Mac was enrolled in Army ROTC at Tech when we met. We both went into our relationship knowing that he would commission as a second lieutenant less than two months later. The night before he commissioned, we had a serious talk about about our relationship. We realized our only solution was a long distance relationship. I was moving back to PA for the summer, and he was participating in a summer course out at Fort Lewis in Washington state. I would return to Virginia Tech for my senior year, and he had to complete a course in Fort Sill, OK. We were about 1000 miles apart for that year.
We talked as much as we could over the summer of 2009. It was difficult coordinating two work schedules and a three hour time difference. Mac moved twice that summer, and we did a road trip both times together. We’ve had some great adventures driving from Pennsylvania to Washington to Oklahoma. Who doesn’t need a giant buffalo in their life? We took trips to visit each other over long weekends and school breaks to spend more time with each other.
All this time together got us talking about our future. I was absolutely positive that Mac was “The One.” He was pretty sure I was his one, as well. After a year of dating as I finished up college, we moved to talking about ending our long distance relationship and actually being together.
Read the rest of our story
How we met. Dealing with a deployment. Engagement ring shopping. The proposal.
