A Love Story
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?
150 Comments
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I’ve never had a SO when VDay rolled around(on a break with my ex, or just single), so it’s never been a big deal to me. This year I have a great boyfriend, and VDay just isn’t a big thing to me. that and he lives 350 miles away so I won’t be seeing him today!
Cute story about you and the Pilot 🙂 You guys seem crazy in love!
Love. This. Story.
Totally warmed my heart 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Girl, your story is sad, inspirational, but ever so beautiful!! I love hearing about your little love story with the pilot!
Have a beautiful V-Day!
xxoo
How sweet, love your VD’s post!!
Have fun, I am truly happy for you! Nothing like the perspective of seeing a loved one after a long time!
Ana
Vday has never been a big deal for me but I love reading stories like this!! You two are so cute. Happy Valentines Day Gina!
That warmed my heart, baby. Thank you for being such an amazing wife. I love you with all my heart. Happy Valentines Day <3
love you like crazy <3
hurry home to me, mmm k?
Awee you should definitely post more pictures of baby Bella and Viesa! Adorable!
I enjoyed the recap of your relationship. Did not know you lived in NC. Fayetteville?
yes!
Awwww CAN’T HANDLE THE CUTENESS. OK, I can. I wish I were with my man on V-Day so badly, but isn’t every day like Valentine’s Day when you do get to be together? YES I’M A GIGANTIC CHEESEBALL.
aww, your love story brought a tear to my eye! i’m so happy for you that you know when he’ll be home! 🙂 so excited for you!
i don’t usually make too big of a deal about valentine’s day. this year my fiance and i made dinner together and had a movies and snuggle night. perfect! 🙂
This made me smile today! After a long 4 months of heartbreak after a really bad break up I am excited about having a Valentines day to myself! I get an evening to myself at home in my pjs with a great movie.
Love your love story <3
Happy Vday to you and Pilot 🙂
This is by far one of the best blog posts I have read in a really long time! You made my teary eyed!
Lovely story..thanks for sharing!
Happy Valentine’s Day! I’m glad the end is in sight for this deployment! My puppy is my valentine today too!
Aw this is such a sweet post! I teared up a little. Since my husband has joined the military, this will be his 2 valentines day he’s missed but I don’t mind at all. I plan to paint my nails and walk around the house in a clay face mask haha! Happy Vday to you and the pilot 🙂
Aw, cute story! So glad he’ll be coming home soon and adorable pics!
LOVED THIS!!!
You guys just rock it.
I don’t really know why but reading this made me cry. It’s a great story! I’m happily married, have been for 3.5 years, but my family did not approve and disowned me. I guess reading your line about “everything really does work out the way it’s supposed to” made me kind of sad but hopeful at the same time.
I don’t care much for Valentine’s Day b/c it turns into such a commercial holiday. But I will be making a nice dinner for us and maybe watching The Notebook…but that will make me cry more. 😉
OMG i seriously feel like I KNOW you two, that is SO creepy!!! 😀 Love your story soooo so much, andddd um pretty sure I am at Sbux 4 times a week, soo yahhh..I’ll let u know how it goes ;D
I’m hitting up kickboxing with my girls, then some vino, calamari and pizza, cannot wait! xoxoxo have a great V-day G$!
YAY!!! So happy for you both 🙂
And your hair looks great!
Oh, and LOVE the baby bell pic. So stinkin adorable.
I loved reading this post about your love story :). My boy is currently deployed but I am still loving valentines day!!
http://www.caitlinolivieri.com/2011/02/i-love.html
What a sweet story!
xoxo,talia http://www.vargastore.com
I loved the story 🙂 And I love Valentine’s Day! In my opinion a day to celebrate love can never be bad!
love love loooove!!
hope he is home soon!!
Such a beautiful story. P.S. So how did the whole Starbuck’s thing work out? Did he just come over and start talking to you while you were studying? 😉 I’m being a nosy lady 🙂
click on the link- it will explain the whole thing 🙂
awwww the baby pups are so cute!!! Almost as cute as this post!! I hope your Valentine’s Day is filled with special people! and that the Pilot gets home to you soon! 🙂
How stinking cute are baby Bella and Vies?! I totally agree with you, the year I spend w/o my husband ended up being a great learning experience for us both. Not every couple gets to experience the pain of living without their significant other, and doing so really shows how much you do love that person. I hope the Pilot hurries home! Happy Valentine’s Day!!
This is so cute! My hubby and I celebrated on Saturday night, we’re having a calm night in tonight with the raw treats he gave me 🙂
I love Valentines Day. Ya it’s just another day, and it’s totally hallmark, but who cares! It’s fun, and mushy and who doesn’t love sweet gifts or words from the one they love? I LOVE IT!! 🙂
Love it Gina!
What a beautiful story, Gina! I have been reading along for almost 3 years so I feel like I have lived a lot of this right along with you, as have many of your readers and friends, no doubt.
I love the flashback pics. That pic of you two in NC…looks like every apt/condo complex I lived in or my friends lived in when I lived in NC and SC. And you look adorable too 🙂
Congrats to you and Pilot for having such a wonderful relationship 🙂
So glad that you know when he’ll be home!! My husband is currently taking part in an exercise at Pope AFB and won’t be home until Wednesday, so my pups are my valentines this year too. We’ve never been big on celebrating valentine’s day though, so it’s just like any other day…but with more chocolate. 😉
pope afb! we lived in fayetteville 🙂
Loved your story 🙂 You two are such a beautiful couple 🙂
& I’m SOOOO happy for you that you know when he is coming home!!!! ahhhh!! So exciting 😀
awhhh <3 thnx so much for sharingggg. you have no idea how comforting this is for me right now…my valentine is in germany on his first deployment so i can totally relate…
xox.
Happy Happy Happy Valentine’s Day!
I love your love story, so sweet:) Happy Valentine’s Day!
Soo happy you know when your man is coming homee!!
No plans. My boyfriend will head off to work before I get home, and return at 5am right when I will be getting up to go to work again. I am going to get some errands done so we can spend time together another night this week when we are off work. Happy Valentine’s Day to you, the Pilot, and Bella!
Beautiful. Your pilot must be so proud and honored to have you. I can’t wait for him to get home to you.
me too.. i’m so excited i can hardly stand it
So cute – thanks for sharing! 🙂
Adorbs! Have a great Valentine’s Day, Gina. Sending much lurve and squeezes in your direction!
Aww that brightened my day. Happy Valentines Day!
i love your love story!
i love that you know when the pilot will be home!
i totally agree with lesson #1 AND lesson #2!!
happy heart day, gina!
I love everything about this day. 🙂 The commercialism of this holiday doesn’t bother me because the message is LOVE. People can and should share LOVE all the time! Plus it doesn’t HAVE to cost money to share LOVE so the concept is beautiful. PLUS my son was born on Heart Day so he’s the gift that keeps on giving.
I love stories about you two. 🙂
I think I just might start spending a little more time at Starbucks . . .
That was so sweet and cute, You guys are the cutest couple ever! And omg the pups baby pics… sooo cute! Happy Valentines Day:)
Hey Gina! Such a cute Valentine’s Day post! You didn’t mention it today but just curious, where do you find black bean spaghetti? Looks interesting but can’t find it in my area.
whole foods
Great love story, I especially love lesson #2!
So cute! I like the lesson of the story.. it reminds me of “everything will be OK in the end… if it’s not OK, its not the end” 🙂