What I Really Want

Someone asked me a few weeks ago what I was looking for in a man. When he asked, I really didn't know how to answer. I mean, I had ideas, but didn't know how to put it into words. I'm a girl, so I've made a lot of these lists in my time. I have found, though, that my needs, or wants, have changed over the years. I no longer care about specific physical characteristics or romantic comedy notions; I want real life. I want to feel safe. I want to feel loved. I want to feel desired. I want imperfect, because I'm imperfect. We can learn and grow together.
So, here it is, for better or for worse.

• He will make me laugh, but create a safe space to cry.
• He will make me feel beautiful and sexy, but also inspire me to do the things that make me feel that way for myself.
• He will scrape the ice/snow off my car in the winter. This is purely because I hate it.
• He will be imperfect, and make mistakes, but know how to fix them.
• He will be kind. 
• He will work hard to take care of and provide for our family, just as I will do the same; different jobs, same purpose.
• He will be passionate about me, and life, and learning.
• He will take care of me because he wants to, not because he feels he has to.
• He will be faithful to God, to me, to the intrinsic beliefs that guide his soul. (Too deep for a blog?)
• He will want to be the best daddy he can be. 
• He will want to take me out and show me off, but snuggle me in my pajama pants while we watch TV. 
• He will protect me and I will feel safest when I'm in his arms.
• He will hold my hand, even when our palms get sweaty.
• He will inspire me to do better, and to be better, as I will do for him.
• He will sit by me in church. (I want to marry someone good, but not so good that I have to wrangle the kids by myself every Sunday. Kidding. Kind of. I'm selfish.)
• He will know that I will do all I can to be all of these things for him, and more; but only because I'm an overachiever, not because it's a competition. But if it was, I would probably win.