We met May 2nd, 2005 in Nashville Airport where I was supposed to be beginning a two week holiday. It all went a bit wrong and I was wondering what to do next when Josh came outside with all his army kit and a swisher sweet hanging out his mouth wearing those oh so attractive 'BCGs' which he whipped off pretty quick! He asked me for a light and we got to talking. He told me he was due to catch the shuttle that would take him to Ft Campbell, his first duty station. We hung out until it was due to arrive but it didn't show up! So now both of us were kinda lost in a place neither of us had been to before. I suggested that we find some place to stay for the night and I would help him get on post the following day. After some consideration on his part, he agreed it was the best thing to do so we checked in to a hotel and then went to go get some food. We had great fun in my first American gas station with me freaking out about all the stuff on sale! I was like a kid in a candy store and bought some twizzlers after yelling 'OMG TWIZZLERS!! I saw those on Will and Grace!!' Anyway, we really got along well and I really liked him so I suggested that the two of us hang out as much as he could in the evenings while I was gonna be there seeing as my plans had gone awry.
The next day we hung out in Nashville playing pool, walking around and checking out what the city had to offer until it was time for our bus to Clarksville. I fell asleep on his shoulder thinking how nice this all was and how i wished it would last longer than two weeks..already I was falling for him!
We got a ride from a nice man in the gas station who took me to the motel I would be staying at. When I got out the vehicle I was ready to tell him I loved him but i didn't want to scare him so I kept quiet asking him if he would call me that night. I checked in while Josh got a ride on base to sign in and get settled. As I sat in my room I had time to think about the previous 24hrs and how crazy it all was..and how exciting!
We spent the next few days talking on the phone and hanging out in the evenings either by him walking (4hrs) or getting a cab then I would pay for his transport early the next morning. We went to this one bar where we became 'locals' playing pool and singing kareoke..we claimed 'our songs' Kiss Me and Save Tonight. I was now falling him in a biig way and one night he told me that he loved me!! Well, my heart glowed and i was wide eyed! I told him I loved him too and thatit seemed crazy but this whole thing didn't seem like it was being rushed. He then told me that when he came back from Iraq he was going to ask me to marry him! I near enough past out! I was glad it was dark but at that moment I was the happiest girl in the world! I felt so close to him, loved every little thing about him, from his stunning blue eyes to his cheeky ass smile and I could see myself with him for the rest of my life.
The next day I went to talk to the hotel owner who I had spoken to before and we had become kind of friends. He wanted to meet Josh so when he came to see me that evening I introduced them and he spoke to us both about not waiting to get married and that it would be better all around if we did it now (me being from Britain and all) We looked at eachother as if he was crazy but after he was gone we talked about it...the next thing we were waiting on the bus to the mall to go and look at rings!!! We had been flung together with practically nothing and thouhgI'm not someone who rushes into things and I know what you're thinking-I'm crazy and what about all I gave up back home? The thing is that it all felt so right and I knew I could sort all that out later so I wasn't worried about it-and I havn't ever regretted it!!
To cut a long story short, we managed to get him time off from work to go and get married by a Justice of The Peace in Christian County and there the fun really began! From a weekend spent in the barracks when we couldn't get to the land lord's to sign the lease in time to making baked potatoes with pasta sauce for dinner and finding an empty room to sleep in. Spending my days in the library (only place I could go) while he was at work.
We got our apartment and were able to deck it out using his enlistment bonus-after three weeks of sleeping on an air matress and no TV. But we didn't care-we were so happy..our first place with a deck of cards, a lending closet table and speakers for his cd player we planned our needs and wants list. It was exciting to plan it all and we had the flush of being newlyweds.
We got through a lot together, have become stronger and more in love since those days. Coping with the dramas of being in the Army-the late nights he was training, me learning how to cook and bake, and getting stable financially. Then the day we had been dreading from the start arrived..His deployment day. October 1st 1600HRS. We stayed up as late as we could the night before, making cd's for eachother of songs that expressed how we felt.
The day arrived and it was a mad dash to get the last of his stuff packed up and then into the taxi, sitting holding hands he kept his eyes on the house as we pulled away until it was out of sight as I struggled not to let the tears fall. It was an awful day but I tried to keep things as light hearted as I could taking goofy pictures of him stuffing his face with his last stateside meal, doing the macho soldier thing and ones of us together. All to soon it was time for me to leave and we said our 'I Love You's' and hugged. I will tell you I didn't want to let go. I saw him wipe away a tear as I did the same. It was awful and the car ride to our best friend's house wasn't any better. I wanted to wail and bawl my eyes out but I had to stay together until I got the chance to be on my own. Things are a little better now though..
Well, that's our story (the short version believe it or not!) so now you know the background..
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