Hello 2015!

Happy New Year everyone!! Good Lord has this been a year! Looking back on everything that's happened, it's hard to believe that it all happened in 2014. At the same time, this year seemed to fly by. 

I turned 20, Dan and I made it "facebook official" that we're a couple for the 4th time, I spent Easter with him. I got promoted to full time at my job. My dad moved up north and I moved in with my mom again. Dan surprised me at the end of August, I spent Halloween with him. We started putting together ACTUAL REAL LIFE PLANS TO MOVE IN TOGETHER!!! (Can you sense my excitement??) 

And finally, I wrapped 2014 up by spending it with my family and my boyfriend. We didn't do anything crazy, we just hung out and watched the ball drop, but being able to spend the last seconds of 2014 and the first ones of 2015 with them made it the best thing ever. 

This upcoming year is going to bring a huge amount of changes. And I literally mean HUGE changes! Like, moving to a new state kind of changes. I've been waiting for 2015 to come for such a long time that it's hard to believe it's actually here. This is the year Dan graduates college, this is the year my sister graduates high school. This is the year I pick up my life and move to a whole new state to start a life with the guy I love. I'm scared out of my mind, but I'm equally as excited and anxious for it to happen. They say if you're dreams don't scare you, you're not dreaming big enough. Well, my dreams must be freaking ginormous because I'm terrified. But that's a whole new blog post down the road a bit. 

Here's to 2015 - may it be the best year yet!

Back To School Care Package!

I know it's already about halfway through September, but I wanted to wait for Dan to get this before I posted it's contents all over the internet. 

Back to school sounds kind of.. elementary school-ish, but that's what this is. Dan just started his senior year of college, and I put together a little care package to kick off the school year. If anyone needs a little inspiration for their own back to school care package, check this out! 

As you can see up there, I got him a bunch of food/snack food that he likes. So there's a box of pop-tarts - the thing he has for breakfast every day. I also got him a 3 pack of gum, lifesaver mints, and a box of beef jerky, although it's hidden under the gum. 

He's also a fan of Tangled, though I'm not sure he would admit that out loud. Hehe. I was at the Disney store a couple of weeks ago, saw Pascal and knew I had to get it for my man. 

Now for the letters :) 

In the "Open Me Right Away" letter, I wrote out a brief summary of all the stuff I got him, and what all of the letters were for, 

This group of letters is set aside for the first of each month up until May. They're little encouraging letters to remind him to stay strong and that I love him. 

This group of letters took some prep. I wrote out a  bunch of letters for him to take advantage of as he needs. I've seen this idea on Pinterest before and I've been wanting to do it for a while and I finally got the chance too :) The ones I did were:

Open when...

- you need to know how much I love you

- you miss me

- the distance is too much 

- I'm mad at you

- you're mad at me

- you're sick

- you're stressed

- you need a boost/encouragement

- you had a bad day

In each of them I put some sort of encouraging note, and a few bible verses for him to look up. In the "miss me" one I included a small USB drive with a bunch of songs that remind me of him, and all of the pictures we have together so he can look back on them and smile. 

I was really excited about this one, and I'm glad that it's not something that he goes through all at once, that the letters will last him a while. And he liked it too :) 

If you guys have any other suggestions for care packages, feel free to drop a comment :) I'm always looking for more ideas! 

9 Months

First of all I'm going to clear up the fact that the title of this post does not actually indicate that I'm pregnant. So family, if you're reading, get that thought out of your mind! 

I had the best surprise of my life this last weekend. Dan was packing his stuff to move back into his dorm, I was home alone because the rest of my family was house sitting for my uncle and I wanted to skype. But he said he was too busy to. On Saturday, I went to work thinking that I wouldn't be able to talk to Dan for a while because he was going to be moving his stuff into his dorm. So I was just sitting at home waiting for my mom to come pick me up so I could go help house sit. They finally got to my apartment and told me they needed my help carrying groceries in because they went shopping.

