Papa Bear and Mom on Wheels - A Love Story (Pt 1)

As I'm still pretty new here, which means most of you are new to me, I'd like to tell you a bit more about all of us beyond what you'll find in the "About Us" section. Tonight I'll be writing about my relationship with Papa Bear; it's a great story and I don't want to leave anything out, so I'll be breaking it into parts. Each of the kids will also get their own post in the next few days.

When I moved back to my home state after attending an out-of-state university, it was with the expectation that my long-term boyfriend would be joining me in time. He actually came down here when I moved, and put in lots of job applications. We talked daily, but after about a month he told me he was no longer satisfied with the state of our relationship, and wanted some "space". (Umm, 1000+ miles wasn't enough space??) I told him that if after four years he wanted his space, then he could have it, and hung up the phone. That was the last time I spoke to him for about a year - more on that later.

After a couple of months, I started going out to try and meet new people, and some of my coworkers tried fixing me up as well. It was into August now, and I was preparing to resume my studies at a smaller college near home. My parents were going on a weekend trip, and all week long I was back and forth whether or not I wanted to go with them, and ultimately decided that being the last weekend before classes started that I'd rather stay home and get prepared. This seemingly simple decision wound up changing the course of my whole life.

While they were gone, they asked me to stick around home one afternoon so the cable company could send out a service technician. Lo and behold, the cable guy turned out to be an old friend from grade school. We sat and caught up, with me filling him in on my recent move back home and current relationship status, and before he left he asked for my number to pass on to his best friend, who was also single. Despite not talking to his friend, he promised I would receive a phone call by the end of that night. That night however, I had a blind date; one of my coworkers was fixing me up with a coworker of her husband, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out. That blind date was a DISASTER, I had nothing in common with this guy, and probably spent more time talking to my coworker and her daughter than my "date". But in a case of perfect timing, while the two guys were out picking up pizza, my phone rang.

Now as Papa Bear tells it, he was sitting at home minding his own business, when his friend - my cable guy - stops in and starts going on and on about crossing paths with some girl he knew ages ago. Then Cable Guy dropped a bombshell: he's already promised this girl that she'd get a phone call by the end of the night, so Papa Bear had better take this number and call this girl so he doesn't screw things up. And call the girl he did.

As I was still trying to be polite to my coworker for her attempts to fix me up, I told my unknown caller I wasn't able to talk right then, but I'd call later when I got back home. Papa Bear was convinced I was blowing him off, and was quite surprised when I actually kept my word and returned his call. We ended up having a great conversation, during which he invited me to a barbecue he was throwing at his house the next afternoon. I told him that sounded great but I was without access to a car, so he said as long as I didn't mind coming over early while he was cooking, he'd be happy to come pick me up.

The next day I was filled with nervous excitement, a feeling I hadn't experienced in a very long time. I was actually ready early, and peeking out the front windows waiting for him to show up! How would things turn out?? Well, you know the end result, but to find out what happened you'll have to read part two!