Challenge Blvd

SHE SAID:

There are more than enough challenges for a relationship to endure without adding to them. For Tony and I, the challenges seem to come easy for us so far, as we really get along great and rarely fight and argue. We have discussions, sometimes, which turn into him getting what I'm trying to say and finally breaking down and agreeing with me so I'll shut up. Pretty simple, right?

I guess the only challenge (for lack of a better term) for us is a certain situation that tends to rear its ugly head every couple of months or so. A situation (again, for lack of a better term) in which we have gone pro at ignoring thus far. I mean, if there were an Olympic gold medal at ignoring we'd clearly win. Even as it continually gets louder and more obnoxious each time, we are quite content in our home adoring each other, living our lives.

But now we are thinking that our home should be a few hundred miles farther away ....


HE SAID:

I know everyone has heard the saying: "A relationship takes hard work." Well I have news for you. I already have a job that's plenty hard, especially in these times. My relationship shouldn't be another job. And it isn't. Sure, Maria gets angry with me from time to time. I'm a man, enough said. As men all we have to remember is to apologize. Seriously, tomorrow wake up and say three "I'm sorry"'s. But that's for another blog.
The thing to know here is we really do get along great.

Here's another one for you. A man's home is his castle. It's my sanctuary. This is where I go to get away from everything out in the world that ticks me off. So what do you do when the world breaches the lines of that sanctuary? We've chosen to ignore the majority of it, which is where Maria and I have reached the point of being experts. But now? Not only has the breach been widened but the dust has been blown completely off my shelves.

Seriously, it isn't Maria or myself that I am ever concerned about. We're adults, we can handle our own. No... It's the children that are affected by any and all disturbances. I have always said kids don't deserve our grown-up bulls*** or problems.
We don't want to leave, we like it here. Beaches, and salt water... Always something for the kids to do from kites to movies on the pier.

But have you ever heard of building your castle in a storm cloud?

Hermit

SHE SAID:

I am the person who loves to smile and be around people. I like to make people laugh and I like to laugh. In fact, the second I'm not smiling, I usually have people asking me what's wrong. Tony says I'm a people person.

So can you feel two different ways about the same thing? Because on most days, I'm oh so happy to be by myself... in quiet solitude, just me and my thoughts and daydreams and my books and myself and I. I'm quite content by myself. I swear I could become a hermit one day and live in the woods and grow a long white beard... well, maybe it wouldn't be long, per se.

But you get the idea.


He Said:

Maria talks a great game on the hermit front. But have you ever seen her facebook page? All of those people and comments, it drives me crazy.
What Maria really has is societal separation disease. (I just made that up) But it is where the patient really likes people, but doesn't want to be around them. Enter facebook, or myspace or any other social networking page you can think of. Now the patient can chat with and be friends with all these people and never have to be around them.

On the other hand just the mere breathing of people tends to annoy me. I don't trust people, trust has to be earned. And in my experience, if someone's lips are moving they are most likely lying. Feeling this way has a tendency to make it difficult to be around people. Which is why most of the time I work alone.
So, a hermit in the mountains fishing for trout? That I can relate to...

The Things About You

SHE SAID:

I am often reminded not to take a single day, moment, or breath for granted. So, I've decided to write a list of my 10 favorite things about Tony and why he's the best.

10. He is a walking encyclopedia of useless information. And my inner geek is fascinated by it.

9. Tony can not only fix my car if something goes wrong, he will always change the oil for me and fill up my windshield washer fluid. This is important since Tony and I have been together over 2 years now, I have been driving with a license for 14 years now and out of those 14 years, about 11 of those years I have had NO windshield washer fluid in my car. You do the math.

8. He buys me flowers.

7. I love the way he grabs me in the middle of the kitchen when we're cooking dinner and asks me to dance with him.

6. He will never leave the house or let me leave the house in the morning, no matter how big of a hurry I'm in, without telling me he loves me and giving me a kiss and telling me to have a great day.

5. He texts me on days I have a test at school to tell me good luck!

4. He locks the doors and windows at night. And if I hear a noise, he will investigate. Although, sometimes he scares the crap out of me and pulls out a gun and starts loading it or pulls out a baseball bat to investigate with.

3. Tony is a great father. He thoroughly enjoys his children and it shows! I fall in love with him more when I see him with baby Nick sleeping on his chest, taking pictures with Tasha, working on cars with Cody, building rockets with Denver, helping Joseph with math homework, or discussing books with Anthony. He is an excellent role model for all of the kids.

2. Tony is a very hard worker. He works hard every day for our family and never complains about it. Ever. Even now where he has to pick up more slack because I'm in school.

1. He is my best friend. I know people use that cliche much too often, but I really can talk to him about anything in the world and he always has my back. He is supportive and encouraging and he pushes me to be a better person, mom, friend, and he never wavers... even when I doubt myself.

HE SAID:

The least I can say is I'm flattered. Especially about the useless information part. I take great pride in knowing there are approximately 44,000 miles of coastline in Alaska, and that the capital of Texas once sat in the Louisiana Territory by mistake!

But seriously, of everything I could say about Maria there is one that stands out. One that took me completely by surprise the first time I saw it, and never ceases to amaze me. When someone does me wrong, it tends to anger me to a degree. But Maria on the other hand will turn red with anger over someone doing me wrong. If it meant correcting that wrong she would stand in the fires of hell.

And of course there's the little things that too often we overlook. The note hanging above my computer from her, the days she pops in where I'm working just to say hello, and some days to bring me lunch.

But the thing I admire about Maria the most is her refusal to be one of life's victims. Regardless what has happened or is happening to her, she will never cry the victim role. If it's a person causing the problems she'll cut them out of her life quickly, and if it's a situation she'll learn from it and move on. That I feel is deserving of my admiration.

Yes, we could use the best friend thing to encompass everything. Regardless whether you find someone you feel you could share everything with you rarely find someone you want to share it all with. There's a certain level of understanding we've realized that makes life easy and enjoyable together, there's no need to hide or lie to each other about anything due to that.
And finally it's nice to know that she shares a lot of the same values in raising children as I do. It's helping me grow as a parent and all of my children grow into adulthood.