LET'S DO THE TIME WARP!

We're going to hit fast-forward now, so that I can give you a very quick version of the next thirteen or fourteen years, before heading back overseas:

We spent two years in Kingsville, heading up to Houston every chance we got to see all our old buddies.  Paula and Tim locked in their position as best friends by being the only ones who were willing to return the favor and make that long drive down to see us!  We gave a darn good toga party with the Sanfords.

John and Tim doin' the Gator

I had two miscarriages while in Kingsville.  A young bachelor named Danny Reeh, from a ranching family out in the Texas Hill Country, had just started working with John there at Mobil, and one of my miscarriages happened the first time he had us over for dinner.  I got up and rushed out in the middle of the meal, dragging John with me.  Poor Danny thought it was because he served us venison!  He met his future wife Peggy, a student at the college where I worked, while there.

We finally made it to Houston, and eventually, Danny and Peggy ended up there too.  I went to work as a store manager for Foxmoor Casuals.  We threw lots more good parties with Paula and Tim, introducing our new Mobil friends into the mix, and a baby shower for old friends Nellie and Dave.  Tim found an abandoned mangy mutt in the street near his office, and talked us into taking her in.  Munchkin was our first child.

We then hosted a Danish exchange student for a year.  Eric was our second child.  He got us involved in AFS, the organization that brought him over.  We later hosted Tamaki from Japan and Dewi from Indonesia, each for a summer.

Mr. Tim got cancer.  He recovered, but they were told they probably couldn't have children.  I had a third miscarriage.  Both couples started looking into adoption.  Then Paula heard of someone who knew someone who knew of a doctor.  I went to see him.  Not long after he figured out what ailed me, and fixed it, Paula came down with a "weird virus" that was making her throw up every morning.  Her virus, whom they named Chase, and our Alexis were born just three months apart.

To be continued...