Dustin's Weekend Trip

This past weekend, Dustin flew out for my (belated) birthday. He flew in Friday night and stayed till Sunday. It was a quick trip but I was glad to be able to see him.

Friday night after he got in, we went to Benihana's for my birthday dinner. I've never gone there for a birthday dinner and always wanted to. I hadn't eaten all day, so I was ready for all the food! I defiantly had a food baby! (for those who don't know what a food baby is....its when you eat way too much and your stomach sticks out like you're preggo! Thanks meredith for the terminology!) We named our food baby "Sam" after our (very Japanese) cook named Sam.

Saturday, Dustin and I went to the Phoenix Zoo. I don't know why but for some reason I love going to zoo's and aquariums, I guess it lets me hang on to my childhood. The zoo was very crowded, but all the animals were out so we got to see everything. Including some things we wish we hadn't! Dustin has really liked goats ever since he was little, so his favorite part was the petting zoo where he got to see to goats butt heads with each other.

After the zoo we went to lunch at Lucille's BBQ at Tempe Marketplace then went over to Ikea to check out some things for our apartments in Oklahoma.

That evening, Dustin and I and the rest of the family went to the Diamondbacks game for Meredith's birthday. Afterwards we came home and meredith opened bday presents.

Sunday Dustin was leaving so we had breakfast at home and then just relaxed until he had to go to the airport.

It's weird to think that this was the last time Dustin would come out to Arizona as us being in a distance relationship. We're coming to the end of the long distance and while we're both very exciting-its strange to fully grasp. We've been together almost 3 years and we never known anything else, but I am so excited to finally be in the same place as he is and am looking forward to our future in Oklahoma!

Oklahoma!!

Well Spring Break was very successful. My mom and I flew out to Oklahoma on monday to meet up with Dustin and his mom to check out the town of Stillwater,OK. Dustin will be moving there in June and I'll follow him there in July so it was a necessity to find an apartment and get a sense of the town! I don't really know what my expectations of Oklahoma were, I guess flat land with farms and cowboys, but it defiantly didn't look anything like it. There were rolling hills and tons of lakes everywhere! Plus a bunch of those oil-rig thingies.

We flew into Tulsa then it was about an hour drive to Stillwater. It's a small town-but still large enough to have a SUPER walmart (oh yaa) and other strip mall shopping centers.

We got in that afternoon and went out to check out some apartments. We looked at 2 different ones, basically the nicest in the area. For various reasons, Dustin and I got separate apartments. It wouldn't be my first choice but I do understand why it is important to have our own space after never living in the same state before!

The next morning we went back to sign on an apartment. We choose one that is built right on a golf course so Dustin gets free golfing (but theres free tanning there for me) Dustin will be moving in the beginning of June for football training camp and I'll head out there in July.

The remainder of the trip was spent checking out the town and trying to figure out a place for me to work!

I'm excited for the move and the change. A little nervous just to make sure I find a job when I'm out there! The Sports facilities are great for Dustin and his work with the football team. Its going to be an adventure for the both of us but I'm glad to be going at it together :)

As Long As There is Love...

Ever wake up from a dream and just lye there going over it in your head so that you don't forget it? Well I had quite the odd/disturbing dream last night about the end of the world. I am quite a fan of apocalyptic theories/conspiracies but this dream was just flat out weird. As I write this I cannot remember exactly what happened in that dream or how everything played out, all I can remember is a voice at the very end telling me one thing...

"As Long as there is Love....the world will never end"

I told Dustin about my dream and he told me "Well baby we've got love"

Yes we do :)

And I guess what I was told in the odd and disturbing dream is true. If you find yourself in situations where it does feel like your world is crashing down around you, love will always hold you up.

Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plains...

Well its official.....Dustin got a job offer from Oklahoma State University and we're moving there later this summer! I'm so glad and relieved that a decision has finally been made and proud of Dustin for all of his accomplishments.

When the notion of Dustin not going to ASU first became reality, I knew that no matter where he was I was going to go with him. We've been in a long distance relationship for 2 1/2 years now and while we could go more time, its something neither of us wanted to do.

Moving to Oklahoma means that Dustin and I are leaving everything behind, family friends, the comfort of home. But going through this process together is going to make it much easier.

When I tell people I'm moving, one of the first questions is about marriage. Are we going to get married before we leave? When will we get married?

