Jake Joins Me

He's finally here!!!!!!!!! I am so happy. As if my world wasn't perfect enough...

BACKSTORY

For those that don't know our situation, timing has been one of our biggest blessings. Before our paths crossed, Jake and I were both in pursuit of our individual goals for quite some time. We both hit obstacles that we had to overcome, and we both spent significant amounts of time waiting for news that we could pursue our individuals dreams.

When we first started dating, both of our fates were in limbo. He was waiting to get in to the Air Force as a Pararescue Jumper (PJ), and told me that if we were to continue dating, this was something I might have to accept. As much as it pained me to imagine a life apart from him, which is what the military would entail, I knew, without a doubt, he was worth it. Shortly after, he got the news he had been waiting for, and it was no longer a matter of "if", but "when". There were moments that we thought we had a few short weeks left to spend together before his "leave" date, only to learn that they had misfiled some paperwork, which pushed the date back, or then they misread that he was allergic to Penicillin and had to send a waiver to the Air Force Surgeon General, which pushed the date way back... each delay was frustrating for him but pure joy for me! I wanted him to be happy and to do what made him happy, but more time with him was more time with him, so I was sorry I wasn't sorry...

In the time that his "leave" dates were continually put on hold, I was submitting my application to medical school. We had developed many different scenarios in the event that I got in, this term or next term, or if I didn't get in at all (I was pretty set on following him out to Texas if I didn't get in to medical school, with ways to better my application in the process).  But as we're enjoying our continued time together, we are both waiting for news.

There's really no way to best describe the series of events as they happened. Each news became a ripple effect of better news to come. After excelling in his Physical Abilities and Stamina Test, and receiving an Air Force coin from his recruiting squadron (YouTube link below), I found out of my acceptance to medical school. Then, shortly after the news of my rushed leave to the Bahamas for four months to begin my training, which would end November 22nd, he was given an official leave date for December 30th, 2013.  It took me half a second to know this meant we would be able to spend the holidays together, and my heart practically exploded out of my chest. At first he was unsure how he would spend the next few months waiting for his departure date, but after evaluation of his personal finances and a great deal of persuasion from me, it made perfect sense that he would join me in the Bahamas.

The start of 2013 will send Jake to begin his career as a Pararescue Jumper with the Air Force for four years, and me to St. Marteen to attend the American University of the Caribbean for four years, resulting in a lengthy long distance relationship. But for now, we have four months of bliss on a tropical island. I'm not worried about the future of our relationship. I support his endeavors as much as he supports mine. But I will not take a single one of these moments we have together for granted.

That said, he arrived Sunday, August 18th!

The first couple of days he was here, we did some sight seeing. We went to High Rock Beach, a long stretch of white sand beach where they filmed parts of Pirates of the Caribbean. We brought with us Amit, Billy, and Suman, and we all had a really excellent time.

Ok prepare yourself for this really sad image. Someone caught a shark and then left it to die on the beach. As terrified as I am of sharks, it broke my heart to pieces. Humans can be so cruel...

All sadness aside (which is really difficult to do, I know), it was a little ironic. The boys went for a walk down the beach and found the shark, and while I was hanging out on the beach peacefully making a sand mermaid, they drug the poor thing all the way down the beach in a FAILED attempt to scare me. My fear of sharks has somewhat made a name for itself, so they had fantasies of laying it down behind me... Too bad I'm a ninja when it comes to my surroundings and can sense a shark from a mile away.

Yeah, Billy, go ahead and take it back to where you found it. Nice try though...

Oh but wait, Suman wants a tooth for as a souvenir...

Ok and then leave it to Jake to find the puppy on the beach. How many times to I have to say that Jake is a dog whisperer? He has puppy telepathy and tells them do come hang out. No one else is on the beach, except us, and two random dogs show up, I kid you not...

My prince...

The mermaid I was crafting before I was interrupted. She didn't get finished otherwise she would have been absolutely beautiful, I just know it...

Pictures from Banana Bay...

Crystal clear waters...

Monday after class. More students come to hang out here. It's such a beautiful spot!

Inside the restaurant. They have sea horses in that aquarium! Jake loves it...

Ummmmmm maybe some other time...

The biggest question or concern people have when they hear that Jake is staying with me, is whether or not he will interfere with my studying. Jake is THE PERFECT companion for me during this time. He has no problem with down time (anyone who knows him, knows this), and as I have slight ADD, I study the best when there's other stuff going on. I need music, or background noise, or other people in the room... If it's quiet, my mind will wander. If I ever study in the library, I've got headphones on and am usually playing my classical music playlist. That said, Jake's presence eliminates the energy I spend missing him, and that's about it. He cooks dinner and does laundry and runs errands, allowing me more time to study. And when I'm not studying, we eat dinner together on the balcony, watch "Battlestar Galactica", or go to the beach. Fridays are our fun days together. Other than that, he works out at the gym, watches movies, explores the internet, runs errands, or cooks me dinner. I'm so lucky!

Last Friday we walked to the beach and hung out there until around 5pm, when several other students arrived to play beach volleyball. It was so much fun.  I'm so happy.  Jake is such a warm and kind person, and so fun, and so up for anything, and so easy to get along with, that including him in this new adventure has been a breeze...

I never doubted him for a second, but knowing that we can head in to new adventures together with this kind of ease makes me happier than I've ever been in my whole life. How do I get to live this kind of life? I'm so grateful for this boy. I am such a lucky girl.