My boyfriend moved to Seattle this weekend!!!! After 2 years of long distance, we finally live in the same time zone again AND the same state! It feels amazing. And also a little unreal. We both keep catching ourselves about to say something like “we should watch this show together someday” or “maybe next time you visit…” but someday can now be TODAY and he’s not here on a visit, he LIVES here! It’s crazy!

Kevin (the boyfriend) and I have been together for 4 and half years and doing cross-country long distance for the last two. He flew in on Friday night, originally supposed to arrive at 10:30pm, which made for a long day of waiting! I was so excited all day Friday, I couldn’t focus on anything. Instead, I day-dreamed about picking him up at the airport. He would walk out of the gate and we would run to each other, confetti falling around us, and Celine Dion’s “A New Day Has Come” blaring in the background as we hug and kiss affectionately. Of course, my life is not a romantic comedy so in reality, his flight was delayed over an hour and just as I saw him come out of the gates a huge group of asian flight attendants crossed between us and we had to wait till all 50 of them passed before we could touch hands. It wasn’t as glorious as my day dream, but I think we were both in a little bit of shock and just too excited to believe this was all really happening. I did bring him a burger from Dick’s Drive In though, so rom-com brownie points for me!

We learned a lot doing long distance and one thing is that we don’t recommend it. Making sure our relationship continued to grow while we pursued individual careers on two different coasts took a lot of work. Mainly good communication, flexibility, and saving extra dollars for flying back and forth. Long distance can be lonely and hard, but worth it in the right circumstance – you love each other and are pursuing a passion. Given the choice, I think we would have preferred to be together for the last two years, and we never expected to be apart for so long, but that was just how things worked out best for us at the time. If you are thinking of entering into a long distance relationship, I would suggest trying everything you can do to avoid it. Even if that means taking a plunge and moving across the country with no job, to a stranger of a city and “following” your significant other. Sometimes I wish I would have done that. More than anything, long distance takes commitment. We would have never lasted if we didn’t know from the start that our relationship was a long-term one. We are in it for the long haul and knowing that, helped make two years seem very insignificant in the greater scheme of “the rest of our lives”.

Anyways, we are so excited to be together, to say goodbye to saying goodbye and hello to being best friends, going on new adventures, and just doing life together again! Things are already better together.