How I knew He was "the one" for me

A few weeks back, on the morning show that I listen to while driving to work, they were asking people when they knew their spouse was the right person (of course I’m sure they worded it better than I am right now but I’m tired and can’t remember exactly what they said). Anyway, for several days they took callers and each day I thought that it would be fun to call. One morning my husband must have caught part of the show and mentioned it to me. He thought he had a great story to share too. So, today, I’m sharing his version and my own and maybe this will prompt you to think of why you chose your mate.

His Story (as shared with me that morning)
Ryan wanted to call in to share with the listeners exactly when he knew I was “the one” for him. It was the first night we met. There were numerous people our age at the gathering. And several hours into the evening, Ryan got an emergency veterinary call. Being the farm kid that I learned to be, I was sure he’d be pulling a calf and I nudged B to ask him if we could ride along. Little did I know until after I got out of my seat, that it wasn’t a cow having problems birthing but rather a dog with maggots. (I’m not sure if I knew exactly that maggots were involved, I can’t remember today). Anyway, I figured I was already up and ready to go, I should just go. And although this was the first night we met, Ryan knew I was “the one” after the events that followed:
We get to the vet clinic and it was this medium length haired dog with maggots, yes maggots. She was being cared for by a family member and they noticed the problem and called the veterinary clinic. This dog had maggots crawling out of its rectal and vaginal areas! So, the self-proclaimed farm kid that I am, I offered my assistance while B waited in the hall. After washing and shaving the area to remove the external maggots, they kept coming. As I stood across the table from Ryan, I held the speculum (which is the tool that holds specific orifices open) while the doc picked out maggots out that were crawling out the insides of this dog. And it was at this moment that Ryan knew I was perfect for him!

I must say that we both have fairly interesting stories and I should have emailed the morning show so he could read both.

My Story
Now that we were beyond formal introductions, maggot experiences and several meals later, Ryan and I continued to enjoy each other’s company. It had been fun getting to know each other and pursuing a relationship even though I had lots of insecurities brought on by a previous relationship. Ryan, though, was great at bringing up important issues and really getting to know each other outside of meals and fun outings. We took the time to communicate via phone, snail mail, etc about various issues that were important to each of us. And the story that follows is how I knew Ryan was the gentlest, understanding, loving and perfect mate for me:
I was at home reading at the kitchen table and remember being surprised that I had yet to hear from Ryan. A few minutes later there was a knock at the door and there stood Ryan with a bag of groceries. He’d brought over all the items needed to cook a meal. Not only had he made the 30 minute drive to surprise me but he also planned a meal and purchased the items necessary to prepare it. I could almost stop here with the story – I greatly appreciate my husbands wonderful cooking talents. But, there’s more…
We proceed to make supper together. After a few minutes, I went into the living room to turn the radio on for some background noise (no, it wasn’t anything romantic). And as I walked back into the kitchen, I noticed a bright bouquet of roses. While I was in the living room, he grabbed them from outside where he left them when he knocked at the door. Wow, I was surprised. But keep reading, there’s still more…
We finish the meal and eat together at the table before relaxing to the living room. Ryan was sitting on the couch when I walked in the room to see him pulling a letter out of his pocket. He kindly mentioned that he’d like to discuss the questions I had in the letter I had written him earlier. I was flattered that he wanted to specifically address those questions. And then all of a sudden, it hit me. I was mortified as I watched him flip through the multiple pages of the letter. I could see through the last page to the, oh my gosh, I forgot to delete the last page. I had started what is commonly referred to now as “the list”. It was a list of positives and negatives about Ryan. And let me just say that the list of negatives had received more attention than the other column. I was picking him apart with “the list”. I had shared the list with a friend who let me know that I was being ridiculous and if I was looking for an excuse to not pursue a relationship than I could keep picking at him but if I was serious about him, she wanted me to know how ridiculous I was being.

It was at this moment that I knew that I knew that he was perfect for me. That God made him with enough understanding and love to deal with me, my insecurities and my many needs. I later mentioned to Ryan that I was surprised to get the roses after he got “the list”. And his response was that he’d already purchased the roses and had no one else to give them too. And by the way, the roses were perfect. Not your typical red roses. They were multi-colored and had a letter that compared the roses to his view of me. It was so thoughtful and awesome. Several years later, my husband is obviously not perfect but still perfect for me!