Return From Blog Break

Two weeks ago I thought I was about to die, because Ryan and I came down with Strep Throat the day before our vacation;  It was not pretty, but we managed to pull through.  Luckily, we were still able to make our trip to Corpus Christi to visit my parents.  And what a breath of fresh air that was.  We went to Port A, did a few shopping, and ate and ate, and ate. LOL.  My mom's carne guisada and fresh tortillas were to die for.

When we got back to Houston, Ryan and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary by having dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant in The Woodlands, Pallottas Italian Grill, watching a movie, and shopping.

Of course, as with any break, world events continue and trying not to write about them, or share my opinions was difficult, but I managed to stay off my blog during this time off.   

To close, I'd like to pray for those in Oklahoma who endured those awful tornadoes.  I cannot begin to imagine what this is like and I pray they will find solace in knowing many people love them.

Loving One Another - Issue No. 027 - Ryan Joseph Lopez

And this is what Loving One Another is all about...  My beautiful, handsome husband, Ryan knows how to really make my day.

You Are My Brick

 

We may fight, argue, disagree or discuss a subject kinda loudly; whatever you may call it, it doesn't make our love any less stronger than the moment before. More than likely the conversation probably helped solve a problem to make our bond even more powerful.

After nearly 8 years, no matter how much you may frustrate me at times, even though the instances are few, in the end I cannot hide the love I have for you.

I look into your eyes as you go to bed at night, and see them first thing in the morning as you kiss me goodbye. And I can never get enough of that.

Nothing could ever replace that feeling of compassion.

No one could ever make me feel that same way.

It's a constant reminder that after nearly 8 years together, there can always be too much of a good thing, except when it comes to you.

You are my better half that I do not wish to survive without. You are the brick which holds us together, the foundation that keeps us from sinking and the roof that always protects us from whatever comes our way. I'll be the tiny nails and screws in the wooden beams - though they may be small, they are mighty.

Together our loving relationship not only survives, it thrives and will continue to venture on for many more years to come.

I couldn't be prouder of the house we built together, and I couldn't be happier to live in it with you, my partner, husband and best friend forever.

Almost happy eight years together, my love.

We'll face all challenges together and conquer them, smiling, knowing nothing can ever stop us now.

Love you bunches, my one true love. 

- Ryan Joseph Lopez

My Life-Changing Journey by Peter Flores

In July of last year I went to see my doctor, because I needed my prescription re-filled.  Two years ago I was diagnosed with Hypertension and had been on hypertensive medication for almost a year.  After having some blood work done he told me that my cholesterol levels were borderline and if I didn't do something about it - he would need to start me on another medication.  I was thinking to myself, "I'm one hot mess!"

I wasn't depressed or anything.  I had a very happy life - I still do.  I just loved food, I was content with who I was and I had everything I could ever want - a wonderful husband, family, pets, a new niece.  But I needed to do something about my health.  Unbeknownst to my doctor, I had also been checking my blood glucose levels - they were not good at all.  In fact, they were terrible.

I still remember the day as if it were yesterday. It was a bright and sunny, Monday morning, and all I could think about was the family I had lost due to heart attacks or strokes.  I sat and cried for 10-15 minutes, because I didn't want this to happen to me.  I didn't want to make my partner, Ryan hurt for the choices I made in life.  It was on this day that I embarked on My Life-Changing Journey.

Suffice it to say, with the help of my partner, Ryan, My Fitness Pal, and the good Lord above I achieved every goal I set out to accomplish.  And I achieved them weeks and months ahead of schedule.  By December I had lost 50 pounds, and I'm currently on my way to losing 15 more.  I'm at 63 pounds lost today, my glucose levels are normal, and in July I go see my doctor again.  Boy, is he in for a shock. LOL.

To say that I do not feel better about myself is an understatement.  I feel more energized and enjoy doing the things I did when I was younger, like running, biking, swimming and working out.  I started going to the gym in December so losing weight is not as easy, because I'm turning all that fat into muscle, but I see the results and love the way I look and feel.

Time flies by too quickly, we need to make our choices now, not later.  We can all say, "we only live once so make the most of it." But it doesn't do us any good if we're 6 foot under - earlier than we thought we would be.

Mealies For My Love

Earlier today I posted a picture on Facebook, and by looking at it you would think I was having a party.  Mardi Gras anyone? LOL.

Actually, the food is for my partner, Ryan.  No, he's not going to eat it all tonight;  Though, we are having a sample of each dish for dinner.

