We need an update!

Man, having a boyfriend sure is time consuming. Between work, the house, and Rich I barely have time to breath much less post.
But I'm not complaining!!!
I love being in a rewarding relationship. I love having someone to go home to. I love falling asleep next to him. I love waking up with him. I love him to death and I can't imagine not having him around.
We've fallen in to a comfortable routine. Some would say that it's predictable or even humdrum, but I love it. I like knowing what's going to happen when I get home - even though things are never completely a repeat of the night before. I know we'll have dinner. I know we'll snuggle on the couch while watching TV. I know we'll go to bed at the same time. But it's the way we go about these things that keeps it all interesting.
I still can't get over how he makes me laugh. I'm not talking the occasional chuckle. I mean deep from the belly, tears rolling down my face, having a hard time getting a breath kind of laughs. And it doesn't take much for him to evoke them in me.
On the more "personal" level - he's the most attentive man I've ever been with. His pleasure and happiness is the last thing on his mind. Selfish is NOT a word I would use to describe him. It's refreshing and reassuring to be someone who 1. wants to be with me as much as I want to be with him and 2. wants to make me happy above all else.
Robert says we'll be married in 6 months.
I don't see things happening THAT fast, though I can see us engaged or talking engagement in 6 months. Married in 1-2 years.
He's it.

Three Powerful Little Words

I have always imagined what hearing the words, "I love you" would sound like. Last night, for the first time, I got to experience that feeling first hand.
The last couple of days have been an emotional roller coaster of sorts. Rich and I have clicked so incredibly well - and the feelings he evokes in me are so strong - I wasn't sure what I was facing or how I would deal with those feelings. Meeting his kids and ex really showed me that if we are going to be together we're going to have to be a team.
I had messaged him telling him how he had sent me in a tailspin. I told him how I have all these emotions I just want to blurt out, but am afraid to because I don't think I could handle the rejection if he didn't feel the same.
I went to his place after work last night. The night started as it normally does - talking about our day, exchanging kisses and hugs, making plans for the evening. The only difference was he kept looking at me really weird and he made no mention of the message I'd sent. We went to dinner and had a nice time talking about what our dream house would be like and debating on whether our waitress was high or just a freak. After that we went back to watch a movie. The movie played but we didn't watch it. We started talking about this that and nothing at all then all of a sudden he says, "I hear there's something you want to blurt out."
I was speechless. Did he want me to confess my feelings? Did he want me to be the first to say it? If I said it would he say it back?
We talked some more always coming back to the topic of the "blurt." Then he takes my face in his hands and looks into my eyes. I knew what was on his mind so I told him to say it. He just smiled. Again I told him to say it. He kissed me. AGAIN I told him to say it. And then he whispered, "I love you." I closed my eyes and I swear my heart was going to explode in my chest. I wrapped my arms around him and told him I loved him and for the first time I fully realized my future with him.
My mom and boss and some of my friends keep telling me we're getting close too fast. Mom said that when I pass the six month mark then she'll know it's for real. But they don't know how he makes me feel. They don't know how we just click. Nothing has to be said - we just understand each other. Yeah, we've only been together a month - but that's almost every day for month. That's a lot of time talking and getting to know each other. And we're both at a point in our lives where we aren't going to play games. We aren't in it just hoping that we make it. We're in it knowing that we'll make it. And that makes all the difference.

Some pictures

Some pictures from the weekend:

My heaven...

It's almost been a month since Rich came into my little world. I can't even begin to pinpoint the dramatic changes he's caused by just being around. Happiness is damn near an every day thing. And as meaningful as my life has been - I have a whole new purpose.
He had the kids this last weekend. Before he could take them the ex-wife insisted on meeting me. So, after work we went out to the ball diamond where the boys were playing tee ball. We weren't there 5 minutes when she started ripping him a new ass. Telling him what an awful father he was and how the boys are angry with him for not seeing them enough. Never mind the fact that she doesn't always let him have them on weekends he's supposed to. She complained because their schooling was so expensive and she was having trouble being a single mom. Rich reminded her that his grandma had them in a good private school and that she was the one to pull them out not him. He's offered to pay for whatever the boys need - and he always pays more child support than necessary. I wanted to remind her that she wouldn't have been a single mom if she hadn't gone and messed around on Rich. But I just bit my tongue.
After she bawled him out for 15 minutes she demanded to know who I was. He told her my name - made introductions. And then the grilling began. She wanted to know about me. Rich, normally calm and collected, started to lose his cool. He asked her just what exactly she wanted to know. She rattled off some bullshit stuff concerning work and my experience with kids. Wanted to know if I had kids, and if I did, was I the kind of mother that had my kids taken away from me. HUH?!
Rich told her I worked for a contracting company, that I owned a house in Leesburg, that I didn't have kids but that I am from a large family. The whole time this little exchange is taking place I'm just sitting there. I might as well have been in another country. She walks off for a while then while he's off getting sports drinks for the boys she comes back. Try to apologize for being a complete bitch - saying that she only does that because someone has to keep Rich in line. Told me she hoped that I could straighten him out. He comes back and then we get the lecture to end all lectures. She tells him that she hopes he manages to find some one on one time with the boys - that she would hope that we would show them enough respect not to kiss in front of them or for me to stay over. Pretty much just talked to us like we were kids.
Once she left things were great.
We watched the boys play ball then took them to dinner. Almost immediately Mason, the 4 year old, took to me. Lane wasn't as sure about me - he's in the "I hate girls" phase. The only thing that helped me with him was the fact that I have a pool at my house and that I've met Kenny Chesney - one of his favorite singers.
We hung out at Rich's that evening - playing and watching movies. I left around midnight and didn't see them again until the following evening.
We had just gotten back from dinner when she called to check in on the boys. I was sitting on the couch with Rich and I could hear her end of the conversation. She wanted to know almost immediately if I was there - had I stayed over - had he spent any time with the boys one on one. For the first time I totally saw Rich go off on her. He told her that what we did was none of her business and that it was no different than when she moved her boyfriend in.
I thanked him later for standing up for me and our relationship like that. I assured him that my attentions weren't to try and replace the boys' mom and that their past was their business. He told me that he'd never try and force me into a mother position and that the way I was with the boys was perfect. As for standing up for me - that was a no brainer and he'd do it again to anyone in a heart beat.
He came over Sunday night after dropping the boys off. I think we were both feeling a little battle worn, and yet stronger for it because we know we can go against any adversary together and still come out on top. We're a strong team - and even if I stay silent through the fight - he knows I have his back.