3 Days, 2 Hours, 9 Minutes, and 3 Seconds

This Sunday, November 4th, my sailor will be home!
This cruise has gone by so fast. I still can't come to grips with the fact that he will be here this week.
Ever since I moved to Virginia I have had a lot to do with the apartment. Painting, cleaning, rearranging... Being a perfectionist is quite a large flaw sometimes.
After tomorrow I will not do anything else around the place. I keep telling myself that once he's here I won't be stressing anymore. All of the hard work I put into the apartment will pay off, and I will lose interest in perfecting everything once he's home. Having him here is all that I could ask for.

My dad and step mom are the only ones traveling here for the homecoming. His mom and my mom couldn't make it, but at least we will be taking leave in December to see them. My dad and step mom will be here on Saturday. I can't wait to see them! Granted, it has only been a month since I moved, but being alone makes a person homesick. I told them they are not allowed to stay in our apartment on the night he comes home :) They wouldn't appreciate us too much.

HOMECOMING!! There is not a day better than this. At the homecoming last year I felt so proud to call the United States my home. There was such a strong wave of patriotism, and there was not a single person there in a bad mood. Everyone is there for one reason. Seeing fathers meeting their children for the first time will always leave a mark in your heart. There is nothing better than being surrounded by reconnecting love. After nearly 8 months of waiting, the servicemen and women will finally be home with their families. Everything will be complete, and the huge celebration makes the day a million times better. This homecoming is different though. The USS Enterprise is decommissioning after a long 51 years of being active. Veterans will attend this homecoming to witness the new sailors, the old ship, and all that has been accomplished since they were aboard. Just another reason why on Sunday I will be more proud of my man and our military than I have ever been before.

This is Zach after manning the rails before he was let off of the ship last year on July 15th, 2011. He's holding up a heart for me <3 What a cheeseball.

Our Home

After a few days of being here, I've gotten quite a bit of stuff done around the apartment. I'm just now getting to painting. He's going to hate me because I made the master bathroom a very neon purple, and I have a lot of bright colors and animal print in there. I think I deserve to have a room that expresses my personality :) I already have the color schemes for the rest of the apartment picked out, and I'm really excited to finish it. I will post the "after" pictures within a couple of weeks. This has been a very exciting time for us, even though he isn't home yet. Not too much longer, and then we'll be able to enjoy our home together.

Our Welcome Home gift from the office. We will definitely need it when Zach gets home, haha.

The beautiful kitchen. I'm so excited to cook dinner every night.  We will be eating very healthy.

The laundry room that I was REALLY excited about. They work perfectly.

The spare bedroom view from the hallway. It's a very decent size.

Spare bedroom view from the window.

Master bedroom view from the hallway. It's absolutely huge. This picture doesn't do it justice whatsoever.

This is our master bathroom and the closet in the master bedroom.

View from the end of the hallway. I wanted carpet, but I'm getting used to the hardwood. 

The bathroom that connects to the hallway. Not very big, but it's perfect.

A New, Thrilling Step

My Life in Michigan
I have only 3 short days living in the state I have always known as home. My mother gave birth to me in Michigan. Training wheels were stripped off of my bike in Michigan. I have lost family in this state, and I have gained family here. There have been many good and bad times here, but the moment that has had the biggest impact on my life was when I met the love of my life, and my only love, here in good ol' Michigan. This state, and the people in  it have made me into who I am today. Saying goodbye in 72 hours seems unreal. I have spent nearly two decades smelling the cool, crisp air of fall. I have seen snow fall like you wouldn't believe. I have sweat and complained in 80 degree weather in the summer. I have put up with miles and miles of the unavoidable road construction. Above all else, I have met people who have all had an impact in my life. The friends I have met here will always be in my heart. My very best friend is going on her own journey in a few months as well. The people I will miss the most are the ones who have been in my life since day one; my family. I have already said  goodbye to my mother. We both cried on each other's shoulders for what seemed like an  hour. We are best friends. She is the strongest woman I have ever met, and I have been afraid that she might fall weak once I go. She assures me she won't, but you can't predict things like that. My dad has concealed his empty-nest feelings as best as he can. I anticipate the big show when I give him the last hug before I sit in the car that will take me 13 hours away. Leaving all of this behind is just as exciting as it is saddening. Bittersweet is the perfect word to describe the move I am making to Virginia.

