Semper Five

Today, Tim and I celebrate our fifth anniversary. Five years of being a Marine Corps wife. I couldn't be happier about where we are now...three moves, three states, two dogs, three kids (with three different birth certificates!), two deployments, three houses, and A LOT of redecorating in five years.

I always love telling the story of how we got together to people so I'm going to share it here as well...

It was August 2004 and I had just graduated from Liberty University in May. If you know nothing of Liberty, it's the type of school that REALLY encouraged the students to find their spouses there. If you didn't graduate with an engagement ring, you were a loser. Well, I didn't date anyone the entire five years I was there. Lots of first dates and that's about it. Now, I'm not knocking the guys that went there, i just never found 'the one.' I like to think of those five years of being single as a time of growth and preparation for life as a Marine wife...I learned to be extremely independent and it was good preparation for deployments. See, God DOES know what He's doing.

After working at a physical therapy clinic for the summer I had decided to go home to Manassas to live with my parents and get a temp. job until I figured out what I wanted to do next. My big plan had included going back to school for PT and then taking it from there. But this outgoing, handsome Marine swooped in and changed all my plans (for the better, of course!).

No, it wasn't quite that glamorous.

My temp. job ended up being a server at a restaurant, which is where Tim also worked, although I didn't meet him until a few weeks after I started working there. He was at WVU to finish his last semester and came home to work on the weekends. He came into the restaurant one night, probably to get his schedule, and I immediately noticed him and made a mental note about how good-looking her was. Outgoing, dark, beautiful brown eyes, chiseled jaw (I have a thing for strong chins) and an easy smile.

I don't remember exactly when we officially met but the longer I knew him and the more I learned about him, the more I looked forward to when he would be working. I remember him asking me out a couple times but I turned him down because I never thought he was serious. I thought he would be just like every other guy I knew...they'd be interested for about a week and then, never mind, you're too opinionated and independent. Ok, sorry I have a mind of my own and am not clingy.

Apparently, that's one of the reasons why he was SO persistent...after turning him down a few times, I guess he got fed up and decided to insult me. I was cleaning up my tables after my shift and as I was walking by him, he says 'Hey Amanda, when are you going to get that stick out of your ass and go out with me?' For real. No joke.

And my logical brain thinks, if he's got guts enough to insult me in order to get a date, why not? Who knows what I was thinking, but I said, 'Okay, sure.' And to quote the cliche...the rest is history.

He had me at 'stick up your ass!'

Less than a year and a half later, we were married. Who knew?
The really funny part in all this is that I was always so adamant about NOT marrying anyone in the military. I didn't want the lifestyle. Turns out, I have the personality for it. I love what we've gotten to experience by living in so many places and the great part is, we are nowhere near being done. We have many more years to come and who knows what life will bring. I know one thing for sure, it will never be boring.