Camo

For those of you who are unaware (as if), my daughter is a sophomore in college. She is currently not dating anyone, and this semester has been a wonderful conglomeration of learning new names, faces, and fraternity associations. Thankfully, Facebook can clue me in to the basics...unless he fails to put his profile picture up, and instead has his beer pong board that he's invested his summer working on in its place. Egad. Frankly, that alone tells me an awful lot. I'll give him creativity...and an "A" for effort...but I'm glad to know that this particular individual is just a "friend." Whew.

OH, it has been like an online version of the dating game...and about as hysterical. We've had houseguests, visitors, and occasionally someone will start to get interested. Then she has to remind this one or that one of the fact that she is not ready to date anyone right now and it gets awkward. I feel that she has had a lot of fun, and is making good friends in the process. But as I've seen the various people she is meeting...some in person...and some in photos...I've just struggled to figure out what it is that just isn't right about him.

It certainly isn't good looks...most of them are very handsome. It isn't a great personality...she's told me the most hilarious stories...you know...the ones that qualify as "entertaining the Mom". But when I've watched her interact with them, or try to picture her with some of them, it is just...wrong.

Tonight, she sent me a few photos because I wasn't well yesterday. And you know what? Something clicked. Tonight I realized that the litmus test for all of them should be...can I picture him in camo? If not...then he just needs to move along. Because sooner or later...he will be doing just that.

Why camo? I mean, her Daddy, Big Dave, is not a hunter. She did not grow up knowing how to shoot a gun, how to dress a deer, or how to call a turkey. These are skill sets that quite frankly none of the men in the family possess. Oh, there are a few that like to get out there and hang out in the hunting camp and all that...but there is no other reason that I can conceive of as to why she is so attracted to camo, except...

That I believe her future husband is a hunter. Gasp! My mother will be mortified...but I'm sure...not entirely shocked.

Her boyfriends have all - without exception - worn camo at some point into this house. Lately, some of the ones I've seen are not camo-worthy. I mean...they are great guys...all-American types. But I haven't seen a camo-worthy one in the bunch...until tonight. And why, you ask? Because in photo #3...her "favorite"...the latest "friend" is wearing camo.

The funny thing is...he may only last two weeks...but I think she's honing in on something that is a "must" for her...but I seem to have downplayed. Her "type" obviously includes someone with the ability to wear army green, brown, and khaki well. Anyone who is not interested in that...or looks kind of weird doing so...need not apply.

I think that the attraction with camo is not just the colors, either. I think that it is the love of the outdoors, the down-to-earth nature, and the rough and tumble nature of it that she just loves. Oh, I've seen females pull camo off as well...and for those that it suits...it brings out the female in them just as obviously.

So, when I pulled up a couple of pictures she sent me today, and I saw camo, I just had to smile. Although we are way too early in the grand scheme of things...I just feel like I have a piece of the puzzle that will help me recognize my future son-in-law one day. And as we both have fun (her reality...and me from afar) with the new people she meets...I hope that she starts checking that "camo-worthy" box FAR more frequently. Yeah, I think in her case it's THAT important. Later!