15 Days

 Dave and I have fifteen days until we get married, the first time. When everyone asks "Oh when are you getting married?" I always respond, "Well the first time on December 19th and the second time on May 26th." I say this because we are getting married quickly, down at the County Clerk's office on December 19th but he didn't want to cheat me out of a nice wedding (that most little girls dream about) so our big fancy one is on May 26th 2012. We are doing this so I can live with him in Italy and spend time with him before he deploys in July. The small one that is in fifteen days will only be attended by our parents and my best friend. I am literally counting down the days until I get to marry him because I am so excited to be his wife and start our life together.
 This week I saw several people I don't normally stay in touch with. Every single one of them asked me, regarding my upcoming nuptials, if I thought it would be a happy marriage or if I thought it would last. It made me extremely irritated at first because I wanted to scream and say "You don't know my relationship and not every marriage fails." But then I've been thinking, of course they don't know Dave and I because most of them haven't taken the time to get to know us. When Dave and I decided that we wanted to get married I told him that I wasn't going to marry him without doing pre-marital counseling. He agreed with no hesitation but since we live so far apart we did some on our own and will be doing newlywed counseling with a Chaplin as soon as I move over with him. We have talked about every topic you can image, probably some that most married couples still haven't talked about. We have a plan A, a plan B and a plan C, D, E, and ect for things. We have talked about finances, religion and politics, the three things you DON'T bring up at a dinner table. We have covered when we plan for a family, what he wants to do career wise in the future, and many more topics. We are in no way rushing into this.
 I have been extremely thankful for my closest friends and family and Dave's family who have supported us through everything. It's a shock, I know, to bring someone home that your family barely knows and tell them we're getting married. The support I have gotten from Dave's family has been amazing. They are the kindest people I have ever met and I am so excited to be apart of their family. And the support I have gotten from my friends and family, it's beyond words.