post-graduation

So, I am on the flight home right now from graduation weekend. I never imagined that I could feel such strong, polar opposite emotions in one weekend. I arrived in Great Lakes after a 24 hrs car drive….ugh that was so long. It was cold and there was a lot of snow considering the blizzard had come through, but I enjoyed the cold for a change. Friday morning I went to graduation. It started at 9am and by about 10:30 am they finally called liberty. I swore they took forever to make the liberty call, ha. So I ran down from the bleachers and found Hunter, it was the most amazing feeling in the world being able to see him. I can’t even begin to explain it. After a few minutes he had to leave for about 15 minutes to get his liberty card so we could get off base. We went back to the hotel with his family and we all talked for about an hour. Then Hunter and I finally got some alone time for about 3 hours. It was just so nice to be able to talk and to be in each others arms. That night we got deep dish pizza cause that is what he wanted, lol. Then before I knew it  he had to go back to base for the night.  I knew that he did not have overnight liberty, however I felt really overwhelmed when he left. I felt so alone cause I had finally gotten to see him for the first time in 10 weeks, and then within a few hours he had to go back. So needless to say both of the nights that he had to go back were quite rough. On Saturday he came back to the hotel at about 8:30 am,  we had till about 11 am before we went to another hotel (his family was driving back that day, but I was staying until Sunday).  So after we left that hotel we had lunch with his family before they left at cracker barrel. They then left and we went to our new hotel and just spent more time with each other. Then we decided to go to Gurnee Mills mall which was right across the street, it was huge. We had dinner at the Rainforest Café and  I of course  told the restaurant that it was his birthday (he is 23). I loved the look on his face when they all sang to him, haha. Then he had to go back to base for the evening, and another rough night. He got back to my hotel the next morning at about the same time as before and we had until noon to just snuggle and other things. Then the taxi driver picked up my luggage and held onto it until I had to leave for the airport. We had lunch at Stake and shake and walked around the mall again. He got a new phone, so that when he is in A school we can talk and such. We also got the engagement ring. We were originally going to wait a little bit, but they were offering great deals to help out military families (since ppl get engaged quite often after bootcamp). I am so happy to be engaged to him, I love him so much. Then we had to take the taxi to the airport. The ride was awful. I couldn’t help but cry. I was sad at how short the time felt that we had together. This was the first time that I had been truly happy in 10 weeks, and now I had to leave him again.  It’s like him leaving this time, was almost worse than bootcamp because now I know what it is like to have no communication and it is awful. I miss my best friend, my love, my other half. Right now I would do anything to just be with him. These next 4 yrs are going to be so long, I really want to be able to do this, I just hope I can stay strong. I guess that’s it. Just tired and really sad at the moment. I also have to study for a huge exam on Tuesday. I suppose I will write some other time.