Melinda B. started a blog and I'm pretty much in love with it. She has only posted like 5 times so you should read all of her post. Shes pretty funny. Did you know Melinda was that funny? Melinda, you are, and we will keep reading.
Click here for MelindaB

(stole your picture Ben)

I love your red hair and how you always ask me to pick out your clothes. I like it when I get up before you do(when you're supposed to be up before me) and I come into our room from the bathroom and you move around in bed to make me think you're getting up. I know your tricks.
I love you Mr. Broome.

tmi

but here you go, for my readers..

Yesterday.
I took off work to study and go to the Dr.
Andy took off work to go with me so the better part of our morning was spent together. I studied, he worked on the bookshelf for our den.
Then to the Dr.
And please let me tell you how much I wish I had pictures for this post. I have one, and I will post it tomorrow, but it just doesn't make the story as oohey gooey as I would like.
And this is a gooey story.

A few weeks ago I had a mole on my back removed. Nothing was wrong with it, it looked normal. The lab results came back on it though and it was determined to be "A-typical." I don't really know what that means, but I do know it means they wanted some more of my skin to test to make sure there were no "melanomas" around where the mole had been removed.
Just call me Dr. Broome for summarizing medical stuff for you, ok?
So yesterday was the day I had to go and give them some of me.
Andy even asked me last night "does it feel weird to know that a piece of you(literally a chunk) is sitting in a jar right now?" Thanks Andy, what a clever way to think about it.
Moving on.
So Andy and I went to see the most wonderful dermatology Dr. around these parts.(I just determined this. He's short, and snowy haired, and he looks like a grandpa.)
After having a "local anesthetic" rubbed on the spot where the tissue was to be removed, I was taken to another room to lay down and have the rest of the numbing stuff injected.
Andy held my hand. Then the Dr. poked a needle around the spot(that was not quite numb) until soon, I had no feeling at all.
The anticipation of having a knife in my back and more than a top layer of skin being removed scared the crap out of me. I could only think about what the second and third and fourth layers of skin looked like. Pink, red, goeey. Mmm..
Tear. One tear. I shed one tear of anticipation.
Then the cutting began and I didn't even know it. Andy held my hand and he squeezed harder when the cutting and removing was going on. I didn't know, but I could really guess based on his faces and hand squeezing.
The nurse said "Ok, now your going to hear a drilling noise but that's ok, just relax."
Drilling, buzzing, Andy said they were "cleaning it."
He later told me they were "cauterizing it" because I was bleeding a good bit.
Cauterizing is burning the skin ok?
So here's the end.
I asked if I could see the chunk of me they took. After all, it was mine. Andy said "NO. Don't let her." The nurse agreed.
Since when do I have a weak stomach?
Speaking of weak stomachs, I hear were getting storms this weekend...
Anyway, the point of this whole story is that I got to get ice cream afterwards. Am I five??
I did, a cup of Bryers Heath Bar Vanilla. Darn good.

So, lastly and positively. I am confidant in the Lord's goodness in the pain I feel today and in the results whatever they may be.
I am also very thankful for a sweet husband to hold my hand and talk about ice cream flavors while it was going on to distract me.
What is you favorite flavor? Can you think about ice cream and blood at the same time?

I never thought I would be a gardening woman. It was never THAT appealing to me, but this weekend I really enjoyed it. I guess it would be natural to enjoy it like eating an apple or learning to do something with your hands. Its like Gods gift, His earth. He gives it to us and tell us to make something of it.
So, we worked in the yard all weekend. I have flowers, lots of them! They are pretty and they smell good too. I want them to grow so I can dig them up and put them in jars all over the house.
Not much more to say, but pictures to explain.


My table, I love the birdie napkin holders.

Clean kitchen, finally.

I don't think blackberries are known for their picture quality, but sometimes I just can't resist snapping one. The sun's coming up in this picture and isn't it lovely?

Mr. Broome told me not too long ago that honesty is what would make people enjoy my blog. I think he possibly could be right so I am going to endeavor to be very honest from now on. Not that honesty is always called for.. sometimes all a blog post calls for is a picture of Betsy snoogling her mutilated duck baby. I'll try to get one for ya tommorrow.

