appreciation

May is military appreciation month

Before zach, i never gave much thought to the military.

i have a cousin who served in the navy and a grandfather who served in the air force. Both, safe and have long moved on from their military days.

i knew and respected the fact that people were fighting and making sacrifices for our country,

air force

army

navy

marines

coast guard

but i never thought that i would one day be involved.

When i met zach he was a long haired, laid back guy,

loved Jesus, wasn't worried about much and

never really thought about planning ahead.

i didn't see anything wrong with that mentality, in fact my eighteen year old self, loved that about him.

We had no worries and so much fun.

He wasn't the leader that he is today, but i would have followed him anywhere. 

On july third of two thousand and ten, zach sat me down and explained that he felt like God was speaking to him and that he was being called to join the air force.

i was shocked. i truly did not know what to think or expect.

all i could do was hug him, say good night and go inside as fast as possible.

i only had one phrase on my mind and i didn't want to spit it out. 

'i don't know what that means for us, but i know that i love you.'

and that is why i remember the exact day, it was when i knew that i had no choice,

i wasn't walking away from this.

by the end of that weekend, we were both a mess but also completely wrapped up in each other.

Zach was sure of this calling and we trusted that.

Over the next three years, there were some ups and a lot of downs. 

Most of you know of our struggles, but Zach's hardships as an airmen were of equal pain.

Being away from everyone he loves and navigating how to walk with God in the midst of a culture that, for the most part, doesn't even try to.

Z hasn't gone overseas, but he has dealt with and seen things (as most military men and women have) that I can't even imagine, in my worst nightmares. 

He has a job every day that tells him what to wear, how to look and where to live. 

The long haired, border line hippie is now buried under a layer of fierce commitment and responsibility. 

I asked Zach, why he felt like God had called him to such a challenging life choice, and

He told me that, he knew I was the one he was going to marry and he felt that God was calling him to walk in obedience as an individual, so that he would be equipped to lead his future family to walk in God's will, wherever that may lead.

the definition of appreciation is to recognize the full worth of.

this month, today and every day i want to show appreciation to my senior airman.

It is an honor to walk beside you.

-haley gay

to every military member, veteran and military family

thank you