Ummm....Forever?

Today, August 30th, is a very special day in our {DUSTYRibs} history as it was one of the most pivotal moments of our entire relationship. The particular 30th day in August that started this day in being special for us took place two years ago - August 30, 2011.

That day started like any other day. It was four days after my birthday, and for my birthday, Dusty had taken me on a little weekend getaway to a national landmark - Natural Bridge, Virginia! It was a super cool trip - we hiked, took pictures, played tourists in town, went down into the caverns (super cool and sorta scary), and we toured a creepy little wax museum. Even though that part was creepy, it was still very cool since whoever made the wax people really did do an awesome job!

The next week, I was hanging out with a girl friend chatting and watching TV, and Dusty called and said that a present he'd gotten me had come in late and he wanted to meet me so he could give me my gift.  I thought that was interesting since I thought the trip was my gift, but who doesn't get excited about surprises?

I drove home to the townhouse I was renting and he met me there and he told me that he had another surprise planned, too.  I was curious, for sure, but he really wasn't acting strangely.  Dusty told me that since the gift had just come in today, he hadn't had time to wrap it and so he would need to blindfold me if that was okay with me.  I agreed, and then he said he wanted to take me somewhere.  In the car. Blindfolded.

While I was a little afraid someone would see him driving me around like that and create an Amber Alert, I went along with it because he seemed really excited about the present. We drove for what felt like forever and talked on the way there.  When we finally reached our destination, he got me out of the car, onto some pavement, and walked me out aways.  Then, he started a sweet conversation with me and was asking me several questions, one of which was about something we talked about on our very first date.  Little did I know that he was not actually standing face to face with me during this conversation.

Then, he asked me to remove my blindfold, and as I was doing that, he asked me the most important of all of the questions he's ever asked me.  Dusty asked me if I would be his wife!

Clearly, I was NOT expecting that.

How could I ever say no???  I love this man!

Umm, is someone taking pictures of us?

It was around this point that I realized he had brought me to the parking lot of the same restaurant of our first date, which was a blind date.  This was the place where we met.  This was the place where we both realized that something special was happening.  This was the place that started it all.

My little sister was about as excited as I'd ever seen her when we drove across town to show her what had just happened!  WE WERE ENGAGED!!! Dusty has a crazy face here, and I've been crying, so excuse us.

My gorgeous engagement ring in Dusty's hand! Be still my heart!

August 30, 2011 was seriously one of the best days of my life.  It's a day I'd dreamed about since I was a child - to think of the weight of someone asking you to spend FOREVER with them is surreal and mind-boggling...and it was amazing!

So here's to the second anniversary of our engagement!  I love that Dusty is so good at surprising me!  I look forward to a lifetime of love and surprises and most of all, being married to him! 

Blessed doesn't even begin to describe it.

Ribs

Young Girls, Young Women: BE DIFFERENT!

As this post makes its way into the world, the internet is abuzz - aflame, even! - after some recent pop culture events.  This past weekend marked the highlight of the tween, teen, and young adult's social television viewing calendars - the 2013 MTV VMA Awards.

While I can't recall the last time I actually tuned in to any programming on MTV, I had heard rustlings that one of my favorite childhood bands, *NSYNC,* would be reuniting during one of Justin Timberlake's performances.  Obviously, for anyone who grew up listening to the ever-popular boy bands like I did, this was must-see TV!  (Sidebar: NSYNC did reunite.  They and Justin Timberlake were absolute professionals and put on the type of show their fans adore. It was nostalgic and wonderful for me.)

As much joy and excitement as I felt about this reunion, I must say that the placement of this portion of the show was poor.  Even NSYNC couldn't bring me back from the depths of sorrow and disgust I had been previously banished to after seeing a performance by Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke, two of pop culture's reigning "stars."

I will not post pictures of Ms. Cyrus, as she doesn't need any more attention or publicity. I have never witnessed a desperate cry for help performance such as this one, and I sincerely hope I never bear witness to another.

I do not hide my faith, nor will I ever be ashamed of it.  I don't use it to condemn people or judge people, because that's not at all what faith is for. I don't use it as justification in an argument.  I don't use it to "lay the hammer down" in intense conversations.  My faith does not make me better or more worthy than anyone else.

I'll tell you what my faith does.  My faith gives me inner strength.  My faith gives me goals and personal bests to strive for.  My faith gives me hope.  My faith gives me peace in times of trouble.  My faith enhances my life, and the only thing my faith is ever "used for" is to hopefully enhance the lives of others.  That is not to say that I expect people to share my faith or my beliefs - I wholeheartedly believe that is a personal choice.  All I know is that I want people to be able to see glimpses of Him through me, and that is enough.