I am going to sum up the ingredients to a fuss Mr. Broome and I had last night.
I got home from work and he was on the phone. I left to go running and he was still on the phone. I got home from running an hour later and wonder of wonders, he was still on the phone. This time though he whispered, "Mom and dad are coming over to help us decide on some things to plant in the yard." So they came and we all chatted about trees and flowers, soil, dirt, and fertilizers. Then they left, I called my mom while unloading the dishwasher, and finally went to the den to sit down and talk to Mr. Broome.
Finally.
I love my talks with him especially after a long day. He seriously needed to know how my new tennis shoes felt, how the sweatier I get the more accomplished I feel, and how I didn't want leftovers. He was measuring a window. His mind was in the measuring. I asked him what he wanted for dinner, when he was going to be ready to eat, what color socks he was wearing, what singer inspired his heart the most... Not the last two. Err, the point is, I hadn't talked to him all day and I wanted his undivided attention.
Undivided.
Then his phone rang and it was Ben and they were chatty about man stuff.
I went crazy. Mr. Broome always says that women have snakes in their head, and maybe just maybe I do. Mr. Broome is always good at feeding them love and hugs and kisses, so they don't stir things up too often.
So he chatted on while heating up a sandwich and I stormed off.
Then the fuss began. He didn't understand why I was so irritated.
I got in a bath, gave him his space, thought about it, and thought about it some more.
I soon decided that, yes, I had overreacted. I had gotten crazy over nothing, and I can't always blame it on the snakes. I have to take responsibility for my own actions!!! I already learned this in Kindergarten!
So, I told Mr. Broome my thought process. I sort of said a mumbled apology. I admitted that he normally does gives me his undivided attention. He does, he really does.

We got in bed, and read our book. We laughed about some stuff, and the whole night was not ruined. Nor sir it wasn't.

THEN, Mr. Broome did the most wonderful thing.
He cooked breakfast before he went to work this morning. Cheese eggs and jelly biscuits.

Are you in love with him as much as I am? Mr. Broome you HAVE to be the most wonderful man in the world. Its true. I think it every time I watch you leave for work in the morning. There goes the most wonderful man in the world.

Last night is worth telling you about today. Just because I enjoy telling you about my time with Mr. Broome.
The ADT(security system) man left our house after quoting us $1500 for security. Ouch, guess money grows on trees in some back yards, but not ours. I guess we could start bucketing all of those apples.
Mr. Broomes pick me upper was, "Well, at least we can afford ferns! Lets go to Lowe's." So we went to pick out trees, shrubbery, flowers that we would like to plant for Spring.
Lowe's was out of ferns. Darn it. I was really looking forward to Mr. Broome hanging them on the front porch last night. It needs some color out there.
No ferns. No planting till Saturday. So we headed to Firehouse for dinner. As we were walking out with our sandwiches, Mr. Broome a meatball sub, and me a whole wheat turkey:)
I saw the biggest freakin rainbow.

It was lovely. So lovely I took a very low quality picture of it with my phone.
Then on the way home because the sky was every pink, orange, plumish, reddish color you would want to see on a Monday night, I took some more.


Then Mr. Broome and I began another chapter in our book. We Love this book. If you are a woman, would you ever think a book could read your mind? Speaking from experience, this one does.
Then, we had a pretty serious convo about the chapter we had read. It was so serious that Betsy came over to the bed and whined. It wasn't actually THAT serious, but Betsy needed some lovin.
Mr. Broome rubbed her sweet head and found another tick. Sick.
We plucked it off of her. Are you grossed out? I don't care, shes a country dog.
BUT. Mr. Broome and I do need to get some tick spray or something for the yard. Do they even make that???

On a side note. If you are reading this today and your name is Caroline Paris. I just want to say I love you friend.

I had a wonderful birthday. After pasta and lasagna with my mom Thursday night, I got home to take a long bath. Andy was so excited about his bday present for me that he came in and said, "Do you want it right now?" I told him, "no," I don't like early surprises, but he insisted.
My mom had given me new running shorts and a top.
Andy pulls from behind his back the same shorts with a sad look on his face.

I told him it was ok and I could trade them for a different color.
Then, he pulled out matching running shoes! They were A-dorable and he did SUCH a
Great job picking them out. Just what I needed. I couldn't have been more delighted.

Friday night, Andy took me to dinner at our favorite restaurant in Atlanta, Oceanaire. I told him that ALL I wanted for my bday was to dress up and go to dinner somewhere. Dinner was LOVELY and yummy. Mr.Broome even shared a HUGE ice cream topped brownie with me. He never indulges in sweets.

My co-workers and friends made my bday so special too. Turning 24 is still a big day when you have wonderful friends and family like I do. Dawn, Anita, Susu, and the rest of my co-workers took me to lunch Friday. Jaime and Amy invited me to shop with them Saturday just so they could get an idea of what I would like for my bday.
I'll tell you what though. Its not one darn bit about what someone "gets" for you. Its about the thought they put into it. The sweetness in a friend going out of their way just to think of how to make me feel special.
24 was a great birthday. A great reminder that I am loved, and I am really thankful for that.