So I went outside...

Rounded the car...

And saw Dan standing there! 

It was.. the best day ever. I had day dreamed about something like that happening for the longest time. (The last 3 years, to be specific) So we got to spend one last weekend together before school started. And it was wonderful! We didn't have anything planned and we still had a lot of fun. We went out to eat the first night we were there, and then we had both gotten nominated to do the ALS ice bucket challenge so we recorded that together. We got to sleep all curled up and snuggly together, which was my favorite part. 

I wouldn't have traded that weekend for anything in the world.

But he's back at school now, and today was his second day of classes. 

So this marks the beginning of the end. We've been at this long distance deal for 3 years now and the end is finally in sight. We have to get through this next 9 months before we can start taking the next step, and it's going to require a lot of patience. It's not going to be an easy 9 months, but we've come too far to give up now. 

For my sanity, I hope it goes by quickly. 

May 9th, I'm ready for you. I've been waiting for you for a very long time and we're almost upon you. (That's his graduation date, if you didn't put it together yet) 

the gorgeous flowers my love got me while he was here <3

As Of Today...

I have loved you for 1,662 days.

That's equals out to 4 years, 6 months, and 19 days.

You've been on my mind for 39,864 hours,

Which means you haven't left my heart for 2,391,840 minutes,

Meaning that 143,510,400 seconds later, I'm still thinking of you and loving you with everything I have.

If I live to be 100, I will have loved you for 30,749 days

That's 84 years, 2 months, and 6 days.

If I live to be 100, you will have been on my mind for 737,976 hours,

And in my heart for 44,278,560 minutes.

Meaning that for 2,656,713,600 seconds, I wouldn't have been able to stop thinking about you and loving you with all of my heart and soul.








LDL: The Ups of A LDR

May is finally here! I spent the first part of April wishing it would hurry up so I could get my butt over to Michigan, and then after I got back, I spent the rest of the month wishing it would hurry up and end so May could come because May means Dan's done with school and he's going to come back home for a little bit before he starts his internship. So I'm sorry, April, for wanting to rush right through you.

Although for the first day of May, the weather is terrible where I'm at. I won't even show you a picture, it's so bad. Overcast and rainy, ahhh hello May!

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I brushed on why LDRs royally suck, and I don't want to give anyone a wrong impression of them if you've never been in one. Believe me, I can't tell you how many times I've been asked why. Why I'm putting myself through this, why I don't just give up and date someone who lives closer to me. Why why why. I'm not saying LDRs are all rainbows and unicorns, because they aren't. LDRs are very hard and they take work; but that's not to say there aren't definite plus sides to all of this. List it up? Sure, why not!

1. LDRs help you to appreciate what you have

I have friends that take their SO for granted, and it drives me bat-shit crazy. I have to hear all about how they have to put up with this stupid thing that so-and-so does that irritates them and all I can think is "God, I would love to have to put up with that as long as it means I'm with him". I would rather be with him and be annoyed than not with him at all. It almost makes you love his "annoying" quirks. And I do, I love everything about him, even the things I hate.

 

2. It gives you something to work for

A bunch of people I know are just kind of existing. They go to work so they can pay their bills and that's it. Being in an LDR, it really gives you something to aim and work for. When I'm standing in line at the store, and I'm really being tempted by a candy bar, I'm more apt to put it down and think that it's an extra dollar that I could put towards moving out by him. It gives me a reason to get out of bed instead of hitting the snooze button and calling into work "sick".

3. You can do your own thing

What do I mean? Well, I can get stuff done without getting distracted. Does that sound bad? I hope not. If he was around, all I would want to do is spend time with him and do stuff with him and just be with him. I wouldn't get anything done besides show up for work. Maybe.

