Distance Relationships are Crazy

My fiancee and I have this little predicament. We live 8 time zones apart from each other. She lives in the greater Moscow, Russia metropolitan area. I live on the east coast of the United States. This situation has its advantages, which I am going to try to list and try even more to feel like it's better this way:

1. Hmm... trying to think of some advantages...

2. The distance helps us to focus our relationship on friendship. Well, that is only partly true. It's true that our relationship isn't founded on physical affection, since we can't have any. But Olesya and I share a little romance every day, whether it's a skype call, a facebook message, or a wall post. In the absence of all these, I can always reach into my pocket and squeeze her heart with my hand. Actually, it's a little felt valentine of her heart that she gave me on the Valentine's Day after we were engaged. It has my name written on it with little beads.

3. The cyber nature of our relationship affords us many opportunities for internet sillyness. We have skype to thank for that. You see, when you make a skype video call, there's a big window where your partner's video is displayed, and another little window where you can see your own video (the stuff that is being broadcast to your partner). The thing is, when I get behind a web cam, I have great difficulty resisting the temptation to make funny faces. It's fun when you are just looking at your own video. But now that I also have Olesya watching, I often wait for a moment when she's not looking at the computer screen. Just then, I'll concoct some wacky face and hold it in position until she looks back at me. She looks and then laughs. It's a great way to see her smile, which, in case you didn't know, was cannonized by Elder Bednar as being "The Smile of the Plan of Salvation," or a testimony that the plan of salvation is true.

Olesya dishes her own fair share of sillyness back. My favorite is when the video call freezes up just as she's making a ridiculous face. That's usually when I reach for the "print screen" button and preserve that moment for later enjoyment, as was likely the case with this screen shot. Sometimes, I do it without the call freezing up, but I have to be quicker on the draw.

4. Because of the time difference, the only times that Olesya and I can usually talk are early in the morning, during my lunch break, or late at night. That means that she is one of the first people I talk to and one of the last, as well. Plus, it means that I get to see a lot of her as she has just woken up. No makeup, no glamour, and as beautiful as ever.

So, there you have it: The advantages of maintaining an internet romance. Doesn't that sound inviting? Just know, my friends, that if you decide to pursue this route, there really is no substitute for holding the one you love in your arms.

Olesya, I love you. 'Talk soon.