Sadly December 5th had arrived. The day we took Richard to his recruiting office and got a heads up as to what to expect in the next 3 months during Richard's boot camp. We then left the Recruiters office and followed the van that Richard was riding in, along with some other people leaving for boot. We drove to Dallas and met up with Richard at the hotel they were staying in for the night. We picked him up and went out to dinner. Such an awkward time. What do you say? What do you not say? Can I talk and say anything at all without being a blubbering baby? But we all had a great dinner and we dropped him back off at the hotel and headed back to Midlothian. That night I stayed at the Keatings and we all got up super early in the morning to drive back to Dallas. Boy was that a drive. We got to MEPS and finally found Richard. We got about an hour with him before we got to watch him Swear In again before he left. Then it was time to watch him get on that bus. I will never forget that day. My Richard had left and we had Faith that things would work out, but you never know.
3 month went by. The LONGEST 3 months of my life. No phone calls, no emails, no texts, and it took a month or so to get my first letter from him. I wrote to him every single day. Man, It's hard writing this. So many emotions come flooding back. He got to call one time. I was just about to leave work and my phone rang. I answered and it was silent, then I heard a faint "Hey babe". Oh My Goodness! That was the first time we had heard each others voice in 12 weeks. We were both so very emotional. We only got to talk for about 3 minutes but it was the best 3 minutes ever!
March 4th 2011 he was to graduate from bootcamp. We all flew so San Diego to see it. We got there on a Wednesday and enjoyed our night together as a family. The next day would be "Family Day". The first time I get to put my arms around my boyfriend in 13 weeks. I knew I loved him, but only reading letters from someone for so long, you build this idea of them. I was so scared. Would the feelings still be there, what would he look like, would he still love me, would I still be beautiful to him, etc. They did their Moto Run and then we sat through a presentation and then headed to the Parade grounds for them to come out with their company. Here he came. First time seeing him in his uniform AND he was class leader. Man, that was nice! My babe always impresses :) We had a family dinner on base for all of the families. We shopped and talked. Things were a little awkward at first. No PDA, he was always watching his surroundings, never really focused on one thing.
The next day was Graduation. We attended and then they could finally leave base. We took him out in the town and finally, being out of uniform and away from the base, My Richard was back! Oh man was that nice! All my fears melted away. I was with him.
The family left and we stayed the weekend in San Diego.Man it was nice! We did all sorts of things! my favorite was walking along the beach. We drew in the sand, found crabs in the rocks, got sea shells. We went to the Zoo, ate sushi, enjoyed out time away alone with each other.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Chapter 2: Pre Military Courtship
I knew from the get go that Richard had swore into the Marine Corp on April 1st, a month before we reconnected. Neither of us really wanted to start a relationship knowing that he was going to be gone, but things don't always work out like planned.
We started dating and spent most days together despite our 40 minute commute between Midlothian and Fort Worth. Things were wonderful! He was working part time and helping with his dad. Soon after, Richard got offered a full time position where he was working and of course took it. All the while, his family was getting ready to move into a fixer upper that they actually bought just for the land.
This is where things started to get hard. Richard had work responsibilities, home/family responsibilities, and then he was trying to juggle a relationship as well. Needless to say, things were hectic. Richard had to help his parents work on the house every weekend before the winter came and he would be leaving. There was a LOT of work to be done. The place, inside and out, was trashed from the young renters that resided there prior. So every weekend, if I wanted to see Richard, I too would be there helping with the house.
Before we knew it, time had flown, and November was already here. I spent that Thanksgiving with the Keatings. I got all dressed up. Wanted to make a good impression for my first Holiday with his family. Richard forgot to give me the memo that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE wears University of Texas gear from head to toe every Thanksgiving. Sigh. Eh, I still looked great and felt great!
The next week got there before we all wanted it to. Richard was getting Christmas out of the way since he wasn't going to be here for it. He and I took Maci and got her a Beta which she had wanted. She named it Bobby Jo. At that time, Everything was named Bobby Jo :) He got his dad the infamous Leg Lamp from The Christmas Story, and he bought Donna a Donkey! What a Christmas huh? Richard and Donna had lit a fire outside and Keith and I were inside watching a movie. Richard gestured for me to go outside with him. I did, but not until my movie was over. We sat out in the dark with the fire glowing bright and Richard looked at me and asked if I had been wondering where my Christmas present was. I hadn't even thought about it actually, but then he pulled a box out of his jacket and handed me a ring. The ring that I had found in the Black Friday sales papers! He had gotten up early that morning and gotten it. I was soo shocked! It was my Pre Engagment Engagement ring :)
The next week or so, Richard's parents had thrown him a going away party! Tons of people showed up, even with it being FREEZING outside! We all had a wonderful time laughing and talking with everyone. It was a bitter sweet night, that is for sure! I can still envision perfectly half stepping with Richard under the barn awning and fighting back the tears. It was a losing battle. Even today when I'm sitting under that awning, and even as I write this, I still get tears in my eyes.
