The Army Wife Chapters
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An Ode to the Army
When you first introduced yourself I didn’t know much about you. I apprehensively shook your hand. That clammy first handshake turned into a begrudging nod and after six years of eye contact we’ve become intimately acquainted. Since Hawk’s days of wearing camo and dog-tags have officially come to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on a few of our memories together. I’m deploying. I still remember the night our stories intersected – sitting in the passenger seat internally reeling from the words that just came out of my friend’s mouth, the man I was slowly getting to know and really like. It was the 4th of…
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I Am An Army Wife | Wrestling with Fear & Faith
Our military experience may be different than most – we don’t live on a base, Hawk has a full time civilian career and we don’t get stationed in new places. I wouldn’t begin to relate or speak on the level of one who picks up her family and moves often for the sake of her husband’s duty to our great nation. Our story looks a little different – but I am an Army wife. I may not live on a base or have much connection with other military spouses or familiarity with the “norm” of military culture, but there is something to be said about developing a connection with other…
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The Letters
When I was 13, I wrote the first letter to my future husband. I had no idea who he was or when I would meet him, but I had the desire to write to him anyway. Even without a name, only addressed to “Dear Future Husband,” on double-spaced lined school paper, I wrote. Right before my 15th birthday, I wrote the second letter to him. I promised in that letter that I would wait for him. I wrote that I had made a promise to God and myself that I would keep my mind, body, and soul pure for him. In my 16th year, I wrote six letters. As my…
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2014 Highlights
2014 has been an incredible year! By far one of my most full and favorite years – I was finally reunited with my love, I was asked to be his wife in a surprise airport proposal, we had many “catchup” dating adventures, I had so many wonderful wedding showers, we took dancing lessons, got married 7 months after getting engaged, and had a dream honeymoon in Jamaica. We’ve been to Disney, NC, Savannah, and have made so many family memories with our loved ones. We’ve moved into our first home and celebrated our first birthdays as a married couple and Christmas. 2014 has been a year for the books and…
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Reflection – Deployment, Homecoming, Proposal, Marriage
Two years ago on July 3rd, Hawk told me he was deploying. And that was the beginning of it all. The beginning of me realizing that even though I swore I’d never fall for an Army dude, I was quickly on my way to falling in love with one and couldn’t imagine my life without him in it. And now that Army dude who told me he was leaving for a year, that Army dude who waited for my reaction before he officially asked me out, that Army dude whom I fell madly and deeply in love with will become my husband in 58 days. It’s a funny thing how…
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Week 44: Welcome Home Hawk!
I know I have a lot of blogging to do – but here is a glimpse of what happened this week 🙂 Introducing the future Mr. And Mrs. Hawk!
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Week 30: London Recap Day 3
Seven months. It’s been seven months since Hawk left. And I can’t help but reflect on London and our time together there. Those 4 1/2 days were really what we needed to help see us through to the end. The days pass oh so slowly, but the months seem to pass by quicker. Soon, soon he will be home again. I can’t wait for that day! Day 3 – August 30, 2013 We woke up early the next morning for another full adventurous day. Since we did the second day of the Double Decker bus tour we were able to hear the marching band as they went to march down…
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Week 29: London Recap Day 2
After our long awaited airport reunion, we experienced our first venture on the Tube, and located the flat in Islington, London we were sharing with another soldier family. We talked and I kept reaching over to touch his arm because I finally could. No longer were we looking through the computer screen longingly – I could finally touch his arm or grab his hand. It was something I took for granted before the deployment, but never again. We also exchanged early anniversary presents. I got him a fancy Fossil watch and he bought me a new camera to chronicle this great adventure we were on together. After talking most of…
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Week 29: The Birthday Box
I wanted to make Hawk’s birthday as special as it possibly could be with him being 5,550 miles away from his favorite places, his favorite things, and his favorite people. After brainstorming a bit, the Birthday Box was born. Anyone who knows Hawk for even the slightest amount of time will learn that he lives and breaths the University of South Florida’s Bulls. It didn’t take much time to come up with the box decorations. After the box was decorated came the stuffing part! I included a Bulls Flag at his request to hang outside his “house,” since his neighbor hung a Gator’s flag up…and Hawk just couldn’t have that…
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Week 26: London Recap Day 1
Hawk has officially been gone for six months. I almost shake my head with amazement because I can’t believe I still functioned after Day One, and here, six months later we are thriving. It’s still hard every day. Some days it is still really, really hard, but here we are doing something that would tear many others apart. Here I am doing something I never ever thought I was capable of doing…and it’s only by the grace of God. It’s been six months since Farewell, and three weeks since London. I haven’t written about the incredible reunion yet because maybe I just liked keeping it between us, but also because…
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Week 23: Waiting for the Plane
As I type this I sit in the airport waiting for my first flight. My second will take me across the ocean to see Hawk. After days and days (100+ to be exact) of counting and over five months apart, it’s a surreal moment now that it’s actually here. That this isn’t a dream that I will harshly wake up with the alarm clock. That it’s so close I can almost hug him, yet I’m still waiting. For the planes, for him to come home. This is indeed a season of wait. However, it’s also a season of blessings. Of getting to know each other on such a deep level.…
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Week 22: Packing & Proof
In one short week I will finally be on my way to London to be reunited with my best friend! It is so surreal. Hawk and I have been counting down for this trip, this precious time together, for so long. Now that it is actually a reality and almost here it seems too good to be true. It seems just a dream. But the days pass, and I have not only my bag almost all packed but his as well. Last weekend we had a sweet Skype date where we raided his closet and he told me what clothes he wanted me to bring him (since he doesn’t have…
