I think the thing about the piece of paper was that it *did* mean something for me (and I am 29...the "younger generation" I guess). My parents had a terrible marriage and it really ruined parts of my childhood. I believe -- VERY strongly -- that I don't want my kids to experience what I experienced.

The paper -- and the marriage commitment -- meant that I was willing to have kids with Mr. Osuche. That I was confident enough in our compatibility, and his character as a person, to WANT to have kids with him. Until that moment, we were just having fun as two people can -- with no commitment for the future. A commitment to create a family. That's what the marriage meant to me.

And yes, I lived with him first -- several times over a 10 year span before we got married. It took me a long time to gain confidence that he was "the one" for me...not due to compatibility, but mostly because I wanted to see him in every situation possible and assess whether our relationship would stand the test of time.

I hope it will...we've grown a lot together over those 10 years. Been through moves, job changes, deaths in the family, richness and poorness, collapses in personal businesses, sickness, and (of course) many good times. And at the end of the 10 year "trial period" I loved him more...much more....than I ever could have imagined. Which gave me the cofidence to marry him.

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Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney