Boot Camp is OVER!

We did it! Boot camp is finally over. It's crazy how I thought it would never get here and now it's over and I'm back in Flagstaff like it was nothing. The few days leading up to Chicago and so far all the days after have been such a blur! There's a lot to catch up on...

Wednesday night I went to bed so excited and worried I wouldn't be able to sleep. But I did, and I got woken up by my mom at 4:30 am informing me that my flight had gotten cancelled! Not delayed, not rerouted, CANCELLED! I won't even begin to describe the panic that ensued at that point. So, I started calling other airlines looking for someone who would fly into the snow storm, and ended up booking another flight. When I got to the airport, I found out that that flight was delayed! I was beyond aggravated. I just wanted to be in Chicago! Finally my plane left and I arrived in Chicago and met Jake's parents and we were officially on our way!

After what seemed like forever, Thursday was over and we woke up early on Friday to get ready to head to the graduation. Lucky for us we had Heather along, she is also in the Navy and she got us everywhere we needed to go without having to wait in big lines or anything! I definitely appreciated that. Then the graduation started. It was really amazing, but I still had a super hard time sitting through it seeing Jacob mere yards away! Once the graduation ended, liberty was called and we ran down the bleachers to meet up with our sailor =]. That was the best feeling ever. All the waiting and letter writing was over.

Jake is the tall one in the middle =]

Finally, I got a picture!

At lunch after graduation

I love being together!

The rest of the weekend is seriously a blur. Everyone's emotions were all over the place. The way liberty works made it so every night we had to take Jacob back to the base and then pick him up the next morning. So every night we had to say good-bye all over again. It was exhausting both physically and mentally. It's crazy how time was going so slow, and then suddenly it sped right back up as soon as we got to spend time with him. The days were never long enough and the nights seemed to drag on endlessly.

Before any of us knew it, it was Sunday, which meant time to leave Chicago. Dropping Jake off at the base that last time was by far the worst. Even though boot camp was over, there was still a lot of uncertainty about what the near future would hold. I didn't know when I'd see him or really talk to him next.

Luckily for me, Jacob is amazing, and he called me almost as soon as I got to the airport and we talked until I was sitting in my seat on the plane. And we got to talk on my new phone that Jacob got me! While I was in Chicago, he added me to his family plan...which I think is so cute! He got me a pretty intense phone that I'm still trying to figure out...but it is awesome.

Now, back in Flagstaff, my immune system has surrendered and my body is fighting tooth and nail to catch up on sleep. Classes have started and it seems like I'll be pretty busy this semester. Now, Jacob and I can talk pretty much everyday, which I did not realize I had taken for granted before he left. Boot camp was hard for both us, but I think we both gained a lot of perspective on things which has strengthened our relationship. I would never want to do it again, but now that I've lived it, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

On Tuesday, my second day back, a package came for me! Jacob sent me roses and white lilies. He is so incredible like that and it made my day so much brighter. He is the best person I could ever ask to be with. I love him in ridiculous amounts and I'm so thankful to have him in my life. A lot of people ask me how I can possibly deal with this crazy navy life, and the answer is simple. He is worth it!