Life goes by way too fast!
The Husband and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary today (8 years total together. We were married on our dating anniversary). I can't even believe THAT. I thought the year went by fast, the last 5 have blown by apparently.
Around this time 5 years ago, we were partying it up with our friends and family at our reception.
Did I mention this was the same day 5 years ago that The Husband graduated from bootcamp? Because it is. And no, it definitely was not planned that way...
The Husband and I got engaged on November 11, 2005 and promptly set the date for November 3, 2006. It was our dating anniversary and it fell on Friday. Done deal.
The Husband was still a civilian despite how much he wanted to join the Marines. He had spoken with me about it a few times before, but I always shot it down. We were in two wars! And I wasn't about to let him go off and fight in either one. I was not okay with that (did I mention the one time he brought it up we were watching Blackhawk Down?).
We had planned on moving to Sacramento after our wedding and going to a Bible college up there. Because of this plan, The Husband (then "The Fiance") moved back up to Sacramento (where he is originally from) to get us settled. He was going to find a job, save some money, get us as established as he could.
I was back in Vegas going to school and working. One afternoon, I got a call from him. He said "Hey, we need to talk about something."
Do you ever have those moments when you know exactly what is about to happen in the next few seconds? Like you can literally tell the future? I had that moment. I knew exactly what he was about to tell me. I have no idea how I knew, but I knew it. It was so weird.
"I went and talked to a recruiter today..."
I immediately started crying. I couldn't help it. All I saw and knew about the Marines was that they were at war and that it wasn't safe and I didn't want anything to happen to him!
A few weeks later, after a lot of tears and a LOT of Googling on my part, I said "Alright!" and he went and joined the delayed entry program. He was scheduled to leave for bootcamp on August first and he would graduate on October 27. Exactly one week before the wedding. This would give us all enough time to go to San Diego for the graduation, drive home, finish up the last minute details, get married, and have a short honeymoon before he left for SOI.
But as most of us know, and as I learned VERY early on in his career... things change, and they change often and at the worst times.
About two months out from the wedding and the day after we had ordered the wedding invitations, I got a mysterious phone call on my cell while I was at work. My boss had allowed me to carry my phone just in case he called, so I saw a weird number and assumed it was him and ran to the back room. When I answered, all The Husband said was "Babe, I'm sick, I'm getting dropped. I don't know when I'm graduating."
Uh. Wut?
I asked him "What about the wedding?!" and he said "I'm working on it. I'll call you on Saturday." (It was Wednesday).
I broke down in the middle of the back room. Ha! I was in a full on panic. Oh my God. We already put the deposits down, we already ordered the invites, people already booked plane tickets and hotel rooms (we sent out save the dates!). What were we going to DO?! Oh yeah, my bridal shower was on Sunday... I was going to have to hide this through that event too.
I went to my sister in law's house in total hysterics while she tried to calm me down, because there was NO WAY I was telling my mom this if I didn't have to...
Saturday, he called again. He explained that he would be checked out on Monday. If the doc cleared him, he would be dropped back in with his platoon and finish on time. If not, they would hold him one more week, he would drop in next Monday and would graduate on November 3.
Uh. Uh. Wut?
He would let me know on Monday.
Oh dear God, this is not good.
So I have my bridal shower and all goes well. And then Monday I get the call.
"I'm fine, but they're holding me another week anyway."
"WHY? WHY would they do that?"
"I don't know, but hey! Longer honeymoon!"
Now I had to tell my mom.
Me: "Hey mom! I have good news!"
Mom: "What?"
Me: "Well, we don't need to spend money on a hotel room now!"
Mom: "...Why?"
Me: "Because [The Husband] is graduating on November 3 now!"
Cue hysteria.
All we needed him to do was get through The Crucible. Once he did that, we knew we were set. The day of would be a little close and he wouldn't be at the rehearsal, but he doesn't have to do much anyway.
He made it through The Crucible with flying colors. Thank the flying spaghetti monster.
The day of the wedding/graduation, my mother in law, who is also a flight attendant, flew down to San Diego from Las Vegas. She went to graduation and they took a cab to the airport right after he picked up his dress blues and his sea bags. She got him checked in and through security and on the 12:30 flight back to Vegas.
He was going to make it to our wedding!!
The Husband made it back to town with enough time to walk around the mall and hang out with his groomsmen. I actually ended up being the one that was late because the stupid limo driver misread the paperwork. Stupid limo driver.
The first time I saw The Husband in nearly 4 months (the last time I saw him was the beginning of July) was as I was coming down the aisle.
Super romantic. But super stressful. I do NOT recommend boot leave weddings to anyone!
It seems like our life together has this theme of unexpected twists and turns, but I love it, and I wouldn't change a single thing! I love you Husband!
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