spending our last night with them. I'm happy about that, because then I'll get to sit up and talk as long as they want without feeling like I need to rush off.
Our plans today consist of more fun and getting to spend time together. C is supposed to make an appearance again this evening (with her), so that he can see Peanut before we leave. I just pray that he gets over there early enough to actually spend some time with her, and not waiting until the last minute when she's all worn out and ready for bed. But, we'll see.
I'm ready for Day Two. I am so glad we came... and really want to enjoy today.
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