That was the blessing woth my last relationship, she lived a couple hours away, and it made your time together 100 times more special,
It's interesting to say this like it's a good thing, because to me that's a bad thing. Well, it's a bad thing if you want it to lead to marriage. See, with my second boyfriend because he lived two hours away, our time together was limited and special, but our relationship would have been a lot more... I guess genuine, if we had a chance to do hang out more and do things that were a bit more mundane. Surprisingly, I corresponded his next girlfriend and when she broke up with him (or maybe when she wanted to) and I asked her why she said that he was immature around his friends and that really turned her off. And I was like "Well, I guess I could see that, but I've seen him so very little of him around his friends and only once in a group of friends, so I don't really know what he's like in that situation." In other words, there was a big part of his character that I was unable to observe because we only got together during special date time, which was usually on my own turf.
If a couple is to get married, I think they should spend lots of time together doing mundane, boring and even stressful things. If that time is special, then it gives you a better idea of if you're right for each other.
I have a boyfriend right now and he only lives 15 minutes away. However, I see him less than I did my first boyfriend who lived in another town and didn't drive. It would be possible for me to see him a lot but he's a busy grad student and he doesn't have time. So, although I know that he really likes me, and I have a lot of respect for his schooling, his job and his commitments at church, the reality is that he's not making me a priority. So, while that hurts, I'm glad that I know that because it helps me to evaluate what kind of future I have with this guy. If he lived far away I wouldn't think twice about how little I see him and therefore I wouldn't know this important information about the priority (or lack there of) that our relationship has in his life.
But, on the other hand, it can work the opposite way too. If a guy's willing to drive two hours just to hang out with you, he's probably really into you.
she lived a couple hours away... it took away the risk of immorality, and it really checked our motives.
It's interesting that you say there is no risk of immorality, because that has not been my experience. I mean, obviously there isn't the risk of going too far physically with your significant other if they live far away. But my experience is that it increased the temptation to flirt with other guys. And to make matters worse, I'd justify it out of self-pity because my boyfriend lived in another province and I never saw him, and his absence made me all the more lonely. Of course I was also 17 and immature. Then when we were together, the temptation was greater than ever because we felt we had to make the most of our time and I had to get physical intimacy to "last me" until the next time I saw him. But of course, that's silly because making out doesn't really make one feel less lonely in the absence of the other person, if anything it makes it worse. But on the other hand, I heard that if you're together too much then you end up making out just to break up the monotony. A friend in grade 8 told me that sometimes she made out with her boyfriend just because they were bored. I thought that was so strange when she said it, but now I can see it. I guess there's no easy way to get around sexual temptation, other than relying on the Holy Spirit for strength.