How We Met: It was 2011. My best friend/ roommate was dating a Marine who was still in School of Infantry in San Diego. In SOI, Marines are required to have a “battle buddy” whom must be with you at all times off base. So my friend who had met Jordan before, told me that I should go down with her one weekend and hang out with him so he wasn’t a third wheel, not necessarily trying to hook us up, but knew that he was a really nice guy and thought it would be fun. So I agreed, a weekend to San Diego, why not?! When he found out I was coming, he got my number from my friend and we started texting. I had my guard up in the sense that I was not planning on anything happening between me and this guy, and it was purely going to be keeping each other company. Through texting I could tell that he was such a nice guy, but I still didn’t think of him from a dating stand point. So we texted on the weekends, just getting to know each other, and then the weekend that we met finally arrived…
One of the BEST weekends of my life. First off, this guy was way cuter in person, apparently he thought the same thing about me haha. And SUCH a gentlemen…he hardly knew me and was paying for everything and just so respectful. We hit it off so quickly that we were practically a couple for the whole weekend, holding hands in public and everything. Our personalities just fit together like two puzzle pieces. When the weekend ended, we said our goodbyes, both thinking we would never see each other again…after all in a couple weeks he was to be stationed in Washington DC and my best friend’s boyfriend was supposed to stay in California.
But after that weekend, the both of us couldn’t get each other out of our heads, always finding an excuse to tell someone about our amazing weekend. When we were able to talk on the phone, I was the happiest girl in the world. We continued to talk, and he asked if we could make this work out as a relationship someday. I was uncertain because who knew if I was ever going to be able to see him again.
Then, SURPRISE! Both he and my best friend’s boyfriend got stationed in Hawai’i together. We skyped for hours and hours (one night 6 hours straight!) and became more and more interested in the other the more we learned. Finally one day, over skype, he surprised me and asked me if I wanted to start a relationship with him…I wasn’t expecting it at all and actually declined. I just didn’t want to start a relationship if I didn’t know when the next time I would see him was. My best friend was in the other room listening and said she had never seen me this happy and that I shouldn’t let him get away. She was right. So, I called him back and asked if I was allowed to change my mind. From then, we became an official couple, and a month later he flew me out to Hawaii for Marine Corps Ball and my best friend’s wedding. I got to meet some of his family- which went fantastic! So fantastic that his dad offered to pay for a ticket for him to come see me for a week a month after that… So he came to my home in California for Christmas and got to meet all of my family, and they loved him.
Since then it has been 3 years. I eventually moved to Hawai’i to finish my bachelors degree at the University of Hawai’i and through that we survived 2 six month deployments. I graduated in May 2014 and moved back home. Then, in August 2014, he finished his contracted time in the Marines and decided to come live here with me. Living together has been a whole new adventure, filled with ups and downs- but nothing beats waking up and falling asleep next to this man of mine. Nothing.
how they asked: This morning was one of the clearest winter mornings I’ve ever seen in San Francisco. After taking loads of selfies on this lookout point, Jordan handed a stranger his camera and asked them to take a bunch of pictures of us- Jordan then turn toward me, said “Baby…” and started to lower to his knee. I thought he was joking until I felt his hand shaking. He pulled out a box and told me how happy he’s been these last 3 years… I couldn’t tell you everything he said because I was so shocked and blacked out for the majority of his speech haha but it was all I could ask for. When he asked me to marry him I jumped at the opportunity to say “Yes!”
And just like that we began the next chapter of our lives together… I’m so happy and in love and thankful for our close friends and family for being so supportive. This is truly an amazing start to 2015!
