Time to FLY : A short memorable visit ~ The continued Fairy Tale

The ticket had been purchased, plans were made for the children too be tended to while I was gone, the outfit that was to be worn was laid out, the tan was on, the necessities were put into place for the early morning ahead of myself.

I had planned to take a carry on, then I looked over at the main surprise that I’d put together and realized that if I went through security with such an item, I may have to put some of it to rest or it may not arrive as I had planned and all the work that I’d put into it, I didn’t want to chance it. The decision to bring a check bag was made, with the help and reminders from a few face book friends. A quick change in plans.

Sometimes, 4:30 AM seems early, yet this time it didn’t matter to me what time it was, for in a few hours I’d be in his arms. I prepared my arrival in Denver and dolled myself all up, for this time I was NOT arriving in a just some clothes. I decided that this time, when he sees me, he will not know what to think nor would he want to ever take his eyes off me!!! The hair was ironed, the dress was short and the heels were high, knowing full well, he’d love what he see in front of him, only based off of what he’s shared previously with me. He has told me all he wants is the ‘real’ me. Well, this is a side of me that loves to show up unexpectedly every so often.

There were some hiccups in the AM on the way to the terminal, yet, I prayed and asked for the ‘right’ answers and boom, it all worked out. I also made a lot of new friends on the way to the airport!! Networking and connecting with others is KEY in my life and I take all opportunities to do so.

When we arrived at the terminal, the transition to the gate was extremely smooth. Was it due to the fact that I was all dolled up or was it just a fluke thing, I’m not entirely sure, but I was treated with the utmost respect and kindness the entire time I was in the airport and on the plane. As I boarded the plane, I was sat in between two men. The one near the window shared where he was going and the travels he’d had, his children and some more of his life. He then proceeded to ask me why what was bringing me to Colorado, I shared with him the new romance in my life and how excited I was to see him at the terminal in Denver. He noted as I shared I like adventure, that he could see that plain as day. So, here’s to another new connection.

Arriving into Denver was quite the intriguing moment, for I was nervous, excited and scared (I mean, what if he doesn’t like what he sees??), but it didn’t stop me in my tracks. I took this risk and ride for a reason and the reasons will yet be revealed, though I knew that was where I needed to be that weekend and that I needed to share this time with him. I knew that the people that we had planned to meet was meant to be. I knew that the places we were going to visit were supposed to be visited. I knew that this weekend in my life was to be profoundly exciting and would embark on memories totally unimaginable. I knew that by the time I set foot in this terminal, I’d be in a better place, for whatever reasons were yet to be unrevealed.

As I walked up the escalator, I said a quick prayer and watched intuitively to another couple, who were obviously visiting Colorado as well, as they were taking pictures. I wondered how long they’d been together, what brought them to this place, not only the physical place, but in their lives, what had that been like? I watched them until the escalator brought me up to the view above…….

There he stood, handsome as ever and with red roses!!! At first, I was upset that he bought me flowers again, as I’m not used to this, I’m not used to someone spending time and money on me. Then I see his eyes and I knew that even that upset feeling needed to go and I needed this more now than ever. He was exactly what I was supposed to have in my life at that moment. I walked to him, hugged and kissed him and knew that this was going to be another amazing weekend in my life.

As we left the airport, I took a deep breathe and collected my thoughts, for there was so much I wanted to share with him that I didn’t want to do over anything technical. I was trying to stay in the moment and not think of what it would be like to meet his the love of his life, his daughter, yet we talked about it and we shared how it felt to make the next move, into a stronger commitment in our lives together. We shared about the past, we shared about old messages, and we shared about how great it felt to be together again, we shared a lot.

One of the greatest things about this man, is how open and honest he is. He is so willing to communicate everything that is going on inside and also shares that he expects the same from who he is with. He opens up and allows me into his every thought and all of his messages, old or new. He shares with me his feelings and how he perceives the world. He just plain ole shares. It creates a bond with him that is the most comfortable feeling that I’ve felt with another man in quite some time. He helps me to feel at peace at his side, he doesn’t judge me, he listens to me, he asks for more detail (and for those of you that know me, know that I’m all detail and talk!! LOL), he wants to know my thought processes, he wants to know what I’m feeling, and he wants to know. It feels amazing that someone is so interested in ME.

He tried to see how much of a ‘trick’ he could play on me, for I knew that we had time to get back to his place and have some time together, yet I had placed myself so in the moment, that I missed the time lapse so he had me believing that I was going straight to pick up his daughter when we returned to his town. I was baffled, for I wanted to change and be in a more respectful outfit. I wasn’t sure how to handle this situation, yet, I’d handle it the best that I was able to with what I had in front of me, for I wanted to send a good message to her and not one with a twist. Then, I confronted the time, which was a huge relief for me, as I wanted to make sure that I was as comfortable as possible when I stepped in front of her and show her the same respect.