 

4. There's more than just the physical stuff

I know of couples that thrive off of the physical stuff in their relationship. In a LDR there is none of that. Thanks, Captain Obvious. But really, you learn to connect in a much deeper way. I love him for him, for who he is and what makes him him, not just his body, which I think a lot of people lack these days, especially the younger ones. He knows me, he knows exactly who I am and there's something about that that's just so powerful and awesome. He's my best friend before anything else, and that's the most important thing.

5. It's still exciting

I still feel like I'm in the honeymoon stage sometimes. We've been together for about 3 years now (on and off) and usually by this time most couples are past the giddy stage. I'm not. I still get butterflies when I'm on my way to see him. I think LDRs are great for keeping that spark alive, which is ultimately the key to keeping the relationship going.

6. The commitment is awesome

There's a certain level of commitment that comes with a long distance relationship. LDRs aren't for the weak, they aren't meant for little flings. If you're going to put all of your time and effort into making this work, you better be committed. And you have to expect the same from your SO. You two are in this together, for the long haul. You don't get into a LDR if you don't want to be together for a long time.

_____________________________

Again, there's a ton more I could list here but I won't make this too long. I hope that all of these ups outweigh the downs for you. I know they have for me. This is what I tell people when they ask me why I put myself through the struggle of a long distance relationship. There's no one else out there in the world that I want to be with. And if that means I have to spend 95% of my time away from him, then so be it. He is worth it, what we have is worth it. Whenever I'm having a rough day, that is what gets me through.

Have a great Thursday, guys. Friday is almost here!

LDLW: Why LDRs Suck

Good morning everyone. Today I was going to talk about why LDRs are good, but then last night/this morning happened and I decided I'm going to cover why they suck instead. A depressing turn, but I'm not feeling too happy right now. So, let's get a list together of why LDRs suck!

 



1. You are super dependent on technology.
If your phone isn't working, you can't talk to them. If your computer isn't working, you can't Skype them. And that really super sucks. Plus, people start making stupid comments about how you're always on your phone. Or how you are always ducking out to make a phone call. Or how you're declining plans to "sit in your room all night" because they don't understand the concept of a Skype date.

2. You and math suddenly become best friends.
If you're in an LDR, that usually means you are doing some kind of countdown. Counting the days until you get to see them, counting the days it's been since you've seen them. Counting the months that you've been apart anc counting how many more until you are together; counting the minutes until you have to pack up and go back home without them. It's like Sesame Street LDR edition.

(I don't necessarily agree with the fact that it gets easier, but it's not so depressing as you get closer to seeing them again)

3. When you're counting down, time goes too slow.
I'm experiencing this now. I'm going to see him next week, and it's taking soooooo looooong to get there!

 

4. And when you do get there, time goes too fast

This is the worst part. Visits are the absolute best, but you're also trying to forget about the fact that you have to pack up and leave eventually. I try to stay happy until the morning I have to leave. Otherwise you can't really enjoy yourself when you should be soaking up any and all time you have to spend with them.

 

5. If you get in a fight, you can't kiss and make up

This one. I'm going through this right now, since I'm a butt head and can't seem to keep my damn mouth shut when I know I'm not going to say nice things. The worst thing ever is fighting, and then not being able to make up. Well, you can make up but you have to go off of hearing "it's okay" and not getting a hug with that. Then you're left feeling like a shit, especially when they have to go for a bit right after that and you're left thinking the worst.

 

 

6. The drive/plane ride/bus ride home is agonizing.

I hate leaving, but the way home doesn't help either. Usually when I go see Dan, I drive. So when I come home, that means a 7 hour long car ride home, by myself, crying until I can't see the road. Driving through Chicago when you're crying is no picnic, let me tell you. After a few hours, I'm okay, but once I see the "Welcome to Wisconsin" sign, the waterworks start all over again. Partly because that means I'm almost home and I don't have to rely on my GPS, and partly because that means my trip is over and I have to go back to living without him.

 

There is a crap ton more reasons. I just can't think of them all right now. Next week I'll cover the original topic, why being in an LDR can be a good thing. I hope you guys have a great day.

