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 time creeps up on you. During Hawk’s deployment, time couldn’t pass quick enough. Now it’s hard to believe we have been engaged for five months and are getting married in a little less than two. A lot has happened in these five months – getting to know each other again, joining a nearly/newly wed class at church, preparing for our lives together by doing premarital counseling, planning our wedding, and moving Hawk into what will become our first home in September. Five months of changes, big changes and wonderful changes.

In all the busyness and stress of planning for a wedding and a new life together, it’s easy to forget where this blog started. Tonight I realized I never even finished chronicling our London adventures. I’m determined to finish those one day. Tonight I read posts I made pre-deployment, and especially those penned during the Hard Days. It’s so easy to forget now that it’s over how hard it was – and yet there are times where it creeps up on me, that bad deja vu feeling…especially during drill weekends or times where Hawk is away from me. And then I read my musings, my private, yet public musings and I realize how being with him was just a dream for so long and now it’s reality. In the busyness of our lives right now with new jobs and lots of changes, I’m determined not to take our togetherness for granted. For 10 1/2 months I dreamed of doing life with him – normal life, and now we are – and it’s a gift, a precious gift.

In honor of remembering the Hard Days, I’ve also got to remember the happiest day of my life when Hawk returned to me – and got down on one knee.

January 29, 2014