u/Fun-Bookkeeper9107

I'll try to keep this post brief, and not go into too much backstory. more backstory

We live together in a surprisingly happy weird blended family. I'm in my early 40's and live with my sister who's a few years younger. Been together almost 6 years, first just for economics, and now just out of love. We have 3 kids, 2 hers, 1 mine, and we are both long-time divorced with the other parent long-gone.

We raise the kinds together, I regard them all as mine, and vice versa. Our kids already refer to either other as siblings and both of us as parents.
We'd already 99% decided that as the kids go into highschool, and/or when we move to a new school when we build our new house, that the kids would be enrolled as siblings. Its less messing about and explaining. She long since reverted to her maiden name, so we're already "Mr & Mrs ....." and the kids all have the same name.

Apart from loving her to bits, and being just incredibly comfortable in our lives, we today finally talking it all through. We both love each other, and want each other.

Making it Special

When we eventually get the new house built (crazy here at the moment) our plan is to just become a "married" couple.
I guess we'll have to come up with a back story, how me met, that kind of thing. We do have cousins, but nobody really that close. But of course we do have friends.

First up, I wonder what we're missing? What haven't I thought of?

I do worry that the kids will get weirded out as they get older. Our youngest thinks I am his Dad, but whilst the others may speak and act like we're one family, they know the truth. I think they'll be ok, with the white-lies aspect, but when they figure out we're actually being intimate, I imagine that will freak them out.

And I don't know what we tell our friends??
I suppose we talk to our really close friends. And if they're ok, then great, and if not, we try to make new friends.
Casual friends, I guess we just move on.
Shutdown facebook for a few years

I'm actually really glad that kids in our country are banned from Social Media.

LONG story so far is here: what_does_this_mean

Bottom line is that we both want it, badly, but without getting into her story, lets just say that she had a terrible history, it's made her reactions very tumultuous, and I want to do this right.

I want the first time to be special, and I want her to know that its the next step in our life together, and the first step in our future.

I'm thinking maybe a weekend away, or a staycation in a nice hotel. Family suite, apartment, or maybe adjoining rooms for the kids. Dinner in a smancy restaurant, champagne, etc.
And I want this to be the first time we go somewhere as Mr & Mrs.

It's funny, I feel like I should be asking a hundred questions, but really, what's there to know? We're both healthy, happy, mature, experienced adults.
And I think the build up will help us put to rest any lingering misgivings.

I've told her pants on tonight, as I want the first time to be special, but we kissed earlier, like an actual proper kiss, and that on its own was pretty electric.