We May Have A New Pet...

Lately, we've had this cat hanging around the house.  It's not a stray....the cat is too sweet to be a stray.  It's also well fed (or an excellent hunter, but we'll get to that).  As you may recall, we are living in the house I grew up in, so my parents have lots of advice for us about making and keeping our home a happy one.  One particular piece of advice they've offered is that we get an outdoor cat.  The house is located back in the woods, and my parents let us know that having an outdoor cat will help keep the snakes away...as well as other critters.  

My husband is allergic to cats, and we don't really have the money to spend on an extra monthly dose of pet-meds.  So, we've tarried.

Then, this cat shows up and meows at the door pretty all the time.  My husband feels sorry for feline, so he feeds her.  Now she won't leave.  She even brought us a "present" and put it on our door step. 

So...what do you think?  When cats come bearing "gifts", does that mean they're here to stay?   

Then we found out that she was a he.  And he has been around for about two weeks now.  Zombie loves him!  And we've named him Aladdin!   

{Try really hard not to judge me or my husband or our ability to be cat parents on:  -the horrible phone photos & their quality, the leaves that are STILL at the bottom of our steps, or all the weeds growing between our bricks.)

365 Days Ago I Went on My Last First Date

This was us, a year ago today!
If I look scared in this picture, it's because I was.  I was terrified.  I was sober, for one thing.  Quite unlike me at the time.  I always smoked pot before a date, especially before a first date.  Not this one though.  Mr. Robinson deserved better.  I didn't smoke.  I was scared, but I just stuck it out.  I didn't know who to be.  All my life, I was great with people because I just put on a mask and be what they wanted me to be.  If I was at a bar, I knew the kind of girl I was supposed to be.  If I was with my parents, I put on a different mask.  If I was waiting tables, I changed my mask depending on the type of table I was serving.  It was all easy when I knew what I was dealing with.  But him?  I was clueless.  He was a Christian.  He was a good person.  He loved Jesus and he liked me, something I found to be pretty impossible.  With every other guy I'd ever met, I knew what he wanted.  I knew what kind of girl I needed to be.  This was not the case with this guy.  I didn't know what he wanted.  I'd never dated a Christian before.  I'd never wanted to before.  
Mr. Robinson took this picture of us before we left to go on our first date.  He took it on his cell phone.  We were standing in my apartment.  I had butterflies.  I had been trying on outfits all week.We didn't know we were about to fall head over heels in love.We had no idea that we would get engaged about a month later.We had no idea that this was our last first date.We had no idea that by the end of the year, we'd be Mr. & Mrs. Robinson.
I gave him a card that said "You make me melt."  & I added "Fa Sho" to the card.  And I drew out a hand making an "okay" sign in the bottom corner because we've always played this game where if you make the "okay" sign below your waist and get someone to look at it, you get to (gently) punch them.  It was a game all of the staff at Ruby Tuesday played.  Over time, we all got better at the game and had to find more clever ways to "get" each other.  I drew the "okay" sign in the bottom corner of the card.  When we saw it, the card was below his waist.  Winning!  I also gave him a heart-shaped box of Reese's Cups, his favorite candy.
He gave me a brown & turquoise journal.  I now use it to take notes of the messages we hear in church and as a prayer journal.  He also wrote me a poem.  I know.  I keep it on my dresser.  I read it often.  

I struggle to find the words that express what you mean to me.

But with Valentine's Day drawing near,

This one thing I desire to make clear:

There is nothing in the world more special than you, I do believe.

Whether its tunnel vision or perfect sight,

To my life you bring in the brightest light.

Everyone else seizes on day to tell a significant other, "You're the best,"

Babe, I'm here to say that I will seize it on all the rest.  

We left my apartment.  His car was parked on the curb.  We walked over to it.  He opened my door.  I was so shocked.  I didn't exactly behave like a respectable lady, and I was surprised to be treated like one for the first time in a very long time.  I got into the car.  He waited.  He even closed the door for me.  I swooned.  We went to an Indian restaurant called Chutney.  It was late, I had been held up at work, and we were the only people in the restaurant.  I tried new foods I'd never eaten before.  I was exposed to a new culture.  The owner came and talked to us.  He wouldn't shut up.  Haha.    