We stopped to grab a bite to eat and then headed over to his place so that I was able to get settled, change and collect all my thoughts. He put the flowers to home in a vase and took care of them with the utmost care. Only attracting me more to him and his love for the wonderful gift we have here on earth, nature. He tends to such beauty with care that I’ve never seen in a man before, it’s as though he knows that they are alive as well and watching him just melts my heart, knowing that God put a man who knows what life really is about, in front of me.

I wanted to give him the main surprise, which consisted of 17 days of surprises and little forget me not’s, something for each day that we’d be apart and for him to know that even though I’m 900 miles away, I’m really right there with him. So I handed him the bag that took up over half of my check bag and he was a bit astounded when he opened the bag. I allowed him to open the card and shared with him that I created each surprise to his work schedule so that he could actually take those with him on Monday and have them there for when he returns. Yet, I messed up on one of the days, so I allowed him to open that one. It was a picture that was meant to stay at his place, for I had one on my dresser to match it. Surprises are super fun and everyone likes them, but when they are from the heart and created with the utmost simplicity, it means the world, so I decided to return that feeling to him.

Then, we were on our way to grab his daughter. I was a bit nervous, for this was a young lady that meant the world to him and he was about to share me with her, only risking that we’d not click yet keeping faith that we’d connect on a level that was comfortable and embrace a new bond. It’s the person in his life that he’d move mountains for and that meant the world to me that he’d want me to not only meet her but spend time with her. I said a prayer and asked for the courage to be myself and allow the universe to take hold of the next few hours.

She was as beautiful as her father was handsome, it could have been that she was a mirror of him, not only in the physical appearance, but of the soul that she had. For her personality was a lot like her father’s, she was down to earth, loving and caring as well as adventurous with a spin of open mindedness and held a piece of the velveteen rabbit within. Showing the world that she is who she is and that’s OK. I immediately knew I’d get along with her, for her soul was not hiding through masks, it was there on her sleeve. I couldn’t but wish to spend more time with her and get to know the person that she is, and all that she inspires and hopes in life.

After hanging out at their house for a while, doing what they do, you know, things like jumping on the trampoline and being kids, we would head out to supper. This is where he decided to 'ground' me from my phone, other then calls from or about the children.

We chose to eat at Olive Garden and it felt pretty amazing to be able to sit with them, all the while picking on Mr. B and creating friendships, learning about each other and sharing our worlds with each other and laughing. They keep a pretty happy environment and laughter is a must in their journey. It felt comfortable and very inviting.

We had to take his daughter to meet her friend, as she was going for a sleep over and some friend time. The friend’s parents invited us in and it was pretty comforting, for they just accepted the fact that I was with Mr. B and never blinked twice. It was another comfortable experience.

As we left, he asked me what I was interested in doing next. I decided that all I wanted to do was spend time with him, we opted for a movie as the next day we were planning on visiting Pike’s Peak and that would be a longer day. It was nice to curl up and watch a movie together, for it’s one of my favorite things to do in this journey. It was here that I learned that we had another thing in common and that neither of us welcome others to speak while we are watching movies. (Course I had to push his buttons to learn this and then make it fun … he he he)

Saturday, he wanted to share another restaurant with me that he thoroughly enjoyed. We visited the ‘Hungry Bear’ and filled up prior to heading up the mountain. It was nice to sit with him and share another ‘favorite’ of his. Yet, it was nicer to sit with him and continue to awe myself as I looked over and realize that he’s really real and that I’m utterly blessed to have such a soul in my life. It was so overwhelming to know that this man was here, in front of me, fulfilling something that I’ve missed for so many years and that this is not a book I’m ready, a movie I’m watching but my life.

We headed up to the mountain, what I didn’t realize is that the steep sides would impact me so and that I would have to almost grab ahold of a faith inside that I didn’t realize I’d need. The fear of falling was real and the fear of being so far above the world was electrifying. As we headed up the mountain, we shared different feelings, thoughts and intimate messages that we had inside. This is the stuff that I’d been missing for so long, yearning for, yet extremely scared of. The strangest part of all of that was, I was extremely comfortable and I knew that this is right where I needed to be and that Mr. B was exactly who I was supposed to be spending these moments with. He and I were there for a reason that was so profound it gave me goose bumps at one point, and with those feelings and thoughts, I was able to continue to be myself and share with an open heart and willingly. Where usually I’d shut down and not allow a man in, for what if they get to close?

We stopped to hike up some rocks and a different view. Memories were made in the mountains that day, not only at this stop, not only on the drive, but all the way to the summit. We ended up at the top and I was not able to catch my breath. So technically speaking, he took my breath away and took me to the top of the world. It was mesmerizing, enough to where I had to hold back tears knowing that we were making some memories that will never be forgotten. As well as I had not been acclimated to the altitude and I needed to sit down to ‘catch my breath’.

