Stages of Dating.

Dating is a weird thing.

There are several stages of dating.  Here they are, as told by Callie:

First, the AH-HA stage.  This is when you have the "Eureka! I've found him!" thought.   The "Holy smokes.  Man of my dream just walked by." and you just are noticing how great and perfect and handsome he really is.  Obviously he is way too cute to talk to.  No way would he be interested in me, so you lay low and just admire from afar.

Second, the flirty stage.  He finally says the first word and you get wicked nervous butterflies.  You just smile and nod because you're way too afraid that whatever you say is going to come out completely ridiculous and off the wall.  So, you just look like a bafoon nodding and smiling and try so hard to take in every single word he says and store in in your memory for safe keeping.

Third, being aggressive.   You've managed to strike up a conversation that involves more than just nodding and smiling.  You have committed to words and you're making a little bit of sense, you hope.   And then the unthinkable happens, he asks for your number.  You're wildest dreams finally come true and you smile the entire ride home.  You send out a mass text to your friends: "He finally got my number!"

Fourth, the first date.   Holy smokes.  It's here.  The first date.  He's coming to your house and you have spent the entire day getting ready and preparing.  You've painted your nails, flossed your teeth 3 times, shampoo and condition twice, fluff your hair, change your outfit 5 times and checked EVERY mirror in the house.   You are so nervous that you sweat the entire date and hope that he doesn't notice.   You got nervous butterflies and you revert back to the "nod and smile" technique.

Fifth, boyfriend and girlfriend.   You've made it past the awkward.  You've made it past the sweating.  Now, you're comfortable.  You LOVE him and he LOVES you.  You've said it.  In fact, you say it often.  You wear sweats around one another and sometimes he catches you without any makeup.  You feel safe telling him embarrassing things and you do almost everything together.  You know that he is yours and he knows that you are his.   It's comfortable and it's fun and it's cozy.

Now, reader, there are more stages.

But--I'm not expert at these because I've never been here before.   

I've never felt the way I feel now.

I've now reached a stage where I absolutely can not picture my life without Caden in it.  I don't ever want to go a single day without seeing him.  I want to spend all of eternity with this boy.  I want to buy a house together, raise a family together, hold hands when we are 80.  I want to sleep next to him all night, even if it's just to hear him snore.  

I want him to be the one who greets me at alter.  I want him to be the one holding my hand as I am giving birth to our first child. I want him to be the one to help pick out a home.  I want him to be the man of my house.  I want him to be the one I come home to and I want him to be the one I run all my decisions by.  I want him to by my partner, my companion, my husband, my best friend.  

I don't ever want my life to be without Caden.   There is no doubt in my mind that he is my soul mate.  No question about it.  Every single day I think that I could not possibly love him any more than I already do, and then the very next day I fall even more in love.   

I've hit the "I'm so happy that I cry happy tears the entire way home," stage.   

I don't know what this stage is called, I don't have a name for it, 

...but I know that it's definitely the best stage of all.