You know, I've been pondering the adult dating relationship a lot lately. I, personally, have never been in an adult dating relationship. I pretty much went from playing house to being married with kids. I was 19 when I got married. Drake was 2 weeks past 18 years. (The baby was six months premature...I swear!)

So, why have I been thinking about dating? It's mainly because I was flipping through some old journals of mine and was thinking about some old friends and something that was said about me by an ex boyfriend popped into my mind, "Man, I sure an glad Katie didn't trap me into marrying her like she did to Drake." Then, memories of something one of my "friends" said to me surfaced. She basically told me how sorry she felt for me because I was tied down with a husband and all of these kids when I should be out having fun and enjoying my early twenties. She also asked me why I didn't abort a few of them. Yeah, I haven't spoken to her since then.

Anyways, so I was pondering single adult life...it's perks and it's drawbacks. I've concluded that I wouldn't give up what I have for the world. I see my old friends and what they're doing, and while they may be having fun doing it, it's not what I want from life. I don't want to go out partying all the time. I don't want to go camping once a month with friends and spend the weekend drunk off my ass acting like a fool. And most of all, I NEVER want to date again! Oh my gosh, I HATED dating. I hated the games that went along with it. I hated the he said/she said, he didn't say/she didn't say, does he like me/does he not like me, is he dating me because he likes me/is he dating me because of a rumor he heard, is my boyfriend going to find out I'm kissing two other guys/can I keep it a secret from him LOL It was all just so much work.

Not that being married is a piece of cake. Goodness, it's SO far from it. I would say it's a LOT more work than dating, (wow, what an understatement!) However, it is SO different and the perks far outweigh anything negative that may come in your marriage.

There is a stability like none other. You always know that there is someone there for you. You know that if he doesn't call, he either has a damn good reason, or he is going to be in deep shit when he gets home and that's okay because he knows he should have called. You know he thinks you're beautiful and that everyone else truly does pale in comparison in his eyes. You know when he gives you compliments there is no ulterior motive. You know you don't need to keep one ear open for your parent's car pulling up in your driveway ;) Oh, and you get these little creatures if you're really lucky ;)

However, I do sometimes miss the butterflies you get in your stomach on a first date. The thrill of a first kiss. The ability to be spontaneous and just go out whenever you want to. I do often wonder what it would be like to have a boyfriend and to just say, "Hey, let's take a road trip," and just do it. I wonder what it would be like to have a job and have all of that money to spend on myself. I wonder what it would be like to be able to spend a week on vacation with the person you're seeing. I wonder what it would be like to be able to go on dates that involve more than pee wee golfing and dessert at the Ice Creamery.(That was about all we could do at the age I was when I actually went out on dates LOL) Sometimes the grass does seem greener on the other side.

Then I come back home and look around at what I have and realize that there is no reason for anyone to pity me. I know where I'm going in my life. I know who is going to be there tomorrow. I know that if I have a huge blowout earth shattering fight with my husband, by tomorrow he'll have apologized and things will be okay. (Because, afterall, I'm always right ;) ) I know that if every single person in the world hated me, I'd still have these six people in my life who will stay by my side and love me unconditionally.

Wow, this post was a lot deeper than I planned on it being! Quick Katie, say something witty...yeah, I've got nothin'.