I had NO interest in men or boys NOR in getting married until I met my hubby. I was 32 when I met him at a Civil War reenactment, he was 35 years old. Both of us never had been serious with anyone, let alone having sex which both of us were terrified. I had a very good job with benefits, so did he (without benefits). I was just living on my own since 29, graduated from college, grew wings when my parents gave me the ultra.
He lived two hours away. I drove up to his folks house almost every weekend (he worked second shift, strange hours) and his family really welcomed me. I love his father (now my father in law) to death and enjoyed yacking about the old times.
As time went on, even I had a MAJOR crush on him but for him, it was kinda not sure (because he never was taught or anything about dating LOL) and he and I was together for the good and bad times like an old married couple. He could finish a sentence when I had a "block" when I could not find the words, his devotion to me was upmost important to him and I was able to provide a strong foundation for us as a couple when he was down and out when he lost his job. When I lost my job, he went out and found a second job to support both of us, unmarried and living with me at that time. When I found out I was pregnant, and jobless at the same time (yes it was a double whammy for me), fearing that he would leave me (like I've been hearing gossip among my womenfolk in my family that men like to bail ship when they find out their gf/wives get pregnant). I told him right up front that he is free to leave, do it NOW and I'll be on my merry way. You know, I was very wrong about him (and men in general), he said, he was just as responsible as me to expect our child and he is going to stick by my side no matter what. He lived to that promise and more, every doting to his daughter, the only child we would ever have (due to our advanced age). We were making plans on getting married in the meantime before I knew I was pregnant too...it was an upheaveal in our lives and I didn't know how I was going to pull off the marriage part. He planned it most of it as in the location which I thought it was great! A Scottish Civil War wedding. What about our baby?! He replied, well, she is invited and wants to attend the wedding so she isn't going to wait LOL! So we spent the whole winter planning and it was wonderful! It only costed us $350 along with our friends and families attending.
We have been together for over 13 years, married for 8 years in June.
Looking back, I would love to grow old with him, sitting in our rockers, our love for each other are unspeakable and without words. We just know that our hearts are speaking with one another, a real soul mate. Despite of different upbringings, different personalities but we shared common interests and be able to conversate like anything else. We teach each other and grow together, richer in knowledge and accept our partner's differences and OK to disagree on the issues we will never agree on (hubby is evoluntionist (Darwin), I'm agnostic and dd is a Christian of non dem. faith. We are able to talk why we differ in these things that matters to life and what things don't matter as well.
The number of unmarried couples co habiting together are rising. Probably due to non commitment by both partners or cheaper insurance (medicaid is really bad about that!) and I don't see it as a problem when both partners live together and cohabit like married couples. I've had an aunt that just passed away (she is not married to my uncle but cohabit with him like a wife because she loves him and Medicaid benefits her better than his insurance plans...she had alot of medical problems). She was so thrilled to hear from us "Aunt Tracy" even she was not married nor wants to. They both were very very happy with that kind of arrangement. She also has her own grandkids who called her Grandma (those kids belong to my uncle's children from his first marriage). If the state of IL would allow "common law" , she would fit that category. Love that woman!
Here is our wedding picture when dd was a month and17 days old.

He lived two hours away. I drove up to his folks house almost every weekend (he worked second shift, strange hours) and his family really welcomed me. I love his father (now my father in law) to death and enjoyed yacking about the old times.
As time went on, even I had a MAJOR crush on him but for him, it was kinda not sure (because he never was taught or anything about dating LOL) and he and I was together for the good and bad times like an old married couple. He could finish a sentence when I had a "block" when I could not find the words, his devotion to me was upmost important to him and I was able to provide a strong foundation for us as a couple when he was down and out when he lost his job. When I lost my job, he went out and found a second job to support both of us, unmarried and living with me at that time. When I found out I was pregnant, and jobless at the same time (yes it was a double whammy for me), fearing that he would leave me (like I've been hearing gossip among my womenfolk in my family that men like to bail ship when they find out their gf/wives get pregnant). I told him right up front that he is free to leave, do it NOW and I'll be on my merry way. You know, I was very wrong about him (and men in general), he said, he was just as responsible as me to expect our child and he is going to stick by my side no matter what. He lived to that promise and more, every doting to his daughter, the only child we would ever have (due to our advanced age). We were making plans on getting married in the meantime before I knew I was pregnant too...it was an upheaveal in our lives and I didn't know how I was going to pull off the marriage part. He planned it most of it as in the location which I thought it was great! A Scottish Civil War wedding. What about our baby?! He replied, well, she is invited and wants to attend the wedding so she isn't going to wait LOL! So we spent the whole winter planning and it was wonderful! It only costed us $350 along with our friends and families attending.
We have been together for over 13 years, married for 8 years in June.
Looking back, I would love to grow old with him, sitting in our rockers, our love for each other are unspeakable and without words. We just know that our hearts are speaking with one another, a real soul mate. Despite of different upbringings, different personalities but we shared common interests and be able to conversate like anything else. We teach each other and grow together, richer in knowledge and accept our partner's differences and OK to disagree on the issues we will never agree on (hubby is evoluntionist (Darwin), I'm agnostic and dd is a Christian of non dem. faith. We are able to talk why we differ in these things that matters to life and what things don't matter as well.
The number of unmarried couples co habiting together are rising. Probably due to non commitment by both partners or cheaper insurance (medicaid is really bad about that!) and I don't see it as a problem when both partners live together and cohabit like married couples. I've had an aunt that just passed away (she is not married to my uncle but cohabit with him like a wife because she loves him and Medicaid benefits her better than his insurance plans...she had alot of medical problems). She was so thrilled to hear from us "Aunt Tracy" even she was not married nor wants to. They both were very very happy with that kind of arrangement. She also has her own grandkids who called her Grandma (those kids belong to my uncle's children from his first marriage). If the state of IL would allow "common law" , she would fit that category. Love that woman!
Here is our wedding picture when dd was a month and17 days old.