I'll be honest, I love to share my love story.
My boyfriend and I have been friends ever since elementary school. We even grew up right down the street from each other. In high school we lost touch. A year after graduation he joined the Air Force. I saw him on his visit home in November of 2015 and we picked right back up where we left off. Little did I know, the next few months would change my life. He went to where he is stationed and we began to talk often. Then the nightly FaceTime calls began. In January of 2016 I flew over to visit and during that visit we officially started dating. Now let's rewind. He is in the military. That means I would quickly learn what it was like to be a military significant other (MILSO).
During our eight months of dating I sure have learned a lot about what it is like to date someone in the military:
1. The post office becomes your new favorite place.
You may even know the employees by name. Sending packages and letters is your favorite thing to do because you miss him/her and you really just like to spoil him/her.
2. Your head becomes full of acronyms.
They. Are. Everywhere. You better get to learning them fast too, or else you won't be able to understand 75% of the conversation with your lover.
3. You binge watch Army Wives.
Whether your lover is in the Army or in a different branch, us MILSO's can all connect with Army Wives.
4. FaceTime is your new favorite app.
Lunch dates, dinner dates, kisses, even bedtime... yep, all through FaceTime. We basically live for those FaceTime calls and no one but us MILSO's will understand.
5. Not having to shave your legs is awesome.
Do you all do it? Yep. Do we all admit it? Nope. Come on now, we can all agree that it's pretty awesome not having to worry about shaving your legs constantly.
6. You learn how to be crafty.
Remember those care packages? We all put our best Martha Stewart forward and get crafty with those things.
7. You have pictures of your partner... everywhere.
Your bedroom, your dorm, your car... everywhere. We miss them! It is the only time we get to see their face, other than FaceTime! They also put a smile on your face when you think about all the good times you've had together.
8. Being afraid of planes will not stop you from visiting.
I think it is safe to say that I am deathly afraid of airplanes. When you go visit your lover, all those fears wash away and you are solely focused on finally being able to see them.
9. You always have a countdown going.
And you have them all over. On your phone, in your room, they are so fun. They also help the days pass by a little faster.
10. When you do get to see your partner, you take LOTS of pictures.
How else will you have a picture every week for #mcm or #wcw until you get to see them again?
11. You cherish the little things.
Being a MILSO has taught me to really appreciate the little things. All the laughs, all the hugs, just everything.
12. "Oh you just love him for the uniform."
You will hear that often. No you do not just love them for the uniform. You loved them before the uniform. It is really just a bonus. But hey, you can't deny how good they look in their uniforms.
13. Your bond is forever strong.
Distance teaches you a lot and tests you often. Only the strong can survive a long distance relationship, a military one might I add. It forces you to be strong for each other, but theres nothing wrong with that.
14. The only thing constant, is change.
Nothing is a definite until its actually happening. Not even their work schedule. You learn to be patient and accept the fact that what was planned to happen in two weeks, is now happening in two months.
15. Deployments.
That word is basically the devil. No MILSO enjoys them, but we all get through them. Just remember, everyday brings you one day closer to your love.
16. You really love it.
Being a MILSO is tough, but you really love every second of it. Maybe not the distance or the deployments, but you love counting down the days. Maybe not the constant change, but it teaches you patience. You are proud of them, you love them, and you wouldn't change anything for the world.
