2 years ago...

On this day my world came crashing down. My boyfriend of 11 months was leaving on his very first deployment. I thought it was possibly one of the worst things to happen to me. Looking back, it really was actually one of the best things to happen to us.

After that deployment, we got engaged and married, moved into our very first house, adopted a perfect puppy, and are surviving our second deployment. That deployment taught me to be a very strong, independent woman. I couldn't be surviving this deployment without the experience of the first. As bad as it sounds, I'm so glad we got to experience one before this one as a married couple.

It's been quite the ride with the Corps, and being separated for almost 3 years. Gosh, it felt like the 4 months we lived together we were apart, too! Let's just say, we've been long distance for 3 years. Well, that 3 years has taught me a lot. It brought me to where I am today. I am SO beyond grateful for the place I'm at in my life: I'm married to the most wonderful man, I have a puppy who is the light of our lives, and we live comfortably.

Yes, this all takes place when my husband is deployed. He's not going to be deployed forever, either. So, why does everyone get their panties in a bunch about deployments?  I just don't feel it necessary to put my life on hold because he's gone. I've learned to live without my husband, and he's learned to live without me. It's just what we do. I know it's his job and I've accepted that. We are an extremely strong couple, and knowing that also helps me make it through hard times.

For now,we both live separate lives, but in the end we'll be together and we're always bound by the sacred vows we took that remind us of forever.