sweet and wild.

Hello again! It's Wednesday, which means it's time for another round in the {distance makes the heart grow fonder} series. Today's couple, Ben and Jackie {from sweet and wild}, just got engaged in January and are busily planning their July wedding! Read along to discover what helped them survive two deployments and make it to their happily ever after... 

Name: Jackie

Significant Other's Name: Ben

When did you start dating? We started dating on May 31, 2009, right after our freshman year of college.

At what point did you begin dating long distance?  Ben left for Air Force boot camp on June 2, 2010 (just after our first anniversary) and came home that September. We spent the year together and then he left again May 9, 2011 for a six-month deployment. Thankfully, he is now home :)

How did you fill your days while you're apart?  Last summer, I worked full time during the day and spent my nights with his family or mine to pass the time. In this last deployment, I studied abroad in France for two month, which made the time go by a little faster. It was also an incredibly beautiful experience. After I came home from France, my days were filled with school work, working part time, hanging out with my friends, and blogging.

What did you find most difficult about being long distance? It was really difficult to being living our lives and not being able to share them with one another. Skype, Facebook, and e-mail helped us stay connected, but it just is not the same when you can’t share those little moments together. Weekends were incredibly lame when we couldn’t go out on cute little dates or cuddle up and watch a movie together.

How did long distance change your relationship? Our time spent long distance was tough, but it definitely made us stronger. We learned how to talk through our problems, rather than just get angry and walk away. For us, it was harder to walk away when we weren’t sure when we would talk next. The time by myself in France made me more independent. I learned to enjoy spending time by myself--reading, going for bike rides, or blogging. My blog actually wouldn’t have been born if Ben hadn’t gone away that first summer.

What do you enjoy most about the time you have together? Since Ben returned home, we enjoy every little second we have together. We don’t take those little moments together for granted. I love just holding his hand, or catching him staring at me from across the room. We can go on all the cute little dates we want to make up for that lost time.

Send your love Jackie's way today! After two summers apart, their upcoming summer wedding is a perfect way to round out their long distance years. I'll see you all tomorrow :)

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