The story of Luke and I meeting, and my transition into the role of Military Wife.
Before I can provide any sort of information about how to navigate life as a military wife, I think it is important to share the wild story of how Luke and I met in the first place and how I got myself into this new role!
First, I will give ya’ll a little back story to the back story. I had written off love. Seriously. I was going to excel in college, move to a big city IMMEDIATELY after school, and spend my life focusing solely on my career as a business woman. I always pictured myself being that cool, mysterious Aunt that no one really knew where she was or how exactly she made her money. Love was definitely not in the picture. I was focused on myself and on making money moves. (Yes, I just quoted Cardi B in case you were wondering if that seriously just happened.) Obviously, there was no room in a life of success to have a man holding me back. Anyways, enough of the back back story, onto the actual back story... one may even consider it a fairytale of sorts.
This story began in August 2017 when I first met Luke's mom for the first time in New Haven, Indiana at her restaurant. Yes, you read that correctly, fate came in the form of Laura Beal on a fine summer day. I was seated at Laura’s table, we engaged in conversation for hours, and I quickly became instant besties with this woman. Of all days for me to be overly friendly, right!? After our lengthy conversation, Laura came to the realization that I was single, and she quickly started yammering on and on about her son. Oh no. However, Laura then dared me to take her son’s number and send him a picture of the two of us. This lady was PERSISTENT. Although I was not searching for a relationship (remember the back story to this), my curious personality, that cannot turn down a dare, decided to send this nice lady's son the photo. I swear Luke did not even text me back for the first hour, clearly Laura did not know her son’s type. The kid finally texted me back, and after only one day of barely texting, he FaceTimed me! What kind of Millennial Facetimes someone that they barely even know..umm could we have just stuck to texting for a hot minute? Obviously I was freaking out, but through the power of the Lord alone, I answered that dang Facetime call. Although a bit awkward, pretty sure he did not even know my last name at this point, the kid was CHARMING and actually knew how to hold a conversation. Two points for Luke. Leary at first, Luke and I decided to get to know one another and quickly became anything but strangers. We both shared similar values, goals, and a passion for life, and once we started dating, we instantly knew that we were meant for one another.
The saying, "Mother Knows Best", is reported accurate through Luke and I’s union, as Matchmaker Laura Beal was responsible for the forming of our relationship! We started dating exclusively, and Luke proposed to me a year and a half later at the Fort Wayne Botanical Gardens in December 2018. A year later, on December 27, we got married in South Bend, IN at The LaSalle. (Actually, pretty sure we still aren’t legally married… but that story is definitely for another time! Seriously, getting a marriage license validated is not as fool proof as I thought.)
The universe works in crazy ways sometimes. My views on love, relationships, and career had to make a complete 360 in order for Luke and I’s relationship to progress. I had to work through laying down my selfish desires of living and working for my sole benefit before entering into a relationship that would require me to be selfless in so many new ways. My goals of forming roots in a big city and excelling in a career would have to be altered in unique ways as I would need to support Luke in his career and the moving requirements that would come alongside his career in the Army.
Ultimately, the man changed my heart and provided me with a different outlook on life and what was truly important to me! Although I still have personal goals and hope to use my skillsets and passions to impact those around me, I know that this now looks different than I originally had planned. I will now have the opportunity to impact a wider reach, as Luke and I have the chance to continuously move due to his career. I will also be presented with the opportunity to use my gifts to support my family and excel in the workplace, as well as impact other military families that I will be surrounded by every day. I am so excited to take on this challenge of discovering how I can best use my strengths to impact those across this nation, while also supporting Luke among this process.
Cheers to my newest role that I know little about! Abbey, the Army Wife. Stay tuned for future blog posts about our upcoming move to Washington State and other tips and tricks to adjusting to military life.
XOXO
Abbey Rose