I'm turning 24 today. One more year and I'm half way to 50, but we don't have to think about that. I have few things to say about this day, but one important thing that sticks out in my mind.
The sweet Lord has blessed me with 24 years on this earth. He has given me all I ever needed and more. He has walked me through high points and low points. He has taught me more and more each year about life and what is important. I am thankful today, thankful after watching the news all week that I have been able to stick around. I hope I will make the most of the rest of the years he gives me.
I hope I have many more.
I hope you do too.

I love this quote and how I am already learning after almost a year of being married how true it is.

"When you marry a person, you are saying, "I am choosing to love you. I am choosing to accept your strengths and weaknesses, your flaws, and the ways in which you show your love to me. I understand there will be hard times, but I am choosing to walk through those with you - hand in hand together."

Andrea Ross (This is her blog. She's being featured on SITS today!)

Story, but no pictures.
Me and Mr. Broome worked in the yard most of Sunday afternoon. We moved dirt around, pine straw, and talked about where we wanted to plant some shrubbery, etc.
We sat on our swing and enjoyed the wind.
Then.
Mr. Broome got a wild hair. Those red heads are Always gettin wild hairs!
In the back yard, we have this bush kind of plant. Not really sure what in the heck it is. It has long, stretched out vines that cover this patio in the backyard. So I guess Bush's don't really have vines, but this just tells you how WEIRD this plant is. Mr. Broome has had enough of it. SO..
I was just about to walk inside the house when Mr. Broome said, "Stay there darlin, we have business to take care of." Off he went into his building with a mission in mind and little time before sundown.
He came out with a chain, a big chain, and the black truck.
He hog tied the bush with his chain, which was attached to the black truck. He got in his truck and vroomed backwards.
No luck though.
This unruly bushvine would require the big white truck.
Do you think the white truck lifted that sucker?
No.
Mr. Broome had to get on his hands and knees, holding the rope/chain, tying it tight around this jerk of a bushvine!
And then.
Mr. Broome enlisted the help of his wife.
"I'm sorry darlin, but this is the way it has to be. Hop up in that big white truck and push the gas for me darlin. Come on hun, I'm countin on ya."

Would you believe that bush vine is still in the ground? We were able to rip some vines off the sucker, but that was about it.

I'm sure there will be another sunset bushvine tale to tell soon to come.
Just you hold your horses.

Last week. Just like other weeks.
But.
I made my sugar some rice crispy treats. Home made, yes sir.

Its all in the elbow, and in the heart:)


Oh yeah, I ran my first 8 miles Saturday. No pictures of that though, unless you really wanna see my red, sticky, sweaty, face. Oh you do? I'll take pictures next time.
Had dinner with friends Saturday night. Andy and Russ have made a serious new friend who makes hamburger steaks that are outa this world.


Our hostess home was LOVELY! See the paneling in the background.

Whats a blog post without a pic of me and the hubs?

Now for one story.
Betsy is no longer just a sissy house dog wanna be hunter. She caught her first mouse. Actually, TWO. Yes, I got home from work Friday to find hubs and Betsy in the field behind the house. Andy was all excited because he didn't know she had it in her. Oh she did though. After standing outside for a bit with them, I actually saw a mouse take off and Betsy chased it and caught it! Ah.. she didn't get all crazy with it or anything, I think she was scared to hurt it, but she definitely carried it in her mouth and then tried to roll on it. Grapes, shrimp and now.. mice. All delicacies to Betsy. If she loves it, she'll roll on it.

Too much info on a Sunday night?

One more thing. We received information of a plane crash and a college student passing this weekend. Please pray for the families affected.

Friends, check out the "blog frog" on the right of my page. Follow the community link! Just do it!

Picture from Saturday night.
Friends came for chili. Lydia brought peach cobbler. Bruschetta and brownies were thrown in the mix. It was all yummy. Especially Andy's chili. It always is. Except when he throws bratwurst in it. Eww.

I am going to try to take more pictures from now on. Like a picture a day. Wouldn't that be great?
Err. The picture above was taken with Amy's camera. Thanks Amy!

I've been absent. I have some pictures though. Are you ready? I'm re-capping some stuff for ya.Not much, just a little.

I know V-day was FOREVER ago. Betsy got heart shaped doggie treats. Yes, we made her pose with them.

The hubs cooked. It was deliciously loverly.

Mr. Romance sprinkled our home with rose petals. It was real sweet. I think he still loves me like the day we got married.
BUT. That's enough of that:)

Remember the last possum story? Here is another one. Orange possums in the picture above..You can barely see them but there are two.

The culprit? Whoa Black Betsy bamalam!

Snow day!
Sleep day.




Betsy enjoyed the snow too. No cold noses here.

Pictures of people soon to come.