I admit it. I love watching The Bachelor.

What? It's research. I need to have a constant education in romance. Even if it's what NOT to do, like go on The Bachelor.

My mom and I used to watch the show together even though I lived far away. We'd sit there for 2 hours on the phone, watch the show, and provide witty commentary. Well, now that I'm home we can watch it together for real!

One of our favorite things is pointing out overused phrases in the show. Here are a few of our favorites:

I really put myself out there.

Take it to the next level.

This is such an amazing journey.

I really put myself out there to the next level on this amazing journey.

My stepdad watches it with us too. He loves it. It's hilarious, because he's very much a guys guy. You can usually find him working on cars, building something, shooting target practice on broken appliances in the yard (yes, that happened), or watching the History Channel. But once a week, he just can't wait to sit down with the ladies and watch The Bachelor. Last night, he took the remote away from my mom and was fast forwarding through the commercials. My mom said, and I quote: "No! I don't like it when you do the fast forwarding! You always go too far and make me miss part of my stories!"

I really enjoy mocking the women vying for the Bachelor's heart. Since I'm single, it gives me great joy to judge how other people behave in relationships and point out everything that they are doing wrong. Hey, if I'm going to be lonely, I might as well get a sense of superiority out of it, right? But then there was Emily.

Emily is this sweet southern girl who is now in the final four. Mark my words, Brad will pick her at the end. And although everything in me wants to hate Emily, I just can't. I actually really respect her. And let me tell you why.

Emily is not chasing Brad. The rest of the girls are really putting themselves out there (ahem) and just drooling over Brad. They're telling him they're falling in love with him that they can see a life together, blah blah blah. But Emily is more reserved. She avoids the emotional vomit. She's making him work. And as a result, he is totally falling for her…and I think wants to take to the next level. On this amazing journey.

But the thing is, she's not playing games with him. I am anti-games. (Unless you mean Settlers of Catan or Mexican Train or something cool like that.) She is legitimately guarding her heart (ooh, that's another Bachelor-ism…although they haven't really said it much this season) and is taking her time to get to know him. She's not falling all over him in desperation, and he finds that totally attractive.

Let this be a lesson to all of us! I admit, I totally suffer from the aggressive addiction. I believe what it all boils down to is faith. Emily trusts that if it's right, things will fall into place. She doesn't have to force them into place. I, and I'm sure many of you, think that things will work out if I bend over backwards putting in effort. I'm not saying effort isn't important. But faith is more important. May we all get an extra helping of it today, and next time we're on a date.

Now can Brad send home the funeral director and the dentist already?