In what is possibly the best timed blog post ever, given that it is being published on Valentine’s Day, I thought that I would write about my first date since my separation almost 4 years ago.
** Full disclosure – this has been shared with the (un)lucky lady before publishing **
It all happened by accident really. I wasn’t looking for romance, I was quite happy with Heidi and work and plodding on through life. Then, I received a random, yet nice message on the blog and we started messaging and after a while, we decided to meet – oh my word, I was going to meet a single woman for a date!!!
What started out as innocent, playful conversation suddenly turned real!! What would I wear, where about we meet, what day would we meet?? Worst of all, what on earth would I say?!?! How long can you string out “Hi, I’m a single dad, an accountant and I am a geeky blogger”?!
However, I knew that I had to meet her. For far too long, I have been in my shell, played it extremely safe, and not been my own person. I went for it.
The day of us meeting, I was a nervous wreck. People at work were amazing and while they playfully took the mick out of me, they also helped me so much. However, I didn’t eat after lunch (we were due to meet at 6.30pm) because I was so nervous and I went straight from work so I didn’t have to think about what clothes to wear!!
I thought that I would feel guilty – as if I was cheating on Heidi. However, nothing would ever take my attention and devotion away from her. Going on a date wouldn’t change that. It would just allow me to be me again, even if it was just for one evening.
However, the one evening has turned into a few weeks now – so the first date must have gone well!! We talked for 4 hours – I was STARVING at the end once the butterflies died down. There were small bouts of awkwardness (how do you say goodbye on a first date?!) but the conversation flowed. This was without any assistance of alcohol and half an hour after we said goodbye, we both said that we wanted to meet up again!!
Who knows where this will end up, but if you’re a single parent reading this thinking about getting on the dating game again – go for it!! Your children will always come first – a few dates will never change that. But it might help bring a smile to your face when times are tough and it will help you feel like you are an adult, rather than just a parent.
It is scary, but if a socially awkward geeky accountant can, anyone can!!
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Obviously, given the title of my blog, I’m totally with you on this one! Dating is a great way to claw back some of your own identity and self-esteem, as well as being a lot of fun (once your initial nerves die down, anyway).
Looking forward to hearing how this one goes!
So as this was posted in February and you are sharing it with us in June, can we assume things are still going well?! I hope so! Good for you. Thanks for sharing with #TriumphantTales
Might be time for a new post on it….!! Hopefully you’ll see the link next week!! 🙂
Well I’m assuming like Jaki, that all is going well or you wouldn’t be sharing this post 4 months later. When I met my husband he had 2 kids and I had 3, (aged 11, 10, 8, 5 and 1) within 2 years we were married, living as a family of 7 and 10 years later we moved overseas. 18 years on, the kids have all left home and we’re living in Dubai #triumphanttales
Wow – having 5 kids between you …. you deserve to be living in the sun now they have left home!!!!