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While I am not technically married, we have been together 11 years, have 2 children together, bought a house together and share everything a 'normal' married couple would. We even call each other husband and wife. I'm not even exactly sure why we have never made it official. There are some advantages (taxes, credit etc...) that staying single have afforded us but I can't say they are the reason why we've never taken the step.
Whatever the reason we have been happily together all of this time. At this point I cannot even fathom what life would be like without her. We have our share of problems over the years like any couple do but we have never allowed them to reach the point of becoming a serious issue between us. As cliche as it may be, mairrage is a compomise and I believe that has been our greatest stregnth. Both of us are able to read the other and realize how important an issue may be enough to know when to press and when to back down.
Perhaps the biggest issue we have is her 17 year old son. Unfortunately, he and I have never developed a close relationship and as such I am not as forgiving as she is when it comes to laying down the law. Lately he has been getting himself into some serious trouble (he's been arrested for shoplifting and paraphanalia (sp?)in the last 2 months) and I have cracked down pretty hard on him but she feels I'm going to far. It's nothing we can't work through but I do wish she would understand that while yes, teenagers do stupid things, you need to make sure they understand what they did is wrong and will not be tolerated and not just glossed over by slapping their wrist and asking them not to do it again.
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