 

LDLW: The Two Men In My Life

Morning everyone! It's Wednesday, and that means another installment of long distance loving Wednesday!! Today, we're going to talk about the two men in my life. And no, I'm not talking about my dad (sorry, Dad) or my dog (yes, he counts too!). I'm talking about Dan and Jesus.

I grew up going to a Lutheran elemetary school and going to church as often as we could. Religion has always been a part of my life, and I'm one of the few kids in my 8th grade confirmation class that still actually go to church and really take it seriously. In high school, I didn't necessarily fall away so much as I just kind of pushed it off until later. Whatever that means. I wasn't hearing it every day, so it kind of became not the most important thing anymore. That didn't mean I believed any less or anything, I just didn't go to church as much anymore. I'm not perfect, I'm a sinner too.

After I graduated high school, I spent that summer spending just about every minute with Dan. But then summer ended, Dan went back to school and I now had to figure out what to do with my life, because I still hadn't figured it out. A few weeks into the new school year (for him) we ended up breaking up, and I kind of lost it. I had been putting off my life, because I didn't know what I wanted from it. So I made Dan my life. I don't want to say it was a mistake, but I shouldn't have done it. I should have been thinking of my future more than I did. So for the next few months I sank into a depression.

I was miserable. I was 18, and working a part time job. Not going to school, not looking for a full time job, just working a part time job. And when I wasn't there, I was moping around the house. I spent my mornings down on the couch watching TV, or sleeping in and laying in bed. And then after work, I spent the rest of my day in my bed. I didn't do anything, and I was so miserable. That's when I started talking to Jesus again. Asking him for help, asking him to give me a push in the right direction to figuring myself out. I spent so much time trying to be what I thought Dan wanted. And about early December, I decided that it doesn't matter what his ideal person is, I need to be who I am. And a lot of prayer got me to that point.

I'm supposed to be me, not someone I'm not. And I really learned that in those months. So I started doing things for me, and ever so slowly I started feeling better. I got a second job, and worked my butt off. All the while keeping God front and center in my life again. After I started doing things for me, starting to get ahead for me, Dan came back into my life. He never really left, but for a long time we hardly talked. A couple texts a week to say hi but that was about it. After I started doing things for myself, he became more and more involved in my life again. And now we're back together.

No, I didn't go to college. I don't want to spend a crap ton of money on something I am not that committed to. I don't know what I would go to college for, and I don't want to end up in debt only to not get a job for what I went to school for. It's harder finding a job, yes, but I'm doing it. I'm working at a credit union now. Ever so slowly I'm learning the balance between my life with Dan and my life for myself. Because if I lose myself again, the same thing will happen. And while I did all of this, I didn't do it alone. God gave me the strength to actually get up and do this. If I hadn't started praying again and finding comfort in his words in the Bible, I wouldn't be where I am today.

Another thing I'm still working on balancing is keeping God in my life again. I need him in my relationship, just as much as I needed him in my life back during my personal great depression. What I'm excited about now is helping Dan to find his way to God, too. Not because I don't want to go to church alone, or because I want to show off how much I know about the Bible (even though playing Bible trivia is super fun for me), but I want to share the awesome support system I have through Him. I want to help him find the same comfort and peace and strength I have through God. Plus, when he asks me questions about this, it also helps me. I've forgotten some things, and I'm going back and relearning a lot of thing I've forgotten about and that only helps.

So I'm sorry this was such a long rambling post, but I hope it's helped to maybe inspire some of you reading this. Always keep God front and center in your life, and he will provide. Go to him with anything - worries, troubles, thanks, anything. He'll always be there for you, and he always has time to listen.

Have a great Wednesday.

Another Very Delayed LDLW

Okay so technically it's Thursday, but we're just going to ignore that little fact and move it along with our LDR talk!

Today we're going to touch on a subject that's becoming a constant in my life. Ready?

