Picture this; you’re sitting at the dinner table surrounded by your family and it’s almost your turn to say what you’re thankful for. You begin going on about being thankful for the simple things like your family, your friends, doing well in school, being healthy and for the food you’re about to devour…but there’s one thing missing. This Thanksgiving, the person I’m most thankful for is 632 miles away. I’ll be thanking them for all that they’ve done for me in a form of a letter.
My boyfriend, Matthew (but we call him Howie), is currently away at basic training for the Army National Guard. I can’t begin to express how proud of him I am for chasing his lifelong dream of becoming a soldier. He left in late October and is in a different time zone, three states away. Even though I’ve only been in a military relationship for about a month now, one thing is for sure, they come with sacrifices and that’s just part of the deal.
(Photo of Howie//courtesy of author)
As we all know, HallOUween is a huge deal here at Ohio University and while I wish I could have been registering him to stay with me as a guest over the weekend of the festivities, I was back in my hometown helping him buy things on the suggested packing list for basic. I wish that Howie could have experienced Athens during HallOUween alongside of me. I mean, who would voluntarily miss the opportunity to have a matching costume with your significant other?
Halloween isn’t the only holiday he won’t home for. Howie will also be learning how to be a soldier instead of carving the turkey for Thanksgiving. It’s hard on me, but I know it’s harder on his family. He has the sweetest sisters and the kindest parents who all love him endlessly. They are all so proud of him. Although I’d do anything to have him home for some of the best holidays of the year, I’m incredibly blessed that his unit will actually be sending him home for Christmas. Not only will he be home surrounded by the people he loves for Christmas, but also New Years!
During Thanksgiving this year, I know for a fact that I will sit back and realize just how thankful I actually am for him and the military. They’re taking care of him and building him into a stronger man and I get the chance to be the one he comes home to.
I honestly couldn’t ask for a better Christmas present this year than the fact that I will get to tackle him in the airport and we’ll get to share our first military homecoming together. Holidays without the man you love can and will be an emotional time, but it’ll all pay off when I finally get to hug and kiss him again. I’d give up HallOUween and Thanksgiving any day if it means that I get to spend the happiest time of the year with my soldier and ring in the 2017 with my best friend by my side. The military may have him now, but I had him first.
(Author and Howie//photo courtesy of the author)