PART 13 - TIME TO MEET : PART 1
WOW! if you are here...... this is the shit you've been waiting for! THIS IS IT!!
THE FUCKING MOMENT! I've waited 41 years for this.
Let me quickly catch everyone up.
If you are just starting to read this blog and you are asking yourself the question.. "What the hell is this?"
Join the club! 'Cause none of us know!
We are all just here for the party!
Here's the recap:
I can now explain my glorious tan and my love for the Spanish language. Me Gusta!
Also, I've always known this beautiful olive skin of mine was a gift.... just never knew where it came from.
So.... yeah.. I FOUND MY DAD!
DNA Confirmed. I am officially one of the whitest brown people in my entire family.
ROAD TRIP to meet to the new family!
So first off.
I'm a cheap ass.
Remember my story about being poor growing up? I'm kind of frugal...
You know damn well I'm not spending money on airplane tickets unless I have to.
So.. .It's a 11 hour drive in the car.
So we packed up our favorite snacks and put some Spotify on.. and away we went.
5 hours into this trip.. I am immediately regretting driving in this damn car. Not fun. My sidekick is asleep. Time for some tunes!
When telling my friends this story.. they always ask.. "WHAT was going through your mind for 11 hours on your way to meet them?"
True Speak... I was nervous as hell. At this point I've been chatting with my sisters for months.
I didn't sleep for shit the night before.
I didn't really know what to expect. I mean I feel like I knew them on some level.
My sisters and I have been on constant communication but we were still strangers.
My dad on the other hand... don't know what to expect. What's he like? Personality?
We had no rapport. I only talked to him twice. Once to surprise him and the other to confirm he's my dad. SUPRISE!
Maybe 10 minutes... and I cried like a little bitch.
It's embarrassing for sure.
Here's my impression of Mark: (why am I referring to myself in the 3rd person now?)
"Boo hoo - I didn't know my dad".
"Boo- hoo.. I had a whole 'nother family I never knew about."
Eleven hours goes by pretty fast when you are asleep. Just ask my wife. I wouldnt have been able to sleep anyways. I was too wired out on adrenaline and Red Bull. I didn't have any wings.
Either way - We get there and I am MORE than excited.
At this point, I'm ecstatic and nervous as shit to meet my sister "Natalie".
Her husband "Will" was going to join us for dinner the first night.
It's supposed to be the 4 of us as we do our initial introductions and everyone else will meet up over the next 24 hours. We were going to meet her and her husband for dinner first because of everyone's calendars.
Plus, meeting one family at a time is overwhelming on it's own.... There's going to be a lot to remember and probably even more emotions. Kids names.. I'm an uncle now too. I have cousins.
I think at this point I'm a little less emotional than the initial call and shock of all of this. We'll keep our fingers crossed that I keep the onions away.
My sister and I had texted back and forth once we got into town just to solidify plans and all that good stuff. We had a time and a place.... and it's time to meet!
We're waiting outside. I can see them walking up. It's Natalie and Will... AND my brother Gabe!
I only talked to him on text. Never even had a conversation with him... and they all ran up and gave us the biggest hugs.
Was it weird?
Yes and No.
I can't really explain the feeling. A bit emotionally overwhelming. Head spinning just a little bit.
It was like they were strangers but also they are my siblings... and family.
My brain says.. "This is weird as fuck".. but my heart is saying "YOU CAN DO IT!"
At this point.. my heart is racing. It's impossible to contain my excitement.
Luckily. I married a pretty solid chick. She's always my source of strength and wisdom when I need it. When I need a shoulder to lean on.. she's my boo!
Can she be a pain in the ass? We've been married twenty years. that's a super easy answer.
No.
She can't, she's perfect. Why would you think that? (that's how I stay married for 20 years) :)
This whole thing is surreal.
Almost like one of those weird ass dreams where you go to school in your underwear and then you wake up.. but the dream was super realistic. Real. Life like real. Kind of feels like that.
Also it's worth noting that we all look alike. Eye shape, Skin tone... there are a lot of features that we share. Also, my white ass looks way more LATINO when I'm standing next to my tanner family members.
My sister is short and petite. She's sassy and cute. My brother was about my same height and much younger. He's athletic and into sports and all sorts of shit that I wish I had the time and energy for. Both are successful. They look happy and healthy.
My sisters husband Will was a super nice guy. He's a big fucker. One of the nicest people I've ever met. Positive attitude and he treats my sister well at first glance.
Obviously, I'm just meeting the guy, but if I had to be a big brother and judge my sisters choices.. she did good.
Is that judgey? PFFFT. Yep. I missed out on 42 years of dealing with sisters' boyfriends. I'm a little out of experience.
Also, I'm probably 8-10 years older than both of them. The BIG brother.
Weird shit, right?
We chatted about our families and our childhoods and gossiped about all of the stuff brothers and sisters share about.
We did some dinner and decided to go out on Bourbon street drinking. Yep. Day 1.
Bourbon street boobs and drinks. That's my 2nd hour with my new family. You can judge all you want, but we had a FUCKING blast.
Tomorrow - My sisters are coming in from out of town. My dad is coming and I'm supposed to meet my Abuelita. Boy it's going to be a big day!
If you think it's good so far.. just you wait!
I hope my new family isn't gonna be mad for posting pics.. but it's hard to tell the story without a couple of good ones.
First night. DOWN!