The Absentee Boyfriend

I do have a big trip coming up, the inevitable first trip in a long distance relationship... He in the great state of Texas and me thousands of miles north in Alaska. How have I come to find myself in a long distance relationship you might ask yourself. I did not intend to; I found this incredibly gorgeous, tall, polite, southern gentlemen in Alaska. After three years of the sporadic bad date with a number of losers I found myself being persued by a man. I mean MAN; good with his hands... Meaning he knows how to work- seriously people, get your minds out of the gutter. His accent and dimples are irresistable to boot.
What does he go and do; he gets out of the military and moves back to Texas. That is how I find myself boarding a plane in 2 weeks to see my man and to meet the family. Just to be able to go on a date with my boyfriend I have to fly to see him.
The craziest part of this "adventure" is that after only a few weeks of actual dating I am doing what it takes most couples a few months to do... meet the family. I am going to be trapped on the family ranch with complete strangers for TEN days. I don't know these people; I hardly know my boyfriend!
It will be nice to be near him though. To walk together and hold hands; to sneak a little kiss while waiting at the stop light. Sometimes I find myself in little shops or at a restaraunt where I think, how nice it would be to laugh with him and look into his eyes.
While all of these disires build up with anticipation of 10 days together, the hesitations of meeting his family and having to travel to see him slip away and I honestly can not wait to step off the plane and into his arms for a long over due hug and kiss hello.