What a unique nom de plume, pink... At any rate, I've been a commercial pilot for more years than I'd like to recall. I live here in the western U.S. and have to say that some of the worst imaginable turbulence one could encounter anywhere in the world is right next door. The Front Range of the Rocky Mountains... from northern Montana to New Mexico can produce really uncomfortable rides. However, as uncomfortable as it is to the passengers (Pax, in airline parlance) it has never been anywhere on my top 10 list of concerns.
I realize it doesn't help a whole lot, but if you could see how modern aircraft are built, it would do alot to assuage your fears. The engineering that goes into construction is near miraculous. I've several friends developed over the years that are aerodynamis engineers and, although I know very well how the aircraft work, the mathmatical equations they use for stress and tolerance are truly mystifying. All I can say is that accident statistics rarely, if ever have entries for structural failure.
The oddities that popped up now and then, such as the British built Comet of yester-year, were easily understood in light of today's accident investigations and structural analysis. Additionally, the altitudes used for the last 40 to 50 years puts the aircraft above 95% of the turbulence. Whereas we used to use the mid-30 thousand foot range, now we use up to mid-40 thousand feet (above sea level).
Much of the thunderstorm turbulence can actully be detected by radar.
Even small, private airplanes rarely have structural failure.
So, welcome aboard and keep your seat belt fastened, even when seated... low over the hips and snug. You'll do just fine!