We started dating and spent most days together despite our 40 minute commute between Midlothian and Fort Worth. Things were wonderful! He was working part time and helping with his dad. Soon after, Richard got offered a full time position where he was working and of course took it. All the while, his family was getting ready to move into a fixer upper that they actually bought just for the land.
This is where things started to get hard. Richard had work responsibilities, home/family responsibilities, and then he was trying to juggle a relationship as well. Needless to say, things were hectic. Richard had to help his parents work on the house every weekend before the winter came and he would be leaving. There was a LOT of work to be done. The place, inside and out, was trashed from the young renters that resided there prior. So every weekend, if I wanted to see Richard, I too would be there helping with the house.
Before we knew it, time had flown, and November was already here. I spent that Thanksgiving with the Keatings. I got all dressed up. Wanted to make a good impression for my first Holiday with his family. Richard forgot to give me the memo that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE wears University of Texas gear from head to toe every Thanksgiving. Sigh. Eh, I still looked great and felt great!
The next week got there before we all wanted it to. Richard was getting Christmas out of the way since he wasn't going to be here for it. He and I took Maci and got her a Beta which she had wanted. She named it Bobby Jo. At that time, Everything was named Bobby Jo :) He got his dad the infamous Leg Lamp from The Christmas Story, and he bought Donna a Donkey! What a Christmas huh? Richard and Donna had lit a fire outside and Keith and I were inside watching a movie. Richard gestured for me to go outside with him. I did, but not until my movie was over. We sat out in the dark with the fire glowing bright and Richard looked at me and asked if I had been wondering where my Christmas present was. I hadn't even thought about it actually, but then he pulled a box out of his jacket and handed me a ring. The ring that I had found in the Black Friday sales papers! He had gotten up early that morning and gotten it. I was soo shocked! It was my Pre Engagment Engagement ring :)
The next week or so, Richard's parents had thrown him a going away party! Tons of people showed up, even with it being FREEZING outside! We all had a wonderful time laughing and talking with everyone. It was a bitter sweet night, that is for sure! I can still envision perfectly half stepping with Richard under the barn awning and fighting back the tears. It was a losing battle. Even today when I'm sitting under that awning, and even as I write this, I still get tears in my eyes.
Chapter 1: My Background
So I guess let me start back at the beginning for anyone who is reading this that doesn't know me personally :)
My name is Vanessa Lynn Keating, formally Dieckman. I am currently 28 years of age. I grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas. I had the best childhood and the best friends. Most of which I am still friends with (that in itself is a blessing)! I have two wonderful older brothers. We really aren't all that "close", but we are always there for each other when we're down. I actually wish we were a little closer. As for my parents; My mom and I aren't all that close, but things are getting better. I have THE BEST dad a girl can ask for. He is and always has been my role model. He's that man that can fix anything. An overall hard, honest worker. He really is one of my best friends. With that being said, girls usually look for a life mate that are like their father. I searched and searched and finally, (I guess what they say is right, Love when come when you're not looking for it) after "knowing" a guy for around 10 years, He came to me! I found a man that I had been looking for. A man that would take care of his family, work hard, put them all first.
I went to High School with this boy named Richard Keating who was in the grade above me. Our "groups" hung out together and we were around each other a lot but I don't recall ever actually having a conversation with this guy. In May of 2010, I was following my brothers' friends' band, The Stephen Pointer band on FB and I was really into Texas Country Music. This same boy that I went to HS with was following one of his friends Texas Country Bands as well. All of our statuses were very similiar, almost like we were living the same life. Ends up that this Richard i went to school with won free concert tickets to Wolf Dance from The Ranch radio station. I "Liked" his status about winning them and shortly after I received an inbox message from him. He was asking me to go with him. It was so out of the blue and I hadn't seen him since HS but with all that being said, I was not going to pass up a free all day Texas country concert, so I accepted his invitation. He then so smoothly told me that the concert wasn't for a couple of weeks, and that we had to hang out before then. That very weekend, I went to his house in Midlothian. We sat around the fire in the driveway, listened to music and drank beer. I also met his Stepmom and sister that very same night. Talk about moving fast (that was a sign as to how the rest of our relationship would progress)! It was a while before I got to meet his father Keith. He was still recovering from a stroke, didn't feel well, and slept a lot. I think shortly after our first "date", I also met his grandparents. They had went out of town and Richard was returning their dog to them when they got back. I thought it would just be a quick stop and go. Boy was I wrong. We get there and they are having basically a welcome home party for one of the nephews coming home from the Airforce. EVERYONE was there. His grandparents and all of Gammy's sisters and their SO's. I prob looked like a dear caught in headlights. But they were the nicest family I think I had ever met.