This perfectly brings me to addressing the intended audience of this post - girls and women.  One thing my faith challenges me to do is this:

In a world where it's "cool" to give your body to any pair of eyes that see it, BE DIFFERENT. Choose modesty.  Remember that less is always more in this department - leave something to the imagination, and when in doubt, leave more to the imagination.  You don't have to wear a wetsuit or turtleneck every day so don't be silly in this area. Just aim to be classy. You don't have to show the arms and the legs and the chest and the back.  Choose one area (but don't give away the farm) and cover the rest. I promise you that respecting yourself is sexier to the opposite sex than walking around practically naked.

In a world where people constantly tell you that your worth is based on the way you look or the clothes you wear or the crowd you hang out with, BE DIFFERENT.  This passage is a great reminder about what is important and where your worth comes from, and I'm here to tell you this is the truth, so believe it!

1 Peter 3:3-4

In a world where everyone is obsessed with me, me, me, and what's in it for me, BE DIFFERENT.  The world needs more selfless people.  If you see a problem and do nothing to help, you are part of the problem, so be part of the solution. If you have the opportunity to extend kindness to another human being, do it.  If someone drops something, help them pick it up.  If someone you know is struggling, give them a hug, listen to them, pray with them or for them.  If an opportunity for community service arises, volunteer and give back.  If you want the world to change, you have to be willing to try to change the world!  And the best part is, YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

In a world where "the only option" is doing whatever your "friends" are doing, BE DIFFERENT.  Every single person has an internal moral compass - you know right from wrong.  If something feels wrong to you in your gut, it probably is, and therefore the cool thing is not to do it.  Giving in to peer pressure has negatively affected so many lives - people have made bad choices, suffered health-wise, committed crimes, gone to jail, killed someone else, or have died themselves. It's okay to go another way. In fact, it's more than okay. You not only will benefit yourself, you could even save someone else by giving them the strength and courage to be different.  This is called being a positive role model, and I know you'll make a great one!

In the over-sexed world we live in where it's cool to "express yourself" through sexual acts or conduct, BE DIFFERENT.  Believe it or not, sex is a good thing - it's special. (I know you weren't expecting me to say that). It's supposed to be something sacred for you to share with someone you are in love with who loves you back.  For crying out loud, the only way to create life for humans is through sex - it has a purpose. You need to remember this when you're watching shows like "Sixteen and Pregnant."  Trust me, even though each and every one of those teen moms love the children they made in high school, I bet if you spoke to them when the cameras weren't rolling, they would share the HONEST view of what parenthood is like and I am willing to wager that they don't think all aspects are "cool."  If you feel prepared and ready and old enough to have sex, you need to make sure you are prepared and ready and old enough to love, care for, and financially provide for a child, too.  You also need to remember that when selecting a sexual partner - would he/she make a good parent?  It's definitely possible that you could be linked to that person for the rest of your life, so make these decisions count.

To bring this around full-circle, I know a certain pop star recently thought it would be cool to reveal too much of herself on national television.  I bet she's not currently enjoying the negative comments about the condition of her body or the ways in which she chose to use her body.  It doesn't matter at all to me if she responds to these comments with violence or anger or further rebellion - she is still a person.  She is still a woman.  I know that no matter how "big and bad" she is that these comments hurt her. 

In a world where it's popular to throw stones and bring people down, BE DIFFERENT.  I had the same negative feelings that many people did after seeing the choices she made - I would never want my daughter or anyone's child to see and emulate that type of behavior - with a married man, no less!  The only difference here is that I felt compelled to pray for her.  I asked God to forgive her for any sins of her life and to show her how beautiful she is.  I asked God to rally her family and friends to surround her and support her (not her behavior) during this surely difficult time.  I asked God to lead her in a better way - one she won't regret seeing for the rest of her life.  I asked God to give her purpose and to remind her that she is fearfully and wonderfully made and that He doesn't ever make mistakes.  He is perfect, and while no human apart from Jesus is perfect, we were all made in His image, and that is something special!  I asked God to bring the type of love into her life that she would feel was worth waiting for - someone that she wanted to be better for who is strong enough to lead her. 

I asked God to remind all of the people of the world, myself included, that we have all done things in life we shouldn't have done.  We all have better decisions we should have made.  Just as we do not want to be condemned or judged, we should extend the same kindness to this young lady.

