And I do really appreciate everyone saying not to move in with your partner until many years have passed or you become married.  I wish I could go back in time and change that and I didn’t so eagerly agree to live with him.

If this relationship doesn’t continue, then I will certainly make this a stead-fast rule that I will follow.  And perhaps if it does continue, later on I’d like to have my own place for at least a year just to get the experience of truly being independent from him.