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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEvery day I see people, friends and strangers alike, not getting along. Hating one another. Being vindictive and spiteful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t have to do that. It\u2019s a choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Choose better. You won\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am married to Chris\u2019 former wife, Annette. Our 5th anniversary is coming up in October. Annette and Chris were married for 16 years before separating and divorcing due to \u2018irreconcilable differences.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Annette and I met because we worked together. I am a Cobb County police officer. Annette was a Cobb County 911 dispatcher. We knew each other professionally and only by voice and work-related messages on our computers. She did a ride-along in my precinct one day, riding with a co-worker. We met up for lunch and I got to see her for the first time (she and Chris had already split at this time). I thought she was cute but I had been through the dating wringer a few times since my divorce in 2005 and didn\u2019t really have much interest in trying again. Fortunately, Annette was smarter. She started to bring cookies for my squad, but only on days that I worked. I finally figured out that she was doing this because she liked me and got the nerve up to ask her out. I\u2019m very happy to say that she agreed to a date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chris and I were not around each other for the first few years. Having been through a divorce where I watched my ex remarry and move in with my own two daughters, I could understand his being upset that his ex and his two sons were going to be living with me. I decided to avoid contact with him so that we could avoid any potential conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chris and Annette\u2019s older son, Zachary, had his 15th birthday celebration in April of 2016. He wanted to go see the new \u2018live\u2019 version of \u2018The Jungle Book.\u2019 He also insisted that both his dad and I come along with him, his mom and his little brother, Matthew. We went to a local Movie Tavern so there was food as well. When we met in the parking lot, Chris and I shook hands. There was some initial tension, maybe just caused by the jitters, but it quickly faded away. We started to joke around a bit and we discovered that we had pretty compatible tastes in humor. The dinner and movie went well and we agreed that it would be fun to do things more often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, a quick side note about Chris. I learned that back when he was a teen he had kidney failure. His father donated one of his kidneys and he was good to go. Unfortunately over the last several years that donated kidney quit on him. Chris also has had other health issues related to his heart. This has kept him from being on a new donor list. Of course, when you are dealing with a health issue like this a cascade effect occurs and he has had a variety of problems. He was also injured at work and deals with that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite all those issues, Chris does an amazing job of staying active in his sons\u2019 lives, spending as much time with them as he can. He loves those boys dearly and they love him. He is currently working on getting his heart health issues under control so that he can get on a kidney transplant list again. Frankly, I\u2019ll get myself checked for compatibility if he does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, cut to June of 2016. Chris had arranged to take the boys by himself on a trip to Walt Disney World, shortly after they got out of school. Unfortunately his health took a turn for the worse and he ended up in the hospital for a few weeks. He had vacation insurance so he was able to change the dates but he knew his health might prevent him from pulling it off again so he reached out to Annette (they do an amazing job of co-parenting, by the way) and asked if she and I might be willing to go with them as extra chaperones, just in case he was unable to keep up with the boys every day. Annette and I talked about it and we agreed that we would be happy to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Disney trip went very well. We all flew together and we stayed at the same resort, although we were in different buildings. The boys stayed with Chris and also helped make sure he didn\u2019t overdo it (which was the biggest task; Chris loves Disney and doesn\u2019t know how to slow down, lol). We did just about everything as a big family unit, from riding the rides to dining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since then we try to get together as much as possible for movies, dinners, bowling and mini golf. Chris recently brought up attempting to take the boys out to try real golf and we are hoping to pull off a fishing trip soon. A long Disney excursion is planned for the 5 of us in September. The trip celebrates Zack\u2019s pending graduation from high school, Matthew\u2019s starting of high school, my 25th anniversary as a Cobb police officer and my 5th anniversary being married to Annette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m really grateful that Chris and I have become such good friends. I really love the guy. He\u2019s stayed at our home when Annette and I have had to travel. He even came over to help when my dog Hoover died on my birthday last year while I was on another trip. Chris is the kind of friend who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He inspires me to be a better man and I use our friendship as an example to others in similar situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blended families aren\u2019t always easy. It\u2019s hard work at times and I know isn\u2019t always a possibility for everyone, but we try to encourage others to see the benefits, not only to the kids but to themselves as well, of opening your heart and your mind to a relationship like ours. It has made things much easier for the kids and I have gained a friend in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lwm-a2.azureedge.net\/uploads\/2018\/06\/20180313_125045-e1529506449761-900x1200.jpg\")
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