When I make dinner every night there is usually some left-overs, and with those left-overs I make "Mealies For My Love".  What are those?  Well, they're pre-packaged meals that I freeze and Ryan takes to work each day.   But since I hardly cooked this week - I didn't have any left-overs and Ryan was running low on his mealies;  He only had one left in the freezer.

And yes, they are labeled with the date, and the particular food that's in them. LOL.

It's not very often that I cook food in bulk like this, but this week was the exception; We've been having other foods stored in our freezer for the past week.

So in the end, when I see that Ryan is running low, this is what I do.  Oh - how I love my husband so.

Mixed Vegetable Medley, Macaroni & Cheese Tuna Melt, Oven Roasted Chicken, Chicken Bruschetta Bake, & Lemon Pepper Tilapia

Happy 7 Year Anniversary My Dear Man

Our Forever Home Goal

If the slideshow below is any indication that we are so ready to move out and buy our forever home, this is it.  Over the weekend someone stole some stepping stones from our yard, and I swear, I was about to lose it.  I can't count the number of times our home has been vandalized over the past 6 years.  I always come close to buying a surveillance camera, but I keep telling myself 2 more years, 2 more years - LOL - the time we will be leaving our subdivision.

Ryan and I have spent the last several weeks looking at homes and figuring out what kind of house we want our forever home to look like, and I believe we found it.  This is the home we want to have built; if not, buy one that looks just like it.

Two and half years may seem like a long time, but it's a goal we will definitely succeed in.  For nearly 7 years, Ryan and I have been working on a set of goals, and we've managed to accomplish each and every one.  There have been setbacks (of course), but we've gotten up and followed through with each of them.

In August of this year we will be completing another goal, with our our next goal focused on that home you see above.  As for the remaining goals in our life, as in marriage and raising a child, those are next in line.  I just wanted to give you, my friends and family, an update on our future hopes and dreams.  Dreams we will accomplish, Lord willing.

I Quote That - Scared

To the one person I love most in this world, Ryan Joseph Lopez

Quoted: Ryan Joseph Lopez (My Partner for Life)

Prologue:  Back in the winter of January, 2010, my partner Ryan wrote a response on one of my blogs that I don't even think he remembers.  Unbeknownst to him, I saved it and have treasured it ever since.  Since today is Valentine's Day, I'd like to share it with the readers of my blog, and to all my Facebook friends and family.  I love you all, and hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day.

Ryan - May 2005 - When We Met

"When you love someone you take a big chance at being hurt intentionally or unintentionally, that is the risk you take when you play in the game of emotions. Is the gamble worth it? In my opinion, yes. You see, I trust my heart, body and even soul for one person to have, hold, cherish, comfort and even destroy if he wanted to, and I have that same power over him. It is a risk that we both choose to take because we believe in the end that this gamble will ultimately pay off it's rewards: Having someone to hold you, love you, comfort you, laugh and cry with you, stand up for you, be there for you, defend you, protect you, and be their better half when they need it most. I'm so lucky to have found that person and I trust that he will honor my love and never tarnish it or damage it, that he will treat it right and never do me wrong. I have faith in my man and that is what ultimately allows me to fully love him to my hearts content. Thank you for that and more, but what I also want to tell you is this: As I believe in you, believe in me, and that I will always protect your love, cherish it as the greatest gift that I have ever had the chance to hold and call my own, and never damage or harm it with in any way, shape, or form. I love you Peter Flores, and this love I will treat right, like you deserve to be treated, and never hurt you in any way. This I promise and intend to keep, and I thank you for doing the very same. I love you bunches my love. When I say this I also mean that I trust you and that my emotions are yours to do with as you please. It's the greatest gift I can bestow on anyone cause it ultimately puts me at the highest emotional risk. But you cannot live life without taking risks or else in the end there is no life to live. I want to live my life, but more importantly, I want to live my life by your side at every moment possible, hand in hand, arm in arm, with emotions all at risk. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love you bunches my angel. Thank you for trusting in me enough to love me and ultimately risk your most precious emotions too. I love you with all my heart, body and soul. I can never thank you enough for being the greatest man that I have ever known. My gamble pays off every night I hold you in my arms and kiss you goodnight and realize that I'm the luckiest person in the world to have finally found their soul mate. I couldn't be happier. Thank you so very much. Enjoy your day my love. Goodbye."

~ Ryan Joseph Lopez (my partner for life)

"I Love You" Tattoo For Ryan and I

Ryan and I do not have any tattoos, but if we were ever to get one, this would have to be it.  We are coming up to our 7 year anniversary in May, and I think this would be a wonderful thing to do.  Provided I talk to him first, of course. LOL.  I love you my sweet Ry!