As Dan is getting deeper and deeper into the semester, his work load is getting bigger and bigger so there are times where I can't talk to him for a while. At first I was looking at this in a bad way, thinking that it was the end of the world because we couldn't talk all day long. But then I realized that I actually have time to do things without constantly checking my phone for messages. And then I was able to look at the bright side. So if you're in this same predicament, where your SO is busy with other things during the day, listen up!

Here's just a short list of examples based off of my own life and experiences.

- Take a nap!

- Clean your room/house

- Go to the gym and get a good workout in

- Go out with the girls and have a good time! (or if there are any guys reading this, go out with the dudes)

- Go shopping

- Get outside and do something! (Take pictures, tan, go for a run, bike, garden, etc.)

- Run errands

- Take a nice hot bubble bath and pamper yourself

- Read a book

Like I said, that's just a short list of examples. Basically you can get a whole bunch of stuff done because you aren't constantly checking for messages and talking on the phone. And I really do understand the urge to be talking 24/7 with the person you love who is miles away, but things do get in the way. The best thing you can do is make the best of it, and be productive while you have free time! Hope any of this helps you and gives you a new perspective on not being able to talk all the time.

Have a great Thursday!

LDLW: A Song For Thought... And A Linkup! ...Sort of.

Happy Long Distance Loving Wednesday! So I want to make this a link up. Because it would be fun, and because I spent a better part of my day trying to find other blogs that talk about LDRs. Maybe not as their main focus, but I want to get a bit of a community together. So if I have any readers, and you know someone who's in a LDR, or another blogger in a LDR, please send them my way! I want to hear from them!

So while I'm getting that all set up, let's move onto what I wanted to talk about today. I was thinking all day about what I wanted to write about for today, when I was driving home and it hit me. I forgot which radio station it was on, but one of the songs I used to listen to when I was younger came on today.

And it got me thinking: I used to listen to this song and think that I wanted a relationship like that. I grew up watching Disney movies and reading fairy tales and dreaming about this kind of thing. I didn't want to be that girl that had upteen number of boyfriends growing up, I wanted it to be like in Cinderella. Where she finds her Prince Charming, and they live happily ever after. When I was growing up and talking to my dad about boys and who I liked, he told me that I wouldn't be the kind of girl to date just anyone that came my way. He told me that I probably wouldn't have many boyfriends in my life, but the ones I would have would be significant. 

I had to be about thirteen when I first heard this song, and I knew what "making love" was, but only by definition. But I wanted to know on a personal level what it was like to be with someone that you have something special with. My first "real" boyfriend was a childhood friend, and I put everything I had into that. Because I thought that he was going to be my "Prince Charming". Wrong. And I could kind of tell when we were together. I felt like I was putting in way more than I was getting back. 

And then I met Dan. And I knew right from the second we started talking that he was going to be a very important person in my life. I just had a gut feeling. Which might have been why I kept him at arm's length for so long - because I was nervous of giving all of myself to someone again. But I did, and I have not for one moment regretted it. The first time we slept together, I finally understood what making love really meant. It was damn near magical. Some call me lame for thinking this, because I haven't had much experience, but in my twenty years of life I've learned to never doubt your gut. And my gut is telling me to stick around.

That's probably what makes being in a long distance relationship so manageable. I can cope with the distance because I know I have my Prince Charming. I feel it so deeply that there are no doubts of "is he the one?" The lonely nights, the waiting and planning out Skype dates.. It's all worth it because I know that in the long run, when we close this distance, I'll have my fairy tale. It isn't easy, but that's what separates real life from Disney movies. But it's worth it. 

LDLW: A Personal Day

It's Wednesday! And if I have any readers in LDRs, it's our day today! Except it's my day today. Sorry y'all, I'm taking this Wednesday to talk about myself and my relationship. Sort of, just a quick blurb.