Ribs

Go Ribs, It's Your Birthday...

"We gonna party like it's your birthday..." 

You know what you did.

You know you went there, too! Ever since that song hit the scene, nobody's birthday has ever been quite the same. Well played, Fiddy, well played.

Today is the day I turn 29 years old, and I think I'm taking it very well.  I'll save the tears for next year when the big 3-0 hits.  That just seems more appropriate.

I've already done most of my celebrating with my family and my husband.  We went to lunch yesterday at my favorite Japanese hibachi and sushi restaurant in town, and that was a blast!  Don't believe me? Check out the photo evidence of said blast that was had by all. (Photo Credit for all photos: my sister, who was awesome enough to document the day.)

Our chef was AWESOME!  I love my father-in-law's face in this one! (His first time here!)

If you like your sushi, show it off! (Plus my pretty birthday flower.)

Oh man, I get to wear the chef's hat???  AWESOME.

Cleary, 29 hasn't changed how easily entertained I am! So professional here.

Then, everyone came back to our house for cake and presents and general hangout time.  This was a lot of fun because there haven't been too many times where my family and Dusty's family have gotten to relax and hang out!  So much fun!

My gorgeous mother-in-law and me!

I married a hunk.

My beautiful mom, me, and my gorgeous grandma!  Three generations!

All in all, here's what I know about getting older - you're blessed if it happens to you.  I know that the older you get, the more pain you'll most likely suffer, but on the flipside, the older you get, the more love, family, friends, memories, and good times you'll experience too!  Sign me up for that!

Here's to 29! May you be the best year of my twenties and will you lead me into my even better future thirties!  Thank you, Lord, for bringing me this far!  I can't wait to see what You're up to and all that You have planned for this life!

Ribs

7 Days of Marriage Wisdom

In life, it's important to remember the bottom line - the big picture.  For me, my bottom line is that "anything worth having comes from hard work."  It really covers every aspect of my life.  When I work hard at my job, I see the fruits of my labor.  When I work hard at my Cardio Funk gym class, I get less jiggly and feel better about myself.  When I throw myself into God's Word and maintain our relationship through prayer, He speaks so much louder to me.  When I work hard on my marriage every day, it makes it exponentially easier to navigate tough times.

I think that many people go into different endeavors in life expecting that once they "make it," it should be easy.  I say, "no sir, no ma'am."  I say, anything worth having comes from hard work.  Now, don't get me wrong - when it comes to my marriage, for example, the ins and outs of our every day life are not hard work, or at least it doesn't feel like hard work to me. I'm blessed to have married a man that I jive with - someone who gets me and loves me for me (and he got the same blessing when he married me).  But, there are seasons of marriage and life that are hard, and it's in those times that the hard work carries you through.  When you are constantly trying to have the best marriage you can, you find that when the times arise that you're tossed out into the raging seas of trial and turmoil, you cling to one another and you try to survive....together.

Source

I saw this post on Pinterest and just fell head over heels in love with it!  I think this is amazingly well done, and by a ministry that I really enjoy.  Naturally, I felt compelled to share it. 

I think these are seven practical nuggets of wisdom, and I know that if you practice each day's nugget every week, your relationship or marriage will benefit - actually, I know that YOU will benefit.  Being kind and respectful and purposeful just does something to your soul.  It nourishes it and makes it feel alive, and who doesn't want more of that?

So here's to life's endeavors!  May we all work hard so that we may enjoy everything in life worth having!

Ribs

Clocks and Vacations

Source

I'm sure you've all been there before.  You go into work on a Monday morning and you start to untangle yourself from the web of voicemails and emails and texts and facebook messages and despite being overwhelmed, you take a sip of your cup of Joe and you wonder.....

Why is it that clocks move in super-speed while on vacation?  Dusty and I just got home from a wonderful week of vacation (I know, that is a dirty word in today's American society and culture) and most of our week was wonderful!  I can't wait to recap that for you and to show you some pretty awesome photos, if I do say so myself! 

The one thing I was reminded of while on our vacation is that the world doesn't stop turning just because you're not physically clocking in.  There are still deadlines, and competition, and a host of clients whose businesses are still open even when you're out of town.  When you have a job in a field like mine, it's considerably harder to "leave work at work."  Everyone in our country that works hard is over-worked and struggling to find balance.  How do I know this?  Because the week before my vacation, I was working with a whole gaggle of clients who were out of town on their own vacations. The only way that equation is possible in the first place is that they were WORKING with me.

