Last Weekend

Well, this weekend was officially my last weekend with Ryan. Friday he came up to DC when I got out of rehearsal, and since he was off work, and it was so good to see him. He met me at Target because I was running an errand for the opera I am stage managing, and then we ran to Old Navy so I could get a shirt for the fourth of July. After that we went and saw Ice Age 3, which was a cute movie. Funny. Sequel-y. I love watching movies with him. The theatre behind my apartment has arm rests that can lift up so you can snuggle like on a loveseat and Ryan always sits with his arms around me, it is really the best way to watch a movie.

Once the movie was over we went back up to my place and made dinner together. I made macaroni and cheese, baked beans, as well as cucumbers in vinegar and pepper. Ryan defrosted and fried chicken and then smothered it in Maurice's yellow bbq sauce that was terrific. It was a damn good dinner. We were watching X-Men on tv while we cooked and ate, then watched Jeff Dunham which was absolutely hilarious.

I hope that works. That was the sketch that Ryan and I died laughing to. Achmed the Dead Terrorist. If it doesn't work, youtube it! Friday night finished off enjoyably... and it was the first time all week I fell asleep without using Tylenol Sleep.

Saturday we woke up and my Dad stopped by on his way back from North Carolina where he was house hunting. We went to the Red Rock Canyon Grill in Silver Spring for lunch and it was nice that we got to spend some time with him. Then Ryan and I went back to my place and watched Grease 2. Not really a fan.... but then we left and drove down to Quantico.

We spent the fourth behind the barracks hanging out with a bunch of guys on the Task Force. We had hot dogs and hamburgers, there was beer and beer pong, sparklers, and a bonfire. It was fun! Then the boys were all drunk and climbing trees to pull down branches to put on the fire. Drunk Marines in trees are not a good idea. But I met another girl named Megan who is on my yahoo group and her husband is deploying with Ryan. We talked for a bit and it is nice to know someone is going through the same things I am. Hopefully we'll keep in touch. I talked to a lot of the guys and had a nice evening. Then someone set off a firework and everyone ran and hid for a bit. No fireworks on base boys! Bad! :P One other guy in Ryan's unit actually has his wife working at Disney! She plays Mickey in Animal Kingdom and stuff. Very cool.

I got tired and went to bed around 1:30am. In the hour or hour and a half Ryan was out there without me he managed to burn his thumb, sprain his finger, and bruise his ankle playing football. Oy. But he eventually came up to bed and then proceeded to hog the blankets all night in the blazing Air Conditioner. He is never cold and then he steals the sheets when I need them most. Men.

Slept in sort of the next day. I slept til 11:30am and Ryan slept til 1pm. Showered and got ready. Then we went and met our friends Dell and Janos for lunch at Chilis. After they dropped us off at the barracks again we went upstairs to nap around 4pm. Four and a half hours later I wake up wondering where the hell I am! We passed out!! Then we scrambled to get air in Ryan's tire, gas, a quick McDonalds dinner, and then start driving me back to DC. We talked in the car on and off.... sort of promised to spend next Saint Patrick's Day together no matter what if possible.

Then when we got to my building it was so hard to say goodbye. Lots of hugging, tearing on my part, more hugging and kissing. Then I gave him my claddaugh ring. I was planning to save it for the busses but I doubted I'd be able to keep it together to tell him why I was doing it, so I did it last night. I have been wearing Ryan's ring since August so I figured he could take mine with him. The claddaugh symbolizes love, friendship, and loyalty, all of which I think symbolize our relationship. I also wanted him to know he always has my heart and now he has a small physical piece of it with him. Last night when we spoke on the phone he told me he put it on his dog tags which made me tear again.

I cried when he really left and we made tentative plans to see one another Tuesday, pending he get off work early and I do not have rehearsal. I hope we can. Really badly.

Still no word on when they're officially leaving, what time or where from, but I am on pins and needles. I found myself randomly sobbing as I fell asleep last night and I couldn't control it. I was also pondering my own life and mortality which freaked me out and made me stay up until almost 3am. I woke up at 11am and now have rehearsal at 5:30.

I miss him so much already.