An Easy-peasy Lovefest

It's been about eight months since I've posted here and I just wanted to share with you that married life is good.

Really good. You may remember that Tuba Dad and I counted the days since we met each other and today marks 802 best days of my life.

That's not to say that it hasn't been difficult at times. It has. Mostly for me! Merging two families together and learning each others quirks and realizing we're not under dads relaxed rules is no easy task. For example, I don't want dirty teenagers eating in the living room. Or, the bedrooms. We have perfectly nice kitchen where you can do that. And, while I don't mind picking up after you every now and then, I am not your maid. Shoot! I'm not even my own maid! I hate cleaning.

There were some serious anxiety ridden days in my house earlier this year when feeling like the Queen Nag really wore me out. Or, the new slave driving position Tuba Dad took kept him long hours at work. Or, the girl employee of Tuba Dad's that really got on my nerves because I felt like she wanted Tuba Dad to value their relationship more than our relationship and whether it's true or not, that was my perception. Following me on that one? Or, when the Cheerleader (step-daughter) was lying to us about the completely inappropriate boy that she wanted to date. Oh my!

I wasn't prepared to care so much for his kids and to feel so out of control. And that's what I am- out of control. OOC! I have no control over their school activities or who they see or any of that. And, I'll admit that I was jealous of the relationship I saw developing with Tuba Dad and my two boys. Happy, but jealous. It's not easy to develop that same relationship with older kids when I only get to see them roughly 4 days out of any given month.

Anyway, Tuba Dad, has been an absolute pillar through all my craziness. Steady, calm, loving and reassuring. I'm sure he has thought "What have done?" a time or two. If it was just the two of us it would be an easy-peasy lovefest but it's six of us and though it can be chaotic and loud (why are they so loud?) and dirty and expensive (Eating out!) it's really, really good, too.

So, my 2011 Year of Love has been such a wonderful success and I'm right in the middle of it all and it's here and it's real. So, why do I feel like something is missing? Not missing in my relationship but in my purpose. It's kind of like I got everything I wanted, and now what? I feel like I'm denying some kind of purpose that I'm supposed to be fulfilling but not 100% sure what that purpose is.

And maybe part of the purpose of this post is to open this little blog back up and type out all the dating advice that worked for me to find my little lovefest of a life I'm living so that someone else might stumble on it or share it with a friend who is in dating despair.

I don't know. We'll see what happens though, okay?

Until next time, may your lovetank be overflowing.

Married Hope

The only dates I will have in my future are date nights with my husband!

TubaDad and I were married in a private ceremony (and I do mean private! the two of us, the officiant and the photographer) at the Arboretum in Dallas.

It was a perfect day and a perfect weekend.

Thank you for following along this little blog and my dating adventures.

If you or a friend is out there looking for love, I'm here to tell you- You can have the love of your life!

Open your heart to the possibility.

Open your mind to know that no one is "perfect".

Live as if you are already with your soul mate and believe in your heart they are out there looking for you, too.

Your only job is to be ready to accept them into your life when you meet them.

There is so much you can learn about relationships and dating from some people that guided me. Arielle Ford,  Evan Marc Katz, Claire Zammit, Dr. John Gray, Dr. Gary Chapman and so many more.

Blessings, peace, and love to you all.

The end.

Meet the Fockers

Are you still following along with this little blog about my dating adventures? Blogging about dating sure does become boring when you're dating the same guy everyday. Boring in a good way!

Yesterday was the 14th- or 489th day of the best days of my life or 16 months since I met the love of my life.

On the 12th, TubaDad and I, along with my two boys, travelled to my parents home for my 25 year class reunion. The purpose of the trip was two fold.

1- I was going to spend quality time with my friends that I grew up with so many years ago.
2- TubaDad wanted to meet the Fockers- or better known as my parents.

While I ran around with my friends, TubaDad soaked in time with the Fockers. They got along perfectly fine on the 13th as we started the day at my parents ranch, line fishing for perch at the pond and just enjoying nature. TubaDad and Poppa Focker bonded as they cracked open their first Miller Lite at 10am.

Let the male bonding begin! I hear there was a lot of beer drinking and fire cracker popping.

Late afternoon, while I was still running around with friends, TubaDad told the Fockers that he was going to marry Hope- that's me! Poppa Focker said, "Well, you don't need to tell me. You need to tell her."

TubaDad said that he had told me and then told them that it would be before the end of the year to which Momma Focker replied, "Oh."

When I returned everyone seemed happy- or drunk, not sure which- but they were enjoying some good old Nascar racing so we procured some dinner and afterwards I left my crew to go drink and dance and be merry with friends.

It was a great weekend. I was spending time remembering my friends from the past looking forward to my future.

Within the next 78 days I will marry TubaDad and life has never felt so good.

14 months

I like the number 14 because I met my sweetheart on the 14th of June.

We have been dating for 14 months today.

Or, 428 days!

All is well in TubaLand.

TubaDad sold his house this month. The house he owned with the "prior administration".

Bribes had to be dealt out.

