fyi. THIS is what I would do.

I don't know about anyone else out there, but after hearing someones story about some personal issue that they are going through or something like that, I tend to think... "how would I handle that?". I don't think it is about judging someone, it is more about learning from what they are doing.

For instance.. I have a co-worker whose significant other was in the hospital for a period of time. Nothing life threatening. I promise. It was for monitoring. Okayfine she is pregnant... and she was on bed rest. In a VERY good hospital. Every night my coworker would leave work and go stay in the hospital. Every night. For four weeks.

They have two dogs, they were moving apartments, but instead... she chose to go stay at the hospital. Her mom took the dogs and packed her apartment and cleaned the old place once the move happened.

I know... I get it... this is very noble. And blablahblahbalh.

This was something that I could learn from and gave me an opportunity to open up a conversation with Mic that went something like this:

Me: "Honey... HONEY!... LISTEN!"

Mic: "Yes dear.. I am listening" (obviously she is used to my random, completely out of the blue tangents that are increasingly becoming harder to follow the more I turn into my mother.)

Me: "Honey.. I need you to know.. if I am EVER in the hospital for a non life threatening reason... it just ISN'T necessary that you stay with me every night. You can just pop in.. tell me about your day... and then leave"

Mic: "oh.. oh.. um.. okay..."

Me: I look at her through squinty eyes..."You wouldn't have stayed anyways would you?"

Mic: "Is this where I am supposed to say I would never leave your side... because.. "

Me: "ohnevermind"

I think with age and learning from past relationships comes a certain sense of independence. I love my "time". I know it is a pretty basic way of thinking - but the more time we have apart, the more we savor our time together.

At the end of this month, we will celebrate our 5 year anniversary. When it is a celebration between she and I, we don't do big fancy things. Just knowing that she has chosen me and I her.. that is celebration enough. I feel so blessed that I have found someone who can (somehow) put up with my overly emotional tangents, my 100% desire to do something, start it... then get bored with it, my horrible habit of taking my socks of in bed.. then leaving them there, my night owl-ness and so many more things. Just as much as I adore her frankness, how smart she is, her crazy fear of killing bugs, her initial shyness when she meets new people and then, when she decides she feels comfortable enough--- lets them into her life with complete love.. and that is just the tip of the iceberg

I have a feeling this 5th year is going to be a doozy!

Aaahh... 5 years together.... it feels like 15 minutes...under water.

(harhar)