Then comes marriage.

Nick and I got back from our deployment to Kuwait in March 2012. A few weeks later we were on our way to Texas to get married. We were going to have a small little ceremony with close family and friends in Boerne, TX. Having planned a majority of my wedding while deployed we had a lot to do when we got to TX. Lucky for us, my mom helped out a LOT and got the venue reserved and worked on decorations and such. I still had yet to try on my wedding dress or find the perfect pair of shoes to match my dress.

The day I tried on my dress it was 3 days before my wedding. I was so nervous. When I first saw it I completely fell in love!! It was so gorgeous! Everything I ever imagined for my wedding dress. I was so nervous it wouldn't fit. The moment finally came when I could try it on AND just my luck.. it didn't fit. It was a bit too snug. After searching in the back room, the consultant found the exact same dress in the next size up!! SCORE! It was perfect. How lucky that was.

Saturday, April 21st was our wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. We met up with Nick's family at their hotel and drove down to the venue so they could see it for the first time. We ran through everyones roles a few times and then went to dinner at a yummy Mexican restaurant! Dinner was great! Both families were able to mix and mingle and just sit back and talk.

April 22nd 2012, the big wedding day. My Maid of Honor spent the night at my parents house with me and we were up early that morning to go to the venue to help decorate. Our wedding colors were pink and white. We had tons of pink and white flowers, tulle and ribbons to decorate the ceremony and reception area. Around noon I got my hair and make up done and then slipped into my dress. I felt absolutely beautiful. I felt like a princess. That was the day I've dreamed about since I was a little girl, and everything was going just how I imagined it. 

When the time came to finally walk down the isle, my nerves finally started to get to me. Not because I wasn't sure if I wanted to get married. I have never been more sure of anything in my life. I was just so filled with happy emotions that I was finally about to walk down the isle towards to man of my dreams. Everything I had ever dreamed of as a little girl was finally about to happen. I'll never forget the look that came across Nicholas' face the first time he saw me. It was a look of pure love. I knew at that moment that I was about to marry the greatest man in the whole world. Our ceremony was short, sweet and to the point. The Texas heat was hot, and we didn't want our guests outside cooking too long. It was a very nice ceremony though. I wouldn't trade it for anything else. The moment I kissed him for the first time as a married woman, my heart was so happy. That was one of the happiest moments of my life. I honestly can't picture my life without him. As cheesy as it sounds, he really does complete me. He is my other half. He has patience, and he understands me. I can never describe how much I truly love him. 

First comes love, then comes marriage..  

First comes love.

On February 16th 2010 I joined the United States Army. I went to basic training in Fort Sill, OK and AIT (training school) in Fort Jackson, SC. Basic training was two long, hard months and AIT was two longer, tiring months. By the beginning of July 2010 I was able to go back "home" to Texas and visit family before being sent to my first real duty station, which was in Fort Eustis, VA. I was nervous, excited, and anxious to be on my own and working and creating a life for myself. By the end of July I was in Virginia and was wandering around Fort Eustis. I was placed in my first unit and was told that I would be going TDY within the next week. Most of my unit was already gone, and I would be in the 2nd group to fly out to Fort Hood, TX for field training. I was so nervous, and scared. I had no idea what to expect!

A week later with my bags packed I headed to the airport with a few people from my unit. It was my first ever TDY and I had no idea what to expect. Were we going to be sleeping in tents? Living off MREs (Meals ready to eat)? To my surprise, no. We actually stayed in a hotel and ate at restaurants! I couldn't believe it, but I wasn't complaining. 

The day we actually landed in Fort Hood, we went straight out to the field. That was the day I met the rest of the people I would be working closely with over the next few years. When we got out there everyone was setting up the "TOC", basically a HUGE ass tent where we would be working for the next week. It took a whole day to put that big thing up. That was the very first time I saw Nicholas. He was crawling under the tent to set up the poles inside. I noticed him right away. His vibrant sleeve of tattoos caught my eye. It wasn't "love at first site", but I was definitely interested to know more about him.

I didn't actually talk to him the whole trip. I was to scared to talk to anyone! I did notice though that he smoked like a chimney, which was a HUGE turn off. Every time I turned around he seemed to be smoking another cigarette. 

I didn't actually talk to Nicholas until our 2nd TDY, which was only a few weeks later. This time we were in Fort Bragg, NC. I got his phone number off a piece of paper that he wrote on (sneaky me) and texted him later that night while we were at the hotel. The first few weeks it was just texting and "get to know you" talk. At the beginning of October we went on our first date.  A death metal concert. It was crazy. I'm definitely not a death metal fan, but it was actually fun. He was very protective to make sure I didn't get sucked into the mosh pit. It was a great, and memorable first date.

By December we were more "steady" with our relationship. I decided I would take him home to meet my family. I was nervous, but very excited for them to meet him. I knew they would just love him as much as I did. The one thing Nicholas and I talked about before we head to Texas was his smoking habit. I told him how I felt about it, and how my parents felt about it. I didn't have to say anything further. He quit the next day, cold turkey. I was surprised and shocked that he would do that for me. He is such a strong guy to be able to quit just like that. 

When we finally got home to Texas and he met my mom, dad, sister and grandma I felt a lot better. They really seemed to like him. But, what isn't to like? He is very intelligent, funny and easy to talk to. We did a lot of things together, like going to see the Alamo where we got our very first picture together.

Fast forward to March 2011 when we both found out we were deploying to Kuwait. It was going to be a rough year for sure, but at least we would be together. We kept our relationship on the DL at work just to keep things professional. It was definitely a long year out there, but being near him made it a little better. We had a chance to see how our relationship would do over the year, which I feel really helped us get closer together. He also really helped me grow as a person. He was always encouraging me to do my best and always there to pick me up when I thought I couldn't go any further. Without him I would have never got promoted and would have never made it though the stressful work days.

Around Christmas time in Kuwait, I got the greatest Christmas present ever! Nicholas popped the big question. He asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes! I was so excited, even more excited to get home and get my life started with him. I started planning our wedding right away with the help of my mom! You think its hard planning a wedding while you are in the USA. Try planning one while deployed in a foreign country and only have internet! It was quiet the challenge, but we were going to make it work. First comes love... then comes marriage.