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What Happens in Vegas … (Our Love Story)

Filed Under: love, love story // March 14, 2013

Doesn’t always stay there :)

I am finally breaking the ice and talking about how Tim and me came to be “we.”

Las Vegas, January 2011

The 14th of every month is special because Tim and I met by ~~chance / luck /~~ fate in Las Vegas (Koi Lounge in Planet Hollywood to be specific haha) on January 14, 2011. I was there with my cousin and her friend to celebrate my cousin’s 21st birthday. Tim was there with his brother – he was on leave following a 7-month deployment out to sea. His and his brother’s flight was set to leave Vegas the night we met … but we met and he thought I was someone he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get to know so … he rescheduled his flight.
Now, I don’t believe in love at first sight (if I did, however, this would be the time for it!), but I do believe that when you know, you just know. I can’t explain how I knew or how it felt as I’m sure noone can whose felt that way but it is exactly what happened in the moment we met.

NYC, March 2011

So that night we met, Tim rescheduled his flight (unbeknownst to me), we hung out and spoke for a while, and then each went back to our respective hotels. The next morning, I woke up to a voicemail and text from him (apparently, we’d made plans to all hang out after we changed out of our club clothes but the girls and I passed out haha) and in acting completely out of character, I texted him back. The rest is history…

VA, July 2011

Tim wound up postponing his flight 2 more times to hang out for a few more days. (In retrospect, I am very grateful for his spontaneous decisions and those days together because I now know how precious just a few days with one another are.) When we each got back from Vegas, things were a bit hectic. I was involved with someone else but knew that had reached its end so I broke off the relationship. Tim also went underway for 3 weeks, during which we communicated via email and 2 phone calls. When he returned, he visited me in NYC, my hometown and where I am currently living and going to law school. That weekend was amazing; it was like we’d known each other our whole lives so we were excited to set our next visits up. At the time, he was stationed in Norfolk, VA so we went between VA and NY every 2-4 weeks until October 2011 …

DC, August 2011

Because Tim reported to his new station in Hawaii in October 2011. He received his orders in June 2011 and I was devastated. In August 2011, there was an issue and I prayed he would be kept in VA but as God would have it, his orders were straightened out and he was sent to sunny Hawaii. He made a brief proposition that I move and settle down there with him but I didn’t want to rush anything and I had two years left of study at a good law school. Deep down, we both knew I had to stay back on the East Coast.

Hawaii, May 2012

The distance between us therefore became 20x greater. But we manage as best we could and we do a pretty darn good job at it, if I may say so myself. We try our best to visit each other every 2-3 months – aside from when he was deployed to Europe June – December 2012. During that time apart, our longest stretch yet, there were rocky moments. But there was also much bonding and strengthening of our relationship. I looked forward to making care packages and receiving little packages and presents in the mail myself.

Detroit (Lions football game), December 2012

Tim’s ETS is in the summer of 2014 🙂 We hope to live together (temporarily) in late summer to early fall of 2013 and then to live permanently together when his military career is done. It’s nerve-wracking making big decisions and thinking about his life without the military but I think he is ready for the next chapter, as am I. Don’t get me wrong, I love and support the military 100%. But it has been difficult maintaining a long distance relationship and juggling the constant changes that come along with his active military career while I’m in law school.

NYC, January 2013

For now, we’ll be traveling back and forth over the 6,000 miles as the teammates we promised each other we’d be from the beginning… and we’ll be very busy finding a job and settling down somewhere (me), and preparing to get out of the military and joining me (him). Our situation is difficult but I think we’re walking proof that love prevails and that there is no such thing as mere coincidence (to me, anyway). God brings people into our lives for a purpose. I thank God often for bringing Tim into mine.

NYE 2013

This is us. People didn’t think our situation would work. And it probably wouldn’t for most. But where there is love, there is hope and so far, it’s worked just fine for Tim and me.

If you stuck with me and read this until the end, thank you. I hope you enjoyed our story and feel free to share yours, if even just tidbits 🙂

I’m also participating in a bloglovin’ linkup so go on over and follow me on bloglovin’! You can import you Google reader into bloglovin’ so you’ll be able to automatically follow the blogs you already follow on GFC 🙂

Liebster Love Take II

Filed Under: liebster award // March 9, 2013

I’ve been lucky enough to have been nominated for a second Liebster Award this week, this time by Sweet Pea Pod! Thank you so much!

When you accept your Leibster, you must pay it forward and nominate other bloggers that you would like to award.

