A Lifetime of Memories

Meeting the Family

December 2010

"Jamie Benn if you eat any more of the food there won't be any left for the party." I swear this kid is going to be the death of me one of these days.

"Hannah Benn I will not eat all of the food and plus you made enough for like thirty people."

"First thing I am not Hannah Benn and second off there will only be enough for like ten if you keep snacking." I say as I'm trying to get Tyson outside before people could arrive. That dog sure does love when people come over to visit. He thinks everybody is there to see him and only him.

"Well you will be sooner or later."

"You better put a ring on it before someone else does then."

"Oh I will and before the Stars get some pretty boy because we all know that you will fan girl over them."

"Hey don't say that I have spent forever with you before we were official, what makes you think that some pretty boy is going to steal me away now?"

"It's because I'm not the most handsome guy in the league." J says this with doubt in his voice.

"Stop it right now J. First off Henrik Lundqvist is not going to steal me from you and second off I will most likely scare any pretty boys off before they can try to flirt with me." I say this as the doorbell rings.

"Well here goes nothing." Jamie mumbles.

"I heard that and you will be fine they will love you. Do you want to get the door or will I have to?"

"Can you get it?"

I open the door to see my grandparents. They are always seem to be about ten minutes early to everything and since my whole extended family lives in Dallas it's awesome. They have all been here for my whole life. We normally try to get together around the holidays but that doesn't always work out. Since my family has stayed in Victoria it is is hard to do holidays. Since Jamie and I was out here we decided to host Christmas. I get to visit them any time I want. They knew that I was living with Jamie since we moved to Dallas at the same time but none of them knew that we were dating. This was going to be an interesting Christmas Eve.

"Hey guys no one else is here yet and Jamie is somewhere around here. Everybody else should be here soon though."

"Where is that Jamie kid I have some things to talk to him about." My grandpa loudly says or yells softly, you could never tell with him.

"Benny boy get your butt over here and talk to Grandpa he's ready to interrogate you and probably get a few drinks in you." I say as he walks up with a beer in his hand already.

"Hey Grandpa how's it going, it's nice to meet you, Hannah will never shut up about her family."

"I hope it's all good stuff because she will otherwise be in big trouble." Grandpa grumbles.

"Okay I'm leaving with Grandma and leave you two to talk. We will be in the family room if you need us."

Grandma and I go to the family room barely sitting for long enough to have a real conversation before the doorbell rang. I hope that it is like half the family because I want Jamie just to get to know everybody and to not have this whole meeting the family takes forever. Plus we still have to tell everybody about us being together.

"Welcome Harshmen and Hopes families.  Grandma is in the family room and Grandpa is with Jamie in the kitchen. Will one of you tell J to stop eating because Grandpa is probably drilling him with questions and when he is nervous he tends to eat more than he normally does? If you need to send them into the family room with Grandma so that J can talk to all of you. I am going to check on Tyson and will be back inside soon."

"Okay, sounds good Pipi and who is Tyson again?" My uncle Malcom asks.

"He is our dog and he is the best boxer mix ever. If the doorbell rings will one of you guys let the rest of the family in they should be here any minute. My family and the Toews family are the only families not here yet."

"Yeah no problem I will let them in." Malcom says walking towards the kitchen.

As get outside I see Tyson sitting next to somebody. I was in love with this view and could live with it forever. It never gets old and I love it every time that it happens. I understand why dogs are man's best friend but when our dog loves my man as much as I do I fall in love with him even more. Then it hits me J is outside with Tyson and not inside with Grandpa.

"Hey, what are you doing out here I thought that you were talking with Grandpa?" I ask as he stands up and walks over to me.

"I was but he had to go to the bathroom and if I didn't get out of the kitchen there would be no food left so I came out here. I needed some fresh air and a buddy to talk to."

"So you needed Tyson to talk to and what were you two talking about?"

"Mainly you and how beautiful you are and how you are the best dog mother out there ever."

"Oh really now J is that all you were talking about?"

"Yeah and the thing is you can't even ask Tyson because he won't tell you."

"Hey lets go inside the rest of the family should be here by now. When do you want to tell them about us being a couple? We could do it when we sing Christmas songs at about 9:30."

"That sounds good it lets them get to know me some and hopefully the will like me by then."

"Oh they will I promise. Let's go."