The moment....

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

Alright moms. I know this doesn't have to do with the Nuke program, but I've come to love you all so much!

I wanna know... When was the moment that you knew your husband was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? :)

Just curious!

[Penny_Nuke_MM2_NimitzNuke]

Okay, crazy answer.  One time my husband (boyfriend at that time) saw that I had something on my face and he walked up to me, put the tip of his thumb in his mouth and then rubbed off whatever it was.  Icky to most but that is exactly what my mom used to do to me and what I did to my kids and that shows real love.  I now knew that he was "down home" enough to be the most significant man in my life.  Just his twelve years and I still can't wait till the end of the day when I get to see him, steal kisses and hugs and snuggle up with him at night.

[DramaboysMom]

Gulf Coast ( Im New here) Hurray for Job's and DeMolay ( Iwas a Jobbie and an Eastern Star. Currently inactive!)

Aaron's Girl~

I was a student in Valencia, Spain on a 15 week summer session.  He was an American Sailor aboard the USS Forrestal. I was sitting on a park bench waiting with 4 girlfriends to go to "La playa Las Arenas" and these 5 American Sailors walked by.  Not being one who knows a stranger, I shouted "hey, are you guys American's?" to which they made a bee line for our group.  American women in a foreign country was something special. On the bus to the beach, I  knew.  That was in July 1978 and we were married in November 1980.  Been an exceptional ride, and I wouldn't trade any of it.   OH don't get me wrong. There are days, even weeks, that I would choose to stay in bed if I knew what was in store on several occasions. But the adventures along the way are what makes the trip worthwhile.  We have 2 wonderful boys, one rat, 2 cats and one dog. 

We are from different background, I from some money and Detroit suburbs, he from the working class and Tinley Park IL.

I have also enjoyed reading the stories. Hope these give you insight.

 

 

[Colleen in PA]

Hi Emily,  my moment happened when he caught my eye on the school bus!  I was a HS senior and had just switched buses as mine was too crowded.  I saw him and we started talking later that school year.  I am 3 yrs older than Jeff.  We were friends first.  We had a lot of opposition from parents.  He was home on leave after boot camp and some type of A school and we got married by a justice of the peace.  7 mos later, we got married in the chapel on base in Pensacola, FL.  We've had a lot of ups and downs, mostly ups!  I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I really enjoyed our Navy life and sometimes wish he had stayed in longer.  We have 2 kids, both Navy now and 1 dog. I traveled with him to a lot of places when he was TAD that I would never have seen otherwise.  I  lived in Alaska for 3 1/2 yrs.  Now, we will be traveling wherever our kids go to see them!  If we don't have to fly, my husband won't, I don't mind.

[Casey~ Ryan's Wife, Nuke ELT MM2]

I'm counting myself as a Navy Mom, even though Ethan is 18 months and hasn't talked to a recruiter yet...

Sophomore year of college.  I was dating a guy I had been with since junior year of high school.  Spring break came around and I was planning the trip to Panama City for me and my friends.  17 people in a 3 bedroom condo - worth every bit of squishiness to pay $90 for a full week in a nice beachfront condo with your best friends.  Yeah we ate pasta every night but who cares? :)  Anyway my friend John said I had to invite his friend Ryan, so I instant messaged him and said "Hey I know you don't know me but John wants me to invite you to Spring Break," etc.  He came and I noticed immediately how funny and sociable he was (have you seen my profile page pics on N4Ms? the one of him eating the hot dogs is from that trip)  My bf at the time was very reserved, didn't like groups of people, very anti-social, not outgoing, really the exact opposite of me (the last straw was when I discovered he didn't like Boston and he thought the guitar playing in "Free Bird" was mediocre.  I mean come on.)  

 

A few months later I was single and not ready to settle for less this time.  Ryan and I started talking and we were two peas in a pod.  Inseparable.  Good thing we lived in the same apartment complex, maybe 20 feet from each other.  I knew I'd say "yes" if he asked me to be his girlfriend one night as we were sitting outside Starbucks, and I was listening to him talk about how he was thinking of joining the Navy, and all the things he wanted to accomplish, where he wanted to go in his life, his plans for himself... sitting there in that jacket that I thought was so good-looking, dark hair and green eyes, it was very clear to me.  For me, it wasn't one moment where I knew I'd say yes if he proposed.  It was all of the little moments.  Him manning the grill at a barbecue we had one time with college friends, in his Aviators and that same jacket.  The way he twists off a glass bottle cap with his forearm (I get tingles every time).  The way he says "Alabama".  The way he feeds my spontaneity and takes off to a different city with me on the days I'm feeling restless.  The way he talks to and loves his little 8 year old sister more than anything (and I accept that and know that I come 2nd to her :) ).  And how I cried 8 times during P.S. I Love You when my N4Ms girlfriends in my PIR group made me watch it while he was in bootcamp (I still haven't forgiven them), blue candle burning and giving me a headache while I chugged 3 cups of hot double fudge chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon on top.  The way I knew after 4 months of being his girlfriend that I would say yes to a proposal.       

