You don’t have to be with someone who has a child but you choose me.
I am forever grateful for the sacrifice.
I appreciate you and I am honored to be chosen.
I realize all that you have given up and your acknowledgement of my efforts to balance two relationships.
You give me special consideration and don’t diminish my consideration for you being involved in my life.
Thank you for being patient.
Having an understanding of my role and responsibility.
Knowing that you will be first.
I appreciate and notice your sacrifices!
You see the love for my child and find it attractive.
You don’t allow that attraction of me being an involved parent turn into dissatisfaction of being sometimes inconsistent and an unavailable partner.
The dissatisfaction of putting you second doesn’t deter you.
It’s easy to walk away because my initial commitment of being your significant other is trumped by my commitment to being a committed father.
Being an involved parent is sexy until I am not available.
It’s adorable seeing me put my child first until you realize you come second.
The attention to my birthed responsibility is attractive until you’re questioning my attraction to you.
You don’t expect to receive my unconditional heart at “hello” or even at “I love you”.
Understanding that even when we plan to be together on my free weekend that there is a chance our plans may be scrapped.
I assure you that I am working on being available for and to you.
There are special moments where we have each other all to ourselves.
We want more and I am working on it.
You understand by me showing you that my love for you is different and it isn’t comparable.
It’s a unique love, specific and catered to you.
A love that will grow far beyond what you receive now.
You see consistent glimpses of me putting you first when we are together and you appreciate that.
You consider that every time I make a choice to be with you, I make a choice to leave him.
You understand the importance of Fatherhood.
You don’t compare our relationship to the relationship I have with my son.
You don’t compete with him for time and attention.
You don’t complain about not getting enough time from me.
You express yourself and allow me time to fix it.
You understand my schedule and say: “I’m patient and you’re worth it“.
That does not mean you are waiting for me.
It means you are continuing your life and fitting me in as I do you.
We schedule, we plan, and we work for us because we are worth it.
And I will always treasure you for that.
The day will come when you meet my child and we all build a relationship together.
That day, I will strive to show him how a woman is supposed to be treated when courting and in marriage.
Dear Future Wife, I thank you again for not letting your attraction to ME, as an involved parent, turn into dissatisfaction of WE, as a committed partner.
(Image credit: shutterstock.com)
