True love

As a young adult I thought I knew what love was. I was engaged at the age of 21 to my high school sweetheart. Now I'm nearly double that age and I like to think I have double the knowledge. I know that in my own way I did love that guy that I was engaged to but it wasn't the true enduring love. It was teenager love... the fluttery butterfly feelings that you get when things are all new and fun.

I got married about a year and a half ago and I think I knew that I had something special at the time. However I don't believe you really know until you experience the day to day challenges of living with another human who has their own bad habits and baggage.

I've never been one who believed in love at first sight. I think it's a myth really... that's not to say that those first intense feelings don't turn into something for many people but I don't believe it's love at that point either. I also don't believe love is roses and expensive dinner on Valentine's Day either. I have strong feelings against that day but that is not really what I want to talk about here.

Too many women get caught up in the romance of relationships and think that if they have that, they have love. This too is a myth. I dated the most romantic guy on the planet once but never experienced love with that man. When I look back now on that relationship, I realize he didn't even treat me all that great. He masked his inability to be a good companion with poems and love songs sung to me. It wasn't love at all.

This morning I realized that I really have that truly loving relationship that all women want. I think that many do have it and don't recognize it though. The man that I woke up next to is not romantic at all. In the 2.5 years that we have been together, I have received flowers once and that was just a few weeks ago.

What made me realize that he really loves me is that he was there everyday putting up with all the weird things that make me who I am. For instance, he knows that there are rules for when he comes to bed. If I am already in bed and asleep, he knows that no lights are to be turned on and he must get in bed quietly and not disturb me. He knows that sleep is a fragile thing for me and respects the "rules" no matter how weird and demented he thinks they may be. It is actions such as these that spell out a relationship that is solid and that will stand the test of time.

So women out there, listen up. Stop getting hung up on the flowers, diamonds and whatever it is that you think makes your life special and romantic. Look deeper! Look at the little things that your spouse or boyfriend does that shows true respect and love. If you do this, you just might realize how good things really are for you. And if you are one of those women who is only getting showered with flowers and gifts but the man in your life does things that are disrespectful of your wishes and happiness, it might be time to look elsewhere.

Where in the world have I been?

This is my busiest time of the year every year apparently! I am usually involved in training for the MS150 ride from Houston to Austin but this year we had just too much going on and were tired of our weekends being taken up with training so it could be worse!

Work has been busy but that comes and goes (apparently it's now gone since I'm blogging in the middle of the day.) What has really kept us busy is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The hubby and I are both on committees... He loves to hear himself talk so he is on the Speaker's committee. They go out to schools and organizations and give speeches about the great things that the rodeo offers.

I am on the Carnival Ticket Sales committee. It is exactly what it sounds like. I push 1/2 priced carnival tickets on everyone I know and a few that I don't know. We are getting busy and have on average one meeting a week until the end of February. I'm already sick of it all! On the upside, we finish when the HLSR BBQ competition is over so I'll be done soon enough.

And then there is BBQ which brings up yet another thing that is keeping us busy this year. We decided it would be fun to be on a BBQ cookoff team. And I'm sure it will be fun but what were we thinking?? Do we really have time to take on yet another commitment? I do look forward to the actual BBQ competition. It's always a good party along with lots of good BBQ.

The hubby and I have also decided that this is our time to do ALL of the projects that we have been putting off since we moved into this house nearly 2 years ago and then a few that are related to the pool. I spent most of my weekend treating the new wood patio furniture, sanding it, and then treating it with another coat. I finished all of the furniture that will be under the patio but I still have the two chaise lounges to complete. I so look forward to that filling yet another weekend of mine.

Then there were shelves to put up that had been bought and sitting around for several months. New door locks to install... new garage door opener... painting the teenagers room... some of these tasks are completed some are still left to be done. I'm not sure what motivated this sudden domestic energy but it's a good thing I think.

I hope to be back here a little more regularly for my 3 fans that show up occasionally to find out what's happening in my corner of the world.