Valentine’s Day 2009 is approaching, and I can’t help but hold back my tears. Five years ago, my high school sweetheart scattered rose petals on my snow covered yard. I live in Texas, and it usually snows once a year! The red roses led to a glass swan with rings inside. The rings said, “True Love Waits.” Jonathan told me that he wanted us to both wear these rings because he was about to leave for boot camp. He left alright, then off to AIT, and home for a month, and then off to Iraq. He proposed to me at church a week before he left to Iraq. I’ll never forget that day because he grabbed the wrong the hand. So he came home from Iraq, and we had a beautiful church wedding that I planned in a month! He was home 18 months before he had to re-deploy. Then I found out I was pregnant and due a month after he was scheduled to deploy. Luckily, my son was seven weeks early, so my husband got to hold his son for four weeks. Round two came, and we said our goodbyes. He came home for R&R December 2006 and he was so different. He was here, but just physically. Two days before he was to return to Iraq, he stopped our car that day and told me his wishes if something were to happen. I began to burst into tears as he told me. I began to remember my premonition I had three years prior. I was eating dinner at Ihop with my dad one night and told him out of the blue I was going to marry a military man, have his baby, and he was going off to war never to return. My dad looked at me as if I were drunk. I had no idea this would hold true three years later. We said our goodbyes at the airport, and my husband could not stop crying. I knew just knew that this was it. I put that aside and continued to finish college. I graduated May 11, 2007. My husband was killed three weeks later. It was Memorial Day. I had waited for him to call like he said, but he never did. Instead, I peaked out the window that morning wrapped in a towel and there they were…two soldiers in class A’s. My son is now two and a half. It will almost be two years since he died. I have another Army man, but my heart still breaks everyday. I didn’t date for 14 months, and when I did it was a man who worked with my husband. I constantly wonder what life would be like if he were here. I wish he were here to help me discipline our son. People said it would get better over time, but time just passes. I know he wants me to be happy, and I try. Happy Valentine’s Sweetie! Like you last said…Operation Stand By Man is Over.
Five years ago, my high school sweetheart scattered rose petals on my snow covered yard. I live in Texas, and it usually snows once a year!
My Valentine
Valentine’s Day 2009 is approaching, and I can’t help but hold back my tears. Five years ago, my high school sweetheart scattered rose petals on my snow covered yard. I live in Texas, and it usually snows once a year! The red roses led to a glass swan with rings inside. The rings said, “True Love Waits.” Jonathan told me that he wanted us to both wear these rings because he was about to leave for boot camp. He left alright, then off to AIT, and home for a month, and then off to Iraq. He proposed to me at church a week before he left to Iraq. I’ll never forget that day because he grabbed the wrong the hand. So he came home from Iraq, and we had a beautiful church wedding that I planned in a month! He was home 18 months before he had to re-deploy. Then I found out I was pregnant and due a month after he was scheduled to deploy. Luckily, my son was seven weeks early, so my husband got to hold his son for four weeks. Round two came, and we said our goodbyes. He came home for R&R December 2006 and he was so different. He was here, but just physically. Two days before he was to return to Iraq, he stopped our car that day and told me his wishes if something were to happen. I began to burst into tears as he told me. I began to remember my premonition I had three years prior. I was eating dinner at Ihop with my dad one night and told him out of the blue I was going to marry a military man, have his baby, and he was going off to war never to return. My dad looked at me as if I were drunk. I had no idea this would hold true three years later. We said our goodbyes at the airport, and my husband could not stop crying. I knew just knew that this was it. I put that aside and continued to finish college. I graduated May 11, 2007. My husband was killed three weeks later. It was Memorial Day. I had waited for him to call like he said, but he never did. Instead, I peaked out the window that morning wrapped in a towel and there they were…two soldiers in class A’s. My son is now two and a half. It will almost be two years since he died. I have another Army man, but my heart still breaks everyday. I didn’t date for 14 months, and when I did it was a man who worked with my husband. I constantly wonder what life would be like if he were here. I wish he were here to help me discipline our son. People said it would get better over time, but time just passes. I know he wants me to be happy, and I try. Happy Valentine’s Sweetie! Like you last said…Operation Stand By Man is Over.