On our very first date, my now-husband took me bass fishing. When my car's inside door handle wouldn't work, he laid on the ground and peered into the open panel. He asked me to work the outside handle and fixed it -- even though he'd told me he'd never fixed one before. 

On another fishing date, the trolling motor broke. He used some fiberglass repair stuff and got it working. A few days later, I asked him if he found the part for the motor. He said, "I picked that up the next day and repaired it." It was then that I realized I had a real man. He didn't have the right stuff to repair the trolling motor, but he managed to get it running again. Plus he didn't just let it stay that way and wait to fix it; he fixed it properly the next day. 

We married and had two girls. When they were about 6 and 8-years-old, an ice storm left us without power for 3 days. My hubby cooked meals on top of our cast iron wood stove in a cast iron skillet, and slept on the floor in front of our wood stove so he would wake up when the fire got low and could build it back up. Because he's good at handling money, our daughters now have fat college funds, our property is ours free and clear, and he was able to retire at 56. 

I always hoped I'd find someone who'd shower me with diamonds and take me out to dinner every other night. Not happening; that first date fishing trip was a sign of things to come! But he showed me that real true love is sleeping on the floor so the fire doesn't go out and your family gets cold. Is he perfect? No, but he's just perfect for me. 

Brenda