Here are the guidelines for the award:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.

3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.

4. Choose 11 new blogs you love and link them in your post.

5. Please leave me a comment on this post with the URL to your Liebster post so I can learn more about you!

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I like to smell food before tasting it for the first time.

2. I am an older sister.

3. I am a Gamma Phi Beta alumna.

4. I sometimes wish I was from the South.

5. I am Puerto Rican.

6. I speak English and Spanish (well but not so fluently).

7. I am Roman Catholic.

8. I’ve never dated a guy who practiced the same religion as me (I just realized this one haha).

9. I’ve always tried my best to excel in school.

10. I believe chivalry is NOT dead.

11. I might not seem like it on the exterior, but boy am I old-fashioned – and proud of it.

My Answers:

1. What is your dream home? Wrap around porch, fence (not too tall) around home, big backyard, master bedroom w/ master bathroom, office, playroom, basement if possible … I dream big, obviously.

2. What is your favorite song and why? Hmm it’s been “I Will Always Love You” for as long as I can remember because I just love Whitney Houston’s voice in the song.

3. Who is your celebrity design alter ego? HGTV’s Property Brothers … I would love to be to find a fixer upper and make it my dream home!

4. What is your favorite blog post you have ever done and why? The significance of my blog name because it says a lot about me. You can read the post here.

5. What are 3 of your favorite blogs and why do you love them? I discussed this earlier this week but they are: Becoming a Navy Wife, The Adventures of Our Army Life & Lounging with Lindsey because they are all so sweet and have made my (quite new) blogging experience so great.

6. How long have you been blogging and why did you start? I started blogging last July but from then until Dec 2012, I only blogged 4x and then started up again this year. I started when Timmy was deployed and I decided to actually blog for real this year because I wanted to write and express myself more while connecting with ladies in my age group (I find it harder to find that on tumblr) who can relate to me. 🙂

7. “I’ll ———– if it’s the last thing I do”. Go on adventure with the ones I love.

8. Best vintage or decor find of all time? Decor find: personalize-able photo coasters for Timmy’s apartment to put photos of us in. You can see them here.

9. What is a home trend that you have tried/followed that you’ve regretted? I can’t think of anything … perhaps leaving old flowers to hang and they stunk up my room.

10. Who is your favorite author? Jodi Picoult

11. Favorite Pattern? Right now – chevron!

Nominations:

Some of my newest followers, including:

The Newsom’s Nest

Living Laughing & Loving Life

Kourtney Rene Writes

PLUS all of my followers! Please let me know if you participate so I can head on over to your blog and read your post:)

My questions for you:
1. What is your favorite side dish/appetizer?
2. Rain or snow?
3. Early to bed or night owl?
4. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
5. How many siblings, if any, do you have?
6. Country or city?
7. Wine, beer, or cocktail?
8. What, if any, is your favorite exercise?
9. Favorite movie?
10. What are you career aspirations?
11. What is your favorite month of the year?

Liebster Award Qs & As

Filed Under: liebster award // March 2, 2013

I’m excited to announce that I’ve been nominated by Diary of a Pleague Year for the Thanks so much for the nomination! The Rules:

Answer the 11 questions asked.

Leave a link back to the blogger that nominated you.

Choose 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers to nominate, and let them know they’ve been picked. (See Below)

Write 11 new questions for them to answer. (See Below)

My answers:
What made you decide to start blogging?I opened a blogger account in 2010 but I didn’t post anything then. I actually made my first post last summer during Timmy’s deployment. I was missing him a lot and I thought it’d be a great way to get my feelings out. I also have a tumblr but I use it as a different type of outlet and write much less on there.
What’s your favorite meal of the day?Dessert because I’m OBSESSED with chocolate. Other than that it’s a tie between a hearty breakfast and dinner.
Cats or dogs?I don’t have either but I would love to have a dog in some years.
Rice or noodles?Rice. I eat it much more and I just loooove Spanish rice.
Where’s once place you’d love to live?Currently? Hawaii with Timmy! Future? Florida for the weather but close(r) proximity to home.
What is your least favorite holiday?Hmm President’s Day? I respect our presidents greatly; I just don’t really celebrate it and haven’t had off for it in over 5 years.
Are you a night owl or an early bird?Night owl. Even if I go to bed at a reasonable hour, I still stay awake late due to my phone or tv.
Would you rather eat out with a significant other or make a home cooked meal together? Depends on my mood. If we’ve been home all week, then I like to go out. If we’ve both been busy, then I like to stay in and cook and enjoy each other’s presence alone.
Have you survived a natural disaster?Hurricane Sandy hit NYC pretty hard but it didn’t hit my neighborhood so I don’t really consider it “surviving” but it’s the only natural disaster that hit so close and so badly to home.
Is there some animal you’d love to have as a pet, no matter how impractical?A dolphin! I think they’re so cute 🙂