Stress was all about.

It made me want to shout!

Obscenities!

I did shout them.

But in the end, it only drew us closer together and we made out.

And life is still good.

Real Good.

Best 368 Days Ever!

It's official. 1 year, 1 day down and 1 more in progress.

It's been a fabulous year with TubaDad.

There has been a lot of eating out- I have the ten pounds to prove it.

There were two vacations. Both of them spectacular.

There have been a multitude of phone calls and text messages and hugs and kisses.

Savoring every moment that I have with this man.

He's a good catch.

Eleven.

336 days ago (or 11 months for those of you less tedious types) I met TubaDad.

Bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp! Sing a long friends. Bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp!

Happy 336 Days to us!

And, many more!!!


PS He took my boys shopping for Mother's Day and it was very sweet.

This is a public service announcement: Never fly Spirit Airlines.

It's April 30th and by the lack of me writing any posts you should have assumed that all is right in the world of TubaDad and Hope. And if that's what you have assumed although we all know that assuming makes and ass out of you and me, you would be correct.

Since my last post in February, TubaDad and I have been on two trips. The first to Mexico and the second to Key West.

The first trip presented some challenges for us. I'm sure a cosmic test to see how we would do under stress. Our flight left at 6:30am and we had both set our alarms for 4:30am. I'm not quite sure how to adults over the age of 40 BOTH set their alarms incorrectly but that's what we did and when I woke up at 5:06am the two of us were in fast forward motion throwing on our clothes, throwing stuff in our bags and throwing ourselves in the car.

Lucky for us we only live 5 minutes from the airport, if that. As I read the itinerary a little uh-oh bubbles up out of my mouth as I announce that our flight actually leaves at 6:10am. TubaDad applies more gas and I'm holding on for dear life.

Since I'm an over packer, he throws me out at the curb with my suitcase as he goes to park the car. I'm running (and I use the term loosely as it's not really possible to run wearing flip flops and dragging a huge suitcase behind me) to the gate and when I get there I go to the youngest guy there and say to him, "We are going to miss this flight if you don't help me!" So, he sees my unruly hair from only being awake for 15 minutes and the sand in the corner of my eyes and takes pity on me. We get checked in, some we make it through security, walk briskly to our gate, right on to the airplane and whew! We made it. And, then... there we sat for another hour.

The airlines finally realized they couldn't hold us any longer as we were all getting hot and restless and they released us back to the airport. This was actually a nice reprieve for us as we were able to grab some coffee, spend some time in the restrooms and exhale a sigh of relief.

Of course, we did not follow instructions given to remain at the gate and we lounged in the big comfy chairs with the gate still in view but out of ear shot. After awhile TubaDad went over to check on the progress of our flight and he returns in a jog with a whistle saying, "We gotta go!"

They had been calling our names to change airlines because we wouldn't make our connection in Ft. Lauderdale and on to Cancun so we grabbed my over packed bag and hurried over to another terminal with two other couples.

As we were walking up to the ticket counter, TubaDad gets a phone call from one of his bosses. One of the big bosses- let's call him Bob. They were talking about change and how the big boss wanted to bring a new guy over to the shop and so on. TubaDad tells him he would love to be there but he was about to board a plane to Mexico. TubaDad is assuming that the new guy is replacing an employee that had recently quit. TubaDad gets on the phone with the boss under the big boss- let's call him Greg - asking about the new guy and wham! Greg tells TubaDad that Bob had just fired Greg and the new guy was TubaDad's new boss and it was a whole new situation. If that makes any sense at all. He spent the next 30 or so minutes on the phone with his shop, etc. preparing them for what was going on.

Needless to say, at this point we both needed a drink.

We got to Mexico fine on Sun Country. We got to our little bus and purchased some beers. And ah! We were on vacation. We got to the resort about an hour later and in to our room that had a great little balcony. We could see the pool and the ocean. The rest of the trip was walking around, sitting on the beach, relaxing and eating. No schedule. No worries. No kids.  It was wonderful.

It was so wonderful that trials of flying home couldn't even ruin it. I'll try not bore you with all the details but getting through customs and through security was not easy an easy task causing us to miss our connection. While getting through customs my phone is blowing up because my ex didn't remember that he had to pick our kids up. That all worked out fine though and we were scheduled to get on the 9:50pm flight. Which turned into the 12:30am flight. Which turned into the 12:50am flight. Which turned into the 1:20am flight. And then 1:50. And then 2:10... you get the picture. That plane was not leaving.

Somewhere in the one o'clock hour, TubaDad looks at me and says, "Get your stuff. We're not going to do this." Being a good girlfriend, I gathered my stuff and simply asked, "What are we going to do?"

We got a hotel room. He purchased two new tickets on American Airlines departing at 10:00AM the next day. And we went to sleep. We made it home the next day around 12:30. He went to work. I went and got a pedicure.

So, needless to say we passed the cosmic tests of traveling together. Key West was less adventurous but just as much fun. And, don't forget. Never fly Spirit Airlines. Unless you just love hanging out in airports.