 

Our 2nd anniversary will be this June and I can't believe how fast the time has gone.  It hasn't all been roses, but my mom told me once when I was younger that there are hills and there are valleys, and to focus on the hills :)  And my dad told me when I was 13, "Okay Casey.  You're getting to an age now where guys are going to want to be dating you.  Let me tell you something.  Men?  We love you.  We want to make you happy.  But we can't read your mind.  Be straightforward with us, tell us what to do to make you happy, and we'll do it."  Been honest and straightforward about my wishes and expectations ever since and it has ALWAYS worked well and the guys have loved it haha, and now Ryan does too :) 

[elizabeth77(USS SAN FRANCISCO)]

Love your story...and love your taste in music.  That baby of yours is one cute kid!!!!

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

Awwww. Casey!! You just made my morning so much brighter (well, brighter than the icy roads and school cancellations just did! ;) ). 

I love your story! You and Ryan make the cutest couple, and I could tell he loves his little sister! Reminds me of how my brother is with me. :)

And Ethan is just a little cutie! Hope I can meet him one day!! :)

[NavyMomLG]

I don't think I am really one of those "a-ha moment" people, which is a little disappointing for me.  I don't know the moment I knew my husband was the one, I don't have a faith formation moment, and I still don't really know what I want to be when I grow up :).

 

But I will add this thought.  I have been married twice.  The first time, I knew it was wrong way before he ever proposed.  I was very young, and I was in a very dark part of my life (17 and my mom had just died from cancer - and I didn't even know she was terminal because my family thought I was too young to deal with that).  We lasted one month short of 10 years, but have two beautiful children, one of which is my sailor.  I am in year 16 of my second marriage, and have two more beautiful daughters in middleschool.  No matter what your age, I believe the most important thing is to always be true to yourself.  Be honest with what you want and need, and as Casey said, make sure your significant other knows.  Marriage is one huge compromise, and if you aren't clear in your own mind about what makes you happy, you aren't going to be happy.  And then realize that you are going to change.  A lot.  And he is going to change.  A lot.  Keep the communication open, and enjoy growing in your relationship for the rest of your life!

 

 

 

 

[elizabeth77(USS SAN FRANCISCO)]

bump

 

[quiltblue]

Cute discussion idea, so I'll put in mine!  

Grew up in suburb of Dallas and after being bugged by my bf for months I went to a "Youth Ranch" meeting, a home environment to reach teens and teach them about Jesus (summer 1974). I was reluctant to go, but she finally told me that there would be lots of boys there too and being 15 almost 16, that is what I was interested in.  Well, I met about 40 guys that night and several were asking for my number so I was writing it down and passing it out. There was a really cute guy with long blonde hair and gold wire rim glasses and handed him a piece of paper with my number and he said that he didn't want it! I was stunned! But he explained that he was headed to college and didn't live in the area, but he was glad to meet me.  Fast forward to Christmas Camp in South Texas that year... my blonde headed friend drove home from Florida Bible College for Christmas break just so he could attend Christmas Camp, he didn't know if I would be there or not, he didn't get my number or address - remember... Day 1 at camp he approached me and asked for both of those things!  We hung out some, but he was a counselor so it was a No-no to fraternize. I started writing letters to him (yes, we still have all our letters). The next summer he took a road trip from Corpus (where his family lived) up to the Dallas area to "visit" family and me.  Talked for 8 hours straight, he kissed my hand before he left... found out he was moving to Oregon for a year and asked me to continue to write him. I thought well this isn't going to work any more, it was my senior year of high school so I continued to date other guys and write letters to him (and others that I had met).  All the sudden I realized that John's birthday was in two days and if I mailed a bday card it would be late. I hate to be late! So I asked my Dad if I could call him and wish him Happy Birthday... my Daddy was the best ever... he got the phone number of the pastor/wife that John was staying with and told me I could call him and talk as long as I wanted!  Well, the day arrived (just so happened that his birthday had been my parents wedding anniversary) and I called and asked to speak to him.  I said "Happy Birthday" and he said "Thank you Grandmother!" I said, "No, this is Peggy"... we talked for 3 hours!  I asked if he was coming to Texas for Christmas and he said no he couldn't afford it. A week later I received a card giving me his flight information flying into DALLAS! Uh-oh! What have I done???? was my first thought!  He posted the verse I Peter 5:14 and then signed the card with "I love you".  Uh-oh!  Needless to say we had a very nice Christmas, he told me that He knew I was the one the summer before when he went to Oregon and I got my first real kiss two days after he arrived here Christmas 1975!  Ten days after he arrived back in Oregon he asked me to marry him in a letter, I answered yes. It took me two months to tell my Daddy and he said that he wanted me to be happy, but would prefer us to wait... we did. We got married New Years Eve 1977. We are best friends, he has never french kissed anyone but me (wish I could say that) and we both waited for the wedding night (that was hard to do!)!

We have three kids and two Grandsons now and keep planning for our future together.  It will work, I tell him what I want and need and he will do everything to give it to me. Our men cannot read our minds, they don't remember the special things most of the time that we like (even in the bedroom). They like getting notes and reminders or hints, they don't multi-task like women do, so give them one thing at a time to do and it will get done, give them a list and none get completed.  

[maryquitecontrary (1131 M)]

LOVE your story....how sweet the way that your story developed. Bet your never thought that going to the church camp would impact your life in such a monumental way!! Appreciate the tips on how to make a marriage work.... my boyfriend and I always joke because we say it would be so much easier if we could just read each other's minds! But you're right, we can't and its so important to openly communicate. Thanks for sharing!!