At The Beginning... For At Least The Third Time

On the brink of the New Year, we find ourselves in Houston with M's best friend, Ron, and family: Sarah, Mikey (4) and Annaliese (9 months). This is at least the third New Year we have spent with Ron. The first being the one and only time I have ever seen M drink to excess. (That last bottle was homemade wine, after the bottle of whisky... use your imagination on that one!)

I sat with Sarah on the sidewalk with the kids while the men lit fireworks much to the delight and awe of Mikey and G. We've come a long way, I mentioned to her. She agreed.

You see, Ron and M went to college together back in the day. They were two geek boys who found solace in a friendship on a small tightknit campus in small town Texas. After that college, they went their separate ways. They remained in touch.

When I met M, dated casually for two months, then seriously for two months and then got engaged. (A story for another Time.) From Ron's perspective, M had a date and was suddenly engaged. He was suspicious and skeptical. It took time, but I eventually won him over. (I think that first drunken New Year's Eve was a step in the right direction.) Yet, the scene was replayed in reverse when Ron met Sarah. He told us about wanting to go out with Sarah and the next thing we knew, they were getting married. Turnabout is fair play. And our lives continue that path.

I think when M and Ron were in college, they assumed themselves lifelong nerdy bachelors, set for days of fishing, grilling and lots of beer consumption. Since Sarah and I hit it off instantly, that changed the entire game. Sarah and I both wanted families and a settled down life. And you know we women get what we want.

I got pregnant in 2001 with G and Sarah had Mikey in 2002. That year was a huge difference until recently. The boys now get along really well and play like champs.

The girls are only 10 weeks apart, and will be able to relate to each other much sooner than the boys. Annaliese is crawling, and NJ isn't. That development gap will close quickly as they progress in age.

In the olden says, the men would fish or golf and Sarah and I would shop. With four kids, we don't have as much luxury for adult play. (In the time AND money department!) Or, rather Sarah and I don't have much of that. We are generally responsible for Child Management and Entertainment Coordination. We do let the men still have their "boy time" (aka "Male Bonding") because it is important to them. This weekend, for example, they broke out the POWER TOOLS and got their testosterone fix.

(Sarah and I did manage to take the babies out and do a *little* shopping.)

Gotta start the New Year out right, after all.