from where the apple drops

My life revolves around the "remember when’s," where Jes’s life revolves around the "what if’s." I like ranking lists (The Great Gatsby, 1984, The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man . . . Casablanca, The Godfather, North by Northwest . . . Smells Like Teen Spirit, Wonderwall, Say it Ain’t So); Jes likes charts and spreadsheets. I believe argument is a catalyst for truth-finding, Jes believes arguments = conflict. I’ve been known to sleep in the dirt, swim in glacier water, eat parts of plants and go unshowered for a week; Jes ritualistically bathes and sits on her flip-flops when sitting on grass. I have favorite forms of punctuation (the “M” dash, ellipsis); Jes has favorite numbers (3, 33). I want someday to build a personal library to rival all personal libraries; Jes would like someday to have an in-house dance studio. I rarely, if ever, look at our bank statements; Jes keeps a detailed spreadsheet of all income, daily expenses, expected expenses, and average expenses for the coming month (and also budgets my home depot spending). When I go to the ocean I like to get in the water; Jes has once or twice been dragged to the waters edge (with not a small amount of struggling). I like jobs that change frequently; Jes likes the routine and would rather know where we expect to be in 10 years. I would like to go to bed around 1 or 2am and wake around 10am; Jes would like to go to bed around 10pm and wake around 10am (even in the non-pregnant state). I expect to do actual activities during vacation; Jes expects to sit in the sun and talk. I like to wait until the dirty dishes during the day have piled up onto the surrounding counter space; Jes likes the dishes cleaned immediately after eating. My choice color for a baby girl was brown; Jes’s was pink (surprise). I like environmentally friendly products and practices because it preserves the beauty of forests and saves wildlife and maintains clean air and water; Jes likes environmentally friendly products and practices because they decrease living expenses. I dream solutions; Jes works things through. I play guitar; Jes dances. I see big picture; Jes sees the steps.

On the other hand . . . . We both hate mornings. We both have terrible eating habits. We like the home life—the quiet evening suits us. We enjoy soaking up sun. We enjoy family, barbecues, movies, walks, Sundays, working, learning (albeit different subjects). We like our neighborhood. We like cultural diversity. We both despise the general ignorance of the world. We like compromise. We both prefer the company of those who are straight-forward and honest aka “down to earth.” We like Totino’s pizzas. We’re both extremely attracted to one another. We'd like to travel the world together. We like the same music. And we both want the best for baby Emma who, by this account, may be a confused little child. Let's hope she takes the best from both of us and finds her own along the way.

One more month to go before the big happening! Love you Emma girl. Can't wait to meet you.