Dustin and I have come to the decision that we want to wait to get married until after he is done with Grad school. We're not going to rush into a marriage just because we're moving . I don't think it would be a wise decision for either of us because we've never lived in the same place before.

Some may think I'm crazy to follow my boyfriend to another state without being married (or engaged) but I'm confident in our relationship and am completely assured by him and my feelings that we will be together.

The plan is to fly out to OSU (located in stillwater OK) over spring break to check everything out. We need to find a place to live and just get a sense of our new surroundings. I'm not sure of the exact date of the move, but we're thinking sometime in early July.

It's a big step for the both of us and one that will not be easy by any means. But we will be together and that means absolutely everything to me.

"What are you doing here?"

So since the last post, dustin made arrangements to go out to the 2 different Grad schools he's looking at. At first he said he would have to be gone Valentines day weekend ( the weekend I was planning on visiting) and I said it was ok I'd just come visit the following weekend. Well turns out he needed to go to the 2nd graduate school the following weekend so it wasn't going to work out either. We had basically come to the consensus that we weren't going to see each other in the month of february. We knew it wouldn't be ideal, but it was manageable and we've spent much more time away from each other than that.

Well cut to 2 weeks ago, as the Indianapolis colts won the AFC championship game against the Jets. Dustin had the privilege of being able to work the game with the Jets and was very happy he got to be there to see the Colts win. (Yes he worked for the Jets but has always been a Colts fan). Well after the game I kept thinking to myself "Wouldn't it be fun to go out to indiana to watch the colts in the super bowl?" Literally a few minutes later I get a phone call from Dustin's mom and she asks me "So are you coming out for the Super bowl?" Well I guess it was more of a command than a question but I responded "I can" and she offered to buy my plane ticket for me. Well of course I'd agree to that! We then both decided that we weren't going to tell Dustin I was coming out that weekend and surprise him.

So for 2 weeks I had to keep my mouth shut about my plans. It was so hard not to talk to Dustin about it and be excited with him. But I was able to hold it together and not reveal anything for the 2 weeks.

On thursday I told Dustin I had to pick up a shift at work and work basically all day (to give me an alibi for when I was on the plane) So I left Phoenix that morning and arrived in Indy later that afternoon. His mom picked me up from the airport and we proceeded up to Purdue to surprise Dustin.

Well when we got up to Dustin's apartment. His mom went to the door to have Dustin come out and help "unload things" and I hid in the back seat of her car. As he opened up the trunk to unload, I popped up and yelled (what else?) "SURPRISE!" He stopped for a moment, then stared then it finally registered who he was looking at and he said half excited and half in still disbelief, "What are you doing here?" . It really was one of the most exhilarating things to be able to surprise him and pull it off (Even though he claims he had hunch...riiiiiight).

I was able to spend the weekend with him and even though the Colts unfortunately lost the Super Bowl :( I am still so thankful that I was able to be with him. I really think it was so important for us to see each other before Dustin left for his Grad school trips. Both for encouragement for him and for reassurance for us. its been a hard couples weeks trying to figure everything out but no matter where he decides to go, I know he is making the best decision for his career and I will be right there next to him.

Everything Happens for a Reason

the roses Dustin had sent to my work today

card reads "Just Because...Love, Dustin"

Well in the past couple days, Dustin and I have received news that we weren't exactly planning for. Since we began dating 2 1/2 years ago, we have talked about Dustin coming out to Arizona for Grad School. We've talked about it ever since we've been together and I guess you could say we were counting out chicken's before they hatched but I think we just wanted to know there was a light at the end of the tunnel of distance.

Well...Unfortunately Dustin was not selected for the graduate assistantship at ASU. the news was hard for the both of us to deal with but we knew we couldn't dwell upon it. I knew bottom line I did not want to be away from him for any longer and would go wherever he went.

Right now, Dustin is deciding between 2 good schools to continue on with his education and athletic training. One is closer to Arizona and one is closer to Indiana. Either place would be an adventure and an opportunity. I am supportive of whichever school he chooses and which ever is the best for him career and education wise. So I suppose I will be moving sometime before august...

It will be difficult for the both of us to pick up and go to a brand new place, but I am happy and confident that as long as we are together everything will be perfect. I am glad I get to share this experience with him. I am so proud of Dustin for everything he's accomplished and he should be very proud of himself as well. I just know with the dedication and drive he has for his field that he will be very successful.

