I AM SO SORRY THIS INSTALLMENT OF MilGIRL is LATE! Silly Blogger didn't post it while I was away... I'm sorry Tay!
I'm so excited to be moving in a Northward direction (toward our featured MilGirl today) so that maybe, just maybe we can be real life friends!! *wink wink nudge nudge*
This picture is so so sweet! I love it!
Tell us a little about you: I am an Arizona girl temporarily relocated to the East Coast. I love to plan special events, be crafty, and bake. I am currently unemployed, but not for the lack of trying or credentials (I have my Bachelor's of Science). I'm about to enter my mid-twenties and feel as though life is going to get very interesting soon. God comes first in my life and my family and friends respectively.
The branch of service: USMC
How long have you been together? If you're married, how long did you date? And how long have you been married? Well this is a complicated/loaded question for me. Technically... we haven't physically been near each other except since we got married (October 2009). We went on dates 4 weekends during the summer of 2007, then he was re-stationed to the East Coast in August. We didn't see each other again until May 2008, a whole 10 months apart. It was then we decided that if we always wanted to (and got frustrated when we couldn't) talk to each other over the phone, internet, via letters/packages that there had to be something more than just friendship there. So we "officially" started dating May of 2008. We only saw each other three more times that year- October, November, and December. In December he asked my dad for my hand in marriage. January-May of 2009 I did my senior internship for the Coast Guard at TRACEN Petaluma (Northern California), he flew in my last day to drive home with me, he proposed on the beach! 5mo later we got married... we figured we'd been apart long enough, why have a long engagement?
How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: I met my husband via my cousin, who is also a Marine. They wanted to get off base for the weekend, so they made the 3hr drive to my parents house to visit. I had been out late with friends so by the time I got home Friday night I walked into the house and found 3 Marines sleeping in the family room! At this point he'd been in the Corps almost 1yr.
Is he career military? Sometimes yes, sometimes no... He loves the work he does, the uniform brings pride to him, and he loves our country. Some days he thinks about our future and doesn't know if he wants to be moving children all over the country/world.
How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: In all honesty besides the dangers of deployments, I had no qualms about it. My grandparents were military, many of my best friends are in the military, and I have always supported the troops- In my summer camp classes (I was a counselor) I always made sure to have the kids write thank you letters to troops.
What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: I will say, no offense to the other branches, that the USMC Dress Blues are the most attractive uniform out there. However, considering I met him sleeping on my parents couch it didn't have an affect on my being attractive to him... it was his personality, sense of humor, the fact that we could talk for hours (literally)!
How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: At first they were worried and they still don't like the fact that we live so far away, but they are very proud of him for what he does and for me being willing to stand by him no matter what.
Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: As sexy as his uniform is- no. I am very proud of him for serving our country, I will support the him through everything, and follow where ever the military send us. In all honesty though, nothing will make up for the time we have to spend apart, so I just try to treasure every moment we have together. In my personal experience it is also very hard leaving everyone/everything you knew and were accustomed to, as well as trying to find a job at each new place.
Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: Well, his leave to come in December (when he asked my dad for my hand in marriage) almost wasn't approved.
The very first blizzard we went through, we had just moved, so we didn't have snow shovels, etc. He was gone doing a bootcamp instruction weekend, so I got snowed in alone with nothing but a dustpan!
I haven't been home since the wedding and we keep trying to plan a week or two that I can go, but now he is on "hold" for a deployment. I really would like to see my family and friends; however, I cannot fathom missing my last week with him or the send-off because I am vacationing on the other side of the country!
Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? Since he was always far away we both wanted a short engagement! I think we figured out the total time we had actually spent together from 2007-wedding to be somewhere in the vicinity of 3-4mo. Crazy.
What is one piece of advice you wish you had received while dating? There will always be arguments, especially within long distance relationships. If you can get through them peacefully and actually resolve them, not just push them aside, it will help out in the long term. Especially in the awkward transitioning of "oh, I'm actually physically talking to you not a phone or picture on a computer screen" phase.
Wow! What a great story of enduring love!
We all know long distance relationships are hard,
but being able to sustain it for so long is a testament to your strong relationship!!
I'm sorry this story was late!
