Dan and Shelley

Since Shelley ended up writing most of the last post (despite the appearance) I thought that I would do this one.  As usually I headed out Friday from work and drove as fast as I could to get there.  I did, however, leave work a few minutes late and after a quick stop for beer and some flowers, I arrived a bit before 9.  The kids were staying with their grandmother for the night so when I got there it was just Shelley and I.  We had pizza and a couple of beers then snuggled on the couch for a while.  We ended up going to bed pretty late but slept in a bit in the morning.

After we got up Saturday, showered, and had a little something for breakfast, Shelley went to get the children.  We had a very nice rest of the morning and afternoon.  We ended up taking the children to the mall so they could play in the little play area there.  We walked around for just a little bit as there really is not much to do in the mall after Nicky decided to try and escape twice.  He can be sneaky like that.  We had some hot wings for dinner and played games till it was time for the children to go to bed.  Nicky fought it a little, but that’s to be expected.  I had a bit of fun that night trying to see if I could get around the block on Shannon’s laptop that her cyber school put on there and after a while decided that there was some competent people  still left in the world when I couldn’t.  During that time we had the other beers and wound up snuggling on the couch, of course, before bed.

Sunday was just a nice relaxing day truthfully.  Nicky was up with the sun and  Shannon and I slept in for just a little bit longer.  Shannon did her lesson so that after lunch we could all go outside and play in the snow.  We made a six foot pirate snowman, threw a few snowballs, and even tackled each other into the snow.  We had to change clothes when we decided to come back in.  After a nice afternoon together and spending more time inseperable we knew it was time for us to part.  Personally I was hoping that Henry wouldn’t be able to make it out to the main roads for all the snow, but of course he could.  Not to mention as much as I wanted just one more day together, I knew he had to go to work the next day and I will always want one more day with him.  I love you and I cannot wait for the day when we never have to part.

So it wasn’t exactly on New Years but it was fairly close.   Funny thing is we decided on Tuesday evening for me to come out…I left Friday after work and drove straight to Shelley.  After a stop for gas, and taking a route around traffic that I thought would be faster, I arrived there a bit later than normal.  Either way though, I was so very happy to be there that time didn’t even matter.

I arrived to find just Shelley, anxiously waiting for me, the children were staying with their grandmother for the night.  We ate a light dinner of shrimp Alfredo then snuggled up on the couch for a while.  We went to bed rather late but since the children weren’t there, we slept in on Saturday morning.

Saturday we slept in for a while, got up and showered then played some games.  Originally we were supposed to have the children back by that afternoon, but Michele asked if they could stay another night.  Shelley and I agreed thinking how nice it was just to be able to spend this time with each other.  We decided to go ahead and go see a movie, Valkyrie. It was excellent by the way.  The only problem was that we left early to go see it, expecting traffic and there was none.  We wound up walking around Best Buy and PetsMart until it was time to go see it.  Oh, we took Henry over there and back as it had been a while since Shelley had been in him.  We actually went to bed early that night as we were both a bit tired.

Sunday Shelley picked up the children early and the four of us just had a really nice day together.  She made chicken and dumplings that turned out pretty decent.  Truthfully it was just a nice day at home with the family.  I had to leave, of course for work, but none of us wanted to part.  We put it off for quite a bit truthfully.  When I got home I called her as we always do and it honestly didn’t feel like I had left that long before the called.  We stayed on the phone for about an hour and a half just talking and that seemed to help the fact that we were not together, but not really.

So I know it wasn’t technically Christmas Day, but to me it was.  Dan drove in to see the children and me on Friday after he got off of work, which was an hour earlier because he had had an early day that day.  Shannon had went down to Michele’s for the evening and I had Nicky in bed well before Dan arrived.  I had a frozen pizza that I tossed into the oven when Dan called me and told me that he was getting close.  Unknown to me he had stopped on the way to pick up some Guinness to go with the pizza… it was a lovely dinner to me.  Dan even showed me a nice party trick to open up a beer.  We then exchanged gifts primarily because I couldn’t wait.  Which, by the way Dan, I truly do love mine.  We were inseparable the rest of the night, even getting in a little bit of slow dancing.

