I was feeling a little more stable and so my roommate helped me with my things and we booked it to the airport not certain if I would make it on the airplane in time. I must have looked like pure hell because I've never been treated so kindly by strangers, especially in the airport! When I got dropped off on the curb it was like the crowds parted and there was a path laid out for me directly to the my gate where I was the last thing to board the airplane just in the nick of time. When I walked in the door to ticketing a long line of people saw me and even though I didn't say a word some guy said, "you can go ahead, we're not in a rush." The attendants at the desk told me that I still had time and came over to help me rearrange some of my luggage (I was a mess) and then carried my things over to security. The security office took my ID, looked up at me and said, "it's okay, you'll be okay!" I didn't think I looked that bad!
Like I said, I made it on the plane just in time and sat next to the kindest person (George...I wonder where his is now?). The flight attendants were really attending to me; offering me snacks, drinks, extra things. It wasn't until about half way through the flight that I looked around and realized that I was in first class. No wonder I had so much leg room!
I didn't get sick on the plane, thank goodness. I called Matt when I landed and he told me he was waiting in baggage claim. He was the first person I saw as I descended the escalator. He was standing by the information desk and caught my eye right away. I ran over to him and lost my flip flop as we kissed. He was much taller than I expected and he told me later that I was much shorter than he thought I would be. He kissed me like a boy - peck peck peck. He said he was just too excited to be passionate :)
We got in the Jeta on a hot, humid, Florida day and headed north! Even now on hot days in the car it reminds me of our first trip together. The drive through Florida and Georgia was really beautiful. Everything was so green and I loved seeing the moss in the trees. I had never been to the south before! We saw our share of gentleman's clubs and fried chicken joints, about one every few miles, as we made our way to Nashville where we planned to stay and tour for a few days.
We walked around the city quite a bit and we really enjoyed Nashville. It was quiet because it was the off-season and I recall some natural disaster happening around that time (flooding maybe?). We went to the hall of fame and to some honky tonks and out to dinner a couple of nights. I felt really sick the whole time (lots of visits to the restroom) but felt comfortable and at ease with Matt. There was one moment when we were stopped at a red light downtown with nobody in sight that we had a little "incident." We needed to take a left turn but we were in the straight lane and Matt refused to turn from the lane we were in (even though nobody was around). He got really flustered as he does in the city and a little hot with me and I remember feeling worried about the situation. Day two and we're already getting into tiffs?? It was an ugliness that neither of us felt comfortable with and so Matt proposed that we go back to our hotel and regroup. We drove all the way out of the city to our home base where we took a deep breath, talked, got back in the car and started again. It was so silly but so neat to see how we processed things in a similar way and came together with the understanding that although this trip was a bit fairytale-like, it was the beginning of a real relationship and all that comes with it.
After a few days in Nashville, Matt was anxious to get home, it had been four months after all! He drove most of the way and I took over a couple times when we were on boring stretches and he needed a break. I hadn't felt super comfortable driving a stick and I was impressed that he let me drive even after a couple of kills! We arrived at his house at about 11:00 pm and the next day headed to my apartment to drop me off where he decided to stay one more day before seeing his family. I made him a delicious meal (stuffed zucchini and spicy shrimp) and we sat on my deck and ate. He left the next morning to get back to his house and settle in, catch up with his family, puppy, etc.
My family was well aware of my plans to go meet this stranger in some airport and although they probably thought I was crazy, some of them talked to Matt on the phone and agreed with me that he seemed pretty harmless (and quite lovely). I don't think Matt told his parents until months later the terms on which we met. To us, it all just made sense. There was little doubt that this was going to go somewhere. Matt told me he loved me before we even met and that was after weeks of trying to hold it back.
He told me that he wasn't 100% sure he wanted to marry me until right before he left on his last trip before he did ask me to marry him. The little stinker wanted to make me wait. He needed to make sure that we could make it through four months of being apart. Which we did. A couple of times. Then we got married. Then we had a baby. Now, three years later, my baby is on a ship again half way around the world.
Matt was at work last Tuesday and got a job offer from his union. A few hours later he quit his current job and 24 hours after that we were on our way to the airport. He will be in the Persian Gulf for the next two and a half months. We know that people might not understand it and some days I'm sure it's not going to be easy, but it is an answer to our prayers and we can't forget that. It's a step in the direction we want our family to take and although there are still many unknowns, what we do know is that our love for each other can span an ocean or two.
Any normal person would be in a tizzy trying to gather the necessary paperwork, fill out the required applications, and pack for a long trip so last minute, but Matt just takes it all in stride. Besides the heaviness of leaving Marek and me, he was excited to be back in his element doing what he knows and loves; feeling challenged, stimulated, and compensated. I am so proud of him for the hard work that it takes to do this job and so thankful to him for all that he has gone through emotionally the past year and a half while he has been away from the sea. He shows his love for us in such raw and honest ways. He's the person that I met three years ago only more confident, sensitive, and intentional. He realized for me my purpose of being a mother and works every day to make all of my other dreams eventual realities. He is my husband, my everything!
I love you, Honey! Happy third, first anniversary from the first day that we actually met after four months of sort of but not really meeting. I miss you.
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