crimson hearts.

This Wednesday, I have another special story of survival to share with you--this time featuring Chelsea {from Choose to be Happy} and her boyfriend, Austin. As college sweethearts, they share a love of the Crimson Tide and, of course, each other. Baseball sends Austin on the road for half of the year, so this pair works to find ways to beat his crazy schedule and make it work. Chelsea has found such perspective from their time apart, which reminds us all just how much we have to appreciate the time we have with the ones we love! Read on for more of their sweet story...

Name: Chelsea

Significant Other's Name: Austin

When did you start dating? We started dating in January 2007.

At what point did you begin dating long distance?

We began dating long distance about two and a half years into our relationship. After we graduated from the University of Alabama, Austin was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies. Long distance for us begins and ends with the baseball season.  He is away from March to September, but he is home in Atlanta (where we both live, just not together) from September to March.  It’s an adjustment when he leaves  and when he comes back (though it’s a much happier one when he returns!).

How do you fill your days while you're apart? I stay pretty busy with work, spending weekend time with friends and other little life things.  I try to enjoy all the fun I should be having at 25. It’s important, as my mom says “to not wish time away.” You can spend every day wishing for something. Every so often, you need to remind yourself to stop.  Take a moment to look around and see all of life’s 'happies.' There are so many! Austin’s return and other pivotal times in my life will come, but I will never have this moment again.

What do you find most difficult about being long distance? Austin and I went from seeing each other every day and enjoying our amazing, carefree college life at the University of Alabama straight to him being drafted and flown away for baseball, which was a difficult adjustment for me. He has games every night, so our schedules are very different. Often times, I am talking to him from my bed half asleep. 

When I am able to visit him, I still spend a majority of that time by myself.  With games every night around 7pm, he needs to be at the field around 2.  From 2 until the game ends around 10, I am by myself.  It’s not ideal, but you just have to make it work. Baseball has made sure to throw in a couple of curve balls of its own…extending the season, rescheduling games, canceling flights, ball parks with no cell service, just to name a few.

In the midst of it all, I like to remember the part in the Notebook where Noah says: “So it’s not gonna be easy. Its gonna be really hard. And we’re gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that, because I want you.”

How has long distance changed your relationship?

Long distance has not only changed our relationship, but it has changed me. It has challenged me in a lot of ways. I feel that I am a stronger person because of our unique situation. I have learned that missing someone is a good thing. Because as painful as it may be, it means you know a good thing when you see it, even if you don’t see it nearly enough. It has helped us to appreciate the time we do spend together more, whether it’s during the off season or on short little weekend visits. It has taught us that long distance is possible, it just takes effort and communication and love.

What do you enjoy most about the time you have together? All of it! We are each other’s best friends. It’s sort of amazing all the little life things you can miss so much!   Like going on dinner dates to just watching TV. Just having him by my side. It gives me so much comfort.

Is there any end in sight to your long distance days? Long distance for us ends when the baseball season ends, so I am fortunate to have 6 months of “normalcy”. Eventually, he will no longer play baseball and this crazy lifestyle will come to an end.  With a sport that’s so unpredictable, one can never be too sure.  I am learning to deal with the curve balls! One day, I will win over baseball, it might just take a few extra innings :)

Do you have a story of long distance you'd like to share? Email me!

Want to read other stories in this series? Click here!

Ok, everyone, don't you just love that she quotes The Notebook? It's so good, 

I want to reiterate it: “So it’s not gonna be easy. Its gonna be really hard. 

And we’re gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that, 

because I want you.”  {Amen, Noah. Amen.} 

Thank you, Chelsea, for that cinematic reminder :)

Give Chelsea some love today--and some encouragement as she looks anxiously 

to the end of baseball season. I can't thank her enough for sharing their story...

Enjoy your Wednesday--see you all tomorrow! xoxo {av}