Saturday after we were up with the rooster thanks to Nicky, we really just relaxed.  I took Nicky down so that the children could go to a Christmas party with Michele so that was the perfect time for us to have a bit of free time with each other.  We wrapped presents, well I wrapped and Dan wrote out the tags and of course we were inseparable.  After I picked the children back up I made a type of Haluski for Dan to try.  It’s also one of the children and my favorite dishes.  After Dan helped me wash up the dishes I drove us all out to Overly’s .  I have to say it’s a bust.  The lights are not all that impressive and the two hour wait to get into the place most likely didn’t help matters at all.  I’m writing this so I won’t forget:  Do Not go to Overly’s or any other light display the weekend before Christmas… just don’t.  It’s going to sound like a good idea, but it’s not.  We got the children into bed right after we got home and put out the presents from Santa.  We finished the two beers left over from the night before and then Dan told me he had some more up in Henry so we drank those as well.  I do believe I was just a touch tipsy after that.

When the children woke up in the morning they were surprised to see Santa had come early.  They opened their presents and Dan even took pictures of them.  When all was opened they started to play with the tissue paper!  Oh well… I made chili for dinner but I started it right after lunch to give it a while to simmer.   Dan played board games with the children all day essentially and it was wonderful to watch them.  After the chili was simmering I joined Shanon and Dan in a couple rounds of Uno.  Literally one round we had to shuffle the deck five times.  It was an absolutly wonderful day and a wonderful weekend.  None of us wanted it to end, but it did unfortunatly and now I anxiously await for when we can be together again.

So this one was actually planned some time ago.  Since Shelley had a Christmas party for her work, we had planned this weekend some time back.  As it turned out, since the party was on Friday, it was just as easy for me to take Friday off and actually get out there Thursday.  So I left Thursday right after work, and I literally ran to my car.  I made fairly good time really and got there before 9.  We curled up on the couch for a while and had some pizza for dinner.  We stayed up a bit but both of us were quite tired so we turned in.

Friday we got up, Shelley did before I, Nicky was up and moving.  She was nice enough to let me and Shannon sleep in a bit though.  After we were all up, Shelley made breakfast then after a shower, we headed over to her Mom’s house.  We went on the trolley downtown for a bit with the children then went back to her Mom’s were stayed until it was time to go to the party.  We actually stopped at the hospital on the way so that I could meet some of the people that she worked with.  We were there for about a half hour then headed to the party.  It started off a bit slow, basically just eating dinner, but then things got a bit more wild and there was dancing and drinking and it was a lot of fun.  After we’d had our fun, we headed back to her house for the night.  After getting home, and putting away her hermit crabs (they were her secret Santa gift) we turned in for the night.

We both slept in on Saturday morning and I don’t think we made it out of bed until like 11.  We had a shower and got ready to go back to her Mom’s.  We got detoured by a parade and stopped briefly for something to eat but still made it there before it got too late.  We were there for a few hours before heading out to see some Christmas lights.  We made the mistake of letting Ron (Shelley’s Step-dad) use his new Garmin GPS to get us there….  After something like 2 hours, and driving in circles, we finally made it.  It was only later we discovered that it should have been a short 20 minute drive.  We then (once again) let him use the GPS to get us home….  Another 2 hours of driving and again going in circles a number of time, we made it….well somewhere.  We stopped at an Eat-n-Park and had dinner.  After that, we parted ways with Ron and his GPS.  They had to take Shelley’s sister’s kids home so we just headed back to Shelley’s moms house.  We got back rather late and Nicky didn’t take long to be ready for bed.  Shannon had gone with Ron so she got home later and we pretty much straight to bed as well.  What should have taken maybe 2 hours all together took somewhere on the order of 6….  Shelley and I didn’t stay up much later that night.

