Making a List and Checking it Twice!

My sister and I were talking the other day about how happy we both were at this point in our lives. We both are thankful for healthy children, being able have careers, and having our own place to call home.  And of course we both adore our husbands and are incredibly grateful we met them. That was the real jumping point of the conversation I guess.

   

We began talking about pre-qualifications we had made earlier in our lives, what our ideal mate would be like and how close we got. My sister's husband she claims is a 100% complete match. In her Junior High Health class they were supposed to list traits and characterizes of their dream partner. Can you believe she knew what she wanted in the 7th grade? Haha..I thought the Backstreet Boys were cool in the 7th grade...we are very different people....always have been. (PS - I no longer think the Backstreet Boys or really any boy band(s) are cool...it was a fad people!)

In college I had once rattled off a random list of traits to a friend when I was at a point of tired of being single.  Wondering if anyone was actually out there for me. My friend ended up telling me "no such man exists" after actually writing down my ridiculously long list. At the time I think she was wanting to set me up with someone, and wanted to match common interests. I don't remember everything on the list (and I doubt she kept it), but it is surprising how many of the "impossible" characteristics my Hubby met years later.

Her List

• Black Hair 
• Brown Eyes
• Over 6 foot
• Older
• Good with kids
• Loves Animals
• Music Lover
• In Shape (apparently an afterthought requirement)

My List - 

Really these 3 were the first things listed & ultimately thrown out on my Ideal Guy Checklist.

• Over 6 foot - (Hubby is 5' 9")
• Older  - (I am older by 7 months)
• Must hate ACDC (sadly he is a fan, I am only a fan of their music if it’s being covered....I can't deny the lyrics are good and the beat is catchy.  However lets be honest, ACDC really sound like screaming 6-year-old-girls....yeah I said it!)

Oh but all the rest he nailed:

• Hardworking (If I didn't earn it/get it for myself, I don't need it attitude)
• Smart/Intelligent
• Must be a John Wayne fan (this one is sketchy, my Hubby says he prefers Clint Eastwood - he hasn't admitted to not liking John Wayne...frankly because that could be a deal breaker)
• Faithful
• Loves to read
• Funny/Good sense of Humor
• Easy to Talk to (really this one is borderline, but there are days he blows my mind and I have never found anyone I would rather stay up all night talking to)
• Manners - has 'em; uses 'em
• Honest and Straight forward
• Mechanical (something sexy about the smell of grease and being able to build/fix stuff)
• Similar Morals
• Has Faith & Lives it
• Kind to others
• Not Cocky (I can get along with almost every personality type out there, but I just don't do cocky)
• Hunter/Sportsman
• Stubborn/Not Easily Pushed Around
• Appreciates Agriculture (bonus points for being involved in it)
• Good with Children
• Not afraid of spiders (I actually am not afraid of bugs, but I had an ex that I had to kill spiders for and its just not a turn on)
• Not afraid of mice (I am petrified of mice)
• Not afraid of snakes (again terrified of snakes, I needed someone brave!)
• Similar Music Preferences (here I rattled off the all kinds of music I liked and didn't like...and bands he had to like/dislike.....this actually lead to the impossible to fulfill comment) The Hubby actually is similar though. He prefers classic country to modern country, likes rock & roll, doesn't listen to rap, and more importantly has heard of and owns Flogging Molly and The Dropkick Murphys!

I feel so fortunate to have such a great man in my life...forever! Really, sometimes I am amazed, I get to the spend the rest of my life with this guy. We are a sappy couple (though not over-the-top PDA), in public our hands and fingers do seem to find each others....probably more of my doing. We hold hands as we walk down the street, or our fingers brush when out with friends. That is one of the hardest things so far about this deployment, him not being there. I mean that sounds obvious, but really, it’s an intangible emptiness. Even if I am spoiled and we have been able to FaceTime lately, and seeing his face and hearing his voice does make me swoon...the weird empty feeling of missing his hand holding mine makes his absence painful.

Did you ever make a list of things you were looking for/wanted in a partner?
If so did this list match your mate?