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Originally Posted by TBSakaJ9
It's just as you move forward in the R, especially at our age, eventually there is a decision that will be made.


Hmmmmmmm - really? Because I think it's the opposite. When you are or we were in our 20s or 30s, yes, for sure the expectation would be moving toward marriage and having kids. But at "our age" kids are likely off the table. For many, so is marriage. Not to say people don't live together, etc. but if anything the expectation for people in their later 40s, in their 50s, for certain 60s, 70s, and 80s marriage is just not as typical or nearly as expected. Or is that just my mindset?

Beyond that, 8 months really is pretty short. Even for those marriage-minded people in their 20s and 30s, less than a year before getting engaged is not as typical.

I'll, confess, you're situation would scare the bejesus out of me. But that's because I don't want to get married - yet if I was dating someone who I was told or I felt that I am the luckiest man alive and would be a fool to say no to, what do I do then? I don't want to lose her but I also don't want to marry her. Then again, I was sort of told this by people about my ex W before we got married. She's the best thing, and I'd be a fool if I let her go, blah, blah, blah - that is until we got divorced and the same people then told me they knew it wouldn't last and wondered why I married her in the first place!!! Yeah, no kidding - they wanted to have it both ways - and kinda did!

You've also not been divorced that long and this really is your only serious R post D. I'm not at all suggesting you look for something better - you may be the luckiest guy. I just think you'll have a better confirmation of that at 18 months versus 8. And remember, her son is part of the deal.


DonH
Midwest
Me 56
WAW-EXW 55
Met 11/95 / Married 5/00
Bomb 6/20/05 / She Filed on 6/2/06 / Divorced on 10/9/06
4 who'd qualify as GF since D & dated about 25 women since D
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I guess what I mean is that our age most people know what they want and don’t waste time messing around. I agree 8 months is a very short time and after coming out of a D even shorter considering all the pain that was involved.

I agree 1.5 to the 2 year mark is a better time frame. I think I dated my Xw for almost 2 years before I proposed and another year before we got married.

And yes, they are a package deal.....along with her 73 old mother that lives in town and her 50 yr old sister that comes to town and stays with her once a month for a weekend. As a doctor they also rely on her for a lot of support as well, more emotional than financial but as they age she will become the caretaker of the family.


Married 14, Together 17
M: 44, W: 43, D: 8, D: 6
M: 46, W: 45. D: 10. D: 8 (CUR)
Bomb Dropped: 5/28/2017
Separation Date: 6/17/2017
Divorce Filed: 2/7/2018
Divorce Final: 4/12/2018
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Just read this on FB and thought it was a good way to view the doctor's son's behavior:

"Every time you think of calling a kid "attention-seeking" this year, consider changing it to "connection-seeking" and see how your perspective changes.

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KML - that post made me teary eyed. Very, very true.


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H: 43
Twins age 5
WAH in summer
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Yes, I agree. Very cool. Thanks for sharing and I can really see that in him. He has no Male that is consistently in his life to model behavior after.


Married 14, Together 17
M: 44, W: 43, D: 8, D: 6
M: 46, W: 45. D: 10. D: 8 (CUR)
Bomb Dropped: 5/28/2017
Separation Date: 6/17/2017
Divorce Filed: 2/7/2018
Divorce Final: 4/12/2018
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kml - as always - raises a good point. I recall with B's GS3 that he would also be very attention seeking and get quite wound up and aggressive. What worked with him was making him the centre of attention for a while, usually holding him on my lap and rubbing his back (something B taught me). Yelling or other disciplinary measures were counter productive.

B's opinion was that he was acting out because he had had so little stability in his life and was so used to people being temporary that he acted the way he did as a result. Over the months he certainly calmed down a lot and I recall in the last few times I spent time with him he would ask me out of the blue quite regularly if I loved him. Not being able to prove to him that people do care and do stick around is certainly one of my bigger regrets on that relationship ending.


On BD
H52, W50
T27, M26
S21, D23
BD-9-Mar-16
D-15-Jan-18 Final-19-Apr-18
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But a story is never for the listener. It is always for the one who tells
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Totally agree with kml. Sadly, I have to remind myself of this often since I deal with "kids". Granted, I'm not dealing with little kids like the dr's son, but I think we are quick to judge all ages of kids based on specific moments in time or specific actions and we kind of forget to take a step back and look at the big picture. I have no doubt, if you and the dr do go all in, you would be a wonderful role model for her son. And, I also have no doubt that he would settle in and not be so...……….rambunctious? annoying? bratty? spoiled? (Not really sure what word to use here and don't want to be offensive.) Based on all the things you have said, I think the kid is already trying to test your boundaries. He's the little king, being doted on by all the women in his life and now here comes this dude, taking away some of the attention that he gets from the main one doting on him.