We woke up Sunday and as always, Shelley let me sleep in.  She was up a bit earlier with the children.  We hung around her Mom’s house all day playing with the kids and watching TV.  We had some of the best soup I think I have ever had as an early dinner.  As the afternoon drew on, it became more and more apparent that I was going to have to leave soon.  I didn’t want to be home too late so I decided on a 5PM departure time….  Shelley decided to leave at the same time so after helping her get everything packed up, we left around 5:30.  I think we drug it out as much as possible because neither of us wanted to go.  As we pulled out of her Mom’s house, we drove together for a short distance then I turned off to head for home….  I tried so very hard not to but as soon as her car was out of sight, I couldn’t help it and broke down crying.  I love our time together but I hate when it has to end.  All in all though, it was a wonderful weekend and it was very nice to be able to spend some time with the children.  I love you my dear Shelley and nothing will ever be able to change that.

Yeah, so here we are again with an unplanned date.  Weird, random and kinda silly I know but that really describes us doesn’t it?  Dan left me a message before I got to work on Thanksgiving night asking me if I would want to go out there for the weekend.  We would have to stay at his Mom and Dad’s though.  Mind you he asked me before he asked them if the children and I could go.  Of course hearing how excited he was and knowing myself, I went.  There really wasn’t another choice.  I finished up work Friday morning, got the car inspected that afternoon, which took forever and a day, picked up the children from their one grandmother’s house and left.  I met him outside an Office Max around 7ish I do believe.

So saying I was nervous as hell, really doesn’t quite describe it.  Not only was I meeting them for the first time, but also staying with them for two nights.  I knew I would have to meet all of them sooner rather than later, but that didn’t make it any easier.  I cannot tell you how sweet and wonderful though I found all of his family.  Everyone was exceptionally nice to me and loved the children.  People I didn’t know was coming up to me hugging me and his Grandmother even had an ornament for me and the children, but I get ahead of myself a little.

I followed Dan to his parent’s house.  It’s an absolutely beautiful house.  As soon as I was there and met everyone I felt instantly at ease.  We were only up for a little while, playing around with the children on the floor, before we took them upstairs and to bed.  Nicky put in a rough night, but that’s not too unusual after spending nights away from me.  Dan stayed with me, helping me to relax and get the children to sleep.  He didn’t have to, but it was wonderful to actually get help.  Of course him and I were inseparable that night, though I sent him away in the wee hours of the morning because of Nicky’s night terrors.  I knew he was exhausted and not used to only getting a little bit of sleep a night.  I the early morning I heard an alarm clock beeping for a long time.  I of course had to investigate and found that it was his brother, Tim’s.  I was tempted to wake him, but thought better of it.  I just didn’t know how he would take to being woken up by me.  The kids woke up and could only ask me where Dan was since he wasn’t right there when they woke up…

After a relaxed morning we got ready and went to his paternal Grandmother’s house.  I let Dan drive my car and I didn’t find out later just how nervous he was to do that with the children in the back.  Again, everyone was as sweet as they could be.  The children even had some other children to play with.  They took a family portrait and made sure to include me and the children.  That really touched me, it really did.  Then after sitting down to a delicious dinner a present was handed out to every one.  I didn’t expect to be in the picture and I really didn’t expect to be included in that, but we were.  There was one for all three of us, which of course got hung on the tree as soon as we got home by the children.  There was even a time where I kinda went off to the side like I tend to do and Dan came to find me.  We spent all afternoon there and left after dark.  Of course I let Dan drive home.  Nicky was asleep in the car before too long so when we got back to Dan’s parent’s house I laid him down.  He defiantly put in a much better night than the one before.  By the way, Shannon passed out both nights and again, Dan and I were inseparable and he stayed where the kids could see them when they woke up.

Sunday we got ready for church in the morning.  They couldn’t find a stopper for the one tub so Dan’s mom told us to give them a bath in her huge tub.  The kids thought they had died and gone to heaven I’m sure.  I was almost as big as their little pool for outside.  Dan helped me wrestle with them and we eventually all got cleaned up and went to church.  At first I had the children with me, but then I was told of a nursery so I let them go in there and have fun.  Dan’s Mom played the flute for the service along with what I take is the regular players which included his Dad on guitar.  She played quite well, though you could tell she was nervous.  The service was actually quite nice and it’s been a long time since I can remember going to church and enjoying it.  From there we went back to their house for his Mom’s side Thanksgiving.  Again, everyone was completely wonderful to me and the children and it was such a wonderful evening with them.  I knew I would have to leave soon, so that put a damper on things, but I was welcomed as one of them.