These people are much higher up the corporate ladder than I am, even, and they can't unplug entirely to spend time with their families.  On the one hand, I get it. It's business and if you want to be the best you can be, you have to be flexible.  You have to be available at any moment.  You have to seize the opportunities you're provided.  That's part of being successful in business, according to our culture.

On the other side of the coin, though, this reality makes me sad.  I'm sure there once was a time that you could literally go on vacation with your family and you would never even consider taking a computer with you (heck, there was a time when they weren't even physically mobile to begin with). 

"Come on, Timmy, we have to be at the airport in 30 minutes!" LOL!

[Sidenote: Can you imagine someone packing up their entire desktop system to go to the beach?  HAHA, I die a little!]

There was a time before cell phones and smart phones and tablets and all of these gadgets.  Do they make a lot of things easier?  Absolutely!  In most cases, I absolutely love all of the opportunities they provide (Hello, instant access to GPS!  Holla!).  The only downfall is that they make people too accessible.  Not only that, they make other people less sensitive to your time.

Case in point?  One of the people I had the pleasure of speaking with while on vacation last week was quite snippy with me on the phone.  He wanted some information and was aggravated with me when two hours had passed since he'd left me a voicemail on my business cellphone.  I had been on the beach, playing with my niece and nephews and called him back when I got up to our beach house for lunch.  He was pretty rude on the phone and reminded me of his impatience and when I told him why I hadn't gotten the message until that moment, his response was, "Well that is great for you but I need this right now."  When I apologized again, and gave him the information, I reminded him that he could have called my office and any number of people could have assisted him.  His response?  "Well, obviously you think I have more time than I actually have - I shouldn't have to call in and ask for someone else."

LOL!  Source

Now, please don't misunderstand.  I did not post that transaction to hate on this particular person. I don't need reassurance that he was being a jerk and I should have been able to enjoy my time off.  The reason I posted it was because it was a perfect example of how much people have been desensitized due to the changes in technology.  They know you can be reached and therefore they now believe that they are entitled to all of your time.  This same person sent me an email on a Sunday morning requesting a prompt response!

I don't know how to promote positive change in this area of my life.  Americans are so sucked into the "me, me, me" philosophy along with the "now, no, yesterday" philosophy that it would be very difficult to change the way that all of us conduct our business.  I just know that there are other countries who are not this way.  According to USA Today, "The United States is the only developed country in the world without a single legally required paid vacation day or holiday. By law, every country in the European Union has at least four work weeks of paid vacation." (June 8, 2013)

I must be crystal clear when I say I am not complaining.  My company has AMAZING benefits, and I am so lucky to have paid time off at all! I get more paid time off than many of my friends, so at the end of the day, I know how blessed I am.  I also am one of the people in the US who enjoys working and has been able to find and keep work for my entire adult life so far.  Again, this is not a "rant" post.  It's just a post about something I was reminded of when I was looking at things from a 10,000 feet perspective.

My question to you is this:  

Ribs

In Honor Of Shark Week

YIKES!

I love the personal motto that one could get from this nationally-touted special week made popular by the Discovery Channel:  "Live every week like it's Shark Week."  I, personally, can't participate in Shark Week because a) I'm terrified of sharks, b) the fate of the seals makes me cry every time, c) I'm perfectly okay being blissfully ignorant of the circle of life, and d) I love the beach and sharks live at the beach, and I'd rather just not think about their presence when I'm getting my ocean swim on.

All that being said, I found this video and felt it was only right to share this cuteness with all of you! Because every now and again, you just need a dose of silliness to get you through the week....especially Shark Week.


Enjoy!

Ribs

Be More in B'More - The Digs

Dusty and I were invited to our friends' Bobbi and Conor's wedding in Baltimore, Maryland a few weekends ago, and due to the wedding being on Sunday and not being able to get vacation on that following Monday, we decided a little weekend getaway was in order!

I've only been to Baltimore once before, so we decided to do all kinds of different, touristy things, since we were....tourists!

Photo Source

At the bride's recommendation, we booked a night's stay at the Hotel Monaco for that Saturday night!  It was really a wonderful place, and we were happy that a) she told us about this gem in the Inner Harbor, and b) that they were kind enough to offer a discount for her wedding guests!  Double win!

The Hotel Monaco "Living Room" - so chic!

I need want this loveseat!

Chess, anyone?

Stud watch on the left!  ;)  I died over this chandelier and the fuschia wall!

Old school mail chute!  Didn't try it out, though!

Our room number!

