I made a list, and I checked it more than twice!

About a year before Rommel and I casually bumped into each other at a gig and started dating, I wrote a really long list of what I prayed and hoped my husband would be like.

No matter how funny or trivial or serious or crazy it was – I wrote it on that list! I ended up writing a 6 page list! 104 items folks!

Now if you don’t know our story, let me tell you how it happened (really fast!). We bumped into each other on a Thursday, he got my number that night and we agreed to meet up for coffee…soon. By soon he meant that Monday! He picked me up for coffee and dinner and by the time we were having dessert, we both knew that this was it! It was like finding that super important puzzle piece that’s been missing for ages! And…..we became a couple that night! It was so surreal…yet so…real. EIGHTEEN days — yes, 18 DAYS later — Rommel got on one knee and asked me to marry him. Nine months later we got married… twice in one week!

The first time we got married. It was at the station I worked at – where we had coffee for the first time. I was in my favorite slippers, he was in sneakers, our moms were there, we had pizza and it was webcast live so friends and family abroad were able to watch!

Next week, Rommel and I are celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary! Yey! So a couple of nights ago I dug up my list, ticked off a few more items and showed it to him for the very first time!  We were both so amazed at how it perfectly describes him. (I had forgotten a number of items on that list! Last time I checked it was probably a year ago!) I asked if I could finally share that list with everyone else and he said YES…. so here goes! It starts off with a letter I wrote to God 🙂

Father,

The whole day I’ve been really led to write down this list. I acknowledge that a lot has changed, for you have changed me, even my desires and priorities in a relationship.  Father, I trust that the qualities I will write down are from you. That you won’t send anyone less than this. Than even though the list may seem impossible, it isn’t for you, coz you make all things possible. May this list also help me decide who the one you’ve chosen for me is. Father, I humbly submit this list to you. Thank you for my husband Lord, in Jesus’ name I pray amen. 🙂

• He must love You more than anyone or anything
  – He listens to you
  – He shows his obedience to you
  – He prioritizes you
  – He follows your lead
  – He must love spending time with You, knowing You
  – He must be able to share what you are teaching/revealing to him
  – He must have a heart to sincerely reach out to those who need You
  – He must acknowledge that you and your Word are the final authority in his life.
  – He must be willing to take leaps of faith!
  – He must be a really good friend more than anything!
• There must be favor from Kristo (my son)
• There must be favor towards Kristo (my son)

I love watching them interact! They have such a good a relationship!

• He must honor his parents and siblings
• There must be a blessing from his family and mine
• He must love music
  – loves rock
  – loves old tunes
  – loves sentimental tunes
  – loves dance-y tunes
• He must have an open mind about music
• He must have good taste in music
• Musician

He’s one of the most talented musicians I have ever seen, and I’m not just saying that coz I love him!

• Dancer or at least loves to dance
• Knows how to cook or at least would like to learn
• Loves going to the grocery and can spend hours there
• Loves art
• Does not care about my past; cares more about the NOW in my life
• Patient
• Loves to drive and is willing to pick me up and drive me places
• Loves to read
• On time/Doesn’t like being late
• Uncomplicated –> SOMEONE SIMPLE!
• Enjoys simple joys
• Someone I can laugh hard with
• Someone who’s willing to ballroom dance with me/take lessons

It ain’t just on the dance floor! We dance all the time in our kitchen and living room!

• Someone to teach me a sport/play a sport with
• Someone who appreciates my singing
• Someone with really nice hair
• NICE ARMS 🙂
• Taller than me
• Darker than me
• Someone easy to feed!
• Someone I can share clothes with
• Someone who isn’t shy/bothered to go into girls’ clothes stores
• MUST LOVE COFFEE!!!

Our coffee stash a few months ago. He bought 90% of the coffee you see! Need I say more?!

• Someone I can talk to for hours about anything and everything
• Someone who can teach me not to be scared of dogs anymore
• Favor from friends
• From the same church I go to
• Willing to watch chick flicks
• Someone I can walk/dance/play in the rain with
• Someone who can fix my hair
• Someone really smart
• Someone I can make music with
• Someone I can work with
• Really cool fashion sense
• Someone who appreciates architecture
• Loves to travel
• Super funny/awesome sense of humor
• Wise/full of wisdom
• Can blend in and stand out wherever you go
• Likes going to the mall
• Won’t be tired to watch a move over and over and over
• Someone who likes putting his arm around me (you know, akbay)
• Someone who likes hugs and holding hands
• Someone who likes weird food combinations
• Thoughtful
• Texts back/replies to texts
• Someone I can be quiet with for hours and still be okay
• Has integrity
• Pure
• Someone who is’t bothered to ask for directions when lost
• Someone I can spend time with coloring a book
• Someone who likes watching the sunset
• Someone who likes looking at the stars
• Someone who likes burgers and salad and pasta!
• Someone who likes surprises
• Someone’s who been to at least 2 different countries and has stayed there for a t least 2-3 months
• Someone I can pray with

Praying for each other and our future during our wedding

• Someone patient in giving road directions
• Someone willing to define words when I ask
• Someone who’ll challenge me to be a better person
• Someone who wants a housewife for a wife
• Makes an effort to get along with my family
• He will talk to my son’s father about his intentions for me (He called my son’s father a week after we became a couple!)
  
• Loves kids
• He’d rather live and start out in our own small room than live with our families
• Doesn’t mind getting a tan
• Someone who can give a mean massage
• Good balance of fun and seriousness
• Plans ahead but is spontaneous too
• Knows how to make coffee I would love. (If you know me, I love making coffee and I rarely let anyone make coffee for me but for the past few months, I’ve stopped brewing my own coffee! I wait for Rommel to put on a pot because…I LOVE the coffee he makes! And trust me, that’s HUGE!)

Those are all the items that have been ticked off! Only 10 more items left un-ticked and I realized that those 10 aren’t really than important! Amazing right?

I’ve always believed that God specifically made someone for me, and I was specifically made for that someone. (May I just add that according to my husband, he’s always wanted to marry a Eurasian. Ehem. Ehem.)

He’s like that to me every single day!

Getting to know my husband more each day, plus looking at this list, just proves that what I’ve believed for the longest time is so true.

So if you are waiting for Mr. Right, or seeking Ms. Right, I hope this post has encouraged you to believe that someone was specifically made for you — and that you have been specifically made for that someone. 🙂

Oh, and to Rommel, my absolutely amazing husband and best friend, thank you for being my dream guy and more! Happy 2nd anniversary my love!!! Mahal na mahal na mahal kita!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11