I had to leave, but I still hate doing it.  Dan lead us out to the highway and I of course cried when he got off at the first exit.  I wanted to turn around and go back to him.  The ride back was fine, except that it rained all the way.  The children wanted to go back, truthfully they didn’t want to leave and I felt the exact same way.  I know that he is going to be back in just a few short days to my arms, but it never helps.  I just know it doesn’t feel right not being with him.  I’ve told you a million times by now Dan and I plan on telling you many times a million throughout our lives, I love you.  I love you with all my heart.  The children love you too and you are more their father than you think.  I love you.

So this one was a bit different, we were emailing back and forth Saturday night, as we often do when Shelley is at work, and she made a comment about me coming out tomorrow (which would have been Sunday the 23rd).  I wrote back and said that you know I would and well….after that we made plans to meet up at her place around 7:30 in the morning, about the time she gets home from work.  I couldn’t believe that it was actually happening and I was so excited that I had trouble sleeping….which wasn’t good because I only had a few hours to sleep anyway.  I left here by 4AM and let me tell you, there was nobody on the road.  After a quick stop for gas and some caffeine, I made it there about 7:15, just a few minutes before Shelley got home from work.  I made it to her car just as she opened the door and despite the cold, I swear we must have been in each other’s arms for at least a few minutes.  Honestly though…..time just didn’t matter.  We spent most of the day completely inseparable from each other’s arms but did manage to get the Christmas tree put up and most of the decorations as well, though we didn’t get to the outside lights.  After what seemed like FAR too short of a day, I had to leave since I had to work the next morning.  I departed around 7:15PM making my stay there a very short 12 hours.  Honestly, despite the 7 hours of driving, it was well beyond worth it and without a doubt, question, or hesitation I would certainly do it again.  So after all was said an done, it was yet another one of the most wonderful days of my life.  I love you Shelley and I wouldn’t have traded our time for anything.  It was, as all our time is, amazing, wonderful, and incredible.  I love you my dear Shelley and I truly always will.

So, here we are again, but this time it’s actually not that long since our weekend together.  I wouldn’t get used to it though, seems we both have a problem putting into words what it’s like to be with each other.  I know we also promised a picture, but that didn’t happen either… we have promised to each other to make a better attempt next time.  Honestly, time flies by so quickly when we are together that that is the last thing I’m thinking about until it’s way too late.  Let me go back to the highlights though…

Dan was actually sweet enough to get to leave work early, around noon, on Friday so he made it over to my apartment around a little after 4.  We stayed insuperable for about 2 hours then as his tummy was rumbling a little, we decided to go get something to eat.  I took him to Big Jim’s and we had a white pizza.  No beer, but it was still good.  I don’t know what it is with us and pizza, but I’m not complaining.  Then we decided to go watch a movie together for the hell of it.  ‘Eagle Eye’ had just started playing so we decided to go for it.  I mean, there’s usually 20 minutes of previews and this one was no exception.  We went all the way to the back row, pulled up the center arm rest and curled up together.  I can honestly say it was the best movie experience I’ve ever had.  I am officially spoiled from that experience and yes, we did see the movie… the movie itself was pretty good, but the end kinda fizzled out.  From there we went back to my place and didn’t manage to get out of bed until about a little after noon, not that either one of us complained.

So after we got cleaned up, some pancakes and coffee later we went over to my Mother’s to go to a Challenge trail as they called it.  It’s like Halloween puzzles that you had to solve along this trail.  Honestly, it was really quite fun.  We went with my parents and Aunt Rita and all so we couldn’t be as free about our kisses as we usually are, but we still had fun.  Even though I got made fun of for getting just a little scared at the end.  After there we all went to Eat ‘n Park to eat and didn’t make it to my Mom’s till late that night.