I'm just glad to see that you finally have a woman who is exactly what some of us ladies told you was possible. We all said there were good, strong, caring, attractive, loving, loyal women who weren't game players and while I think you (and most of the other men on the board) were pretty skeptical, you have found EXACTLY what we said all along absolutely did exist. I'm really glad for you and for her.


Me 52, H53
Bomb drop 9/29/2014
Divorce from XH final 12/17/2014
Marriage #2 12/31/2019
5 adult (step)daughters (3 from XH's first marriage, 2 from current H's previous relationships)
6 grandkids
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Thanks D, yes she is all of those things....including arrogant, it comes out more when she is drinking. Dont get me wrong, she all of those positive qualities however she is very proud to be a dr. Truthfully she doesn't need a man for anything other than the fact that she doesnt want to be alone but I can see a weak, needy man wouldnt stand a chance. Many times she has commented to me about how in her marriage she earned the money, I dont think she approached it as they were a team. She had also commented how she was not a good wife either. I know what she values in me however if we were ever to move forward in marriage she would have to not hold money over my head. I have no issues having prenups, separate accounts, etc. But she couldnt hold it over my head.


Married 14, Together 17
M: 44, W: 43, D: 8, D: 6
M: 46, W: 45. D: 10. D: 8 (CUR)
Bomb Dropped: 5/28/2017
Separation Date: 6/17/2017
Divorce Filed: 2/7/2018
Divorce Final: 4/12/2018
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I guess it has been a bit so i will provide an update.

My parents have been in town for the last two weeks staying at my house. It has been nice having them in town but I have been missing my alone time. This past weekend was the Dr's sons birthday so I got to meet her mom for the first time and my parents also got to meet her, her mom and her sister. I also met her xh at the birthday party. No issues, everyone got along real well, no red flags that came up. It was actually really nice and it seemed that everyone fit well together. Her mom is 74 but an old 74, her sister is 49 and kind of chatty cathy but they are all super nice people. Her xh was fine. I can see why they didnt work out, he is very arrogant and a used car salesman ( he is in sales but when I met him that is what he reminded me of). He was cool though, no issues, I shook his hand, the Dr. introduced us and then when I left I made a point to go shake his hand again and told him it was nice meeting him. Again, no issues.

She has still not met my mom or stepdad yet which wont happen until the holidays.

In other news my oldest scored the game winning goal on Saturday so she was excited about that. I thought I was going to meet my xw's BF yesterday when she came to pick up the girls but it ended up being her BF the came into town for the weekend. When my XW texted me she said "we are on our way" which is why I thought it was her BF.

So I guess that is it, not much else exciting going on. My parents approved of the Dr., they also got to see her son in action and their take on the situation is that he is just immature, an only kid, very tender, and doesn't have any men in his life to model himself after. The important people in his life, the ones he spends all of his time with are women. His mom, nanny, grandma, and aunt. His dad only 4 days a month and he won't enroll him or take him to any activities if does not fall on his 4 days of the month. He also lives about 45 minutes away. My dad told me I could really be a positive influence on his life.

Things have picked up a little but I am still just hanging out, hooking up and having fun smile


Married 14, Together 17
M: 44, W: 43, D: 8, D: 6
M: 46, W: 45. D: 10. D: 8 (CUR)
Bomb Dropped: 5/28/2017
Separation Date: 6/17/2017
Divorce Filed: 2/7/2018
Divorce Final: 4/12/2018
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Originally Posted by TBSakaJ9

Things have picked up a little but I am still just hanging out, hooking up and having fun smile


So, this might sound like a loaded question, but I'm really just genuinely curious. At what point does it go from the 3 H's to an actual committed relationship for you? I mean, from this angle, it looks like commitment, but from your description of 3 h's it sounds like just a casual fling. I am fascinated by how people think and what makes them tick, so that is where the curiosity stems from. And, I can always stand to learn a thing or 2 from people who think differently than I do.


Me 52, H53
Bomb drop 9/29/2014
Divorce from XH final 12/17/2014
Marriage #2 12/31/2019
5 adult (step)daughters (3 from XH's first marriage, 2 from current H's previous relationships)
6 grandkids
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