To My Future Husband,

I wonder about you and us every day. I wonder if I’ve met you yet, if you have a mom who will treat me like the daughter she never had, and the number of dogs we’re going to raise together. I wonder if you know how much you will mean to me. I grew up knowing my worth because of a father who showed it to me through treating his family with compassion. I grew up seeing a true relationship between two people who knew what “love” really meant. Most importantly, I grew up realizing the qualities that I needed a man to have.

I am not a woman who needs you to be “the man of the house”, but I do need you to be the man of my life. I need you to be someone who is always there for me, whether it’s me coming to you with pointless drama from the workroom or me crying on your shoulder from a death in the family. I need you to be comfortable with my family because I don’t want the holidays to be awkward. I don’t need you to be “the man who puts the food on the table” because I am an independent person. I plan on graduating from graduate school, getting my own job, and making my own money. However, I do need you to make me feel special every now and then. I’m not saying I need you to take me to the fanciest restaurant in town, but surprising me with a chocolate bar and a rose on a random Wednesday night will be greatly appreciated.

I need to be able to trust you. I don’t need you to tell me every detail in your life, but if you want to I’ll listen. I want to be able to go to you with my biggest secret and know that it is safe. I want to be able to know that your friends don’t know every little thing about our personal life, so when I go to your work dinners, I don’t feel embarrassed about me making you watch "The Bachelor."

I need you to be a supportive husband and father. I don’t need you to be at every waking moment of our children’s lives, but I do need you to support them at their athletic events, plays, and through every phase of their life (including the dreadful middle school one). I need you to be my best friend. I don’t need you to get manicures and go shopping every weekend, but I need you to be able to share special moments with me. I need you to be able to laugh with me at people who fall on ice when school is canceled, to be a loyal husband, and to realize how much you will mean to me.

I can’t wait to have endless amounts of fun with you. I apologize ahead of time for me staring at your butt in public, for bringing home a puppy without asking you first, and for burning dinner every now and then (a.k.a., whenever I cook). I promise to spoil you with love, but I do not plan on folding your laundry. I promise I’m a cool person.

P.S. Don’t let my embarrassing middle school pictures on Facebook scare you away.

Love,

Your Future Wife