Friday, March 15, 2013

The Start of Something Great

It has been awhile since I last wrote on here. Things have been moving quickly and I am trying to keep up. I feel the older you get the faster life moves. I am now a wife to a UNITED STATES MARINE, and almost a college graduate.

Will graduated from bootcamp on November 30th. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever felt. We went three months of only writing letters back and forth to each other and just a few phone calls at the very end of his training. My heart has never swelled with so much pride as it did the moment I saw him in his uniform for the first time.


Our first hug in three months
Wills family and my best friend Brittany and her son Brayden, my godson all went up to Parris Island South Carolina to watch him graduate. Family Day, Thursday November 29th all the Marines did a motivational run in the morning. It was freezing!! During that run was the first time I locked eyes with Will. His smile was huge and the tears just came pouring out. That feeling of finally being reunited after so long is something I can't even describe. After the run we waited about an hour (talk about teasing us) for them to come into the building and be dismissed for liberty. We spent the five hours together with his family walking around the base and hearing about what he had been doing the past three months.



The next day was his graduation. After graduation I finally got to bring my Marine home! We went to Tallahassee for a few days then headed home. On our way back to South Florida, Will surprised me with a trip to Disney World. We were planning on getting married the following week but I still had not officially been asked to be his wife because he wanted to wait till after he became a Marine to ask me. He hid my ring in a bag of clothes I brought him. I looked every where for that ring even in the bag but I couldn't find it. I guess it was better that way because I didn't expect him to ask him while we were in Tallahassee or at Disney. He said he just wanted to go one last time because there was no telling when we would get the chance to go again. Our movie has always been Beauty and the Beast so we were very excited to go see the new Fantasy Land. The grand opening had been pushed back so we didn't think we would be able to see it anymore. He had a whole plan of asking me to marry him in front Belle and the Beast or at the new restaurant Be Our Guest but changed it because he called and they said they were closed so he made a new plan to ask me in front of the castle. It was romantic and very special.
When you get engaged at Disney everyone is so nice!! We got bride and groom mouse ears and even got them engraved for free. As we were enjoying the park we walked over to the new park area just to see what it looked like and realized parts were open. They were doing a soft opening of Be Our Guest. They were totally booked but they were able to squeeze us in. It was AMAZING. The perfect day and the perfect man. I couldn't have asked for a better man to marry who was so thoughtful in how he wanted to ask me to be his wife.

Before dining at the Be Our Guest restaurant
  


Our napkin at Be Our Guest Restaurant with my beautiful ring


We got married on December 7th, 2012. It was a very small intimate wedding with our close family. We were missing a few others but it was such a special day. The night of our wedding we got the best news ever. Wills recruiter called and told us that Will was able to stay home for the holidays and didn't have to report back to Marine Combat Training till January. It was the best wedding present we could have asked for. Having him home for our first Christmas as husband and wife was the best. Here are some amazing pictures my niece captured of our wedding. She is so talented at the age of 16. I can't wait to see where her career takes her.

Opening his Survival Kit :)

Thankfully he didn't need these ;)

Wills Groom Survival Kit

My handsome Marine and husband!





When he saw me :)
My Papa passed away March 7th 2012 but he was still with us on our wedding day
Mr. and Mrs. Antczak

Friday, August 3, 2012

Better When We're Together

The past six months have been a whirlwind experience. At the end of February of this year, Will and I broke up. It was my choice a choice that I felt like I had to make. We moved down to South Florida two years ago this summer because he was hoping to get hired by one of the police departments little did he knew that it would be one of the hardest things he has had to do. He tried alot at first when we got down here. Then this past year he has tried less and less. Seeing the man you love get so down and bummed out because he can't get hired and provide is a VERY hard thing to deal with.

