Parting is such.... sorrow...

I just couldn't put the "sweet" part in this title.

I just went to Key West for an entire 6 days to see my lover at a mid-maintenance port-call. We had... and absolutely AMAZING time. We had some friends come down for a few days and were still able to spend so much quality time together. We were able to rent bikes, swim in the ocean and the pool, go out for drinks on Duval and... talk about how excited we are to spend the rest of our lives together. It was such an amazing time for us both. 

But I still honestly think I am more upset from saying goodbye this morning than I was when I said goodbye at the beginning of this patrol. A little over 3 weeks left and I am dreading it more than the beginning- which started out at 65 days. 

:( I am just... in a perpetually weepy mood and it is bugging me. 

I have SO many things to look forward to in the upcoming months- I don't get why I am so bummed. 

Maybe reminding myself of all the awesome upcoming events will lift my spirits:

- 2 wedding showers in the next 3 weeks.

-The boat pulls in.

-He has until  mid-October off of work and NO DUTY!!!!!

-We will actually be able to spend my birthday together!!!

-We'll be getting our house the first 2 weeks after he gets back in port!!!!!!

-Our wedding will be almost ONE month away when I see him next!!!!!

-Then we get to go on our honeymoon for an entire week.

-Annnd after we get back from wedding/moving/honeymoon... he has almost 2 full months of rolling 96's!!!! We get to spend BOTH major holidays with family and friends this year.

I really can't beat all of the amazing things I have to look forward to in the upcoming months. But still I would do ANYTHING to have him sitting on my couch to snuggle with me at this very moment. :(

I am going to retreat to my bubble bath and wine. 

Tomorrow is a new day... and it will be one day closer to Ryan and I getting to start our life together. I just need to smile. Ugh.

Home.

I have been consumed with the thought of moving lately. I guess because I will be moving in a few months, but more so because my parents will be moving.I'm not concerned with leaving home- I've done it once, I am extremely independent. I look forward to starting my own life, with Ryan. And Ryan and I both really look forward to getting out of Florida in the Summer of '09. It will be an awesome adventure. I do, however, feel strangely nostalgic with the thought of my parents no longer living in this house, in this town. We have not lived here my entire life- 

but for 20 years of it. This is 'home' to me. This is where I met my future husband. 

This is where so many memories are. I guess it is just an odd thought to realize when I go to visit my parents- it won't be coming here anymore. 

While I lived here all my friends and I did was talk about how boring it was, how much we couldn't wait to 'get out'. But it took me 'getting out' to realize how much I love this little beach town. 

I love how I grew up: 

On the water every weekend.

 

Our family and friends all taking our boats out and meeting on 'the island' for every holiday. 

Watching manatees 'mate' in my backyard.

Watching the Shuttles go up- it sounding like my home was going to crumble.

It's really funny how we don't appreciate anything until you have to say goodbye to it. I will definitely miss calling Merritt Island my home. :)

pride.

I can't stand people that are arrogant or prideful- for obvious reasons. But I thoroughly enjoy having pride in someone else who is close to you. 

I just have to take a second and talk about how proud I am of my future husband. I have always been proud of the him because I love him and I guess I just think he is totally awesome. But it is something completely different when you have several, several wives and girlfriends telling you how much their husbands/boyfriends talk about how well he does his job, how much integrity he shows in standing up for what he thinks is right regardless of who he is standing up against, and how up-lifting he is to others on that boat. His job is difficult- many times he works for days on end before getting sleep while underway. But I just think it is so awesome to hear other people tell me that I am "marrying a man of integrity" or a "hard-worker" or "such an encourager".... there are many more that I have been told- but I won't go on. He has always been those things to me- but to hear that he has that same passion and motivation in everything he does is pretty cool. :)

I just feel honored to marry him and get to hang out with my very best friend for the rest of my life. It is truly amazing. 

In the beginning-dating a year.

We look like babies.

 5 years later-the night before he proposed. :)

I love him greatly and am very blessed to have him in my life.