On May 8th, 2010, I married my best friend, the love of my life, my rock, my other half. It was a dream come true, but more than I could have possibly ever dreamt of. Our marriage, however, is not your normal every day marriage you come across these days. Where did it all begin? Well, you're fixing to find out.
Alex was truly an answered prayer from God. About a week before I had met him, I was at a church retreat called T.E.C. (Teens Encounter Christ). At the time I had a boyfriend, but things just..they just weren't right. I prayed to God to give me a sign, give me a sign that I wasn't where I was supposed to be at in my life and that I needed to make a change. While I knew the answer all along, it became more apparent to me the moment I saw Alex. I first laid eyes on my handsome husband as I was pulling up to a haunted house, October 2007, with my cousin Allie. I had just gotten off of work at CVS and had blue jeans, a Michigan sweatshirt (ironically enough, the birthplace of my husband) and some old Tennis shoes; as you can tell, I was there to impress no one. As we pulled up and got out of the car, we noticed a group of mutual friends standing around waiting for the others of their group. Turns out, Alex was with these mutual friends of ours. I never once talked to him, in fact, he stood away from the group with his arms crossed, not at all aware that my eyes kept drifting towards him. I just couldn't explain why I was so drawn to him. Time went on and his group went in to the haunted house and we were left waiting for our others, needless to say, a part of me was rather disappointed I didn't get to go in with that group. A couple of weeks passed and I still found myself thinking about this mystery guy; who was he? what was his name? My mind just wouldn't leave him. I broke it off with my ex, it just wasn't happening. A few days later, I saw Alex on facebook, on one of the mutual friends profiles. I was so nervous just looking at his picture, seeing that oh so gorgeous smile. I just kept thinking to myself "Dare I add him? No, I couldn't. He'd think I was some crazy stalker, for sure!" But I just couldn't help myself...I added him. I left it at that, just a simple facebook invitation to be my friend, if things went from there, then that was out of my control. Another week or so passed and I just had the urge to message him, I just couldn't help myself anymore. What was his first response to my message? "You're beautiful." I was already swept off my feet, head over heels in love with this boy.
We continued talking and strengthening our relationship online. We then moved to texting and I found myself obsessively checking my phone while I was at school to see if I had a message from this guy, this guy who had swept me off my feet at his first words to me. Finally, we talked on the phone. I can still feel those butterflies as if it were yesterday. I laid in bed and smiled the entire time that we talked. His voice was so perfect, so amazing, so strong...so right. We talked about everything under the sun, from God to family to childhood; from our past to our future, hopes and dreams, our perfect date (mine was to just go sit under the stars like no one had ever done for me before) ...everything. He had went away for training for the first few weeks of December, oh yeah, did I mention that? He was training for the Army. I never once even doubted that for a second. Some people would have ran at that moment, not me, I was hooked, I was there for good. He came back and I was still there. I think he was really surprised at that point that I had stuck around and waited. If he only knew that between every thought of him, were just more thoughts running through my mind of him. Dare I admit that I was in love? No, I couldn't be....but boy was I ever. So now we reach New Years. The first time 'seeing' him, yet it felt like I had known him forever and a day. I couldn't stop myself from smiling constantly, even my friends could tell that I was just so insanely happy, they knew it was something special. Our first "date..date" was just indescribable. He will still tell you I owe him a movie, we drove all the way to town, only to turn around and go back without watching a movie. I had just gotten out of CVS and I was in my insanely ugly uniform, he claims I looked beautiful =) Guess where he took me? To see the stars. So a few days later, we go to the movies and he officially asks me out. I remember the stop sign we were stopped at while he was asking, actually. I was on cloud nine and nothing could ever compare. Days, weeks, months passed and I was still crazy at the sight of his name on my phone or the sound of his voice or the touch of his hand. It was more real than anything I could have ever imagined.
And then the day comes. This is the part where the fairytale becomes...not so average. "I want to join the Marines." BAM, there it is. Six months in and the distance was really going to be there. I'm not sure what I felt. Scared? Of course, terrified was probably more like the word. But there was never a moment that I wanted to run away because of that, if anything, I wanted to just run into his arms and stay there forever. Nothing...not even hundreds of miles between...was going to get me to leave. This is where things got hard. The Marines threw us a day that he would be leaving, and then he didn't. They threw another date at us, but changed their minds yet again. We played their little 'date game' for about a year. I won't lie, it was a hard year. Having the thought of him leaving, yet you don't know exactly when, hanging over your head for so long is hard. Don't get me wrong, I was so happy that I had extra time with him, but it was almost as if I wanted to just get it over with already and have him back in my arms. It bothered him a lot too. He always felt like he was letting me down, little did he know, I was more proud of him for even attempting to do such a brave, selfless thing and all for the good of others, himself, me and our future.
August 23, 2009, I drove away with him in my rear view mirror, tears streaming down my eyes. I had no idea where this journey was going to take us, how hard it would be, but what I did know is that I would be right there beside him no matter what, through it all. We maintained our relationship through the scarce letters; some good, some bad, some happy, some sad. But 3 months later on November 19th I saw his face for the first time in three months. I had NO idea what to expect, other than a change individual as read in my letters. He hugged me, kissed me, told me he had missed me and that he loved me and every ounce of worry just flooded from my body. It's amazing how that can happen, truly amazing. He came back home for about two weeks, two of some of the most amazing weeks of my life, might I add. He got down on his knee and proposed to me December 6, 2009, one day before he left for SOI training; talk about a whirlwhind of emotions! It was breathtaking. I was the happiest girl alive, yet he got ripped away from me the next day. But..we made it. Just like I knew we would. I planned our wedding while he was away, seeking every possible ounce of his input I can between the weeks in the field, training, late night phone calls, and few skype dates we had; but it got done. As said before, on May 8, 2010 I married my hero...literally. Not just because of his job, but because he has overcome so much in his life, looked fear straight in the eye and came out on top to be an undeniably amazing man. Two weeks later he was off to train for his upcoming mission: Afghanistan.
Afghanistan. Yeah, not a word many have to think about in their first year, let alone first few months of marriage. It's been a crazy, emotional, roller coaster of a ride thus far, believe me. Average communication for us is scarce, but I can tell you, I have fallen more in love with that man every day that he has been gone than anyone could ever possibly imagine. We are five months into this roller coaster of hell and I cannot wait to see my husbands face again. I feel as if a part of me is missing...and it is. It is half a world away, all too far away from where it should be. Am I scared? Of course, terrified every day of getting that phone call that would forever change my life, the one that makes me sick to my stomach thinking about. I have laid in bed some nights sobbing uncontrollably just thinking about what I would do, and I couldn't even begin to tell you what. But soon he will be stepping off of that bus to me, he made me a promise and I know he wouldn't break it. He has my heart and he always will. He went off to protect this country and I was left here to protect his heart, and that's exactly what I'll do.
They say the distance will break you, but it has only made us stronger. I live for his happiness and I know he lives for mine. He is my heart and soul and no matter where this world takes him, I will be right there beside him through it all. I guess this takes the whole "for better or worse, in good times and bad" vow to a whole new level, but we've conquered this distance, because our love, well our love will succeed....against all odds.
Mrs. Truelove<3
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