Military life is different… and romance is no exception. What a military spouse may find romantic just might leave his/her civilian friends shaking their head in wonder.
Our group of collaborators got sappy (perhaps a bit silly) and came up with a list of things that only military spouses might consider romantic:
1) Actually going to the barber for a haircut instead of asking me to do it!
2) When he walks in the garage door wearing nothing but silkies and socks and explains with a shrug, “We had the gas chamber today. I didn’t want to bring the CS gas particles in.”
3) When your husband stops by the shoppette on his way home from work and stands in line in his BDUs to buy you wine, chocolate and tampons…because you needed that last one and he’s a smart man.
4) Seeing his or her face on Skype during a deployment is always wonderful, but there’s nothing quite like hand written love notes in the mail from far away.
5) When he suggests we sneak out of a “Forced Family Fun Day” before the colonel has dismissed them. Be still my beating heart.
6) When he doesn’t hit snooze 700 times before an early PT on a day you have tons of work to do and need sleep.
7) Just spending your anniversary together on the actual day.
8) Volunteering you for an FRG function JUSTTTTT so that you can have three free hours of childcare.
9) When he warns you there is someone else in the room BEFORE you start talking dirty on Skype.
10) Leave-stubble (aka, when he doesn’t shave at all during leave)
11) Seeing that small smile on his face when he looks my way as he de-boards the deployment plane when he is supposed to be shaking hands and saluting the leadership line. Love it!
12) When my husband bought ME a self-propelled lawn mower — and I don’t usually do any lawn work. Any other woman would be appalled, but he knew it would make my life easier when he deploys.
13) Cuddling under a woobie.
14) My husband stole my dad’s heart by taking apart his gun and cleaning it and putting it back together in record time (needless to say he blessed our marriage!)
15) A fresh high and tight right before he comes home … mmmm!
16) When he rolls the sleeves just for my viewing pleasure … even though it’s not Marine Corps regulation anymore.
17) Nothing says “love” like a text message that says: “I can’t wait to see you naked” sent by your husband on an overseas mission, forwraded to you by your sister with the words: “I am getting my own Apple account.”
18) Leaving little sticky notes all over the house before deployment so I will find them later.
19) Sometimes the “ship smell” (a fuel-oil smell) really rubs me the right way. It is another reminder that my husband is a tough-guy Sailor.