Happy Valentine’s Day my friends!
Last year, we were celebrating up phat at One Ocean (and ate a ridiculous meal!!), but this year, my Valentine is Bella 
She’s a great Valentine… especially since I don’t have to share any chocolate with her 
She was my Valentine’s Day gift from the Pilot, 5 years ago.
Here’s a love story in honor of today’s holiday:
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A love story
Once upon a time…
There was a girl who grew up in Tucson, Arizona. She was very studious, loved to dance and adored shopping. She lived close to the Air Force base, and would constantly hear military planes flying overhead. While she appreciated the planes as a signal of freedom and safety, she couldn’t ever see herself marrying a military man…. she wasn’t sure if her heart could handle the loneliness.
Like pretty much all college-aged girls, she had been hurt quite a few times in the past. After a particularly traumatizing break-up with the man she thought she would marry, she thought she was destined to climb the corporate ladder and live alone.
Then, she happened to meet the love of her life while studying at one of her favorite places.
(Source)
He was finishing up pilot training at the Air Force base, and had just moved to Tucson from Oklahoma two weeks prior to that.
Their first dinner date lasted four hours and as they say, the rest is history
From that moment on, they had many adventures together.
Nights out dancing
and random shenanigans
Vacations
Some studying
(and a baby Bell!)
Getting engaged
The Pilot’s first deployment
(and creepy mustache)
having a “second child”
getting married
Moving to North Carolina
and then to Valdosta.
It was when they got to Valdosta that things changed quite a bit. The Pilot’s work schedule was crazy.. the random adventures were still there,
but more spaced out. Event though her heart hurt from the work schedule and constant deployments and TDYs, the wife used the alone time to her advantage: chasing her goals and hanging out with friends.
To her surprise, all of the times he was gone didn’t make her heart lonely or resentful. It made her stronger, and made her love and appreciate him even more- something she didn’t think was possible.
Today, her heart is very happy because she knows when he’ll be home (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and that they have many new exciting adventures to look forward to
Lesson of the story: Everything really does work out the way it’s supposed to <3
Lesson #2: Starbucks is a great place to hang out
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Something to talk about: V-day: love it or hate it? Any plans for tonight?
Hi, I'm Gina. Welcome to The Fitnessista! I love blogging about my adventures as a new mom, military wife and fitness instructor, as well as sharing new workouts and recipes. Check out the About page for more info - thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful story – love, love, love it and especially adore how you used your “alone time” and followed your passions! Talk about making lemonade out of lemons!
so sweet!!
my boyfriend just gave me a lotus necklace handmade from Bali with my birthstone in the middle (yes this was shipped from Bali!). 
Love is great! <3
thanks for posting this. i needed that…only one year left apart. Happy Valentine’s Day.
I hope the Pilot is home real soon! Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!!
nawww what a lovely story, for valentines day this year my single friend and i went out on a ‘date’ it was a blast. we went to a bar then hired bikes and rode around the city at night
it was beautiful
What a sweet romantic story! Stories like this give hope to those of us who haven’t yet found ‘the one’ I am spending Valentines Day with my little poodle too, her name is Jasmine and I also got her for Valentines Day but that was about 14 years ago from my parents. I hope you two have a wonderful day!
awww what a beautiful love story! I love your posts about the Pilot, they are always so sweet
And yes Starbucks is a great place to hang out, that’s actually where I met my love
Aweeee girl you two have the sweetest story, and I am so happy that you know when the pilot will be home!!
I love valentine’s day, it reminds me of all of the days in elementary school with shoebox mailboxes for our valentimes and candy:)
I think that it is wonderful that you were able to take a potentially lonely time and turn it into a self reflective, character building experience.
Your story is so cute! I’m glad the pilot will be home SOON!
And I really believe in the “everything happens for a reason” saying too!
Could you two BE any cuter?
That is so exciting that you know when he’s going to be home!!!
Such a sweet story!
What a sweet love story. Thanks for sharing! My military man is still away, but I’ll see him in exactly 4 days. Can the time go by any slower right now?!?
ehhh those last few days are always the worst! hang in there- you’re so close!
I linked over from another site to yours…anyway…small world…I live in Lake Park.
Beautiful story. Thanks for sharing.
This is such a beautiful story! Thank you to the Pilot for all that he does. You guys have a great relationship, and I can’t wait to read more about the two of you in your future blog posts!
My hubby’s birthday is today! However he had to work the night shift last night, and had to go back into work today at 6pm, so we will celebrate his birthday tomorrow. I could take V-day or leave it. Since it is my husband’s birthday, I try to make it more his day. Although he still always makes me feel special too!
Happy Valentine’s Day Gina!
The dogs were so cute as puppies. Post more pics?
puppies! I want to see more pics
hahah ok i’ll post more
Such a great story! I was a Navy wife, for just a few years! My DH missed most of my first pregnancy, but “left the USN” a few months after our daughter was born! So he didn’t really miss any of her life, Although I’m sure he wished he would have missed all of her screaming that first year, LOL! Today is our 25th anniversary!
And my cousin met her husband at … Starbucks as well! He was working there! He is now in Law School, they were married last summer!
Love is crazy that way. It changes you.
Such a cute love story, indeed! WAY better than that silly Taylor Swift song
No plans for me tonight- if homework and munching on bakers chocolate counts…
Don’t hate V-day, but my boyfriend and I chose not to celebrate it… I love your “love story” though. I have a cousin who is currently struggling with having her husband away all the time (over seas) for duty… tough stuff!
What a lovely story! I hope someday to have what you two have. Also, I didn’t realize the pilot was from Oklahoma. So am I.
My husband is an A10 pilot in the military as well. He just finished in Arizona and is FINALLY back home in Idaho. He left a couple days after our honeymoon 2 1/2 years ago and we didn’t live together (or even live in the same state) permanently until Aug of last year and at that point our baby was 4 months old. He was only able to come home for a couple days to see her be born. I learned a lot in my time alone as well. I am very independent. I can now teach my daughter to fix the fence, sprinkler system…. what ever it may be. We don’t wait for daddy to get home to do it, I love that. And EVERYDAY I appreciate hearing that garage door open when he gets off work!
This makes me soo happy! (and I may start to linger around starbucks even more than usual.. haha!)