We wound up just taking it easy the next day and went over to my sister’s house with my Mom and Ron.  So pretty much Dan has gotten to meet everyone in my family that lives up here and everyone loves him.  Even my Mom, which is saying something.  She hasn’t liked a single guy that my sister or I have brought for her to see.  Though, unfortunately, our time together had to draw to an end.  I didn’t want him to go home or if he did, I wanted to go with him.  I just want to be by his side for the rest of my life.  When we part it always seems as if a part of me is gone.  We didn’t know when we would be together again and even though I know now when we will be, it never seems soon enough.  I can honestly say that if there was any doubt in my mind before that he loved me, it’s completely gone.  There is no doubt anymore.  My sweet Dan, you have gone through hell just to be with me and I wish to spend the rest of my life making sure it’s filled with as much joy as possible.  I truly love you.

Again, this is well over due but I suppose the old phrase goes “Better late than never” so here it is.  Our second date took place over the weekend of September 19-21st.  We did actually try to take a picture of the two of us together….but none of them came out so perhaps next time.

Anyways, so I left work around 5 and drove like crazy to get there, arriving probably around 8:30 but quite honestly, time was the last thing on my mind.  I met Shelley at a small parking lot a few minutes from her house.  As I pulled in, I understood how she felt before as I struggled to open the door of my car.  As I stepped out, I was greeted by the most wonderful person in the entire world.  As everything else around us just disappeared, we spent what seemed like hours in each other’s arms, though it was not nearly that long.  From there, I got back in my car and followed Shelley back to her house, where we parked my car and headed to a late dinner.  We ate dinner at a nice little Italian place that was very, very good.  From there we then went back to Shelley’s house and stayed in for the night.

Saturday we slept in until we had to get up to pick up the children from Shelley’s mother’s house.  They had stayed there the night before.  We spend a short while there then headed down to the river for the dragon boat festival.  It was very nice, though the lack of many dragon boats was rather disappointing.  We still had a good time though, and the children seemed to enjoy it as well.  From there we stopped at one of the two inclines along the river, and rode it to the top to get a view of the city.  The view was superb, even during the day, but more on that later.  After that we went to grab a rather late lunch at another Italian where all four of us split a white pizza.  It was quite enjoyable.  We then headed back to Shelley’s place later in the afternoon before Shelley had to drop of the children at so that their biological father could have them for the night.  We spend a short while at home then headed back out after dark to the same incline, this time with a camera.  We rode it back to the top, just the two of us, and shot a number of pictures of the city at night.  We did make an attempt to shoot a picture with the both of us but it didn’t come out well at all.  It was getting quite late by the time we got done, but we made a quick stop at the golf course near her house to see if we could get another view of the city, but it was too far away.  We then headed home for the night.

On Sunday we again woke up a bit later, though not as late as on Saturday.  It was something that neither of us wanted to face, my last day there, but we got ready and decided to make the best of it.  We headed out to “South Park” and spent nearly the whole day there.  We went to the duck pond, looked for buffalo, walked through some flowers, and witnessed a wedding.  As the day started to wind down, it was getting harder and harder to even think about leaving.  I could tell that she didn’t want me to go….and quite honestly I really didn’t want to.  But as we all know too well…time waits for no one.  As it started getting later, we headed back to Shelley’s place to pick up my car.  I then followed her down to a little park right near her house, which also happened to be right across the street from the parking lot where we met Friday night.  We spent just a few short moments before I had to leave.  I can honestly say that it was the hardest thing I have ever done….to watch her car fade away in my mirror.  As I drove around the edge of Pittsburgh and through the two tunnels….it really hit me.  I fought and fought with myself and can’t possibly tell you how hard it was for me not to turn the car around and head back to her.  The drive home was rather un-eventful.  I called her shortly after I arrived home to talk for a little while, where I could tell that I wasn’t the only one that was sad.  The card that she left me though made me smile, and has since be stored in the visor of my car, where I read it at least daily.  But I digress, as perfect as our first weekend was; this one was just as much so.  I found myself falling deeper in love with the most wonderful person in the world.  I eagerly await our next date in less than a week now.  And just in case there was every any doubt, I love you Shelley and I always will.

