How I feel.

Zach, my sweetheart and love is leaving for bootcamp this Monday, January 9th. He will be going to Camp Pendleton for 13 weeks, and then on to more training. Recently he decided that he wanted to go active duty, signing a 5 year active duty contract. As people have heard this they constantly ask me how I feel about this, being his woman and all, so here goes:

I love Zach. He is:
bull-headed, bald-headed, strong, motivated, understanding, respectful, compassionate, passionate, self-realized, hardworking, persistent, consistent, humorous, curious, smart, family centered, caring... and many many other things. (Why yes, I do think he is the bee's knees. He is after all my boyfriend.)

Among all these attributes I love most his self realization and understanding. He knows what he wants in life, he knows how to get what he wants in life (even if it takes him time), and he has an understanding between him and God. Zach is one of the few people I know who understands fully who he is and the potential he has in himself... or at least he is getting there.

Part of Zach fulfilling his potential is him joining the Marines. not only does it provide a great service to this country and people in need, but it also provides his future family, our future family, the opportunity to survive in a slowly worsening world. Most importantly Zach wants to do this. I support him, I love him, and I am very proud of him. Yes, the time away will be hard. Even after 3 years of dating I cringe at the thought of being away from him for more than a week, but we are both strong. We can do this. I can do this. He can do this.

I cannot wait to see how the next few years play out. Zach will have so many opportunities in the Marines, I will have so many opportunities as a Marine Wife, and an X-ray tech. Deployments will be tough, but he has provided us both a way to continue schooling, and eventually begin a family from the roots up, based on both our sweat and tears. He is following the footsteps of the older generations the labor of love towards their families. Being a Marine may harden him in some aspects, but for the most part he will return to me the same smart-ass he left.

I look forward to seeing him in his blues (maybe even getting married to me in those blues!) I also look forward to the stories of courage, hope, faith, and patriotism that will be shared with me, and our children. Before now, now and, In 3 months I will say I am so proud of Zach. My Marine Man.