As you can see, the place is gorgeous and I seriously wanted to take all of the furniture home with me!  I mean, could it be any more fun?  Doubtful.

Bobbi and Conor were so sweet to have created weekend welcome bags for all their guests and had delivered them ahead of time to the hotel(s) where the guests were staying!  We were so surprised and it was such a thoughtful gesture!

Another thing I really loved about this hotel is that it is PET-FRIENDLY, which you know this furbaby momma was really into.  Obviously, CiCi and MuChi were not invited to the wedding (hehe!), so they couldn't make the trip with us this time (and honestly, we probably would have killed Mooch on the trip because he gets a little completely insane goofy in the car).  They had a blast with their Auntie A, though!

But, enter Hotel Monaco to save you from falling into a depression caused by being away from your beloved fur-children!  How did they do it?

Fish roommate!!!!  Is that the coolest thing ever?  He was cute, quiet, and fairly entertaining to watch, although I know I felt bad when eating the scrumptious cookies Bobbi and Conor had gifted us in our hotel welcome bag!  Seriously, they were delish!

Other hotel perks that Dusty and I enjoyed?

1.) The complimentary HAPPY HOUR.  Yes, you read this correctly.  Hotel Monaco offers its guests complimentary red or white wine or sangria in their "living room" from 5-6pm.  Score!  We really thought that was a unique touch and it was pretty cool getting to meet other hotel patrons and hear where they were hailing from and what brought them to town!

2.) The complimentary awesome bath products.  Normally, you get fairly typical brands (most times, even standard hotel brands) of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.  Hotel Monaco gives C.O. Bigelow!  BAM!  These smelled wonderful and we loved them!

3.) The complimentary coffee bar in the morning.  I will be completely candid and say that I had a love-hate relationship with this one.  I'll end on the positive, so the hate comes in the fact that you had to literally go down to the "living room" to participate in said coffee. Call me crazy, but I don't wake up looking like Jennifer Aniston (nor do I look like her after my hour-long morning routine, but that's neither here nor there).  I did not like the fact that I couldn't just wake up in my jammies and make myself a cup of Joe in our room, because let's face it...this meant I had to get dressed and put makeup on because I would NEVER inflict that kind of pain on innocent people that early in the morning.  The result of my kindness towards others is that I had to get ready for the day twice - once for coffee and then again when I was actually ready to get up and get moving.  But, like I said, this is a love-hate relationship, so the love came in that the coffee was really good and they gave you a huge travel cup and you could technically refill as often as you'd like while it was open, which you wouldn't have been able to do with the small packs they give in the room. So there's my honest review of that.

4.) They offer valet parking....which at $36/night, we did not partake in.  LOL!  They are located, however, RIGHT beside an underground lot, which Dusty and I did partake in and scored a sweet deal at only $12 for the whole afternoon/night/next morning.  Dusty Ribs for the WIN!

5.)  The location is great!  Within walking distance of the Inner Harbor but not close enough to be in the middle of all the hullabaloo. We really enjoyed how easy it was to get to, so we'd probably stay there again.

6.)  The elevator "voice" is hysterical....and they have weird EZ messages in there!

Funny story about the EZ alert - Dusty and I were dancing to the awesome music in the elevator and then it flashed this sign. I got a scared look on my face because I thought someone could see us and we were getting in trouble for bouncing around. He died laughing because apparently that had flashed every time and I hadn't noticed. Whoops. That's what you get when you marry me - impromptu dance parties and blonde moments. (Now you see why I went red - it takes people a little longer to figure out I'm special).

7.)  Hotel Monaco allows its guests to "walk on the wild side."  Case in point?  Check out this sa-weet robe action!!!

8.) Who does faux leather wallpaper????  In the bathroom???  I'm guessing you're going to guess Hotel Monaco.  You would be right, my friends!

9.)  The view from our room.  Super cool!  Good morning, Baltimore!

10.) The final perk we enjoyed while staying at Hotel Monaco was actually just how awesome our room was.  Big comfy bed? Check. Bathroom?  Necessary and luckily, we got one. A/C? Check. Hot water? Check.  Pretty to look at? Definitely!


We would definitely recommend staying here if you're ever venturing to the Inner Harbor.  We hope you'd enjoy your stay as much as we did!  By the way, I love hotels.  Like, seriously love them.  If you ever travel anywhere awesome and also have an awesome hotel experience, please send those stories my way!  Dusty and I are always on the hunt for our next adventure, so we'd love any advice or reviews!

Ribs