The Introvert.

While nursing a headache last night, I decided I wanted a bedtime story from Sprout that consisted of him describing things he loved about me. And here's one of the things I love most about him - he tries his best to humor me, even if I'm being obnoxious and demanding -

"They can't be generic things, like funny or smart, you've got to use details," I added. "So tell me eight things."
       "I don't know if I can think of eight on the spot," he laughed. "That said, I do love your optimism on almost everything. During the times where I lose myself to doubt and self-pity you're always there trying to find the silver lining. You're always trying to put a smile back on my face. I love that you're level-headed, when you realize you're being illogical you accept it rather than trying to defend a moot point. I rarely do that, you're kind of my hero."
       Mollified, I said, "Here, I'll play too. I love how attentive you are, to me and the world around you, remembering things I forget or don't notice and paying attention to the little things. I've always felt sad when my guy doesn't notice the li'l things, but most guys never notice. But you do."
     "I try," he grinned. "But I do miss some things. Like if you hadn't told me about your hair cut I probably wouldn't have known."
     I laughed, because I got my hair cut two inches and nobody had noticed.
     "I love your readiness to talk about anything and everything," he went on. "Even if it's morbid or depressing or if we were in the middle of another conversation, you're perfectly fine with just talking til the cows come home."
     "That sounds like a bad thing!" I protested.
     "It's not! I think it's great, I don't have to keep things from you cause you don't like the topic or feel differently about it than I do," he reassured me.
     "I love how great you are at cheering me up. Most people just say "cheer up" or tell me I'm overreacting, but you distract me with attempts to make me laugh about it or about something else, without making it seem like you're blowing off whatever I'm sad about, and your method works better than any other. You got me pegged."
     "That doesn't work with everyone," he smiled. "I love that our sense of humor aligns. I don't think most people find me funny. But you always do and you're never afraid to feed my ego. That counts as two, by the way, good humor and you feed my ego."
     I have to laugh. He always makes me laugh. "I love that you bring out the better side of me. Or maybe you make me want to be the best version of myself, because I think that's what you deserve. I'm very short-tempered and impatient with a lot of people. Most of the time because they frustrate me with their incompetence or indecisiveness. So I feel like a bad person around them, but with you I find myself kinder, more compassionate, more understanding, gentler, more loving - I've read once that you know you're really in love when the person you're with brings out the best in you."
     "Well, then I'm really in love with you," he said. "Just nearly everything you do makes me happy. You are perfect, baby."
     "This next one is going to seem strange, but - I love that you're an introvert. I always thought I preferred outgoing extroverts, but dating you has made me realize you give me the quiet sense of happiness and calmness that I've never really had. You're gentle and tender to me, and you don't raise your voice at me. You're what I need and want to balance my conflicting introvert/extrovert sides of myself."
     "So you... need me like a drug?" he teased.
     "And want you like a burger!"
     "I love you," he laughed. 

Jo's wedding last weekend was the third wedding I attended this year. I love weddings, I love the romance that's being celebrated and the culmination of a relationship that's been successful enough to move onward to the next conventional step. I've always wondered how you knew if you were with someone who was right for you. But now it gets clearer everyday.

P.S: Mom's baking her heavenly homemade chicken pie for me as I write this! I haven't had it in years, and it's my favorite food in the world. I can barely contain my excitement! Spending my last 13 days in Malaysia eating chicken pie is a great way to spend two weeks!