The Man I Marry Will Be.........

You know how as a youth you are always told to write down the qualities you want in a future spouse? I want to know, how can you even do that? I didn't even know what I wanted out of life, how could I accurately pick what I wanted from someone else? The things that were important to me then have absolutely no value at all now. Even now I can't guess what will be most important to me five years from now. Needless to say, this exorcise was a little lost on me.

So because I am shallow and selfish, my big requirements for the guy I married were limited to two things. He must be at least 6'2'' and be able to sit through 9 innings of baseball.

I know.

Rather unreal expectations right?

Well I got lucky and got both of those requirements checked off my list. How little did I know and how lucky I was that this didn't come back to bite me in the butt.

I've come to decide requirements for someone else to be "worthy" of spouse material are stupid. It is all about wanting the same things out of life. Which pretty much means you need to have expectations of yourself then find someone one that expects the same of themselves.

So now that I am almost four years in, I am finally figuring out the things that are important to me for spousal characteristics. And let me tell you, they are nothing that I ever wrote down as a teenager.

Probably my most favorite thing about Andy that makes me fall in love all over again is watching him be a papa. Being a good father was never on my list. This really brings me the greatest joy though. I love to listen to Andy laugh his heart out while giving the kids a bath. I can hear them all splashing and playing and it is the sweetest sound I have ever heard. I love to see how much joy and happiness Andy gets from just being with the kids. His eyes fill with tears of joy more often then I can count. Our babies are our greatest joy, sharing that with each other makes it just that much better.

Something else I never thought about to add was forgiveness. As in, Andy being able to forgive me. I have a lot of flaws and have so very much to work on. I'm lucky and grateful for Andy's forgiveness and patience. Most if not all other guys would have packed up and left a long time ago. It show great character in the way he handles my innumerable short comings and still tells me he loves me.

Other things that have grown in importance to me are desire and integrity. Andy really has true and honest desires and shows great integrity in all areas of his life. He is honest and does a job the way he promises to do it. He has more compassion and love for others than anyone I have ever met. He will do all he can to help others and pushes me to do the same.

Andy is slowly showing me what should be on a list of desired qualities in a spouse. He has taken it far above and beyond my original, must have a good sense of humor and must like the Red Sox.

Andy you are still everything I never knew I always wanted.