The day before you

**Warning, the following post is mushy... again.**

"He's never called me beautiful, never." - This is what my best friend vented to me about her current boyfriend last night as we were getting ready to go out for my birthday. The reason she pointed that out as a specific complaint was because not 5 minutes earlier, while she was arguing with her boyfriend over the phone about his tone of voice, I was texting Sgt. back and forth and he sent me a message that said:

"Happy Birthday Beautiful"

I continued to listen as she vented about some of the issues they've been having, she told me
"I don't feel like he would fight for me, I feel like if I told him I wanted to break up that he could care less one way or the other. He actually told me the other day while we were fighting 'you just want me to give you the damn world' and I thought to myself... YEAH I DO, what's so wrong with that?" As she's venting I started to think about past relationships I've been in and other men I've dated. There have been some lows... let me tell ya! I've dated guys like that, I've dated guys MUCH WORSE than that... and now, I have him. The second that thought crossed my mind I couldn't help but smile. My best friend finished her vent and we decided to not let him ruin her evening but as we were driving off to dinner I couldn't stop thinking about Sgt. and all the little things he does for me.

Did you know the man actually has a GOAL to make sure that he tells me at least once, every day, that he thinks I'm beautiful? Sure, we get on each others nerves every now and then and sometimes we frustrate each other, but he has NEVER, not once, disrespected me. Even if we are arguing, which is rare, I am never worried that he could care one way or the other if he had me. I know without a doubt that man would fight for me (in a literal sense I'm sure... but I'm talking more of a big picture, fight to keep me, fight for my heart, not give up on me sort of thing). I might need a little more reassurance from time to time, because that's just the way I am, but even then, deep down I know how much he cares about me. He's patient with me when I have to pee on road trips every 45 minutes, when I am lost driving us through down town San Antonio and about to take a wrong turn down a one way street.... he doesn't get mad, or frustrated. He's patient with me when my hormones are through the roof and I'm grumpy towards him for no good reason. He remembers little things like how I take my coffee, and to always have a sweatshirt or blanket handy because I'm almost always cold. He laughs with me, picks on me (in a funny joking manner), and can keep up with my sarcasm. He takes the lead and lets me be the girl I am. He LISTENS to me when I need to vent, when I need his advice, when I want to be mushy, when I talk about the mundane and repetitive parts of my day... he listens and talks to me. He actually cares how my day is. He's my FRIEND. He makes sure I'm safe, and taken care of, but appreciates my independence. He absolutely loves just making me smile. And Sgt. gives me the world every single day that he's in mine.

Where, and how, did I find this man?

I tell him often that I think he's amazing and that I appreciate him so much for who he is and what he does for me. However, after last night, I really think I should do that more. A lot of my friends have been having boyfriend issues lately and every time I listen to them, I am so thankful I am with who I'm with. It puts everything in perspective and I laugh at how ridiculous it is that I complained two days ago about him seeming snappy on the phone. I wish all of my girlfriends had someone who cared for and respected them the way he does me. I have not only been blessed... I have been divinely favored by having him placed in my life.

I was listening to my ipod on shuffle today and the song "The day before you" came on. I think it says it best:

I had all but given up on finding the one that I could fall into on the day before you. I was ready to settle for less than love and not much more, there was no such thing as a dream come true. Oh, but that was all the day before you. Now you're here and everything's changing, suddenly life means so much. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and find out this promise is true. I will never have to go back to the day before you.