The summit

What I didn’t realize was that Mr. B was listening to the others around us and there some hikers that had made it to the top and while there was a storm coming in, they didn’t know how they’d get to the bottom. He didn’t say anything to them, but mentioned it to me as we were pulling away. I shared with him that he could go and ask them if they figured things out and offer them a ride, as he wanted to do in the first place. We ended up with 3 hikers and then went down the mountain to gather up two more that were stranded and the timing that we met up with them was impeccable, for as they got into the vehicle, it began to down pore. Again, he was a hero, but only with my permission. (Course I told him that we could pick up strangers, as long as the children are not with us and that we could take em if they did anything…He’s a firefighter and I’m a body builder- HA)

As we headed back down the mountain, I took a chance to share our story with them, for Mr. B had continued to ask how I tell others our story. It was adorable watching him blush and smile through it all, knowing that what we had was amazing and to be able to share such a story is intriguing for all of those that are listening. Plus, it was a LONG ride down with the storm and all. By the time we were at the bottom of the mountain we had new friends and created memories for everyone. It seems that when you are doing all the right things in your heart, you are introduced to the most breath taking moments and opportunities, as long as you are open to the universe and welcome to change. After hearing their adventures and what they all accomplished that day, I was reminded of the goals that I’ve been able to accomplish in such a short time here on earth and that the joy and confidence that I’ve received from them all is irreplaceable and helped to create the woman that I am today. It was great to hear that in their voices and know that they achieved a piece of that, that day as well for themselves.

We said our goodbyes and we headed on our way to finish up our visit, for Saturday was slipping away and we knew that the moments that we had in front of us were extremely precious. We stopped back at his place, where I needed to lay down my head and he joined me. We ended up falling asleep from exhaustion, in each other’s arms. It was hard to sleep, because all I wanted to do was enjoy the moment, yet I fell into a deep slumber and we both rested. He woke and shared that we needed to get up so that we could do the next event and not allow the hours slip away. We ended up watching a movie and was joined in a short time by his daughter, after her adventures for the day. Needless to say, the evening was nothing shy of comfort and warmth in my heart. I’d said my goodbyes that evening to her, for we had to leave extremely early in the morning, as I scheduled an early flight so that I’d be able to be home with my children and prepare them for the next day to see them off for their first full week of school and my youngest first day of school. It was a goodbye that I knew would not be a last.

The next morning, he made sure that I had my roses, all wrapped perfectly and tended to so that they would make the trip home and stay well with me. He made sure I had all of my belongings and that I was put together for the trip home. He said to me that he missed me already and I’d not even stepped out the door. I asked Mr. B to spray his T shirt that he’d sent home with me last time, in his cologne. Of course he not only did so, but he also placed it into a zip lock bag, ensuring me that it would get home with me, not only safely but smelling of his scents until we are in each other’s arms again.

As we drove to the airport, we spoke of the future and the excitement of what may come and the fears of what we might face, we spoke of dreams and wishes, we spoke of what we enjoyed this visit and what we can’t wait to do next. We shared. We connected. We became.

At the airport, he took my bag out and hugged me and kissed me. Telling me that he missed me already. He sent me on my way, knowing that we’d be together again, soon. I didn’t stop long enough to realize that I was leaving his side, for I knew that we’d be together soon enough. I didn’t dwell on the fact that I was about to get on a plane ride and head north 900 miles. I didn’t stop to think that the next day I’d wake up and he’d not be there. I looked down at the roses that I was carrying and embraced every memory that we’d created. I stood in the moment, realizing that the man that I just left was sent to me by the gods and that I’m extremely blessed to have a soul in my life that will put up with my crazy side and stand by me through it, even contemplating the future and making plans to create more memories. I took every opportunity to share where the roses came from with everyone that would listen and had a permanent smile, knowing that he’s mine and better yet, he wants to keep me.

On the plane ride home, I sat between two men again. This time, the man to my left was the brother to the man I sat with on the way to Colorado. He said his brother had mentioned me and I shared my story with him, my aspirations and of course my firefighter and the story. The best part of that visit and new acquaintance wasn’t the sharing of my story, but what he said to me in return. He shared with me about his daughter that he’d given up when he was in high school and how she came back into his life and was now a huge part of the family. He shared with me his experiences and some of his life challenges, reminding me that in order for me to be successful in my life, the good has to join the turmoil in order for my story to be successful and the man that’s appeared in my life, sounds to be part of that good. He shared hope with me. He shared with me that a lot of times the life that we create is not an easy one, but well worth it.

Long distance isn’t easy, but I’m pretty confident that if this is what I believe it’s turning out to be, I’ll take the risk and time needed to make it real and create something that will last eternity. Anything in my life that was priceless and worth every second to gain it, never came easy, it always came with a price and this is a price I’ll pay. I’m confident that I’ve been blessed with a god sent and I’m not walking away from this one.

It’s not always the way you’d think it was supposed to be, but it’s also always a wonderful thing when it’s unexpected.

(I kinda like him)