Today, April 12th, my husband and I celebrate 3 years of being married.  It’s funny how fast time flies.  Over the past few years, I’ve had a lot of new readers.  So while older readers might remember when we got married, others do not!  I thought it would be fun to share our story of how we met, lived in Texas, and now have spent the last four years in NJ.

Tim and I met at across-country scrimmage race between our colleges in 2011. Tim won the scrimmage race for men, and I won the scrimmage race for females.  During the fall of 2011, I was a senior year in college, and coming off my first running severe injury: a tibial stress fracture.

After the scrimmage, we talked and went on a run a few weeks later.  The season was pretty much over, and Tim was getting ready for his competitive ski season.  I was much slower and since he was just running “to stay in shape,” a slower pace didn’t matter to him.  Our first few runs were cold, easy, runs in the late fall.  When I say cold, I mean it was already below 20 degrees in Potsdam,  NY.

Eventually, after several runs, we hung out outside of running.  The fall semester went by and by the time we knew it, it was time to go back home! Over the semester break, Tim visited for New Years and ran two local VA Beach road races.

I blogged before Tim, and I dated, and even posted about the races.In the spring, we started “officially dating”.  I think I even mentioned on the blog: OMG you guys, a new boy in my life”  (just kidding).  I don’t even know how it came up through blogging…I don’t think Tim even knew or cared that I blogged and that was okay by me.

A college date of making bread.

In May of 2012, we graduated and decided to try doing a long distance relationship. 

Our options at that point were to try and do a distance relationship or stop dating.  Tim went to pilot training school in Texas, and I began working in Oswego, NY.

The first few months of being apart were difficult. We hadn’t been dating long, but we went from seeing each other to not talking more than a few times a week.  By November, we were able to see each other for the first time since June.  Living alone and working in Oswego, NY taught me a lot about myself and being independent.  I will never trade that time.

My first visit to Texas

After Thanksgiving, we saw each other again for Christmas, then again in March and in May. It was a lot easier than the first few months.  After nearly a year, we made the decision,  I would move to Texas, and we would live together. As much as I enjoyed my job at Oswego, I wanted to continue my relationship with Tim.  Since he was in the Air Force, he did not have the option to move up North.

Winning a growler at a half marathon in Texas

Living in Texas was tough and wasn’t as glamorous as I thought it would be.  It was the first time I lived with significant other, I was miles away from anyone I knew, and realistically 200 miles away from any big towns.  Tim was also busy with school, and I felt isolated.  When he graduated, we would be moving to New Jersey.  Neither of us knew anything about NJ (except people drive very quickly on the turnpike).

When we found out, we were moving to NJ

On April 1st, 2014 (Yes April Fools Day), he proposed.  It wasn’t on social media or some big ritzy event but it was perfect for us.  We got married about a year later on April 12th, 2015.

Engaged now…let’s go to a diner

Married Life:

Life over the last 3 years hasn’t always been easy.  Since Tim is in the military, he is gone…a lot.  He has been gone about half of our marriage, and I believe 6 deployments, but they all blend together.  That being said, we make the best of the time we do have together.

A few people have asked, when he is deployed he is 100% gone.  When he is back in NJ, he may or may not be around on local trips.  It is isn’t a balance of being gone versus being at home.  When he is home, he still goes to work and still flies.  For instance, right now he is home, but last week went on a week-long trip. 

First dance

Getting home from a deployment.  (The plane he flies is in the background)

Working at a local running store, makes my hours difficult sometimes too.  Even when he is home, there have been months that we have had no days off together.  I’ve asked off from work, only to have his plans change and now I have a free day off, but he isn’t working.  Usually, it’s hard to plan anything.

A few years ago, we used to spend our limited free at home, watching TV, or doing nothing.  Then we realized that just wasn’t us.  We decided to try other things, and that is eventually how we got into exploring NJ and going on fun hikes around the state.  We don’t hike fast, and aren’t “pro hikers,” but we do enjoy it and spending time together.

In December 2016, he found out he had to go to school in Montgomery, Alabama for 8 weeks.  I decided to go down with him, and it was such a fun and rewarding experience.  I met so many people down in Alabama, and Tim ran his first marathon in 70-80 degree heat where he broke 3:00.

After that, we moved back to NJ and have continued to live here.  We genuinely like NJ a lot and everything it has to offer from the wide variety of South Jersey, North Jersey, the shore, diners, and everything in between.

private flying around NJ/NY

While I don’t share a lot of personal and marriage details outside of running, I could not imagine spending this crazy adventure with anyone else.

Questions for you:
How did you and your significant other meet?
Have you moved around a lot?