My Mother, the Random Match-Maker

So Mom just got a calling as a Beehive advisor in my parents' ward. I thought it was cute that she'd be with the Young Women. She thought it was great, but funny because they have almost as many adult leaders as they do young women. It might as well be a personal mentoring program, with each girl assigned to an adult.
But she was happy to be with the Beehives - 12- and 13-year old girls are generally more excited and fun than the older girls. Everything about the Young Women program is still a little new to them, so they like going to all the activities and participating in classes and stuff. I know that's how I felt when I was a Beehive. The older I got, the more common and repeated activities became, and my schedule got busier with other things, so YW wasn't always the top priority like it was when I was younger.
I personally thought it was great that she was with the Beehives because they are still moldable, and they will be like putty in her hands (a thought I shared while rubbing my palms together and giggling like a mad scientist). She smiled at my silliness, but soon grew fond of the power she might be able to tap into with this new calling. Dad totally bought into the putty idea, and we spent the next 15 minutes discussing opportunities to mold these girls into what we wanted before we finally got to saying our family prayer, which we had initially gathered for. But since when have we ever been able to gather for prayers and then actually say them right away? I submit that even a cranky daughter or tired father or sore-kneed mother can't cut out the space between gathering and prayer.
But mom really is excited about this, and she likes that she gets to hang out with some great adult women who are fellow beehive advisors. She especially has one friend, a younger-ish woman, who is the Beehive advisor in the YW presidency, whom she was happy to work with. Apparently this woman thinks mom is just great, and mom likes that she doesn't have to be friends with only the older women in the ward just because she's kind of older herself. She's still 35 at heart, so her friends should be 35 as well, right?
So last night was mom's first young women's activity. She left, calling out, "Don't wait up for me!" like she was actually a young woman, and then added, "Because we've got to plan the next few months' activities, since they don't have much thought out right now...," which made me feel better about why I wasn't waiting up.
Turned out, she got home around 9:45, so she just barely made it home before I would've followed her wishes and not wait up for her. But, as it were, I was awake, and actually standing in the kitchen, downing a cup of deliciously cold water when she walked through the door. She saw me, smiled and hurried to close the door, a look of some excitement on her face. I wondered quickly what her activity had been to bring her home smiling.
Surprisingly, the smile was actually regarding me, as the first words that came out of her mouth were, "I've found your husband!" Knowing mother to be slightly pickier than I am on first inspection of any boy for me, I responded, "Great. I like it when I don't have to put much work into these kinds of things. When do I meet him?"
My favorite part about my mom is that she knows exactly what points matter right off the bat, and which ones can wait to be brought up until after. I always know the guy isn't right for me when she starts to talk about their traits and qualities in the wrong order. And she realizes certain boys aren't wanted when she catches herself withholding the important facts right away. And she quickly fesses up to it. I learned right away that this new husband of mine was 6 ft. tall, 25-years old, attractive, lives in Washington, DC (so he'll just be waiting for me when I get there), has a job with the Government doing work with people visiting from foreign countries, showing them around and teaching them some of the things that are commonly found or done in America, pretty much acquainting them with the Country and its silly habits and traditions. These people then say, "If you're ever in my country, you have a place to stay!" So he's got connections.Tall-ish, cute, young enough but not too young, employed, and looking to travel when his 3-year stint with the Gov't is over. Sounds like a pretty good catch, eh? His sister is the woman that mom is good friends with in YW, and I suppose she was telling her and the other leaders about my leaving, and everyone suddenly got really excited about the match. A few of the leaders who know me from my brief stint in the ward just think I'm so cute, so I'd be great for him. And those who know him attest to his attractiveness and great personality.
Mother did ask if he'd come settle in Centerville when his contract with the Government ended, since their family is here, and she said that he'd would be more likely to go travel around and use his connections. I could tell that probably made mom slightly bummed, but also pleased her because I would love to just go travel with him everywhere, and not come back to Centerville. But our families would be here, so we'd both be pulled back to visit when we wanted to see family. So at least our base would be in the same place.
I think she really is excited about this match. Mom has another friend who has a son around my age, and she keeps mentioning him randomly, but always remembering that he's short and slightly balding (which wouldn't be so bad, but the height problem hurts my ability to look past his follicle problem), so then she conveniently forgets him again.
And I'm willing to go with this, because my mother isn't the kind to make me date just for dating's sake. She doesn't think any and every boy could be potentially great. She judges them with the same harsh eye I do. We both recognize the good in the boys I go out with, but she also allows me to not like them for whatever other reasons. She doesn't try to rush me off to be married - although she has been suddenly dropping lots of comments that I need to find a boy to marry in the next few months. But the comments come from pure selfishness on her part. She just wants me to find a Davis County boy so that I won't leave in a few months, and because Davis County boys NEVER seem to leave Davis County. The biggest reason why I practically refuse to date a Davis County boy.
She told me last night, when it came up again later, that she'd find out some more particulars later - like his name, which for some reason, she can't remember. I generally find that to be important as well - what if his last name is atrocious with my first name? So I'm kind of disappointed at the lack of importance she's placing on it. But as she's reminded me lately, she never pictured herself with a "Walter," so I can't judge people by their names (but it's so hard!).
My favorite part is that, at one point, I mentioned, "I'm really excited to meet my husband in 5 months," and she lit up as she remembered that he'd probably be in town in July for his brother's return from his mission, so I could meet him then! So it's really only 4 months! Then she ruined the moment (as she's prone to do) by saying, "so we've got to get you looking really cute by July. Better get working out even more! And start growing out your hair." To be honest, the hair comment was based on an intruding conversation about how I want to do my hair for my wedding, and she was willing to discuss alternative ways for me to achieve my potential hairstyle. AND she always seems to add 'better start working out' to everything, I think in a pre-emptive strike to my constant retorts of 'are you calling me fat?' So I've brought it on myself. And I am working out, generally, so I just laugh at mom's cuteness now.
But seriously, I'm way excited about my new husband. The less work I have to do, the better. I can't wait for you to meet him! But first things first, specifically my first - which will come in July, when I first meet him. I look forward to the sparks that will inevitably fly between us as we look deep into each other's eyes and see our soulmate looking back at us.
Seriously, I don't know why people object to arranged marriages. I say bring it on!