Backing up a bit, after our first weekend at his parent's house, we met up the following weekend and went to The White Elephant in the stockyards to see SPB play. My great friend Tessa B came and met us as well so I wasn't alone :). Richard had done something that night that was SO nerdy and it just made me fall in love with him. I think it was at that moment that I knew, he was my "dad", he was the ONE.
Well, back to the concert...He came and picked me up. We met up with his friends, the Fox's, and my Friend Tessa and her sister Lindsey and we had a wonderful HOT SWEATY time!
The rest is History! Our History :)
oh, and I know I ramble, and I'm really bad about jumping around :) Maybe I'll get better... but prob not!
Coming Soon - Chapter Two: Our Courtship
Bloggin Virgin
Well, I've been thinking about starting a Blog for a while now. With a little push from my wonderful friend Monica, I did it :) Thank you Pretty Lady! I don't know what I'd do without you! You are truly a blessing in my life!
Well, let me start by stating the reasons WHY I want to do a blog:
1. I need to complain to someone other than Monica. She gets a ear full :)
2. I need an outlet for all of my internal thoughts, ideas, frustrations, etc.
3. When I actually get to live with my husband, we'll be away from our families/friends and it will be nice for them to keep up with our lives through this blog.
I will give everyone (anyone who reads this if anyone :)) a heads up. I will express a lot of my frustrations with being in the military and not being able to "experience" it. I will complain about certain Military things. Things that I don't think are fair regarding the military. Being envious of other people's military lives. My insecurities, my fears, my hopes, my dreams, and whatever else is on my mind. Although I am keeping pretty busy now. I work a full time job, head to the gym right after, by the time I get home I have time to shower, eat, and talk to my husband before heading to bed to do it all over again. Hopefully I will keep this up.
Yesterday I wrote something on a shared post that I saw on FB. It really got to me. The post was of a Proposal. It was soo great and so nice and very well thought out. It got me sad and depressed. Here is my response to the video proposal:
Well, let me start by stating the reasons WHY I want to do a blog:
1. I need to complain to someone other than Monica. She gets a ear full :)
2. I need an outlet for all of my internal thoughts, ideas, frustrations, etc.
3. When I actually get to live with my husband, we'll be away from our families/friends and it will be nice for them to keep up with our lives through this blog.
I will give everyone (anyone who reads this if anyone :)) a heads up. I will express a lot of my frustrations with being in the military and not being able to "experience" it. I will complain about certain Military things. Things that I don't think are fair regarding the military. Being envious of other people's military lives. My insecurities, my fears, my hopes, my dreams, and whatever else is on my mind. Although I am keeping pretty busy now. I work a full time job, head to the gym right after, by the time I get home I have time to shower, eat, and talk to my husband before heading to bed to do it all over again. Hopefully I will keep this up.
Yesterday I wrote something on a shared post that I saw on FB. It really got to me. The post was of a Proposal. It was soo great and so nice and very well thought out. It got me sad and depressed. Here is my response to the video proposal:
"Sometime when I see things like this I get incredibly jealous and sad that our lives are not this way. We didn't have the traditional proposal, we didn't have an engagement party, we got married on a 96 and Richard had to go back to NC so we didn't get a honeymoon either. We were only married a month before he left for his two year stint in Okinawa. We live the Military life. It's not always perfect and we don't get to plan things that we want to do. Even if we do plan things, anything can happen and our plans can change in the blink of an eye. Disney Fairy Tales don't always happen or last, but THIS IS OUR FAIRY TALE. We are writing our love story for our future children and grandchildren. Things are tough. Some days are better than others. But this two year separation cannot and will not beat our love. Our love is built stronger than most. It's simply built on TRUE love. With you by my side, always in my heart, mind, and soul, You Richard Keating, and I will conquer all! You are my Life, Everything I do is for you! Faith and Love baby! This is only the beginning of our Book!"
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