Family

Ages: 12, 11 and 4.  Girl, Boy, Girl and I met them tonight over dinner at your house.  In just the 3 hours I spent with them and you, I could tell how much they respect you and what great kids they are.  They want your approval and love and isn't that what should be at the core of any solid relationship with your kids?

Sure it was a little noisier than I'm used to, however, you said and I agree, it's just first meeting excitement for everyone.  I'm so glad you introduced me to them.  Not that I doubted it before, but it shows commitment to us and that I'm the type of person you want your children to know.  I'm thankful you regard me in this way.

I continue to look forward to each milestone we pass through, holding our breath before during and then after briefly to check in with the other on how we thought it went.  So far so good.  No show stoppers, not even any show slowers. 

Assuming everyone has some sort of hopeful notion of what the perfect partner is to them, I am yet again amazed at how you've managed to embody those qualities I have conjured up.  Better still, you let them unfold in front of me in the most natural and humble way - exhibiting those perfect qualities of my perfect man.  At this point, I can only assume one of three things:

1. You aren't human
2.  I'm schizophrenic and none of this is really happening
3. You've been reading my thoughts since you were born :-)

It really doesn't matter, though, in the end.  What matters is I think you are so wonderful, so extraordinary, and I'm so happy that you continue to choose me.

I love you.

I would change my name for you

What the hell happened?  Wasn't I just complaining to you when we met about what a hassle changing your last name is?  And now I'm sitting here in disbelief, knowing full well if you were to ask me to marry you, I would change it without question, after saying yes of course.

Wait a minute, did I just write that?  Didn't I also say that I didn't think I would ever consider marriage again?  You have completely turned me upside down, inside out, and lifted me higher than I've ever felt before.  We've talked about soul mates and life partners - what those are; and I really hope we are both of those things to each other.  We've joked about being 90 and still holding hands or doing a little frisky butt grabbing in public.  I want all of that and I want it with you.

While we were saying our 2 hour + good byes last night, I stared into your eyes.   The hope that I never lose faith or trust in you burned through my consciousness and I then made a decision.  Whether or not Marriage is in our future, I decided YOU are the man I will love as my soul mate and life partner.  I'm all in. I'm yours.  I can't even fathom I could ever love another man as much as I love you. I want to serve you in our relationship such that our love is always growing stronger.  Before you get weirded out by my use of the words "serve you", in my mind service of this type is intrinsically rewarding for not only you and I too, but our families.  The health of our relationship allows other relationships to also benefit from the strong core of our love. 

Corny/cheesy?  Yes.  Do I believe it like I've never believed anything before?  Yes.  I'll say it again, What the hell happened?  It's like suddenly everything I once had faith in but was let down by in some way has suddenly come back to life and is restored.