Baseball

You know you're not single anymore...when you spend Friday nights at the batting cages...you begin to realize some of your best times to spend with your wife are watching your kids' softball and baseball games...you remember that the first time you met your wife and kids was at a Braves game...you also think how you picked a wedding date around baseball schedule...you realize now that this season in your life will  be known as the "ball years!"

Publix

You know you're not single anymore...when your wife is out of town and you have the kids and you find yourself going to Publix every day to get food for the next 24 hours...you think you could have bought for the entire week in one trip, but right now you're glad you can think through 3 meals plus snacks at a time... you do wonder if the kids are really eating all that snack food or are they stocking up while mom's away...either that or for the Zombie Apocalypse.... hmmmm...you're also starting to run out of restaurants for dinner that both kids like...indeed you are very excited and relieved that your wife will be coming home the next day!  It's not that you expect her to do everything the moment she comes back, but rather it's because being a guy, you've maxed out your ability to multi-task and your wife has the ability to see _anything_ in the pantry or fridge and suggest a decent meal out of it!

Coming Home After Work

You know you're not single anymore...when you look forward to going home each day after work...you used to work late because you enjoyed the company of others...you also always ate out in the evenings because when you did cook you would have 3 days of leftovers to dispense...hamburger helper can only taste good for so many days!!!...but now, you can't wait to see your family...when you pull in the driveway, your son is always out in the yard and immediately asks if you would throw the baseball with him...you walk in and your daughter always stops what she's doing and runs and gives you a hug...your wife is there behind her and after a kiss asks you how your day has been....you're thinking it's like you walked into an episode of "Leave it to Beaver!" but only better because it's everything you desired in a family...and there's no hamburger helper for dinner!

Empty Wallet

You know you're not single anymore...when you used to have cash in your wallet...you remember the days when you would get $60 cash back from your deposited monthly paycheck and you still had plenty of cash by the end of the month...now, if your wallet has $60 cash in it, you feel like you've won the lottery...you realize the cost of _everything_ has exploded...when you take the kids to the movies, you give them a $20 bill for concessions thinking that you'll get $8 or $9 back...oh no no no!...Your kids come back with one box of twizzlers, one box of sour patch, drinks and $1...Really?!?...The next time you go to the movies, you and your kids look like you have all gained fifteen pounds in the abdomen because you bought $10 worth of food at Quick Trip and you're sneaking it in to the movie theater under your jackets... You know you're kind of breaking the rules, but you remind yourself of that steak dinner that you spent on twizzlers and sour patch!... Even today that expense still stings.

Alone With The Kids

You know you're not single anymore...when your wife goes to speak at a conference and leaves you alone with the kids...for a week...Shall we say take out dinners?....You pray nothing goes wrong the entire week...that includes stopped up toilets, sick stomachs, and anything that requires a trip to the ER...you realize how grateful you are for the things your wife does each day...you also have a great appreciation for how single parents survive each day...you also pray that the kids have enough clean clothes to wear until your wife returns home...otherwise you plead the fifth if you accidentally wash the wrong clothes together!

The Wait

You know you're not single anymore...when you now have to wait your turn for everything... you never remember when you had to wait for the microwave before...or to clean your eyeglasses with the soft-cloth...you even have to wait for your turn at your own computer to do work...and when did you ever have to wait to use the bathroom? There's two bathrooms in this house and you seem to still have to wait!...You wonder if there's a way to buy a fast pass....but meanwhile you remember you've been waiting for this new life for a long time...and it was definitely worth the wait!

Forever Changed

You know you're not single anymore...when you know you are forever changed by your new family...you realize everything you ever wanted in life has been handed to you in one package...you are pleasantly surprised that with communication, giving up on selfishness, and keeping the guard up on protecting the fidelity of your marriage, you find the marriage life is in many ways easier than your previous single life especially since you are not alone and doing everything by yourself...you are madly in love with your wife and kids...and you know you will do anything to protect them even if it sacrificed your own life...you have never laughed so hard, cared for so much, and enjoyed being with people as you do with your family...you consider yourself extremely blessed and in all ways you thank God for what He has entrusted to you multiple times throughout the day.