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2004-05-21 - 11:01 a.m.


What is it about happiness?

Last night Marie and I took Chloe down to the community pool that sits at the center of our residential neighborhood.

Most of the places I have lived have had something like it: a pool, a "community center", a TV room, a small gym.

This one is a bit more than that.

There's the putting green, meticulously groomed, complete with multiple holes, approaches, speeds and of varying heights.

There's the par 3 golf course that rings around the park, the community center, the pool, beach volleyball court, and lazy river.

Yes, we have a 120 yard lazy river with waterfalls and mock-beach, that runs 24 hours a day...gently pulling children (and parents like me) around with the current, while sunbathers and hot-tubbers await, around every bend.

Our house is beautiful. It's not big, in fact, it's the smallest house on our street, the 2nd smallest in the neighborhood, at a modest 1590 sq ft. It has high ceilings and a wood burning fireplace, and a nice-sized yard, with two trees and a new stone bench for chloe to have "private time" in the back yard when fall comes around and the trees have grown to provide some sort of shade.

We have an amazing bathroom, island kitchen, walk in closet, creativity room for the girls, my office, a large living room, beautiful yard, and we are happy here.

Work.

I work for the most amazing company. They offer a benefits package that can't be believed. When I got my offer letter, it was 12k more than I asked for. They felt I would be unhappy making that amount.

They give me full medical, full dental, full vision, and a life insurance policy.

Free.

For me AND my family members.

They match profit sharing, up to 20% of my base salary. They gave me a huge sign-on bonus to make my move to Dallas easier on my wallet. They also offer 15% bonuses per year. That's 15% of my base salary. That will put us over 115k a year.

Marie and I will be married in September. We will marry in Mexico. Hopefully my friends will come. We can't afford it any other way, as her parents have changed their expected involvement level. This way we can pay for the hotels of our family, or at least take a huge chunk out of their costs, and still have a beautiful wedding, and an experience we will be able to relive forever.

She is so perfect. She loves Chloe so much, and I adore her for it . Things are hard for her, becuase she is so young, and responsibility is not something she is used to, but she is amazing. She is everything I could ever have asked for in a friend and a wife, and a mom. In a year or so, we will be expecting our second child.

When we see each other, in the morning, or at night, after work, we almost always embrace and kiss just a bit too long....

I am still attracted to her as much as I was the first day I saw her face. Probably more so, knowing her the way I do now, and having expectations based on experience, instead of the unknown.

I feel like I'm hogging all the happy.

(and yes, I realize I don't deserve it. That makes it even sweeter.)

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this wall has no mortar
Vitals:
35 Years old. 1971.
Taurus. Year of the Pig. Oink
Greying. Dyes, on occasion.
Blue/Green/Grey Eyes.
5'11. Okay, 5'10
215 pounds of boy
dad. married father.
love, big fan of/in
day: sr proj manager
night: pro wrestler (grr)

Links:
Tyler Likes Games
Steven Cloud: Luminary
Sleeping Jeff's Portfolio
Chloe's Unfinished Site
Penny-Arcade

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