Surprise Party

You know you're not single anymore...when you tell your family you got a new job and later on when you come home from work you walk into a surprise party with balloons, streamers, and your favorite dessert: chocolate silk pie...you are taken back because no one (well besides your own mother) has shown such an appreciation and celebration for your accomplishments...you think how much better you are with a family that cares than you were when you were single...you are humbled and grateful for the love of your wife and kids...you are also glad when you walked in that you could then present to your family your original form of celebration...four tickets to the Spring opening series Atlanta Braves game...your kids run and give you hugs and you're thinking can life get any better than this!

Fitting In

You know you're not single anymore...when every chore at home used to fit in the perfect system...and now every system has been changed...You want to contribute to the household but you are a little disoriented about the new system...you find yourself picking one chore that will be totally yours...like washing dishes....at first you start by rearranging the dishes in the dishwasher because the dishes are not put in the right place...in fact this becomes the one thing you insist to take ownership over...you are the master dishwasher and no one can stop that...it's the last thing you are territorial about and everyone in the family knows it, too...those dishes will be done right...the way they've been done for the last 15 years, or else!...All this until your wife decides the children need to do the dishes so that you can work on another project....oh well, there's always mowing the lawn.

Dinner With Your Buddy

You know you're not single anymore...when the first time your family has a late appointment that keeps them away from dinner, you realize you could go home and eat leftovers but instead you call up one of your buddies and go out to eat...not just at any restaurant...but you pick the one restaurant you used to eat at but don't anymore because no one in the family likes that kind of food....ahhhhh...Japanese hibachi!....As you eat, you start to realize that you are not the same person who last ate there...the changes are subtle but you sense that life has taken on a deeper context; you have responsibilities not just for yourself but for an entire family...you know that you are grateful for your family and all the changes that are taking place around you....but meanwhile you savor every bite of your steak and shrimp combination dinner!

Winter Duties

You know you're not single anymore...when you're willing to go put air in your wife's car tires in 30 degree weather...in fact you realize you are called to special duties whenever the windchill is below freezing...you will be the one to warm up the car, to check the mailbox, and walk the dog....however, you really don't mind because you are happy that your family is inside safe and warm.

Food Expenses

You know you're not single anymore...when you have to refinance your house when you decide to eat out as a family...when did Wendy's get so expensive?...No you cannot "Biggie-size" my meal!...Instead can you "Smallie-size" it?!?...however in time you realize that you've discovered the Holy Grail on the menu: The Extra Value Menu....the new rule is at least two family members must order off the Extra Value Menu, if not you will order your entire personal meal from there!...At sit-down restaurants, you also wonder if your 12 year old son could order enough meals on the child only menu to feed the family...and no one better order sweet-tea!  Who should ever pay $3 for some flavored water!...You even consider if you could sneak drinks into restaurants like you do snack foods in movie theaters.

Kitchen Surprises

You know you're not single anymore...when your wife asks you if you own a toaster and you say "no"...but then one morning you go into the kitchen and there is a new toaster...you wonder when did we buy a new toaster...your wife tells you that you've had it all along...that when she finished cleaning the cabinets, the toaster was sitting right in there behind the crock pot that was unopened ...you begin to wonder what other treasures you've had in your kitchen for years but never knew...a blender? yes...a pirate treasure map? still looking...you realize that in the last 12 years, you've only cooked 8 meals in that kitchen...in fact the oven still gives off that new smell as if never been used...well that's _because_ it's never been used....until now.