What can I say about the Marines, 236 years young today?
There are the recruiters who, at a barbecue, went from screaming at their "poolees" (guys who had not yet left for boot camp) to, in almost the same breath, addressing me sweetly as "Ma'am" and offering me a beverage. Who yelled at those poolees not to move from their spot but the second I got cold, told my love of COURSE he could escort the lady to the car to get her sweatshirt.
There is the young drunk Marine who I'd met five seconds before apologizing for saying "bitch" in my presence and when I said it was fine, immediately sobering and asking if my love had ever called me that and offering to kick his ass if he had. I chuckled and assured him my love had never called me names.
There is my love's buddy who recently posted a picture of himself...he had been hit with a small piece of shrapnel and in the picture it is sticking out of the apple of his cheek as he SMILES AT THE CAMERA. I can picture the conversation now, "OW...Duuuuuuude quick get a picture of this before Doc pulls it out...this is badass."
There is my love, my life, my Andrew, my born warrior husband who is the most amazing man I know. He has a quick, intelligent mind that grasps strategy, strong yet nimble hands that can disassemble and reassemble weapons in the blink of an eye. He is level headed and brave, energetic, affectionate, chivalrous, sexy in everything from civvies to cammies to Dress Blues...especially those Dress Blues. He is thoughtful, cheerful, outgoing, and like every Marine I know, a little bit nuts. :) I wouldn't have him any other way.
They are a breed apart, and sometimes I think it takes some special wiring in my brain to be a Marine's woman...I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. If you read the bit about the shrapnel and thought "OMG" or "EWW" instead of laughing and somehow finding it weirdly, strangely, inexplicably endearing, you aren't cut out for it. If you couldn't handle your husband saying that while he's in a firefight, one of the thoughts going through his head is the fact that Purple Heart recipients get free car insurance and wouldn't that be cool, you aren't cut out for it. If you can't live on intermittent phone calls and a small handful of letters for months at a time, you aren't cut out for it.
But you know what? He is So. Worth. It.
So Happy Birthday Marines. You are some freaking awesome guys. Thank you for all you do and all you represent.