My Future in Virginia
Even though I'm leaving the only place I have known, I look forward to starting a new beginning in a new world. There is always a time in someone's life when they realize it's time to fly. I just cannot believe it's already that time for me. On Friday I take the biggest step forward that I have ever had to make. I will be living in an apartment in a strange place by myself until Zach comes home from his second deployment (which won't be too long, hooray!). There are many things I look forward to. Moving in with him will prove our compatibility. Of course I am confident that we are perfect for each other right now, but seeing him every day will allow me to learn everything about him. I may think I know now, but I do not. He will have many quirks about him that may get under my skin, but I'm not flawless either. We will argue over the pettiest things, but I will make sure to always tell him I love him before falling asleep. If we regrettably end up discovering we are better off as friends, I will never regret the time we had spent together. I am willing to consider every outcome of this move. On a positive note, what I look forward to most is becoming my own person. I will finally have complete freedom. This will give me more self-discipline than I have ever known. Studying, working, cleaning, and so many other things will be on my agenda, and it's up to me to make sure everything is accomplished. There will be many struggles, but I look forward to overcoming them with Zach.
No matter how strange it may seem to no longer live in a familiar place, I am overjoyed to begin my "adult" life with my love, my best friend.

This is the first picture we ever took together, well over three years ago. It's amazing to see how far we have come in such a short period of time.

When You're Young, Dreams Are Possible to Achieve

I can't believe it's been over a month since I have wrote anything. Guess that's a good thing... I've been staying VERY busy throughout this deployment! So far, it's been going by pretty fast. I guess it helps that I knew what to expect this time.
So, I have some big news!
After a lot, and I mean A LOT of thinking, I have decided to move to Virginia early. Zach and I will be getting an apartment with one of our best friends, Tyler. Tyler is also on the Enterprise, so I have the best support system ever imaginable. In early October, I'm going to move into the apartment, and I plan on getting it all decorated before my two men come home. I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS TO YOU HOW EXCITED I AM FOR THIS! I have been dreaming about living with him for so long now, and it's finally in motion!

My parents are not too happy about my decision. They both said that they can't stop me, but they do not agree with me. Even though that hurts, I'm alright with that too. I know what I want to do with my life, and I know that I have the drive and self-motivation to get myself where I need to be. Becoming a teacher has been something I have dreamed about for years, and I'll be damned if I don't make that happen. Zach and Tyler would kick me out of the apartment if they ever knew I was skipping class. They have made that very obvious.
When you're young, dreams are way more possible. I don't want to stay in Michigan being unhappy just because I'm away from Zach. Years wasted is a huge chunk of life that will never come back. That's why I refuse to be away from him longer than I have to be. My dream: Be a teacher, and have a happy family. Both of those things will come with time, but I might as well work toward those dreams sooner than later. Being young is all about figuring out who you are, and where you belong in life. I know that I belong right by his side. I have been happy for a while now, but every time I am with Zach, I feel radiant.
All in all, I wish that my parents could trust in my choices, but I will strive for what makes me happy in the mean time. Knowing that in four months I will be living in Norfolk waiting for the arrival of my other half and my best friend makes me smile whenever I think about it.


Life is short. If you aren't happy, do EVERYTHING and ANYTHING you can to change that. Be yourself no matter what. Never let someone hold you back from doing what you want to do. Your parents might have raised you, but it's your life now. Holding yourself back will diminish all chances of happiness. Never die regretting the time you lost.




              <--- This is where our lives began --->

The Other Side of the World Doesn't Seem So Far Away When You're Always on my Mind

There have been so many thoughts running through my head lately. Zach seems to do that to me quite a bit. We are almost through with a month of this deployment, and it seems to be going by fairly fast. We still have about half of a year left, but I will not let that get me down. The #1 rule of handling a deployment is keeping yourself busy, and I have been trying to do just that. I think it helps that I usually don't wake up until noon... keeps my days unbelievably short. My grandma would yell at me if I told her that, so shhhhh.
I have decided to share these many thoughts with you. Of course I'm a rambling girl who misses her man, so you can skim through the paragraphs. I definitely won't blame you.


Homecoming. There is no better feeling than holding him after months of being separated. It feels like I have a whole heart again. Feeling his arms around my body makes me feel safe again. Looking into his teary eyes reassures me how in love he is, and I can never get enough of that. Having my hero in my presence unleashes so much happiness. Now if only the countdown app on my phone could speed up a wee bit...

My family misses him almost as much as I do. I love that. I always feel so lucky that I found a man who my entire family loves to pieces. Both of my parents know that we are perfect for each other. My dad has always been nice to the ex-boyfriends I brought around before, but he would always tell me that I could do better. When he first met Zach, he was not quite sold. After he got a chance to know him better, my dad told me he was impressed at how well Zach treats me among many other things. Getting daddy's approval can be pretty tough, but my sailor pushed his way through that obstacle pretty quick! My step mom is in love with him. If I ever treated him wrong, she would gladly take him off my hands. Now my mom hated him for about an hour. To make a long story short, Zach and I were living about an hour away from each other at the time. We decided it would be a good idea for me to lie to my mom by telling her I was going to stay at a friend's house for the night. Well, her being a good mother found out I was with Zach. We told her where we were, and she came out there right away. After all of the yelling and screaming he obviously had to drive back. When my mom and I got home she said, "He never broke eye contact with me once. He was very polite. I like him." Ever since then she has loved him like he's her own son. ANYWAY (told you I ramble), it makes me smile when my family asks how he's doing. They love getting to talk to him whenever he calls me from the ship. I think they know their daughter is in very good hands.

