Soon after Joe brought the toolbox, we went on our first date. Mom watched the kids. When Joe and I went into her house to drop them off, I swear he gave them a little bow! His ‘courting’ began in earnest. I would come home from work to find flower beds planted or a garden tilled. My love language is acts of service and boy was he speaking it!

One day he invited the kids to go fishing at an area pond. They in turn invited their friends and the next thing I knew, Joe and five kids were off to catch a big one. Curious as to how he was holding up, I drove by to see how things were going. As I walked up he was calmly untying a knotted line. A fishhook from Mia’s line was stuck in his shirt! Zoe wanted her hook baited. Marley had caught a fish….it was utter chaos. He just looked at me and smiled a gentle smile and resumed his instruction. That’s when I felt it, the first stirrings of something much deeper than attraction.

Life was busy with homeschooling in the mornings and working in the afternoons. We joined flag football, Awanas and a co-op. The kids and I were healing, growing and figuring out a new rhythm to our Delaware life. Having my family near after twenty years of being in Virginia Beach was sweet. My Mom was taking care of Gramma Kate as well as my niece so we traveled in a large rambunctious group.

One day as I was getting ready for work Malia started throwing up. Plans were scratched as I tried to get my now three year old comfortable. The next thing I knew, Zoe had it. She was in one bathroom while Mia was in the other. I was rushing around, running baths, then another man down. Marley succumbed to it as well! All three needed medicine, cleaning up and comforting. In the midst of the kerfuffle, Joe knocked on the door. He walked in, looked me up and down, picked the vomit off my foot. He then stripped the beds and started the laundry. That was it, I was completely smitten now. The age difference, which was huge in my mind, suddenly lost it’s stronghold. No one cares how much of an age difference you have when the shit hits the fan. Or in this case, the vomit hits the toe.

Shortly after V Day ( vomit day) Joe asked the kids if it would be ok if he kissed me. As I pulled into the driveway from work, they were all there waiting for me. The four of them had these mischievous grins on their faces. Joe opened the door to my station wagon and kissed me right there! The kids cheered and clapped. Our relationship was officially official.