Jen,

I also met my hubs online...it took him a month for me to finally meet him in person. We went to the movies on our first date. I had been living I Hawaii for a few years and he was stationed there. Anyway, at the movie theatre they sell fresh pineapple, mango, pappya, and chocolate covered strawberries. And he bought some pineapple and some of the strawberries. Now at this point I am just laughing my ass off inside my head, thinking what is this guy think he is pulling, with his I want to eat fruit at the movies I stead of nachos and popcorn bullshit. So we go in and pick our seats, and we haven't really said much other than basic conversation. I wasn't nervous or anything I was just kind of observing him. So once we were seated, he turns to ans says, "so how much does a polar bear weigh." and I just look at him at like "huh?" and he answers, "enough to break the ice." and at moment I had the most fleeting thought run through my mind that I was going to end up marrying this guy. 

I knew living in hawaii that when I dates or ever found "the one" he would most likely be in one branch of the military or another. And it's a hard life being the Ouse or the girlfriend, and I have been both. The two most significant relationships in my were to a sailor and a soldier. And I went through deployments with both of them. My at the time boyfriend was out on west pack on a sub when the tsunami hit, nerve wrecking. After that relationship ended. And when I met my now husband who is currently on his third deployment, his second tour in Afghanistan. 

Here is a story for you my husband and I married after about a year of dating. In December of 07 we flew to go visit his family and since I was on the mainland my dad flew down to my husbands hometown to see me and meet my man. The three of us were out to dinner nd when I got up to go to the bathroom he asked my dad if he could marry me. On our way back to Hawaii I called my dad from lax and he said that he had asked, and I said well what did you tell him? And my dad answered, "as 

Long as she's happy, and it's a good thing you've got combat training!"

Anyway we were married on the banks of pearl harbor on December 3 just the two of us  one of my best friends and one of his guys. And 4 days later on pearl harbor day my husband left for a 15 month deployment to Iraq. He came home on leave exactly on our 6 month anniversary. He knocked me up when was home. He came home from Iraq on a Thursday night and Sunday at 5:30 in the morning he was driving me to the hospital to deliver our son. That was the only thing I ever wanted, for him to come home safe and to see his son born. 

Being a soldiers wife isn't easy you are in a long distance relationship more often than not, and you are essentially a single parent. I don' watch the news much because it makes you paranoid, and when he is gone and I don't hear from him for weeks at a time, it's always no knees is good news. And I freak out every time my doorbell rings. 

But at the end of the day, I was happy that answered his pm, it may not be the life I thought I would have had because believe me everyone whoever knew me was shocked as shit that I got married let alone had a kid. But, I wouldn't trade them for the world! Even if I did have to leave my island. But, I know one day we will get back there and my son will know where he was born and where he came from.

I am loving the story...looking forward to more!!;)

crazyKate