My boyfriend John and I have been together since last September. In January, he enlisted in the Army. He began boot camp in February, graduated in April, and is now at his advanced training school until roughly mid-November.

In the past one hundred days, I've seen him for two of them. His schedule will rotate every few months. Right now, he goes to school at night and sleeps in the afternoon, while I'm sleeping at night and working most of the day. We usually have a four to five-hour window to talk throughout the day before I start bugging him about getting his rest.

While there are thousands of people out there who understand this lifestyle, there are even more that do not. And that's perfectly okay. Sometimes these people have questions or opinions about my relationship that they like to share with me, whether I ask them to or not.

In no particular order, here are some of the things that I, and I'm sure every other Army/Military significant other, are tired of hearing:

1. "Long Distance Relationships Never Work Out."

While this is sometimes true, there are ways of making it work. A fundamental trust in each other is a good start. Up until now, John has never given me a reason to distrust him, and where he is right now isn't exactly a party environment crawling with other females who are dying to get their hands on him. And even if he was, I'd still trust him because I know that because we have this kind of relationship, we are strong enough to handle basically anything life will throw at us.

2. "What If One Of You Meets Someone Else?"

I used to check my mailbox three times a day to see if there was a letter from him, while you were complaining that your boyfriend hadn't texted you back in twenty minutes. Going through this makes you appreciate the tiniest little things about each other, and in turn, deepens the feelings and affection. This is how I know neither of us will "meet" someone else and feel strongly enough about that person to abandon everything he and I have been through. Yes, the distance is painful but I know that when I do get to see him again, every single second of the wait will have been worth it.

3. "I Bet You're Lonely."

Yup, I am. The source of most of my fun was my solider; he's without a doubt my best friend. We'd spend every minute of every weekend together at my apartment. Sometimes we just stayed in bed and watched movies all day, sometimes we'd go out to dinner. We went roller skating and bowling and out for ice cream. Basic, normal couple activities. But since he's gone I've had to find some new hobbies to fill my time. Mostly I just watch more of the Netflix shows I know he wouldn't like (Glee, Gossip Girl, etc.) I have also deepened what friendships I do have by getting myself out of the house sometimes to socialize with them. I also work six days a week and I'm in college, so that keeps me busy. But when you love someone, you're never too busy to not miss them.

4. "I Don't See A Ring On Your Finger"

I actually do wear a ring on my finger from him. Just because it's not an engagement ring does not make our relationship any less significant. A promise ring means just as much in my opinion.

5. "A Real Man Wouldn't Leave His Woman."

He left because he wanted to improve his own life, and I have nothing but respect and support for that. I care about him, so I care about his future. Joining the service will give him so many benefits. It offers career opportunities, a chance to gain experience in a field that he can find a job in if he doesn't choose to reenlist, and if nothing else, an opportunity to travel, meet new people, and learn new things about himself that he may not have known prior to joining. If he stays with me and chooses to take me with him, I'd receive benefits as well. Him making this sacrifice to provide a good life for himself and his family makes him more of a man than you'll ever be.

6. "Since He's Gone You Can Have All The Fun You Want And He'd Never Find Out."

I know exactly what you mean by "fun," and maybe you're joking, but I'm not amused. This one in particular, or some variation of it, is what I hear more often than I'd like to. Maybe it's because of the way military girlfriends are commonly portrayed in media that you'd think that I'd be so quick to jump at the chance to be with someone else just because he's not around. And just to be clear, you're a scumbag if you're talking to a girl, fully aware she's with someone and still trying to get somewhere with her. Just because he is not around doesn't make me single.

7. "Are You Sure He's Worth It?

positive, yes. I love him. He makes me feel so happy and safe. Nothing compares to how I feel when he's around. His smile knocks me off my feet and the way he treats me is unlike anything I've ever experienced before He opens doors for me, gives me his jacket when I'm cold (which is basically always, tbh) and motivates me to peruse whatever dreams I may have. He lets me cry when I need to and has never once been rude to me about it. He's my biggest supporter, and I'm his. That's why this is working so well despite him being so far away.

8."Why Would You Put Yourself Through This?"

Yes, I'm a little sad because I miss him but as I said, he's worth all of it. I see a bright and clear future with him. The distance is temporary and some days are easier than others. Things like FaceTime and Skype, Snapchatting, Texts, Calls, and even the occasional letter or package make me feel like the distance is hardly there at all. He's still here with me. Contrary to popular belief, home is not a place. Home is a state of mind, a feeling. He is my home. That's why I put myself through it.