Our first date was at a Chinese restaurant, followed by ice skating. Yes, Curtis almost ran over some kids while skating—it's a work in progress. After that, we went on a date every other day for the next few weeks. We visited the Mall of America, rode his motorcycle, and spent time with our friends. Eventually, Curtis had to leave to go back to Japan. I can't recall who suggested it first, but I decided to visit him there.

We spent 10 months in a long-distance relationship, which felt quite long. However, I believe that all the communication we had helped us understand each other better. In November 2023, I took a solo 13-hour flight to Japan. When I saw him again, it felt like we had never been apart. We attended the Marine Ball, visited Iwakuni, and explored the beautiful castles in Kyoto and Osaka, and of course Tokyo.

On the night of my birthday, he arranged a dinner cruise over Tokyo Bay. There was live music, he brought me flowers, and there was even a birthday cake. It was on the deck of the cruise ship where he asked me to marry him.

After returning home, I saw him two months later when he was on an attachment in Arizona. Then, four months after that, he came home. We moved to Cherry Point, NC, where we live on base and have a dog named Irving. We play video games, go to the gun range, and hang out with friends. It's a wild love story that took a lot of work and trust, but it was worth every moment.

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