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, and while it may not make sense to us right away, there is a plan and everything will work it self out for the best.

Spending the Holidays Together

Gina in the snow (far away)

Jets vs. Colts game

Us playing pool

Gina flew in on Christmas Day this year so that we could spend our first Christmas actually together. It was nice to spend the holiday together and with the snow it made everything perfect. It was nice to be with Gina for two weeks but then again it is harder to say goodbye when you are together for an extended period of time. On Gina's visit back home (inside joke) we spent Christmas Day evening exchanging gifts (no, no ring yet), drinking hot chocolate, and staying warm inside while it was snowing outside. Then on the 26th we went to my Melvin side Christmas and that experience kept with us through the 28th. Let me explain.....On the Melvin side Christmas no one really made a meal, there was basically just salsa cheese dip, meatballs, chips, wieners, and other snack foods. But luckily when we went to the Cline (my mom's side) Christmas we had a Christmas dinner. Not to take anything away from the Melvin side because we had fun but the food was not too pleasing in many ways. So on the 27th there was a Colts game and they were playing the Jets at home. So since I did my intern with the Jets, I was lucky enough to help them out during the game. It was an amazing experience working on the field with the Jets and helping out on a regular season game. But it was really tough watching my favorite team on the other side. Either way the game was fun. My mom, sister, her boyfriend, and Gina all had tickets right behind the Jets sideline on roughly the 25/30 yard line. They were really good seats but unfortunately Gina was spending half the time getting sick and becoming close friends with the ladies room toilet and no this wasn't because I left out detail of a "fun" night the night before. It was for still to this day some "unknown" reason. Once the game was over I meet the fam back at home to see Gina and my sister on the couch in a blanket. Both were sick and had it bad, especially my sister who couldn't get to the toilet in time (another inside joke but for now.....enough said). So while the were sick I was thinking I was in the clear because I had my flu shot. Well I thought wrong because roughly around 2 am me and the toilet became good friends for about 30 minutes. Anyways come to find out almost everyone who went to the Melvin side Christmas got sick and all about the same time too. A lot of us think it was food poisoning because we all had the cheese dip with hamburger meat in it and that had to do it. So we spent the 28th recovering.

On New Year's Eve the fam went to Weber Grill in downtown Indianapolis and had a really nice dinner and evening. Gina and I spent the night in and just enjoyed the final minutes of 2009 together and welcoming in the New Year. We were debating on going out but decided staying in was best. On New Years Day we went to Dave & Busters to play some arcades and watch the Purdue vs. West Virgina game (Purdue killed WV).

Then another night my mom and I took Gina a night out to the L-Town bars. This experience was my first too and for good reasons. We went to a bar called Big Daddy's and it was full of rednecks and just plain out different people dancing while "The Cornfield Mafia" band was playing. Gina and I just sit and laughed the whole time at the experience. Then we went to a more low key bar and played pool. It was maybe Gina's first time playing pool, if not, it sure looked like it ( I love you babe :). Gina would try to hit the cue ball hard and it hardly ever worked out for her. Most of the time she would hit the side of it and the cue ball would just roll 12 inches to the left or right. But either way we had a lot of fun and probably won't do that again.

On the 6th I took Gina to a really nice seafood restaurant called Oceanaire. This place fly's in fresh seafood daily and has the best crab cakes ever!!! Me and Gina always have a "Date Night" when we come see each other and it is a nice tradition and something that we will always do when we are long distance anymore.

We then had a lot of snow come in on the 7th, so we decided to go outside and play in the snow since it is something Gina isn't use to. Gina had about 20 layers of clothing on and looked like a penguin when she walked due to all of the layers.

Then came the 8th and that is when Gina left. Like I said before, it is always harder when you are together longer and then have to leave. But we always have something to look forward to when we leave each other and that is knowing that we will see each other again soon.

This is both our last semester at college and is weird to think that we are almost done. These past four years have flew and have been an amazing 2 1/2 years of my life with Gina in it. I am still waiting to hear back from ASU for grad school and if things don't follow through then I'll try other schools. Either way Gina has made it easy on me by letting me know that where ever I go she goes. The next time we will see each other is in the near future, Valentines Day. So until then we go back to our long distance but even bigger hearts.