I tried to push him and keep him motivated but it was something he had to work out himself. I realized that I wasn't going to be able to make him go fill out applications and look for openings. He had to WANT it and he didn't. During the first year of us dating he put on some weight so all of this was weighing hard on him. When I left it wasn't easy. I wasn't leaving him because I didn't love him, I left because I wanted him to see that he needed to do something to get out of this funk he was in. Anyways after a long five months and him deciding to join the Marines we are back together!! Things aren't perfect but in what relationship are things perfect? What makes it perfect is the time and engery the couple puts into making the relationship perfect. But I feel as long as we are together everything is better. We are stronger when we are together than we are apart. :)

I am so proud of him and all the hard work he has done to be in the best shape and be the BEST Marine he can be. He will be leaving for bootcamp on September 4th and it is going to be hard to be without him for three months but I know this is what he wants and I am more than happy to stand by his side while he reachs his goals and dreams. The best part about the military is they take care of their spouses, yes spouses, we have talked about getting married. Even if we are married or not married my career is one that I can start anywhere. When he is finally done with all his training in March or April he will get stationed to a base and I can't wait to start our lives together. We have talked about this and dreamed about it for a long time. Its so amazing to see how much has changed and how stronger we have become over the past five months. I don't ever want to be without him again. I'm so thankful to have him in my life.

So now I am doing all I can to prepare myself to be a Marine girlfriend and one day wife. <3


After dinner while in Sarasota for Wills 25th Birthday get away.


Seeing Cirque Du Soleil


Wednesday, May 18, 2011

COLORADO!

We had an amazing trip to Colorado, as we knew we would. I flew out Monday, May 2nd and had a great night at home with Ms. Shoffner, my wonderful 7th grade counselor who after 10 years has still remained a huge part of my life. We made dinner and had a great night just talking and catching up. Tuesday we woke up and it was so beautiful. Colorado is the most beautiful place I've ever been too. It takes my breath away every time we go out there.
We spent the day walking around the Broadmore, the only 5 star hotel out west, or something like that. That night we had dinner with Ms. Shoffner's four girl friends. They were very funny and we had a great time.
Will had to fly out Wednesday afternoon because finally after being out of school almost a year we finally heard back from a police agency for an interview. He rescheduled his flight for later that day after the interview. We knew it was the best choice to make. It was my Papa's 87th birthday so before we had to go to the airport I went and spent a few hours with my grandparents. I had a great afternoon with them. It was a nice day so we got to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. Papa's health is doing really good compared to how it was a few months ago. That night Ms. Shoffner and I went and got Will and went back home.
Thursday we went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It was awesome. I've never been to a zoo before so it was alot of fun. The giraffes are eye level with you and you can feed them. It was really neat.
Later that evening we went to dinner at Chili's with my Aunt, Uncle, Grandma, and Papa to celebrate their anniversary which was Tuesday and Papa's birthday Wednesday. It was nice to be together and spend the evening with them. After dinner we went back to Aunt Cheri's house and watch Papa and Grandma's 50th anniversary video. It was really neat to look back only 9 years and how far they've come since then. I hope that I get to experience love like that. It really is a blessing to witness.
Friday we went to this town called Cripple Creek it's back in the mountains so the drive there and back is very windy and nothing like the roads in Florida. We went and gambled alittle bit and had a fun time just sight seeing. I got to collect a few pennies for Mr. Bug, my best friends dad who is a huge penny collector. :) That evening we went to Papa and Grandma's and spent the evening in Papa's man cave looking at his WWII stuff. He has so many neat things. He gave me three more of his medals from WWII. It was such a great gift and a wonderful part of history.
Saturday, my aunt, uncle, and grandparents all went to take family pictures at Jcpenny's as their anniversary/birthday/mothers day gifts. It was alot of fun, posing and taking pictures. The guys did very well even though they don't like taking pictures. I can't wait to get them back, my favorite one was the one with my grandpa and I. We don't have professional pictures together so it's nice to have. After that we went to this really neat place called Seven Falls. Its seven waterfalls in the mountains. Its just beautiful like the rest of Colorado. To get to the top of the falls you have to climb 266 or so stairs. Anyone who knows me knows I don't do very well with heights. But I had to see the top of the falls. They break up the stairs in two parts so you have a place to stop at, which is nice. My knees felt like they were going to give way. I was so nervous but I did it!!
It was beautiful!
Sunday was Mother's Day and it was really nice to spend the day with Ms. Shoffner for the first time. She is really an amazing woman who has been like a mother to me. I have no idea what I would do without her in my life. Through all of the things I have been through she has always been there for me. I love her so much! We spend the morning taking a hike. She loves to go for walks so it was the perfect way to start the day. After that Will and I went to a park and met up with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. It was a beautiful day as always. We grilled out and had a wonderful time. That evening we went to dinner at Carabbas with Ms. Shoffner and went back to her house and watched a movie. It was a great way to spend the day.
Monday morning, the day we had to leave, we woke up early and went to Papa and Grandma's to have breakfast. She made delicous pancakes, and bacon. My cousin Mike came over and brought his two kids, Mikie and Hannah who I've never met before. It was alot of fun. Its always hard to say goodbye though. I love it out there and never want to leave. Being with family is always a nice thing. Can't wait to start planning our next trip!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Bella and Shady, my babies!