But really, I am falling asleep at work. I slept horribly, and I'm trying to stay awake by guzzling the coffee. Which is going to give me heartburn, but hey, we all have to make sacrifices.

So anyway, on to this week's LDLW.

Facebook. A place where people usually proclaim their love for their significant other? Yeah, not me. Surprisingly enough, not everyone supports LDRs (note the sarcasm). For instance, Dan's dad. Well, we aren't really sure if he does or not - he's ever really said. But for the entire time we've been long distance, we've been back and forth with his dad. Granted, we're both 20 and (going to be in a month) 21 now, but his dad is a large influence in Dan's life. Not that anything else should be expected, it's his dad.

Anywho, so his dad gets kind of weird when we've posted stuff on Facebook about us being together, so for a long time, we haven't had anything on there regarding our relationship. Granted, we just recently got back together for realsies but we didn't run to FB right away and start posting it up. But last night, this happened:

Eeeeee!! I'm a happy camper :) Yes, I will admit, I'm one of those people that needs to have everything on FB. More just keeping my profile updated than anything. If I move, gotta update; if I get into a relationship, gotta update; if I start a new job, gotta update, etc.

Since we've been on and off for the past couple of years, we have had 2 anniversary dates and we still haven't decided what this one is going to be. We want it to be something special, a significant kind of date that we can celebrate. So right now, there aren't going to be monthiversaries. Yes, I'm that weirdo too. The thing about this time, is that we're both in it for the long haul. I'm not going to dive into every little converstation we've had, but this time around, we're both confident in each other and in our future together. Huzzah!

On a related note: I'm thinking of starting up a linkup for this. The only problem: I have to branch out more and find more of a LDR community on here. Tumblr's community is huge and I'm sure Blogger has one too! If you're reading this, and you know of people in LDRs, send some links my way so I can check them out!

And of course, have a great Wednesday!

 

P.S:

 



LDLW: Skype!

Being in a long distance relationship is hard. Very hard. But I can't even imagine how people used to pull them off back  before technology. Today we're blessed to have all of this stuff, all of these ways to connect with our loved ones who aren't close to us. Nowadays we have texting and emailing and social media and IMing. But I think the most important resource we have now is Skype.

Now I'm sure I don't have to go over what Skype is, the majority of people know what it is even if they don't use it. But Skype is probably one of the best things that has ever graced the internet. You can see the other person and talk with them and for all intents and purposes, it's almost like being there.

When you're texting, things can get taken out of context. Even with phone calls, sometimes what the person meant is not how the other person takes it. Being able to see their facial expression, and hear how they're saying it, is the best way to go about it.

There are so many different things you can do together over Skype as well.

For example:

Have a dinner date! And the cool part about this is that you can either make the same thing and eat it together, or you can each make your own meal and do it that way. Light some candles, make it pretty and romantic and enjoy each other's company.

Watch a movie! Dan and I will bring Netflix up and pick a movie to watch, then we do a countdown to try and sync up the times (even though it doesn't always work that easily) and then we watch the movie together! That way we can still see each other, and we can talk to each other while watching the same movie. There are a few different ways to do it too. For example, Dan has a laptop. So he  will have Netflix open full screen and then when he minimizes the Skype window, a little guy pops up in the corner so he can still see me. I have an iPad and an iPhone, so I'll have him up on Skype on the pad and I'll watch the movie on my phone. Or flip flop, whichever. Or if you want you can have Skype on your device and watch the movie on your TV. Whichever works for you!

And for those lonely nights, it's always fun to have some sexy time over Skype. Let's be adults here, sometimes you need to. And doing it over Skype can be a whole new kind of intimate experience. This is, of course, if you're comfortable doing that. This all depends on how comfortable you and your partner are with this. And a plus side for us ladies is that it's okay if you forget to shave ;) Chances are they won't be able to tell anyway.

