Our Story

Stryker and I met in college. We lived on the same floor in the dorms. We were friends. He always made my stomach do flip flops, but we both were in relationships. I never voiced my feelings. He never voiced his, but it was kinda mutual. So we were friends first. For about two years before we actually got together. I think that's the best. By the time we decided to be together, there was no point trying to pretend we were something we weren't. We already knew each other.

Then he decided that he wanted to pursue his dream. He wanted to join the Army right out of high school but his family encouraged him to try college first. So he did, and in the end he did what he wanted to do in the first place.

I am certain with everything that I am that even if he had joined right out of high school we still would have met and fallen in love. There are many crazy things that have happened that assure us that it was written in the stars for us to be together. God made him only for me, and me for him.

While he was between basic training and airborne school he called me. He had gotten a different phone so I didn't have it in my phone, but we talked. It was a strange thing. He had never called me before. Like a bonehead, I didn't save his number. But he called again. And again before I finally saved his number. So during these phone calls, we decided to get together when he got back from airborne.

And we did, and it happened, and it was amazing. I had never felt like this about someone before. I couldn't believe that "9th floor Stryker" liked...me! A Soldier's Wife quotes Julia perfectly.

So the sad day approached when his leave at home was over and he had to report to his duty station. I gave him a kiss, sent him off with some of my M&M cookies, and that was that. It wasn't long before he found out he'd be deploying. With that news, Stryker started to freak out a little. It was a new relationship. He didn't want me to sit around waiting for him. I was in college, I should be living it up, he thought. So he broke my heart. I asked him if that's what it was. He told me no. Why do people do that? Why do they think they know what's better for you than you do?

I was truly heartbroken. I just couldn't understand it. Days before he was telling me he was the luckiest man in the world. My world felt like it was falling apart. I was ready to pack up and fly halfway around the world to see him. Make him tell me to my face that's what he wanted. I refrained. I even refrained from calling him at all. It had to be one of the hardest things I've ever done.

About a week later he called me. He wanted to be friends. I wanted all or nothing. He continued to call me over the next month and then he started sounding like the feelings were still there. I knew they had to be. You can't just turn something off like that. But he made me feel like there was possibility. He wanted to see me. So I packed up and flew halfway around the world during my Thanksgiving break bound and determined to get my man back. And I did.