It's Purely Animal - Issue No. 44 - Hamlet The Hungry Piglet

Omg, Ryan is going to flip when he sees this.  This is one of the things I miss most about growing up on my mom and dad's farm - the animals.  I'm so grateful to my parents for having me experience country life for for 18 years, because otherwise I wouldn't have learned to appreciate both worlds.  I love living in a city and in the suburbs, but while I admire it, it doesn't compare to the beautiful countryside and farmlands.  I can't wait to get my Ryan a little piggy.  He wants one so bad, and after he sees this he's going to want one even more.

Back To The Real World

photo courtesy of David Kozlowski

Ryan and I took a mini-winter break to the flatlands of South Texas near Corpus Christi, and visited my family over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend.  It was a much needed break, and so well worth it.  We arrived at my Mom and Dad's around 4 in the afternoon on Saturday and stayed until Monday afternoon.  We didn't get home until 5:45 PM, yesterday.

On Saturday, my mother was making Tamales when we walked in.  For those who have made them before, you know it takes a long, long time to prepare and cook them.  She worked on these for two whole days, in between spending time with us children, and our niece.

After posting a picture on Facebook of my mom and a huge pile of tamales she had just finished cooking, everyone started commenting that they were coming over. So we did end up visiting with old friends and family from our younger years.  It was nice.

Other than the disappointing loss by the Texans on Sunday afternoon, everything else was great.  My sister dressed up our niece in a Texans Cheerleader outfit Ryan and I had bought her for the game, and she looked absolutely stunning. LOL.  She wore it for her uncles despite the backlash she would receive from her Dallas and Eagle fans.  My sister and brother-in-law Luther are Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles fans respectfully.

We didn't get to see Luther until late Sunday, as he was deep sea fishing with his Dad.  They caught 70 lbs of fish!

On Monday (yesterday), Mom also made a huge breakfast for us. She made fresh homemade tortillas, refried beans, papas fritas (fried potatoes), bacon, sausage, and Eggs.  Luther, Vicky and Lily also came over to have breakfast with us before we left.  Overall we had a great time and appreciated all that my mom did for us.  I will definitely have to do something for her, or send her something for all the hard work she went through.  Regardless if she says it makes her happy doing it for her babies.

I'm glad to be back and will blog as time permits.  Unfortunately, I don't have any pre-scheduled blogs that will post automatically. So please stay tuned...

Peter aka Blade 7184

Our 2012 Milestones - Happy New Year!

First and foremost, I want to thank God for another wonderful year of my life.  I believe in His awesomeness while others will have you believe otherwise.  

Being gay is a gift from God, and I truly believe He wouldn't have allowed my mother to carry me to full term if He was the hateful being some Christians portray him to be.  Thank you God, I love you!

Thank you for allowing me be with the man I most admire in this world, my partner Ryan.  He has been my sole companion for the past 6-1/2 years and I could never have asked for a better person in my life.  The year 2012 is going to be a huge blessing for us.   We will reach two milestones we have never faced in our lifetime.  

First and foremost, celebrating our 7 year anniversary - something we both have never done.  My two longest relationships were each 4 years long, and I never would have imagined that the third time around would have been a charm.  And a charm he was.  I love you Ryan!  Just goes to show that meeting someone online and falling in love is possible. 

The second milestone in our lives will be in late June or early July when Ryan and I will officially be out of credit card debt.  Now, this may not seem like a big deal for most of you, but for us it is.  Since we've been together we have amassed over $60,000 in credit card debt.  Don't get us wrong, we don't regret spending any of it, there was good in all of this.  We wouldn't have what we have today, if we didn't have the use of a credit card at our disposal.  The majority of that money was invested in the remodeling of our home and the purchases we made throughout the years to make our home beautiful inside and out.  In either case, to say we will not shed tears come June or July is an understatement.  This is a big deal for us.  We will shed tears, because for the first time in our lives every bit of cash we garner from work will go towards building our future home, our eventual marriage and fulfilling our dream of spending the rest of our lives together.

I would also like to take this time to wish a Happy New Year to our loving families, both of who support mine and Ryan's relationship, our dear friends (you know who you are), the readers of my blog, my co-workers, and to all the people on Facebook who have taken the time to say hi, wished me happy birthday, and became friends with me even if they had no clue who I was. :-)

May God Bless all of you in 2012!  Happy New Year!

-Peter aka Blade 7184

Merry Christmas from BLADE 7184

Ryan and I would like to wish everyone a very, Merry Christmas. 

I usually get about 1,200 viewers a day, but in a web full of blogs what more could I ask for? I appreciate every one of you for taking the time to read it, and at the same time, enjoy reading the comments you leave behind.

