He gives me butterflies and enough time has passed that I know they are here to stay.

He doesn’t realize it, but this is how he does it.

1. I’m not first all the time. He’s got other concerns that genuinely matter more. He spends time growing people into amazing full sized humans. His passion for being a dad inspires me as a parent. I’m not always first but when he wraps his arms around me, I know how much I matter.

2. He doesn’t mind not being first with me either. I’m a “people grower” too. Sometimes my little person needs me. He gives me space to be the mom I need to be. When I’m done, he lets me show him he’s number one for doing so.

3. He’s got his own pompoms. Other men have cheerleader fantasies. He’s my cheerleader and that’s no fantasy, it’s the truth. He’s there to tell me that I’ve got this when I feel like maybe I don’t until I believe I do again.

4. He looks at me like I was sculpted from pixie dust. Before my hair is untangled and my make up is set, he gazes upon like I’m the Christmas morning he’s waited his entire life for. I’m glittering tinsel, ribbons and his cup of hot cocoa. I have to catch my breath because the warmth is overwhelming and I just melt.

5. He’s willing to talk. Maybe not right away, but if I give him a minute, we can find a solution to our problem peacefully. The only time he raises his voice is in excitement, or something sports related on TV. He’s a game changer that way.

6. He balances me. We balance each other. We are both passionately aflame for the things that consume our waking hours. He keeps me close and convinces me to rest my wings before I fly again. He’s the sense of adventure to my best laid plans. He reminds me I don’t have to take myself so seriously, so everyone else will.

7. He’s my compass and he’s facing forward. He helps me find my way. He’s looking down the road with his eyes on the horizon, not the past. He knows where he’s been. He may not know exactly where we are going, but he knows we are going together.

8. He brings me things. Belly laughs. Tears of joy. A different perspective. Warm hugs. Dreams of brighter days. A glimmer of understanding. Smiles that make my cheeks ache. He gives these things freely and without reservation.

I went looking for a life partner.

What I found was a butterfly farmer, who patiently waited until I broke out of my cocoon.

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Editor: Ashleigh Hitchcock

Photo: wikipedia