Long Distance Love
January 29th, 2012 by
Madeline
Madeline: Virginia Military Bride. That how this blog defines me. Virginia is where I grew up, where Dan and I met, and where our wedding will take place. A military bride is something that I thought that I would never be. When I dreamt of planning my wedding as a child, it was never with my future husband 7,000 miles away. But while the Marines took Dan so far away, they also brought us together and help us to realize that every moment together is special.
So how do you plan a wedding on different continents? Like this:
Bridesmaid dress shopping!
And how do you keep your relationship going when you’re so far away? Like this:
Date night!
And how do I know that being a future Marine wife means being a part of a big family? Because of these guys:
They moved all of my stuff out of one house and into another. In one day!
And how do I know that it will all be worth it in the end? Because of things like this:
My future husband may be halfway around the world, but he still makes me feel loved : )And that is saying something. Yes, some days it is hard. Some days every song that comes on the radio makes me want to cry. Some days, it feels like forever until Dan will be back. But I have amazing friends and family who tell me it will be ok. And I know there are many military brides out there that have it far worse than I do. Yes, Dan is far away. Yes, I miss him every single minute. But he is not deployed to a combat zone. I know that he is generally safe, and I can talk to him on a regular basis. So, to all of you girlfriends, brides, wives, families, and friends of those in harm’s way- you are amazing. And here is a hug.
What about you? Are you a military or long distance bride, wife, or girlfriend? How do you get through the hard times? Let me know in the comments!
January 29, 2012 at 8:48 am, Caitlin said:
Hey Madeline!
I know I haven’t talked to you in ages, but my boyfriend and I found writing letters really helps. I really feel that it is a lost medium! It’s something that you can hold onto, it doesn’t go stale, doesn’t die, doesn’t fade away. And although I’m studying in the UK and he just got out of the Army and is living in Colorado, it’s still almost 5,000 miles with a 7 hour time difference. It’s really hard, I know. But before John and I actually got together and started dating, I sent him cookies once a month while he was in Afghanistan, and that’s what started our letter writing and eventually led to our wonderful relationship. Luckily if he is on a base sending things to the APO it gets there really quickly! I’m sure you know that from packages and what not. Plus, then you always have those letters to read when days are hard. At least that’s when I found them to be the best comfort. I’m really impressed with you and how things are going, and I have to say that I get excited when I see your blog going up from facebook.
I hope this helps you out
Caitlin Bitto
January 29, 2012 at 11:05 am, Madeline said:
Hey Caitlin- It is so good to hear from you! I didn’t know that you were enjoying all the perks of long distance love : ) I am getting ready to send Dan his Valentine package, so I am definitely going to put in a letter as well. The written word can be so powerful & I love the idea of having the letters to keep forever! Thanks so much for your comment- I am so glad you enjoy the blog!
February 05, 2012 at 8:01 am, The Registry Conundrum | Engaged & Inspired said:
[...] was one of the first things Dan and I did while wedding planning. Why, you ask? Because Dan was far away and it was something that we could do together online. So, we picked out our china, towels, [...]
February 05, 2012 at 11:47 pm, Jenelle said:
Madeline — I loved your post on long distance love! I can totally relate. My fiance and I are BOTH in the army and spent the first two and a half years of our relationship long-distance. For one year of that the long-distance was between Iraq and Afghanistan! Crazy, right? Now we are both in Korea and planning our August wedding from a distance which is challenging to say the least!
We got through the distance with constant communication… even if it was a letter I was writing him while I was in Iraq that I knew I couldn’t send for a couple of days. Plus the times we were together was incredibly special. We had to move to Korea to be together but it was totally worth it! Now we are utilizing the help of friends and family (and an amazing wedding planner) to help plan our wedding.
Congrats on your upcoming wedding and welcome to the military family!
February 08, 2012 at 2:16 pm, Madeline said:
Hi Jenelle- That is a truly amazing story- it is crazy what love can endure! I am so happy that you and your fiance are together again, and both out of harm’s way. Im sure that wedding planning from over seas is difficult- good luck, and as always, thank you for your service!