I've been dating my boyfriend for over three years. The first year and almost half of our relationship was long distance.

We started dating two months before I left for college while he was still in his senior year of high school. Then once he graduated, he went straight into BCT (Basic Combat Training) for the Army in Oklahoma lasting July until September.

We had no communication except for letters, which weren't often enough. Right after he finished BCT, he was transported to Texas for AIT (Advanced Individual Training) which lasted until November; at least he was able to use his phone, which was very little for short periods of time.

Even though being over an hour away and only communicating through phone with our busy schedules, we grew very close our first year of dating.

Along with the little time we got to spend when I went home for breaks, it was hard to balance seeing my boyfriend while making sure to have family time. Oh, and we never had alone time. It was either my dorm room with my roommate if he was able to visit which didn't happen often or hanging out with each other's families at our parents' house.

However, not spending a lot of time face to face allowed us to develop good communication with each other.

We weren't able to talk on the phone or FaceTime every night, but just texting and constantly having to update the other about what's going on in our lives was what really helped our relationship grow. When we did FaceTime or do phone calls, they lasted for hours because there was just so much to learn about each other with no distractions. And, we never had the chance to get tired or annoyed of the other.

Our second year of dating, I went to Canada a little bit before he left for BCT, so we didn't have much of a goodbye before he had to turn over his phone. It was hard.

I then went to the beach with my family, so I didn't receive letters until around August when I moved into my apartment where I attended school. It was weird not being able to talk to him every day or hear anything from him at all, especially through this tough time of change. He grew to be my best friend. I told him everything.

Nevertheless, I realized how much I truly loved him and appreciated him in my life. The same went for him.

Our relationship hit a new bond and our love grew stronger.

The little things, like just receiving a letter even if it just said he's doing okay scribbled down on some field notebook, mattered a lot.

Our first year and almost half of our relationship wasn't perfect at all. We still fought and argued every so often. We would yell over the phone or sometimes ignored the other. It was easy to get upset when you didn't get to see the other. Hurt feelings couldn't have been smoothed over by a surprise date or a random bouquet of flowers at the doorstep.

Communication and trust are what was, and still are, the most important aspect of our relationship.

Both of us had to swallow our pride and apologize when we knew we were in the wrong. We learned how to discuss our feelings correctly and that angry outbursts on the phone only created hostility.

I mean it sucked being in a long distance relationship, especially at the beginning of one. It wasn't until this past December that we finally got to spend the holidays together, Christmas and New Year's Eve. That was a first for us.

I wouldn't change anything. We have grown so much over the years. Our relationship has been tested over and over again, yet has only gotten stronger.

I know for sure that I don't want to be with anyone else.