The Cast

Before I go much further I thought maybe I should provide you with a sketch of the characters in this drama.

So, first of all there would be my husband, Mike. He's a hardworking and very patient guy. We moved to his home farm a little over a year ago and he's working two jobs now to make it all work. Both jobs could be considered "high need" so I don't see nearly as much of him as I'd like to. And usually when I do, we're both exhausted. Hence my earlier reference to fire and refining. We have some good days. We "fell in love" back in college after spending considerable amounts of time "chatting" on MSN messenger. (and my college roommates roll their eyes) I think my favorite semester was the one where we were publicly "just friends" but we knew each others' class schedules and would just happen to meet up at the same place in the sidewalk and then sit and talk until Mike missed his bus. :D I've often been tempted to have us both sign up for e-harmony just to see if we would happen to be matched " on the seven levels of compatibility." I really doubt it. We really are very much different. But Mike says that if we were similar we'd be boring. I think having it a little more boring might be nice....Maybe by the time we're 70 we'll figure it out. We still have good times and we make cute kids...

Then you have character #2, our son, Parker. He was born March 10, 2008 (you do the math) and hasn't given us a moment's peace since. Being a mother is nothing like what I had expected. God is teaching me to let go of expectations. Parker is intense and constantly on the go. He doesn't sleep much and doesn't like his mama to get out of his sight for too long. But I am deciding to enjoy being so popular for as long as I can along with enjoying cuddling him all... night...loooooong. You could probably classify him as "high need." But along with all the demands he's also showing signs of being extremely social and creative and intelligent. We've been teaching him baby sign language for the last several months and wow can that boy communicate. 7:30 a.m. the other day and he was sitting up in bed giving me the signs for "eat" and "cheese." He knows what he wants. We have fun, hanging out all day, riding bikes, going to the park, cooking. I'm extremely grateful that I can stay home with him, even on the days I'm pulling my hair out. He's more or less walking now too and pretty hard to resist as he teeters around the house on his straight little legs.

#3 would probably have to be my friend Christy. We've been friends since 8th grade and the night that I went to sleepover at her house and we decided that we weren't as into boys as the other girls because we had brothers and understood boys better. Haha. After that we ended up roommates at Iowa State for four years after she talked me into it. I'd have to say that she knows me better than anyone else and has put up with a lot from me through roomming together and guys and getting married and all. But wouldn't you know, the week after I get married she ups and moves out to middle-of-no-where Wyoming and leaves me to figure out this marriage stuff by myself. And she likes it there! So I've given up hope on ever getting her back...although I keep offering her a room in my upstairs. But we still keep in touch a lot and I still run most things by her before I do much...

There you have it, the 3 main players. Don't worry, there are more, but that's all we have time for today, and probably the three that I will refer to the most in my "musings.