A day apart
From you my dear
Feel like forever
When we aren’t near

The things I feel
I can’t define
I love you Shelley
And you are mine

But those three words
Will never show
What I truly feel
In my heart, so

A lifetime together’s
Not near enough
Time with you
To say the stuff

That I really feel
For you my dear
All words fall short
None come near

I love your laugh
Your silliness too
The way you smile
Everything you do

There’s not one thing
That I don’t love
About you Shelley
It is all of

That I want
And ever did
And so much more
It can’t be hid

I love you Shelley
And always shall
I am your Dan
Forever and now

Yeah, I know this is well over due.  Our weekend was actually August 1-3 and only now am I getting around to writing about it.  It’s hard though to try and describe how a perfect weekend is… truth be told, we didn’t even stop to take a picture of us together and anyone who knows Dan, knows how unusual that is.  So when we get together next we have promised to take some pictures and post them.

So, back to describing our weekend.  I was able to get there a bit earlier than we originally expected which was a welcomed bonus.  I drove up to the hotel and my first sight of Dan in person was of him sitting in the grass waiting for me.  That picture of him is truthfully burned into my memory forever, he just looked so perfect.  I waved and it took all I could do not just to pull over right there, but I drove just a short distance and went ahead and parked.  After I parked I looked over and saw him looking down at me, went to open the door only to realize I hadn’t unlocked my door.  I fumbled at that for a moment, truthfully I’m surprised I even remembered to pull the emergency break at that point.  I cannot describe how wonderful it felt to be in his arms, how just perfect it seemed to me, but suffice it to say, we were there in that one spot for a time.  I couldn’t even tell you how long.   From there we got into Dan’s car and he drove to the Griggs dam, then on down the river a bit until we found a spot to get out.  We wound up sitting there at the bank with water lapping at our feet, watching the water and the sunset for quite some time.  Yes, we were both still so nervous and shaking a bit, but it felt so wonderful sitting there with him, his arm around me, looking at this beautiful river.  After it became dark, we slowly went back to the hotel.

Saturday after breakfast, Dan drove me up to where he works, then to Innswoods, where I absolutely fell in love with the place.  We spent a bit just walking through the many beautiful paths.  Then we decided to go on one of Dan’s drives and do a bit of getting lost in Southern Ohio.  I’m proud to say that we were completely successful in getting lost.  Many gravel roads, slow children signs, huge stars on multiple houses and never finding one overlook later Dan was looking for somewhere for us to watch the sunset.  Unfortunately time was against us and we didn’t find the perfect secluded place, but I did get to watch the sun go down through Dan’s window, so it was still wonderful to me.  We returned to the hotel and because I had a sheltered life apparently in never having pizza and beer, that was what our dinner in the room was.  Pepperoni pizza and beer do go rather well together.

Sunday, we went to Dan’s company outing at the Columbus Zoo and waterpark.  The Columbus Zoo is the best zoo I have ever been to and we had a wonderful time walking around.  Fluffy was a bit disappointing, but that’s officially the best name for a large snake in the world.  We spent the evening in the waterpark and had an absolute blast.  Playing around in the water, laughing and being silly together.  Then as the sun started to decline we realized it was about time to get going.  The whole way out both of us dragged our feet, I mean that literally.  We walked as slow as possible I think.  Neither one of us wanted to go because that meant we would have to part, but sadly it had to be done.  I cannot tell you how hard it was to leave him and how hard it was not to come back to Pittsburgh, grab up the children and return back.  Never have I just wanted to be with someone like that… never have I felt so much love for someone.

So I guess to sum up everything, it was the best weekend of my life.  It may sound like we didn’t really do anything, hell, we didn’t even turn on the t.v. or radio the entire weekend, but to me I wouldn’t change anything.   The perfect weekend… our first date.