Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear ...

So now that it is actually happening. Now that I am messaging with guys online, something has changed. They are no longer pictures, or stories of a man I don't know. They are now hearts with dreams and fears, families and kids. And now the thought of going out with 8 of them in such a short time ... seems wrong. And this ... all these gubber thoughts ... are the reason that I wanted to do this in the first place. I wanted to learn that a date can just be a date. Plain and simple. Meeting a new person and learning about their life, which I love. I am not going to throw in my cute little hat yet ... but my heart is already pulled and I have not even been out on my first date. And another thing is that I feel challenged to decide how important it is for me to have a man with shared faith as my partner. And when I think of it, really think about what my life would look like, there is not question that I do want that. Yet, when I was at this huge church full of people my age, I felt so resistant. What I want is so much more, what I want is to find a man that experiences God by caring for others. I also have this fear that if I date someone in the church that I will end up married in a year ... and that scares the holly poo out of me : )
With that said here is the update.

Date 1 - Thursday night. Drinks at an Irish Pub in Hamilton with what seems to be a very well spoken McMaster PhD student who is doing research for the heart and stroke foundation. Some of his pictures show him with long hair and others with short ... so it will be a surprise.
Date 2 - Friday night (I missed last week guys!!) A younger guy, at the cusp of my cut-off age, who "gets it". It being what is important in life and how to live life with passion and grace. Looking forward to talking with this guy more.
Date 3 - A lad from Britain. Date in the works - schedules not meshing well. Really funny and actually helped me with a problem I was having with Word.

What I have learned:
-I won't message a guy who is not smiling in at least one picture.
-I don't like guys that want to show me their body before I have earned it.
-I am a sucker for dogs and kids.
-I don't care about cars or condo-views
-I am way too good at picking out the 25, 26 year olds by their face alone
-I don't like guys when they ask me right away what I like about them
-Every guy is active and works-out and want a girl that can "keep-up" ...ummm I am more the turtle in that race; always finish but at a steady as she goes kinda pace!
-To not even bother looking at who has looked at you, read, or deleted your messages ... to focus on what you have in your inbox.
-That there are a lot of people who are looking for love, and those are just the ones on-line.

Well my loves ... here we go. I am gonna need you through this grand adventure.