Or, you can just hang out together. Dan is, more often than not, working on his stuff for class so we'll have Skype going so we can see each other but still do our own thing. The other day we utilized this awesome thing called Grooveshark to listen to music together. He put a playlist together and then broadcasted it, and I was able to listen to the music he was playing. And it was all live! So if he skipped a song, it reflected to me too.

So those are just a few different ideas you can use. If anyone does anything else over Skype and you want to share, drop me a comment! I'd love to hear from you!

Have a great Wednesday!

Long Distance Loving Wednesday!

So I'm going to start up a new thing that I'm going to call Long Distance Loving Wednesdays! Or, LDL Wednesdays. If you haven't figured it out, on Wednesdays I'm going to talk about long distance relationships. Whether that's just random thoughts on the topic or projects I'm making for my own man, all kinds of stuff.

So today I'm going to kick it off with the very basics of long distance relationships: how to make them work! There are a few very important things that go into successful LDRs.

1. Communication: This one is huge! Probably one of the most important things you need to have in your relationship is communication. In an LDR, you aren't physically together, so if something is bothering you, you need to talk about it! He/she is not there to see you, so they can't tell if you're upset unless you tell them. And trust me, keeping things to yourself and not talking about them can only lead to fights. It's best to get things out in the open and talk about them, otherwise you could have some serious problems. Yes, I struggle with this in my own relationship. And yes, it does lead to fights. And let me tell you, fights are not fun! In a LDR, it's very important that you are both okay with what's going on in the relationship. And if you're not, you need to talk about it. This also goes for just.. talking. Make sure to speak to your SO at least once a day. Even if you know you're going to be super busy and can't spend all your time talking to them, just letting them know is often very appreciated.

2. Trust: This is another huge one. The main reason some LDR's don't work out is because of doubts. If you can't trust your SO, then why are you in the relationship? Again, you're not around each other. You can't see them all the time, so sometimes you have no idea what they're doing. But if you have strong trust, that's okay. And if you're the person on the other end, and your partner is questioning you, don't get mad. It makes you look defensive and almost guilty. Reassurrance is huge if you're partner is having doubts. Because the sad truth is that it's going to happen. And as much as it sucks to say, it's natural.

3. Romance: Yes this is big too. Since you're far apart, and can't just have sex whenever you feel like it, you have to do something to keep that spark alive. It's good to do things together. It's important to take some time and spend it together. Maybe on Friday nights you have a Skype date where you watch movies, or you send each other pictures throughout the day to help them feel included. With whatever you do, you're only strengthening your relationship.

4. Take Advantage: Yes, a long distance relationship can actually be a good thing! As much as it sucks to be apart from the one you love, LDRs do offer some advantages. Spend time with family and friends, spend time by yourself. Work on yourself. For example, to keep myself occupied while we're apart, I go to the gym and work out. It's a good way to distract myself, and I get a healthy work out out of it!

5. Visit Often: This is important. If you're able to, try and plan trips to see each other. Seeing each other every once in a while is super healthy for your relationship. You can spend actual time together, and it's a refresher for the relationship. It reminds you why you're making this journey together, and gives you awesome memories to reflect on.

6. Stay Positive: If you're going to mope around all the time, the relationship can become a little too stressful. I get that being apart from your SO really sucks, but you can't mope all the time! Be happy that you two are together and that you love each other enough to do this. I'm not saying that you can't have your down moments, because it's going to happen. But don't let it become such a constant thing.

7. Talk About the Future: I know guys don't always like to talk about this, but for people in LDRs, this can be the best passtime there is. There has to be some sort of shining beacon that you both have to look forward to, and talking about the future can be it. It gives you something to strive for, something to look forward to while you're stuck looking at your SO through the computer. Even if these future plans don't happen, that's okay. It's bonding time between the two of you, where you can get to know the other person better and find out what kind of future they have in mind for you.

That's it for today, lovlies! I hope some of this was helpful. I know a lot of different LDR blogs have this stuff on it, but it's a good first kick off post for LDLW.

I hope you have a great Wednesday!