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.
20) When she actually shaves her legs after being in the field. Shoot. After she has been in the field, I really don’t care … I think she is still hot with hair on her legs.
21) The sound of ripping Velcro.
22) Telling you he updated his will, family care plan, any POA’s needed and red card ALL BY HIMSELF.
23) Saying “It’s OK, cereal is fine for dinner” when he knows you forgot today was payday at the Commissary.
24) Not grumbling too much when you ask him to move your piano back into that other small corner of base housing … again.
25) The jingle of dog tags.
26) Whispers sweet nothings in my ear like, “Just let TMO handle that box” and “10 whole days of house hunting leave.” *le sigh*
27) Stripping off his blues blouse and low crawling towards me to get the garter at our wedding. *swoon*
28) Ranger Panties.
29) The smell of dust and lead after a day on the shooting range.
30) Bringing home my favorite MRE’s from training (toffee cookies).
31) When he washes his own uniforms. Extra sexy points if he puts them away.
32) When HE surprises me with flowers himself (instead of calling his mom, because he is in the field without internet, and asking her to do it for him and then having her call me and say, “I can’t tell you why, but you need to be home all day tomorrow.”)
33) The surprise early return from deployment. Just showing up at the door with open arms. I can’t think of anything more romantic.
34) When they tell you are NOT PCSing to Alabama again. That’s hot.
35) Dress blues … dress whites … dress anything. Yowza!
