First Kisses

Sorry for the slacking but I will see you all again next week with a huge update! I should have asked for guest bloggers but I was running around like crazy trying to prepare for this trip and practically not able to sleep since I am so excited to see Ryan again. I am at work staring at the clock counting the seconds til I can leave. I will be in Vegas by 10pm (Vegas time) and there until Tuesday night, late!


The military is one of the few places where couples can have their first kiss many times. I heard that once when I was still dating Ryan, before his first deployment, and it made me think a bit. Do I really want multiple first kisses? That entails separation, being apart for a long time. I guess if I have to do that, at least there is that to look forward to, right?

Our first kiss, I mean our real first date first kiss, happened on May 8, 2008. We had met at a Saint Patrick's Day Party through mutual friends and talked on facebook for a few months before we finally went on a date. We met in Chinatown in DC and went to Ruby Tuesday's and saw Baby Mama (poor guy! I already saw Iron Man and nothing else was out). He was living in SE DC and was living on the otherside of town in Maryland, so he offered to drive me home after instead of me taking the metro. I tried to refuse but of course he wouldn't hear of it. As we got to the car Ryan got called into work (just the beginning.... haha) and had to drop me off at the metro anyway.

I remember sitting very fidgety in the car and talking with him as we pulled up to the Eastern Market Metro Station. He insisted on getting out and opening the door for me. We walked around his black Honda Accord (under carriage neons beaming us in blue light!) when he leaned in and kissed me goodnight. I swear my heart stopped. I felt a jolt of electricity from my lips to my toes and back again. It wasn't too long, not too short, but just perfect. I may or may not have swayed as I said goodnight and definitely stumbled walking towards the escalator, praying he didn't notice.

Flash forward a year and a half to October 30, 2009. I was working in Disney and Ryan had just returned from Iraq. We decided since I could only take off five days from work that we would wait for him to be back for sure so we could have all five days together. No homecoming for me, no buses and traditional crazyness, but if I had come up for their original date, which was then pushed back three days, I would have had one day to spend with him... so we definitely made the right choice!

I flew up from Florida super early in the morning and was in DC at 9am! It was FREEZING. Florida was a balmy 80 degrees or so, DC was about 40! My poor body was in shock. Ryan was getting into DC from Quantico so I had to wait a few hours to see him. I checked my bag in the storage place at Union Station and met up with my friend Cat for a few hours. When Ryan arrived we decided to meet at Eastern Market Metro Stop.

The same place we had our last first kiss.

This time he was there waiting for me. I was nervous, it had been so long since I had seen him, I felt about as crazy as I did getting ready for our first date! I practically ran up the escalator and there he was. Skinny, absurdly tan, and smiling as he waited for me. I ran to him, dropped my bags, and flung my arms around him and may or may not have jumped on him going in for my first kiss.



The tingles and electric bolts were as present as always.

Your can read all about the reunited post deployment adventure here. It is funny and longer than mentioned above!

A month later in the airport in Orlando I tackled him again as he came through security.

A month after that he got me as I got out of my fully packed car in bloody freezing Virginia after leaving Florida via auto train.

For five months he journeyed back and forth from DC to NJ every single weekend while we were engaged. That's a good four hour drive. And every Friday night I got that first tingly kiss.

Now we have been apart for a month. I know in the grand scheme of things, and even from our past, it is not a lot. But I miss my husband so much. 29 Palms and Alexandria are far. Time differences can make it more challenging, I am grateful I can talk to him at least once a day every day, but nothing makes up for seeing him.

And in 12 hours when I run off that plane in Vegas, you better believe I will be running into my husband's arms for another wonderful, tingly, special and amazing first kiss.

Memorable kisses...
Great Falls - I love you day (:

New Years 2010

DC

Engagement


Wedding (:

234th Birthday and Veteran's Day

Yesterday the Marine Corps celebrated their 234th birthday. So a belated Happy Birthday to two of the greatest men I know. My grandfater, a Sgt Major (at age 19!) from WWII who served in the Philippines. He is the youngest Sgt Major in the Corps history and served proudly for many years. My Poppy has now been married to my Babci for 62 years and has six kids and fifteen grandkids. He still dons his dress blues, attends parades, schools, does Toys for Tots, and is an active member of his local VFW. My original and truest hero and the best grandfather ever. This was taken at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in 2007 when we went together. He took my cousin Jill and I to the local ball in NJ with him as his dates. I came home from college especially for that weekend and I was so proud of my grandfather. As the oldest Marine present, 85 at the time, he was a part of the cake cutting ceremony. He is now 87 and I believe he is still the oldest Marine at the ball he attends!

My other hero of course is MY Marine. A LCpL who is still serving and just returned from his first deployment in Iraq. Nearly 60 years apart in their service these two men are still my heroes and I cannot thank God enough for sending them to me. They have protected and served our country and have sacraficed more than I can ever imagine. Ryan leaving was one of the hardest experiences of my life. I know it was no picnic for him either, but I never imagined such pain, worry, and terror as when I did when I knew where he was going. If he ended up in Afghanistan (which is a strong possibility for next time....) I knew it would be so much worse. But for now I am grateful we made it through the first one and we're still going strong. Ryan hasn't had his chance to start a huge family or live the non active duty lifestyle yet, but I know someday he will. Today we were texting while I was at work and I thanked Ryan, and teased him a bit about being in bed waaaaay past noon. But he said it was a day he could get away with it so I agreed. He then said, "They should have a girlfriend/fiancee/wives of Veteran's Day." I had to laugh a little at that and asked him why? He did everything that needed the honoring, and he replied "I couldn'tt be what I am if it wasn't for you in my life. So I am declaring tomorrow wife/fiance/girlfriend of a veteran's day! You deserve it too. We couldn't do it without you." It got me teary, not going to lie. I wish I could have the day off, free food, and of course spend it with my veteran, but the thought is nice!!!

It was a pure coincidence that the love of my life would be a Marine. I didn't go out searching for one just because of my Poppy. It was a total coincidence but one of the best of my life. I love my Marines, and I wish them a Happy Belated Birthday and say thank you for this Veteran's Day.

I love you both!