(Chapter 6) Be Careful What You Wish For

Life with the twins was anything but peaceful. We loved them dearly, but it wasn't easy going on zero sleep and add that to working. And here we were at the birthdays. Suzanne held Sebastian while we sang "Happy Birthday."

I held Maddox while we sang another round. Could it be time already?

Maddox was beginning to look more and more like me...

... while Sebastian was a mixture of both Suzanne and I. The boys were full of energy and it was all we could do to keep up. We truly learned to be careful what we wished for!

After the twins birthday it was time for Suzanne. Even as an elder I still thought she was just as beautiful as the day we met. I would never admit this to her, but I was quite relieved - I was starting to feel like a mid-life crisis was coming on, what with being married to a "youngin" and all. After Suzanne's birthday time flew by at warp speed.

Stephanie was off to college, and from the looks of what she was wearing she had high hopes.

Luckily she decided to get a makeover before she scared off any potential suitors. And from the looks of it there would be many.

• STEPHANIE STRATTON
• (Knowledge)
• sloppy/neat: 2
• shy/outgoing: 10
• lazy/active: 10
• serious/playful: 3
• grouchy/nice: 10

(***The only way I could that list to single spaced was to use the bulletins. I'm not real good w/ HTML***)

She was studying hard and found it fairly easy to make friends.

Of course Suzanne couldn't resist visiting her first born at college. Steph was more than happy to have her family spend time with her.

Even Linus was getting older. While we weren't too sure what breed he was, we loved him and thought he was adorable all the same.

All too soon it was time for the twins to celebrate yet another birthday.

Here's Sebastian - we still weren't too sure who's looks he inherited.

Then it was Maddox's turn.

There was no denying he was my son. And pretty darn handsome if I do say so myself.

My little Marisol was off to college too. Like her older sister, she decided to attend SSU and live in the dorm. She liked meeting new people and what better way to do it?

MARISOL STRATTON

(Popularity)

sloppy/neat: 10

shy/outgoing: 10

lazy/active: 9

serious/playful: 3

grouchy/nice: 1

Like her sister she made sure she got her studying done and out of the way. But unlike her sister she enjoyed a party or two. Fortunately her mother and I weren't aware of any of this. While things had slowed down now that we only had school-aged kids (FINALLY) but Melissa was becoming a teen and she too would soon be off to college, then the twins. Now Suzanne and I had to face the next stage of our lives. Death.