A Washing Machine Blessing

I'm in a with a man who is recently and has two teenage daughters.

Okay, that just sounded like the start of some "Dear Abby" column.

Here's the thing—we met a few years ago through . Actually, he was my boss. And at the time he was married. We became good friends. I guess you bond with someone when you show up to work one day and have a complete breakdown in their office because the night before you were basically kidnapped by your ex boyfriend and had to jump out of a moving car.

But, that's another story for another time.

Anyway, we became close friends during that season but when the job ended so did our friendship.

Sort've.

He would email me after reading a and tell me he enjoyed it and I would email him when I saw he sold a show somewhere.

Otherwise, nothing. Until...

One day he called to tell me he and his wife were getting a divorce. It was a very mutual parting of ways and being that I was a seasoned divorcee I was there to lend an ear.

Fast forward... we're now a couple. And I'm happy to say this man would never kidnap me and force me to jump out of a moving car to save my life.

And although knows that her mommy and this man are boyfriend and girlfriend (her words, not mine) his kids do not.

Not really.

They know we're friends and hang out but he has not told them we're in a relationship. And neither of us have slept at each other's house when we have our kids.

Well, a washing machine exploding was about to change all that.

Last week, just on the eve of the eve of Thanksgiving, while doing a load of laundry my washing machine (which is on the second story of our home) broke.

I heard my little girl from downstairs call, "Mommy! The walls are leaking!"

I went downstairs to find water dripping from the walls, the vents the ceiling lights, and just about anywhere else it could seep through.

As I grabbed every towel I could find and even used the brand new now broken vacuum cleaner to try and suck up the water it was no use. The flood was on a mission to destroy.

I was told that they would have to tear open the ceilings, pull up the carpets, place enormous fans throughout the house and search for the dreaded "mold."

"It'll take three to five days. Maybe more depending on what we find. You'll need to find a place to stay."

Happy Thanksgiving?

So, I called my boyfriend and asked if Hannah, , and I could stay with him. He said yes and although he had his kids with him he would explain what was going on.

It's funny, we have talked for months about how and when the time would be right to sort've blend our lives. Let our kids get to know each other. Find time to do things with them.

Well, as they say, "the best laid plans of mice and men"...

The time, whether we were ready or not, had come. And for the past five days (and it looks like it's going to be a lot longer) we have had one big house of chaos and fun.

His girls, my girl, our dog, and two grown ups who are doing their best not to call each other "babe" or "honey" or grab each others ass.

And... it's been great. Meals, movies, and getting to know each other. All while wearing our pajamas and taking turns with the remote control.

The only part I feel bad about is that because my daughter and I are sleeping in his bedroom my guy has had to sleep on the couch every night. But, even with all of us together (and I have a feeling NOW his kids definitely know his dad is dating me) there are some things we can definitely ease into. Like sharing a bed.

Might take an earthquake to get to that step. After all, it took a washing machine to do for us what we were too scared to do for ourselves.

Sometimes there are gifts wrapped inside a disaster. This was one of those times.

And while I spent Thanksgiving day in the man of my dreams' kitchen as he and our daughter's watched the Macy's Day Parade I couldn't help but think... how absolutely thankful and blessed I truly am.