Dear Unknown,

I pray for you just about every single day. I pray that life is treating you well and you're taking care of yourself. I pray for your family; I hope they've loved you they way they should. I pray that Jesus is a friend of yours, and you know that a man stands taller from his knees. I hope many good things for you, but I hope life hasn't been handed to you. The best of men have worked for what they have and don't take it for granted. I pray that you know what it feels like to be alone and broken, because then I know you were strong enough to put yourself back together. I pray that you've had your heart broken, because then I know you know how it feels and you wouldn't do it to me. But most of all, I pray that you're praying for me too.

I hope that you are as loving as you are caring. I hope that you honestly believe in something, especially God. I hope that you are hard working and never settle for less than what you want. I hope you stand up for what you know is right, but also know when to be silent. I hope your actions always back up your words. I hope you have a sense of humor that could move mountains on the days where I just cannot seem to pull it together. I hope you have an unconditional love for your mother along with your family. I hope you protect my heart as if it were your own. I hope you love me enough to never walk out that door because you know what we have is much more important than that argument, disagreement or misunderstanding. I hope you understand me for who I am and accept my flaws as if I were a spitting image of you.

I also just want to apologize to you. I am sorry for all the mistakes I've made that you may not like. I am sorry that I have many scars on my heart and I may be hard to put up with sometimes. I am sorry I didn't save my first kiss for you, or that I used the words "I love you" with boys I knew I didn't actually love. I am sorry that the life you will step into wont be easy. And I am sorry that I even have to say sorry before I know who you are.

Due to the life that I've lived, I'll need a few things from you. I will need you to be strong; for when I just simply can't. There will be days when my past returns to haunt me and I'll need your patience. Some days, I'll want nothing more than you to be around me, But the next I might just need my space. There will be nights when I either cannot sleep and Ill ask you to stay awake with me. Or I'll have nights when I just want you to lay next to me and lay in bed for hours. I'll need you to be ready for anything. I'll want to go on random adventures one minute and then be extremely lazy the next. I'll need your grace, because my temper may get the best of me. I'll need your criticism, because I know ill make mistakes, and I will need you to call me out on them. I'll need your forgiveness; I might go a little too far in one of our silly arguments and I will have a problem with swallowing my pride. But the most important thing is that I will just need you to love me with all of your heart.

With asking for these things, I want you to know I'd be willing to give you my world. I will tell you I am proud when you accomplish your dreams. I will laugh at your jokes, even if they aren't really funny. I will learn your favorite foods and cook them for you on surprise. I will tell you how great that shirt looks on you, and how much I love the way your hands fit in mine. I will tell you how much appreciate all that you've done for me. But I won't be the one to lie to you. I'll tell you when your ego gets too big, or when your words are too mean. I'll tell you to calm down and think things through. I'll make sure you're sitting by me at church every Sunday. I'll tell you it is OK to cry, and I'll make sure you call your mom every other day.

And when we reach the point where we want a family of our own, I'll know you'd lay your own life down for our children. You'll love them whether they want to do show choir or play football. You will be understanding and forgiving even when that's the last thing you want to do. I don't want to be those parents who never show their love in front of their kids. I want our kids to learn how to really love someone because we lead by example. So kiss me in the kitchen when I'm cooking dinner, cuddle me on the couch when we have family night and hold my hand when we go grocery shopping. Let's show them what love is supposed to look like.

My only advice for you right now is find God, find yourself and then come find me. I'll be waiting.