Me swimming with a dolphin, Dominican Republic, Summer 2006
Do you have any baseless superstitions? Um most of my superstitions come from my mom and her family … probably opening umbrella inside = bad luck. Who knows why haha Now, here are my nominations:Becoming a Navy WifeLounging with LindseyTrials and Triumphs of Loving My SailorSunny and Turquoise Honor, Courage, Commitment The Better Belle ProjectJackie Jade A Long Distance LoveMiss to Mrs.Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Sorority Life to Army Wife
And my questionnaire:What is your favorite city that you’ve visited?Vanilla or chocolate?Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa)?Who do you look up to most in your life? Do you believe in fate or mere coincidence? What is your favorite season?If you weren‘t pursuing your current career or studied what you had, what would you be or have studied? What is your biggest pet peeve that guys (be it your significant other/ family member/friend) do?Day filled with sports or a day at the spa?What do you think your greatest attribute is?What is your favorite book? post signature

It’s Okay … My Blog Name is Long

Filed Under: blog name, linkup, travel // February 28, 2013

Today, I’m intertwining 2 fun linkups!

It’s okay that my blog name, City Girl Finding Her Place in the World, is quite long. I promise it suits me well. And it tells a bit about me. I am a female from NYC, hence “city girl.” I was born and raised here and I came back after college to attend law school here. If I were to move, it’s a 90% chance it’d have to be to an urban city, as well because I love diversity and (most of the time) the constant hustle and bustle.

…Now for the more complicated part of my blog name. As for “finding my place in the world,” while I love NYC, I’m not sure this is the place for my 24-year-old self to be right now and it’s okay to feel this way. It’s so crowded and expensive and my job prospects might take me to another U.S. city.

I love traveling. You’ll often read about my travels and see photos from them. I’ve lived in 3 cities – 2 American (State College, PA and NYC) and 1 European (Barcelona). I have been to 15 American states, 12 countries, and 3 continents. I hope to make it to all 50 states, as well as all 7 continents one day. I have a tendency to fall in love with (almost) every place I visit and it’s okay. I am always sad to leave a destination and I come back wanting to move there. I think each place was better than the last. But I think the biggest pieces of my heart are here in NYC (obviously); in State College where I went to Penn State for college; Barcelona, where I studied abroad for 4 months; and VA. Beach, where T lived for the first 10 months of our relationship and where we created so many great memories. He’s currently in Hawaii so I say my heart is there too, but while Hawaii is BEAUTIFUL, I don’t feel the same connection with it as I do VA. Beach – probably because I go every few months as opposed to every month. See what I mean when I say I fall in love with places??

Ultimately, I am looking very forward to “finding my place,” and having T join me next year. I don’t know just yet where that is but it’s okay 🙂 This favorite quote of mine explains my feelings quite perfectly:

“I accepted it’s okay to not be totally sure about where you live. It’s okay to be somewhere with most of your heart when a piece of it is somewhere else. It’s okay to love and appreciate where you are while still knowing that one day you’re going to want to try to be somewhere else, and it’s okay to not know when that will be.”
— Amber Fox

What does your blog name mean? And what are you okay with?

What I’m L♥ving

Filed Under: linkup, love, loving, what i'm loving // February 20, 2013

What I’m L♥ving this Wednesday:

Family (won’t be pictured much on here yet), friends & my sweet T

Brother & I on Christmas morning in ’95. I miss Christmas season!

Photo from his first visit to NYC, March 2011

Working out & eating healthier

Motivational/Inspirational Quotes

Photo: Think you don't have time to get in shape? The time will pass anyway, use it to reach your goals and make yourself happier!

“I accepted it’s okay to not be totally sure about where you live. It’s okay to be somewhere with most of your heart when a piece of it is somewhere else. It’s okay to love and appreciate where you are while still knowing that one day you’re going to want to try to be somewhere else, and it’s okay to not know when that will be.”
— Amber Fox

Blogging and linkups, such as these 2 🙂

Happy Wednesday, Blogloves!