I cannot believe that it has been one year since I married my best friend. In some ways it seems like yesterday. We are so connected, so in sync with one another, we have experienced a lot during our short relationship, and our love is durable, strong, and deep. On the other hand, we have only known each other for a year and a half and have spent more of that time apart than together.
This deployment has taught us so much about ourselves, but even more, it has taught us so much about our marriage. We have had to learn to communicate in a whole new way. To not have any sort of physical connection, and have to focus on the emotional, was a different approach than most couple's first year of marriage.
We spent a lot of that time learning more about one another. We had only dated for six months prior to getting married, so we took advantage of our current situation as much as possible. Andrew and I had, what I thought to be, very good communication skills and this experience has strengthened that even more.
Because of all of our time apart, we have learned to appreciate our time together that much more. We have also learned to appreciate the little things a relationship has to offer. To fall asleep holding hands, to have a family prayer before bed, to sit in the same room together simply because we can, a kiss goodnight that isn't blown through a computer screen. These are just a few of my favorite things.
As our first year of marriage comes to a close, I can only imagine what life has in store for us. We survived a deployment, some health issues, living on opposite sides of the world, and started our family together this year. It has been a year that I will never forget and I cannot wait to make many more memories.
I wrote this for Andrew when we were dating, and I meant every word. It's crazy to think back to these days and these feelings, and still be every bit of twitter-pated now as I was then.
I longed to be loved for quite some time, I longed for a love that I could call mine.
In search of a man genuine, loving, and kind. In search of a man seemingly impossible to find.
I had given up faith, hope and trust. I had given up the idea of ever finding "us".
When I least expected a knock at my door, when I least expected to find what I had been looking for.
My prince charming, my love, my better half, you allowed me to forget the pains of my past.
In you I see my best friend, my husband, and our life, together forever, with me as your wife.
Our family, our future, our journey ahead, are the things that I dream of when I go to bed.
Drew-
To my husband, my best friend, I would not have taken this journey with anyone other than you. You give me strength to get up when I'm down, you encourage me when I'm feeling blue, and you make me feel beautiful when I'm at my worst. You bring out the best in me and you inspire me to be a better woman, mother, and wife. I do not know what I did to earn a love so strong and so true, but I give thanks every night for whatever I did to deserve you.
Thank you for your unconditional love and your unwavering faith in us. Thank you for choosing me to be your wife.
With love, to Afghanistan and back
Hollie
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