Why Would Anyone Get Married at 21?

This post is to answer that very question, or at least to answer why I am getting married at 21. When I first started dating my fiancé, I NEVER imagined we would be planning our wedding two years later. Actually, I didn't even want to say yes when he asked me on our first date! (But that story is for another post :) However, in just a few short weeks, I found myself realizing how different he was and how different this relationship was from any other I had experienced before. Here are just a few of the reasons why I am marrying the most wonderful man in just 5 months :)

1. He asked me on a real date. This may seem like a head scratching reason, but up until this invitation to go see Transformers (yes, really) no one had previously asked me on a real 'let me pick you up and take you out somewhere, just because I want to spend time with you' date. It made me feel appreciated and a little flattered.

2. He opened my car door (and all the other doors) for me. Again, another small reason, and I am obviously capable of opening them myself, but this small act of chivalry was a sign of somebody who already had respect and care for me before the date even started. Once again, something I hadn't really experienced before.

3. He never judged me. After just a week of dating, we had the 'talk' about where we had been relationship-wise, and where we were going. I am a girl who has a very unfortunate past, with a lot of baggage-and I let him see all of it. He made is so easy to be honest, and the best part was his reaction. I was absolutely terrified that he would see me differently after I bared my soul, but he responded with nothing but kindness and unbelievable understanding.

4. He's really really ridiculously good looking. Haha, that one was a joke. But seriously, he's a stud.

5. He always puts me first. This point could encompass a myriad of things, from watching MY movies to rearranging his finances so I could have a dream wedding to The most amazing part of his generosity is he does it all because he wants to; not because I ask or because he feels pressure from me. Whether or not I see it, every decision he makes has my best interest at the heart of it.

6. He leads me closer to Christ. Even more than he loves me, he loves Christ. I've been a Christian since I was in middle school, but being with him has lead me to experience God in new ways and to step way out of my cushy Christian comfort zone. He prays for me and he encourages me; he deepens the knowledge I already have and helps me to discover more every day.

7. We are so similar. And yet, so different. He is the perfect blend of my twin and my exact opposite, all at the same time. We laugh at the same things and love the same books and share so many interests. And then I love things like writing and shopping and coffee, while he loves things like backpacking, video games and the Army. We are able to be so close and share a lot of the same experiences, yet we're also able to have our own lives. We each have unique perspectives and viewpoints, which always keeps things interesting.

7. Last but not least, I am madly, irrevocably, and indescribably in love with him. More than the fact that he is my best friend, he makes me giddy and happy in the sappy girly kind of way. (I know, I'm ashamed of me too) He brings out the happiest, smiliest, and laughliest me there is.

These are just a few of the many, many reasons I will soon be creating a new life with Mark. What are some things you would look for in the person you will marry? Or what made you realize your husband or wife was the one to spend your life with?