To Whoever Loves Him Next

I need you to understand going into this how truly lucky you are. Lucky to have a man who makes you laugh, cry, and makes you look forward to doing life everyday. You will cry until you laugh and laugh until you cry. You will not hear from him after 9 PM because he works very hard and has to get at least eight hours of sleep to function. You will pour 100 percent of love into him and get 100 percent of it back. He is going to be your very best friend. So please, please love him with all you have. It’s worth everything.

So, starting off, one of the most important things to remember... the boy LOVES to eat. Chicken and dumplings are his favorite. If you try to keep up with his eating schedule, you will gain weight very quickly. He was blessed with an extremely fast metabolism and will eat at least six meals a day, without gaining a pound. When he is hungry at night, make sure you find him something to eat or else he won’t be able to sleep. Never give him ranch or mayonnaise because he thinks they are absolutely horrendous and he will judge you for eating it. Luckily, you can judge him right back for the amount of ketchup he puts on everything. Speaking of ketchup, if he puts it on his eggs, he doesn’t like the eggs you made, and when you try to make him something else he’ll deny not liking them. Make sure he doesn’t get onions on anything because he will throw the whole thing out. You could just take them off, but he still won’t eat it. He is kind of a picky eater, though he’ll deny that too. He gets a large double cheeseburger meal at McDonald's, loves coke, and prefers miller lite to keep the gut off.

I promise you that every morning you will smile. When he wraps his arms around you and cuddles close, you know he got his eight hours of sleep. If something happens in the middle of the night, good luck waking him up, he could sleep through an earthquake. Make sure you cuddle him at night, he loves to rub your back as he falls asleep. Though you won’t wake up cuddling, he’ll come close once he wakes up. Be careful though, above all else, he loves to tickle, especially if he knows you don’t like it. Even when you beg him to stop, he’ll do it because pushing your buttons is cute to him. He loves it back though, so don’t be afraid to mess with him too.

He is the most stubborn person you will ever meet in your life. He is exactly like his dad and likes to jump on you just to watch you fall down. You will laugh and smile until your cheeks hurt. There will never be a dull moment. If you get into an argument and stop talking, give it a few minutes, and then grab his hand. You will look at each other and smile. You won’t even remember what you were bickering about. Most arguments will be on the two hour drive to his grandparents house. Now, this place is important. Not just to him but it will be for you too. This is where he grew up and where you will be welcomed with open arms as soon as you walk in. They will become your family in a matter of seconds. When you go sit on the front porch, look at him. See the calmness that sets around him, this is where he is most at peace. His grandparents house is his favorite place to be. So when life gets hard, plan a trip, because every time you’ll fall back in love all over again. In the silence of the wind and the beauty of the sky, he will show you what it is like to love again.

When you go to his dad’s, remember to feed the bluegill. Also, let him fish. Even if you don’t want to, even if the mosquitoes are biting you, and he hasn’t caught a single fish in hours. Just be with him because that is where you’ll make some of the best memories. Sit with him in silence while he gets frustrated. Scratch his back while he leans forward, but never his hair. He hates having his hair touched because it’s hard to make it sit right. Also, when he takes his hat off, remind him that he’s balding (even though we both know he isn’t) it’s cute to annoy him.

Lastly, just love him. He is stubborn, overly hungry, a right fighter, and a jerk sometimes. But boy does he love. He loves strong and will protect you always. He will give you 2AM adventures, and though you’re tired, those will be the best donuts and talks you will ever have. Love him as hard as you can, mess with him and wrestle with him. Remember his favorite color is green and he loves simplicity. He doesn’t buy flowers, take many pictures, or use social media very often. But he does sing and dance in the car. He does smile and crinkle his eyes when he is super happy. He will mess with you like you’re one of the guys, but will treat you with grace like you’re a queen. He will be your very best friend. So please, please love him with all you have inside you. It’s worth everything.