"If you wait until I'm 18, I'll marry you."

Hunter is a very precocious young man in many ways. He's got an emotional intelligence that is off the charts. He's perceptive to the point of being psychic and he's got incredible good looks and charm. Add to that his smarts, and he's unstoppable. He already has young women lining up to capture his attention. Can't tell I'm biased at all, can you?

I share all of that to help anyone reading this understand how protective both Donna and I are over his heart. He wears it on his sleeve and can be brought to devastation to think that anyone would take advantage of his kindness. He's also very courageous, because he proudly shares that he has two moms. He's as comfortable telling his classmates and teachers that we're gay as he is telling them we have brown hair. And because he's so matter of fact about it, it's not an issue used against him or us. I've been watching him lately and can't help but be fascinated by the direction his heart is leading him.

The quickest way to Hunter's heart is to demonstrate a serenity and calm that he can retreat to in the midst of the chaos he sometimes feels around him. Two of the girls in his school circle are already very adept at staying calm, cool, and collected. Those are the two girls he confesses to me he can't choose between when he thinks about picking a girlfriend. When I ask him to explain what he likes about the girls in question, the first attribute he mentions is that "they're very calm." I'm indescribably proud of his self-awareness and his ability to understand character trumps physical beauty. Of course, he's still very much drawn to beauty, as the girls he chooses illustrate.

So, imagine my reaction when his homeroom teacher, Ms. Karabin, told me he had proposed marriage to her last week. Ms. Karabin has always held a special place in his heart. When he was in second grade, he would get to participate in Ms. Karabin's 5th Grade science class as a reward. So, she has been in his world for half of his school career. Ms. Karabin said his proposal went like this:

"Ms. Karabin, are you married?"

"No, Hunter, but I'd like to be someday."

Hunter thought a moment and then said, "Well, if you wait until I'm 18, I'll marry you."

How sweet is that? Ms. Karabin is one of the most gifted teachers I've met. In addition to being very accomplished academically, she's also student-centric in her thinking. I love how she keeps the needs of each of her students foremost in her approach to their learning. I also like the firm but fair approach she uses in her teaching style. Hunter has always shared how he loves how calm she is. And recently, when I asked him about his proposal, he repeated all of what I just shared and then added, "and she's hot."

Clearly, my son has great taste. It gives Donna and me tremendous comfort to know that he's drawn to women who have equal if not more character as they do outward beauty. I pray that his priorities remain this way so that as our family grows, it will do so not only in numbers, but also in character. Although I hope not to be planning a wedding in eight years, I do know that when we are planning his, it will be done with great joy.