Four years ago, I did lots of hanging out with Jeremy’s buddies and their wives (now women who are my close, close friends). There was one child, a small boy, between all of us young couples. We’d play cards or board games together, sometimes grilling on someone’s back porch or going for walks together. Fast forward to April 2, 2005. Scene: the Runza Rex playground. Occasion: a birthday celebration for four year old twins. Volume: very loud and sometimes screechy (Livia contributed to the screechy part). Collective number of children: 8. Moment number one of “how did I get here?”.

Twelve years ago, a 16 year old Jami Smith and I laid on the ground under the pine trees at Horn Creek camp listening to Depeche Mode on Jami’s walkman. She, crazy-in-teenage-love for another camper that in my memory looks like a young John Travolta, and me, thrilled with my first PYA experience. We became fast friends and then pen pals for the next several years before drifting off to our different and separate lives. Fast forward to April 3, 2005. Scene: the Zion infant nursery. Occasion: a typical Sunday morning, both of us with babies on our hips. Conversation: crawling (or lack thereof), baby shoes and children who refuse to eat. Moment number two of the “how did I get here?” game!

So how did I get here? I HAVE NO IDEA.