On a negative note, I don't miss his farts. They linger, they smell horrid, and I hate him for locking the windows or pulling blankets over my head. That is all.

The most important thought that keeps me pushing through deployment is knowing that I will be moving in with him shortly after he comes home. Nothing excites me more than the thought of waking up next to Zach every single morning. I love watching him get ready for work. Most of the time he looks like a zombie trying to put on his ndubs. It's very cute. One of my favorite things to do is cook him a nice dinner before he gets back. I like to think I'm a decent cook, but if he doesn't like something I have made for him I would never know it. He is always so appreciative for the effort I put into it. Our xbox and movie nights are what I look forward to the most when the time comes. We will go from killing each other and gloating to cuddling and falling asleep on the couch together. Ohhh I probably look like an idiot when I think about this while walking to class because I can't help but to smile every time. When I finally get to move in with him, I will be the happiest I have ever been in my entire life.

Distance sucks, but it doesn't alter how in love with him I am. I can count how many times we saw each other last year on one hand, but that doesn't matter. Every time I see him I know our love has gotten stronger than the last time. To have a great love, you must make sacrifices for one another. That's exactly what we are doing. Sometimes I feel so discouraged, but 98% of the time I can't even fathom how lucky I am to have him. Most girls think they will never find the perfect man. I know I never thought I would ever be so fortunate. Being in a wonderful relationship with my best friend is more than I could ever ask for.


Thinking about this stuff makes me sad sometimes, but it also helps remind me how happy I'm going to be when he's home. This is much harder than I could have ever anticipated, but our love is also stronger than I could have ever imagined. On a daily basis I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

This is Zach at the Parthenon in Greece about a week ago. I love seeing recent pictures of him.

See You Later

After an eight day visit in Norfolk, yesterday I had to leave Zach. There were many tears between us, but we are trying to stay positive.
This morning the USS Enterprise left for their final deployment before the ship is decommissioned.
It seems as though they just returned from their most recent deployment.
From past experience, I will remember the most important things to do, and things I should not do.

What I Should NOT Do:
1. Have daily cry sessions. (Being depressed makes the days go by so much slower)
2. Think about what he is missing while he is not here. (Even though we won't be together on our birthdays and anniversary this year, that doesn't mean we won't recognize what the day is and what it means to us)
3. Beat myself up for missing a phone call once in a while. (It's inevitable. I have to accept the fact that it will happen at least once, if not a few times. Beating myself up will make me go to #1, and then I will be a blubbering mess.

What I SHOULD Do:
1. STAY BUSY! (This is the most important thing for any military girlfriend to do while their man is away. Nothing is better than realizing an entire month flew by because you were busy every day)
2. Remember all of the days we have spent together instead of thinking of all the days we will spend apart. (We have so many great memories, and it would be a shame for me to let my sadness take away from how special those are to me)
3. Always have faith. (I will never lose faith in our relationship. I know that we can last through anything. Seven months is nothing compared to the rest of our lives we will get to spend with each other)

Of course this will be hard, but we will make it through. It would be much harder to handle if it was our first deployment though. I just have to stay positive, and keep my friends and family very close for a while. Everything will be perfect again in seven-ish months, and I can't wait for that day. Until then, I will continue to fall more and more in love with my hero every day.

Coming Soon: Deployment #2

The USS Enterprise has been back from their most recent deployment for seven months, but it seems as though they just arrived last week. I met a wonderful friend that day waiting for her sailor to exit the hangar bay just as I was. The atmosphere at the homecoming ceremony was full of patriotism, thankfulness, and love. I have never experienced anything greater in my life.

In a few short weeks, the ship goes back out for their final deployment before the ship is decommissioned. The past seven months have flown by faster than I can blink, and I have found myself to be more emotional than ever. The thought of not having him to talk to every day is scaring me worse than last time.

One week from today, I will be on my way to Virginia for our last visit before we say "See you later." Of course I am ecstatic to see him, but I can not help but dread it at the same time. For each day that I am there, we will be one day closer to another huge challenge on our relationship.

There are way too many negative things about deployment to count, so that's why I am trying to look at this on a much brighter note.
1. For every day that passes while I'm there, that is one day closer to the end of the deployment.
2. The seven months in between these two deployments flew by, but seven months after our second, I will be moving in with him.
3. Even though we will not be able to talk every day, I know that we will be thinking about each other, and that's enough for me.
4. The best aspect of deployment: I get to experience another homecoming. The feeling of holding him after so long is completely indescribable.

I will not deny that for the next several months my blogs may not be very cheerful, but I am confident in myself and our relationship that we will kick deployment's ass!
P.S. Zach is the 6th one from the left in this picture.