Shelbi Bay. Wake. Pray. Slay.: Dating a Military man

Our Very First picture we ever took :)

Ryan first caught my attention after getting countless notifications of him liking ALL of my pictures on facebook. I decided to check check out who the hottie was behind his mysterious profile picture...

(this is what the picture was at the time)

As I "creeped" his profile I soon discovered that he had dated one of my good friends in high school in 2009. I was skeptical at first but it had been a few years since they had been together and she is engaged so i decided not to write him off just yet.

Our conversations started on a picture of him mudding and then led to a message, a phone number, and a date! I still wasn't convinced that I was going to keep him around but I figured " why not give him a chance?" ( cocky, i know;))

First date, we went to dinner at olive garden and he let me pick the movie. Without checking it out I picked "this is 40". WORST movie ever for a first date! We spent most of the time covering our eyes from the gross nudity and talking about "how great I am at choosing movies!" (needless to say I am not allowed to pick the movies anymore;))

But it made a funny story and a good laugh regardless;)

Apparently he wasn't too disappointed because,I got asked on a second date, then a third and soon after we spent everyday together since!!! This was the first time i had spent every waking moment with someone other than work(and he never got on my nerves!!). He was the first guy who I ever dated that believed the same as I did spiritually and was open to talking about it. We went to church together,(something interesting,we went to the same church for two years before we started dating and never saw each other), prayed together, played ball together, went on hikes, he took me to my first circus!! We just had a great time enjoying each other with no pressure.

About a month into dating Ryan and I were at the park when he got "the call" about him having to leave. We really didn't talk about it much, we just spent time learning things about each other, and honestly i wasn't too worried. As the weeks went by I had grown a romantic love for ryan faster than I had ever felt for anyone before, and even this was a different feeling than I had ever had before. It felt like a healthy love, God was the center of our relationship and we trusted him to take care of what was meant to be or not(to stay together during deployment). When i noticed my feelings getting stronger, I knew it was time to pray for God's will. God just kept telling me to "wait on him". Therefore I am still with him and I am waiting on his safe return like God commanded me to(And I wouldn't have it any other way). I don't know what the future holds, this could just be a learning experience for us but I trust that God has my best interest at heart and that He knows what is best. :) As a going away present I got Ryan a new study bible (leather) with his name engraved on it.(his dog chewed up his old one) and a 1 year devotional(jesus calling) so he can stay focussed on what he is really here for.

We were only together for 3 months before he left and we knew that if we make it through this deployment it will only be because of God's strength and that He allowed it, not us.

He has been gone for 3 months now and we have 7 more to go! Some days are harder than others, satan tries to use our situation for discouragement at times, but we are still just as crazy about God and each other if not more than before.

(our last pictures together)

I try to send him sweet messages every now and then, write letters every month(i try to at least), have a picture project for us to to , and send him care packages. Skype has really came in handy as well as facebook messaging, and an app called "couple".

Here are some projects i've already done.(pinterest comes in handy)

^I made a "countdown jar" of marbles. I put a marble in a jar a day for a year and when its full it's a pretty decoration and a great story.:)

^My "ryan & Shelbi shelf" in my living room, made by an old ladder.

^When I went to the beach i wore an american flag swim suite and wrote him in the sand to show support and love for ryan , letting him know i miss him!

. ^And on 4th of July i wore his favorite ,Superman, and sent him a picture for an i love you picture!

OUR picture project!!!

^aren't we cuuute?!

CARE PACKAGES!!!

Package I got from ryan:

^ A silver keep sake box with our Bible verse engraved in top and a letter he wrote me inside!! and a beautiful charm bracelet with an anchor, heart, and cross charm with my fave verse "Hebrews 6:19" in it And our names engraved on it!!!! Probably the most thoughtful gift I have ever gotten!!!