I moved 125 miles away & then fell in love with a boy back home. It has been the hardest, most amazing thing I have ever done. In the last month we've seen each other twice and are two weeks from the next time we get to be together.

It's days like today when the weather is just right and there is nothing I want to do more than call him so we can just drive in circles and talk about life. It's also days like this that I think about all the seemingly small things he does that make me so happy he's mine and so grateful to have such an amazing person to call my person.

1. Holds my hand in the car

There are a couple different parts of this one. He's so methodical about such a simple, sweet act. I'll hold out my hand, he'll look down, then decide to slip his fingers through mine while every now and again he'll kiss the side of my hand before setting them back down and we go back to rocking out to whatever the tunes for that car ride have been.

It's the way a certain line in a certain song will make one of us think of the other or have some sort of moment and he'll just squeeze my hand a little tighter.

When I'm driving back to school or in the car by myself, that's what I miss the most. Just my favorite person with me bopping to our favorite tunes. At the time it seems so simple, but when he's not there, I start to notice how much it actually means to me.

2. Smiles before he kisses me

“I donʼt want you to goooo.” I whine as we stand in the driveway (yes every time), and he responds with “I know you donʼt and I donʼt want to either, but-“ then I make some snarky joke and he says “ya think so?”, I smile and say “I do”, he feeds that smile straight back to me before kissing me. Itʼs this fun back and forth game that ends in the absolute perfect moment. Then we run in circles with the same game approximately five more times before we finally say goodnight.

3. Play fights with me

I was raised in a rowdy household. Thus, I have learned that yes: strong rights and superkicks are signs of affection. So, whenever I'm not feeling exceptionally sappy I'll playfully punch his shoulder which turns into this whole mess that normally ends with my wrist crossed and him going "ha, I won again." and me kicking him to get out of it. It finally either ends with "hey, I love you" or "hey you suck" but we're both smiling.

4. Checks my attitude

I am a loud lady, I am also an opinionated lady who often speaks her thoughts before her brain's processing system can catch up or analyze a situation properly. When I get like this (which is quite often) my analytical, sensible, realist of a boyfriend will always go "Baby, is it actually though?" & while my brain realizes I have indeed been called out, it starts to actually process what I just said. He is the most loving, amazing, patient person I have ever met in my whole entire life, and somehow he doesn't get tired of me or makes me feel like too much, he's just there for me.

5. Actually listens when I tell him about my life.

At least five days a week, we live 125 miles apart. But despite that distance, he knows the name and backstory of everyone in my group, he knows what work is like and how I can't stand certain people/ He knows all about my family and my demons. He knows how crazy my Tuesday's are and about how much I love my volunteer work. Whenever I am home and we're just laying there talking he'll go "how's Andrea?" or "Did the situation with the girls ever get worked out?" He doesn't care that he's not here or that he doesn't experience it with me, he's still so active and such a big part of my life.