The Fulfillment Series

The Fulfillment Series

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Rhew The Nation -- The Trip Home

Welcome to the final post on the Rhew The Nation trip. We went on our adventure nearly 5 months ago, but it has provided great material for blog posts all this time! I hope you enjoyed traveling with me and Deek across the country and back again! We visited some *amazing* places, and I'm so grateful we got the opportunity to do it!



When we left off, Deek and I were headed to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Now, we'd intended to go to Oklahoma all along, but all the way back in Missouri (at the start of the trip), we changed the town we'd stop in Oklahoma. Why? Well, we have fallen in love with the Stoney Creek Hotel chain, and we discovered they'd opened a brand new one in Broken Arrow!

From the Stoney Creek in Missouri

We discovered Stoney Creek by accident when we were moving across the country. I always book through the Expedia app, and this place popped up as inexpensive and pet-friendly. Now we've stayed in some pretty yucky pet-friendly places, but this one smelled good and was *super* clean. They'd just opened when we stayed there last time, but even after being open for a while, it was still super clean and smelled good. So, we redirected our trip a little to end up at the brand spankin' new one in Broken Arrow. It did not disappoint!

The Stoney Creek in Broken Arrow.
Clearly, they have a theme.
Deek and I couldn't stop whispering, "Great white buffalo." LOL!

When we went to check-in, we informed the front desk that we'd stayed at the one in Missouri and rerouted our trip just to come to the one in Broken Arrow. And you know what they did? They comped us a suite to say "thank you!" A suite! And the suite was AMAZING!! 

The giant bell at check-in.

Amazing statues!

The jet tub in the suite's bathroom! Wowsa!!
The shower is behind that door, and it was massive!

Deek in the giant, super cozy bed.
This is one of my most favorite pictures from the trip!

Now, I'm a born and bred Southern girl, but there are a lot of places in the South I haven't been. In fact, despite our numerous cross-country trips, I still haven't been to states like Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Now that I think about it, other than a few New England states, these are some of the only ones I've not yet been to. But on this trip, we crossed another state off our list--Arkansas.


Um... I'm afraid for what this sign implies about other bathrooms.

The *whole* time we were in the Southwest, it didn't get above 90.
Leave it to the South to show how heat is really done. LOL!
Oh, and it's humid...

On to Tennessee

As a good little Southern girl, of course I've been to Tennessee--many times, in fact. Deek and I have driven through Nashville on cross-country trips but never actually stopped to look around (Deek and I are planning on taking an official trip there soon though). So when we drove through Nashville this time, we decided to stop at one cool thing and eat a one locally recommended restaurant. 

Now, I *love* Percy Jackson. Truth be told, I loathed the movies, but I love the books. And I am fascinated by all things Greek Mythology related. So...Deek took me to the Nashville Parthenon as our one cool place to go!

I love Percy Jackson so much, I brought one of his books as a read aloud on our trip!

Majestic!

Smooching in front of the Parthenon!

Look at that detail!

After Nashville, we drove through the same other states we always drive through to get back home. And then, we were home! <3 

The trip was amazing! I love traveling with Deek, and I love exploring the many facets of this country. If you haven't had a chance to drive across the country, I encourage you to do it. You'll be amazed by the stuff you see! 

For instance, I had no idea so much of our country is unpopulated. I mean like completely without a soul for miles and miles and miles (particularly on the eastern side of the western states and in the southwest). I never would have known that if we hadn't made these trips. There are just some things you can't see from an airplane or train window. Sometimes you have to get out there and experience it firsthand.

No one and nothing for fifty plus miles!

Thanks so much for accompanying me and Deek on this grand adventure! Now it's time for anniversaries, birthdays, and the holidays! WOOT! 

Daydreaming about more adventures with my best friend! :)



Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Anniversary Time -- 4 Years

Today, I'm hijacking the Rhew The Nation posts for a very special announcement...It's anniversary time!! Let me just start by saying Happy Anniversary to the most wonderful husband in all the world, Deek Rhew! <3 <3

You may remember we got married twice--once in the Pacific Northwest and once in the South. Well, today, we celebrate 4 years since we got married in the Pacific Northwest (the one that made it legal and all)!

PNW wedding

Southern wedding, six months later.

My Deek and blog friends, let's take a little stroll down memory lane...

Going to the chapel (or Victorian historical home),
 and we're gonna get married!

We seriously laugh all the time...then and now!

I look at my hunk like this then and now.

Deliriously happy...still am!

Hubba! 
He's like a fine wine, better with age! 
(at least that's what they say. I don't know 'cause I don't drink)

Looking toward a bright, happy future!
Spoiler: It's brighter and happier than I could have ever dreamed!

Da bride and da groom!
Four years in, and Deek still calls me his bride. 
<happy sigh>

First anniversary

Second anniversary

Third anniversary 
Yep, that's happy weight, but spoiler...keto cures all. ;)
We're back to our regular weights again, thank goodness!

We haven't done fourth anniversary pics yet, 
but here's one from this weekend.

Let me tell you, these past four years have truly been the most glorious of my life. I loved Deek like crazy when we got married, but I love him even more now. We have fought battles side-by-side, gone on some serious adventures, laughed until our stomachs hurt (which is often), sung at the top of our lungs, danced under the stars, and a million other precious moments that make this bond between us even deeper.






When Deek and I first decided to consider dating, I was a romance cynic. Events in my life had led me to conclude that neither selfless, unconditional love nor soulmates existed. In fact, I told Deek not to bother falling in love with me (isn't that charming?) because I'd been through enough in my life to *know* that good men existed only in books and movies, not in reality. 

Yeah, imagine trying to woo that. But Deek was up for the challenge.

He showed me that good men--wonderful men--exist here in the real world. He melted my frozen heart and turned me into a sappy pile of blubbering romantic goo. I believe, y'all. In love. In soulmates. In forever. In good men. In happy marriages. All of it. He made me a believer!


He's my best friend, my true partner, my rock, my love, and yes...my soulmate. When we started talking about dating, we both sat down and went over our lists of things we could and could not accept in a relationship, and they matched. Perfectly. Like we were made for each other, and I truly believe we were.


I am happier than I had any idea a person could be. Every day, I wake up to Deek's smile, and every night, I go to sleep in his arms. He's my everything; my dream come true. 

It just keeps getting better!


My love, here's to four more, and four more, and four more, and four more... How about forever and always and then some?

Happy Anniversary to my amazing, loving, funny, kind, giving, over-the-top in the best possible way husband! I adore you more than words could ever say, and I'm honored to get to spend my life with you!

#Always