I thought today I would write about my wonderful babies, Bella and Shady. They are my boyfriend and I's pride and joy. The love we have for them can't even be put into words. I honestly feel like they are our children. Will got Shady in May of 2008 before we started dating. I knew him and saw Shady when he was just alittle baby. He was so cute. Will resuced him from the pound when he was just alittle baby. He is a lab and pitbull mix and has the biggest heart in the world. He loves to cuddle and always be right by us. His favorite things to do are sleep, eat (he's a fat boy), play with plastic water bottles, any toys that squeak, and paper towel rolls. He pretty much amazing. He always knows when I am upset and comes and cuddles and gives kisses. He just makes my heart smile! He just turned three on April 20th. We spent his birthday by taking him to the dog park to play. He loves goes and playing with the other dogs.




I got Bella in June of 2008 before Will and I started dating. I didn't want a Yorkie, I wanted a maltese but to make a long story short Bella became mine. She was so tiny, she was only supposed to be about 5 pounds but now at almost three years old she weighs right about ten pounds, which isn't bad at all. She loves to play, her favorite toys are balls, and squeak toys. She loves to chase squirrels and birds, so she isn't a prissy dog at all. I tried putting bows in her hair and clothes on her even when she was little but she wanted no part of it. As our two families came together Bella and Shady have grown to love each other and have such a great time playing together. It's nice that they have each other for when Will and I are at work. We love our little family and are happy with our fur children (for now ;) that is).



Thursday, April 21, 2011

HOPEFULLY THE START OF SOMETHING GREAT!

I have never made a blog before but a few of my friends on Facebook have one and I thought it would be a pretty cool idea to give it a shot. I have no idea what to write but I'm just going with it and maybe I'll even become a better writer. :)
This is my last week of school before finals week which is supposed to start May 2nd but my lovely boyfriend bought tickets to go to Colorado for my grandparents 59th wedding anniversary and my grandpa's birthday as my Christmas present this past year. He didn't think about exams though so I'm taking them alittle early since we are leaving May 2nd. I can't wait to get out there. I LOVE Colorado. It's just breath taking. The mountains are such a beautiful thing to wake up too every morning. We went in November of last year for Veterans Day so we could spend it with my grandpa and also visit a really good friend of mine, Ms. Shoffner. Once we got into Denver we headed straight for alittle town called Fresco with Ms. Shoffner. We spent the night and had a wonderful time then the next day we drove back down the mountain to Colorado Springs. On Veterans Day we went to an awards ceremony with my grandpa and grandma for the Greatest Generation Medallion for World War II Veterans. My grandma was accepting an award on behalf of her brother (my great Uncle Paul who passed away). Before we got there my grandma asked me if I would like to present her with the award. It was an amazing experience and I was so honored to be a part of it. Our trip was such a great trip and I am so happy Will got to meet all of the important people in my family. We can't wait till we get to go back! Here are a few pictures from our trip!