Update-3.17.08

Another Monday and I'm reflecting on yet another wonderful weekend! I spent a good deal of time with Mark, but also spent some quality time with my girlfriends. What a fabulous weekend!!

After Thursday night's grand surprise, I was beyond excited to see Mark again on Friday night. I drove to his place (it was easier due to Friday traffic and the restaurant we were going to for dinner is close to his house) and arrived just before 7. I walked in the door and he looked REALLY GOOD. I don't know if it was just residual smitten-ness from the night before, but he looked super hot in his dark jeans and blue striped button down. We just stood there hugging for a few minutes as the butterflies flew around like crazy in my stomach.

He drove us to dinner and we were seated in the back room of an Italian restaurant he'd never been to (I've been there twice before). He had requested that we go for Italian so he could eat pasta because he had to take a running/fitness test on Saturday. Before we ordered, and even while eating, we just talked and talked and talked... it felt like we were the only people in the room. After a wonderful dinner, he suggested we go back to the place we went several weeks ago for dessert (where we shared the amazing Oreo cheesecake). We hopped in the car and talked the whole way there, and he made a reference about how he hopes to have the opportunity to introduce me to his family. I just let him talk, but on the inside, I was totally blown away.

We each had another glass of wine at the dessert place, and we shared the Oreo cheesecake and we continued our conversations about anything and everything. After the massive rainstorm subsided, we walked to his car and drove back to his place. The plan was for this to be an early night because he had to be out the door at 7 AM on Saturday to drive 4 hours to take his fitness/running test. After he parked the car, he asked if I needed to come in and use the restroom, I declined, knowing that if I went in there, it would be for a lot longer than a quick trip to the loo. So I passed, we hugged and kissed goodbye in the street and I headed home around 11. It was another great night with Mark.

I talked to him a few times on Saturday, but saw him again Sunday night. He and I walked from his house and had dinner. After dinner, we walked through a nearby park and then made our way back to his place, where we layed on the couch, all intertwined, just talking. I don't know how it got brought up, but I think we may have had the "exclusivity talk." I can't recall how we got on the topic, but he said something about how he hadn't logged on to the dating site since the first night we went out (2/28), except to change his settings to stop getting matches. He used the actual phrase "You're the only one I want to be with." I agreed with him and told him that I'd logged on last week and cancelled the automatic renewal on my account.

This conversation kind of came out of the blue and went against the whole "we're taking things slow" concept, which I'd more or less successfully fooled myself into believing. I'm not ready to call him my boyfriend, and I'm not ready to use the r (relationship) word, it all seems kind of soon... but if it's not there already, it's definitely where it's headed.

Which leads me to a decision I made last night ... since things HAVE gotten more serious with Mark, I think it's time to cease the sharing of details (at least in this public of a forum) and see where things progress with us. Throughout this entire process, I've tried to be respectful and as kind as possible in sharing the stories of my dating adventures and the interesting guys I've gone out with. But this Mark thing is different, and I need to treat it as such.

My closest friends know that they'll still hear updates from time to time (Ginger, I'll make sure your colleague is kept in the loop and that she shares the latest with you). Thanks for all the support over these last 3 months! Everyone's comments and cheerleading have kept me optimistic through the ups and downs of this process.

Adios for now... I will post updates from time to time, just likely not with the regularity of the past.

xoxo, :)
Nay