8 Years: Early Onset LCE Syndrome

Flashback: March 18, 2000

Ah, the Y2K scare was behind us...we were settling into the 00's quite nicely. But most importantly, Eli and Cindy (also affectionately known as Papa E and Mama Hansen) became Mr. and Mrs. Eli M Carpenter...or was it Mr. and Mrs. Cynthia A. Hansen, I forget (not really true, we all know the answer). We were married in a church with people around, then shuttled to the Waterford hotel to drink into the night. That pretty much sums it up...our wedding day. A blissful time for all, including Cindy and I, although it was mostly a blur (the euphoria of the event, not the alcohol). Most thought we would probably never make it that far, much less to 2008. But sometimes people surprise you, by people I mean me. I finally grew up. I finally finished school, albeit with 216 hours of undergrad work. I finally got a real job. Cindy finally got to quit her job to raise babies. We finally bought into the suburban lifestyle with a 4 bedroom mortgage and a minivan (ugh). I still maintain my individualism by throwing stickers on the back of my old 4runner and dreaming of getting a tattoo (which I will never do dad). Ok, so some things never change.

On that beautifully crisp (by crisp I mean butt ass cold) early spring evening, I experienced the first symptom of the affliction I have now diagnosed as LCE Syndrome. LCE stands for Life Changing Event. It is no joke people, quit snickering! On our wedding night, a beautiful union of souls, I became the victim of severe fever and gastric issues of monumental proportion. Two and a half years later, the night E was born, the EXACT same symptoms reared their nasty little heads once again. Then came the transfer to Tulsa, the 25th Street house fiasco (Gigi made Cindy cry while eight months prego, that beotch), the move to Arkansas (9 months later), the birth of F, the Halleck Coach house that cracked (and ensuing drama with dealing with the developer), the move to Stoney Creek...all accompanied by the same LCE symptoms. Hmm. Strange, no?

It has been a very interesting decade for the Carpenter's. It all began on Texas Street in Norman, OK. So in eight years, we have moved exactly six times, bought eight pieces of property, built a house, euthanized a pet (we miss Fatty), replaced him with a Shit-Zu (wrong spelling, but accurate description), had two clones, bought a minivan, and have still managed to maintain some sense of sanity and decorum. Whew...can we retire to the beach yet?

Happy Anniversary G! It has been a wild ride, and I am soooooo glad we are finally beginning to see the benefit of being normal! Much love to all (especially my G) during this spring of further impending change.