God Bless You and Have a Happy Holiday!

-Peter aka Blade7184

And This Is Our Chihuahua...

...or better yet, Chihuahuas. LOL.  Just kidding, my angel, because I know You'll be waking up soon and reading this.  If only we could teach Nacho and Lady how to use the puppy pads.  Puffs and Duchess are the only ones that know. ugh.

You can catch more of these by artist Christopher Rozzi by clicking pic

Is It Truly Over????

A Love Story: It's Time

You think our country is the only one in the world demanding full equality?  No.  There are countries like Australia, Colombia, New Zealand, Nepal, and Europe that are currently debating marriage equality in their countries.

I want to be able to marry my partner, Ryan some day, and regardless of the laws in the state of Texas and our country, we will.  It isn't just about a paper stating we are married, we could care less about that.  It's about treating us the same as you would a straight couple.  The argument of faithfulness and family values can no longer be justified when you have people marrying, divorcing, committing adultery at every corner, and yet still say that this is the way it should be.  That's hypocrisy at it's core!  

We need the benefits that are afforded to heterosexuals applied to us, we need them so that I don't have to worry about me dying and Ryan having a hard time getting my social security check, or getting the house he so rightly deserves.  Sure we can get lawyers and all that crap, but I shouldn't have to worry about all that.

Ryan showed me the video above last night, and it was absolutely beautiful.  It was made in conjunction with the Get Up! campaign in Australia.  Check it out, it is lovely.

I Had A Wonderful Birthday!

I had a wonderful weekend with my partner, Ryan and had the greatest birthday anyone could ever ask for.  

It's amazing that after all these years together, I still feel the same for him as I did the very first time I laid eyes on him.  Better yet, I love him more today, than yesterday.  We've lived together and been inseparable all these years, and don't regret one moment of it.

I was talking with him the other day, and told him that it really doesn't feel any different turning 40, than turning 30 or 20.  I still feel young, or at least I think I do. LOL.  As for the knowledge I've gained over the years, yes, that has made me a better person.  We only get wiser with age.  I truly believe that by learning from all the mistakes I made during my twenties and thirties, it helped contribute to our relationship being as strong as it is today.

I had a wonderful, wonderful birthday because of you, my dear Ryan, and I Love You! 

I got tickets to Cirque Du Soleil's 'Dralion', The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration on Blu-ray, The dvd box set of '24' and a snowglobe of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'.   Not to mention, the wonderful dinner we had with our friends on Sunday night.  Everything was fabulous!

Discovering The Civil War

10/29 Update:

Ryan and I had so much fun at the Civil War exhibit yesterday. Looking at all the historical artifacts was amazing. To imagine that at one time in our nation's history people used what they had on display there, was awe-inspiring. From the uniforms worn by soldiers to the headgear and weaponry they used. From personal diaries and drawings to the tools of medicine at the time - all of it was fascinating. Documents upon documents were on display, and witnessing the atrocities that went on with slavery were unimaginable. Visiting the museum was truly a rewarding experience, and it's open until April 2012 for those who wish to visit the exhibit.  Simply click on the pic below or the links provided and you can learn more about the museum and it's exhibits..

Ryan and I will be Discovering The Civil War at the Houston Museum of Natural Science today, so I won't be around to blog;  But I look forward to getting back to my readers as soon as the time permits.  Enjoy this extremely gorgeous day!

I Quote That - You Are My Sunshine...

When we met, I told you that a relationship would never work, unless the person you came to love became your one and only best friend.  Holding true to my words, we've become the bestest of friends and the greatest of lovers.

Words will never compare to how much you mean to me, Ryan Lopez, but just to let you know...  It's been nearly 6-1/2 years, and my love for you has never waivered. You continue to make me smile and laugh, but most importantly you make me feel loved...  You are my sunshine.

Back To Blogging After Week Long Vacation

Mom, Liliana, and Dad

Wow, it seems like forever since I posted a blog, but Ryan and I took a vacation for a week and headed down to Corpus Christi to visit family and our new baby niece, Liliana. She is absolutely precious and adorable.

Liliana is the first grandchild and niece "by blood" in our family. My sister and her husband have been trying for years to have a baby and were blessed with a miracle 10 months ago when she became pregnant.

In either case, Ryan and I had a fabulous time! We went to the Texas State Aquarium, Port Aransas, and took my mother shopping. Ryan also took the liberty of taking on a new hobby - seashell collecting. Whatever makes him happy, I love him dearly.

I may throw in a few posts here and there over the weekend, but I should be back in full force by Monday, October 3rd.  Enjoy your weekend and have a fabulous day!