Chapter 2: A Growing Family
You know why I like to jog? All my thoughts are focused on the road ahead. There is no room left for any of the trees, or roads I just passed, only for the future. A bit philosophical perhaps, but that was how I was living my life.
The next few years would pass in a blur. I was working, and Brie was taking care of the homestead.
It wasn't too long before the future came at me. Brie was pregnant. We both talked about it, and decided that we wanted a large family. This would mean that Brie would be off work a lot, and we would never be able to afford a steady babysitter, so Brie quit her job.
While she could still manage to get out of the house, Brie spent most of the day at the park playing for tips. With the baby on the way, we realized that lawn living was something we had to leave behind.
I couldn't help but be excited. My childhood had been a happy one, and I hoped to pass that on to my children. I just prayed that my temper didn't cause a rift with my children, as it had with my parents.
I insisted that Brie take some time at the spa, she sometimes complained about her aching back at night.
Brie also took some time to visit her family and share with them the good news. Both her parents were getting up in age, and she wanted our kids to know at least one set of grandparents.
While I saw my 'old' family around, they started to ignore me as much as I ignored them. I guess they had stopped thinking about the past as well.
Mr. Chow was very happy with the news. He did joke that he felt he was still too young to be a grandfather though.
The baby came late at night. I wish I could say I was calm, cool and collective, there to assist Brie in this miracle known as birth.
But I wasn't.
Esmerelda Landgraab came very early in the morning, an artistic slob that loved kids music, tri-tip steak and the color lime green.
A little girl. I was so proud to be a daddy, and promised her that I would try and accept anyone she brought home. As long as he never hurt her that is.
It wasn't long before Brie was again pregnant, and then gave birth. Notice how calm I was?
This time to twin girls. Yes, twin girls. Little Frida Landgraab was a disciplined loner who liked latin music, cookies and the color hot pink. Her sister Frenchie was a brave neurotic that like latin music, shawamba and orange.
Esmerelda became a beautiful little girl who had somehow inherited my colored hair. I guess I had never changed it back, but now that I thought about it, the color had never seemed to wash out. Strange.
Through much scrimping and saving, we were finally able to build a small house. It would change a lot over the years as our family grew, but it was a great start.
Even after all this time, and with three little toddlers running around the house, Brie and I still found time for each other.
Which led to my twin sons. This is Billy Landgraab who is an absent minded, easily impressed guy who likes kids music, cheesesteak, and white.
And Brie was cuddling Ernest Landgraab, an evil couch potato that liked chinese music, fruit parfaits, and spice brown.
When we threw a party for the girls, something happened that ruined Brie's upcoming months.
Her mother Janice Chow died. While the party was still considered a smashing success, it left a very sad mood over the household for weeks to come.
Coming this close to the grim reaper caused poor Frenchie nightmares and neurotic episodes for months.
Esmerelda took up painting. She then matter-of-factly informed me that she was going to be a Master of the Arts one day, topping both painting and guitar. I just smiled, and promised that when she hit her teen years I would buy her a brand new guitar.
"Not a used one like mom please." Aaa, my angel.
She was also very quick to make a friend with this young fellow. She talked to him on the phone for days afterwards. But then he seemed to get too old for her, and she sadly informed me that he had 'moved on' from their friendship. I had to work off the anger from the hurt in her voice.
Again, jogging is something I enjoy. It helps me forget the past, and it makes me so exhausted, I don't lash out with my temper. It's perfect for a guy like me.