My manfriend

I haven't gushed much about my manfriend. I put some thought behind the purpose of this post because I originally wanted to make one, detailed and strong post sharing all of the ways that I think the sun must shine out of his butt and how he is a perfect match for me (because the sun also shines out of my butt).

However, I've also come to the realization that my friends are protective of me. I'm thankful for that. Truly. But along with that I sometimes feel a hesitation or a doubt from my friends about his integrity of character or the seriousness with which I trust him. This is understandable because if I had a friend who had been single for years.. and years... and years! (and with two cats no less) and had all of a sudden said she has found the man she's going to marry and had no qualms about planning the rest of her life around this guy who she's only been dating for 6-7 months and who lives 6 hours away... I would think she was crazy. I would! I would tell myself that she was doing any of the following a) settling for this guy because someone finally gave her attention, b) was getting way ahead of herself and letting hormones decide her future, or c) thinking something must be off about this guy and she hasn't realized it yet.

I don't try to take offense in what I think are some of these assumptions my friends might have because I know I would (and have) made the same ones about my friends. There's the raised eyebrows of surprise, the air of reluctance in their voice, and the hesitation to ask questions to pry more into their own curiosity about this new guy. For the exception of Rachel, haha, who grilled me to no end. (You go girl!)

And so, after chewing on this for a while, I realized that a blog post littered with facts, stories, imagery, and details about how much I love this man and how he is the best thing to ever happen to me might not be so much about sharing to my friends how I feel, but it would be me actually trying to justify how I feel and what I know. And I feel that at 27, having dated some, done the online thing, and watched numerous marriages blossom (and some dissolve), I've learned enough about me, what is good for me, and what counts in a relationship. Granted, outside opinion can be warranted and welcome. But in this I am most confident, my manfriend is my best friend and he is the greatest, wisest, and the best investment I will ever make in my life.

If that means I elope with him at a courthouse, marry him under a gazebo on the bank of a river, or move in with him, have kids, and get old before ever having a certificate by the state of Florida stating our marriage is valid, I know that this man is who I choose to faithfully walk beside until my last breath escapes my body. And I will answer to no one for the reasoning behind my commitment or the way in which I will choose to practice it, except God.

So rest assured. I'm keeping him, and he's well worth keeping.

that is all :)