The best 7 1/2 years of my life was spent, in different abodes, but having a full life together otherwise. He was assigned to the Pentagon. I was working retail PT at 45 so I could make it through college studying computer forensics. So we had lives outside of each other for sure.

When we could wing it which was at least once a week, we'd be together day and night for a couple of days. In tween texts, phone calls, emails. I can remember one day that the only time we could pencil in was him running errands.

He picked me up, we ran all over creation and yacked along the way, grabbed something to eat, then he dropped me off before he headed back home.

He was blowing up my phone while I was in the middle of a final. He had snagged tickets to see Chicago in Baltimore. "I'll be the college kid standing out front!"

We did all the "norma" things couples did. he lvoed to cook and I loved to eat so match made in heaven. He'd tell me what he needed help with, he trusted me with sharp objects??) and I'd also help clear the dishes after.

We grocery shopped, pulled weeds, tended the garden, etc. but we never established (nor felt compelled to do so) titles.