We were walking out the door, and on the hostess stand was a little candy-dish-looking-thing full of colored seeds.  Bright colors.  Mr. scoops some into his hand.  I probably looked at him like he was nuts.  He said, "here," like he wanted to give me some of these crazy rice beans.  I stuck my hand out and dropped some into my hand.  He opened his mouth, and threw the crazy colored things into his mouth.  I was pretty sure they were drugs, haha.  SO, naturally, I followed suit.  They were not drugs.  You chewed on them, but didn't swallow them, and they would freshen your breath.  Whatever.  It was weird.  After you gnawed on them for a while, you were supposed to spit them out.  I was pretty mortified.  Spitting on a first date?!  

We went back to my apartment.  Nothing happened.  He was a gentleman.  Then, he left.  

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I can't believe that a year ago I was on my last first date.  It seriously blows my mind to think of how much has happened in the past year.  How far I've come from the girl I was last year.  Our relationship has grown and matured in ways I could have never predicted.  I love him, he's the most important person in my life, and I'm the luckiest girl in the world.  We have our faults, we have our flaws, we have our baggage.  But we work.  We make it work.  We're great together, really.  We are so insanely similar in one handful of ways.  In the other hand, we have a handful of differences.  

In church yesterday, he had flowers put in the front of the sanctuary in celebration of Valentine's Day and of the one year anniversary of our first date.  The flowers are SO pretty!  Pink and white lilies are my all-time favorite flower.  He's so sweet.  :)  Everyone in church said "awww" in unison when the service leader announced who placed the flowers.  After church Sunday night, we brought the flowers home and they are on the small table in our kitchen.   

I was taking pictures of my flowers from all the different angles, and Zombie got jealous.  Haha!

I'm making an Indian dish for dinner tonight, one I haven't tried before!  I'm excited!  We are going out tomorrow night to celebrate Valentine's Day and our one year anniversary of our first date.  I'm very excited!  He's been planning and sneaking around for two weeks now, and he keeps telling me it's going to blow my mind.
I am just so in love with my husband.  
I hope y'all have a great Monday!  

Once Upon A Time: Zombie

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there was a girl who was dating a boy.  This boyfriend was all wrong for her, but she was young and silly and foolish and knew no better.  This boys mother bred Chihuahua's and when she could not sell off all the puppies from a particular litter, she "gave" one of those ugly little rats to her son and his girlfriend.

The girlfriend was very upset.  She did not like Chihuahua's and she did not want to get stuck taking care of HIS dog!  

But then...she began to notice how cute the little fella was!  It all started when she bought him a snuggie...

The bond between this dog and his daddy's girlfriend grew and grew!  The girlfriend ended up being the little pooch's primary caretaker, and when things went south in their relationship...the girlfriend KEPT THE DOG!

Did I mention that this story is about me & Zombie? :)  

I mean, really, how could I give him up?  He is so adorable, even for a little rat dog.

 

For a long time, mommy looked for the perfect daddy for little Zombie.  Finally, Mr. Robinson came along and today, Zombie has a daddy who loves him very much!  :)

It's crazy, but Zombie completes our little family.  :)  I take him almost everywhere with me - even to work!  He loves keeping my company in the craft room....he was being particularly photogenic the other day and I just had to share the pictures!

Since he so tiny, he gets cold very easily (even though it's been in the 70's here this week!) so he likes to lay near the little space heater I use to heat my little room, or in the sunshine by the window.  :)  He also thinks he is a princess and has to be laying on the biggest pile of pillows and/or blankets in the room.  :)  He is just precious to me!

You'd love him too!  I mean...seriously, just look at this HANDSOME FACE!  :)  Isn't he photogenic?!

I'd love to hear about anyone else out there who happens to be equally obsessed with their pets!  Are your animals a part of the family, much like a child?  My husband and I do not have any children quite yet (we may decide we never want kids), but we both regard Zombie as our offspring.  Maybe it's a little weird, but he requires a lot of attention and time.  Tell me about your life, love, & pets!  :)