Thanks everyone
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Lieta - a Lana/Lois confrontation... hmmmm....
Framework - in our married couples Sunday School class, someone made this point about arranged marriages. That they tend to be looked at as a partnership and that each person is a whole person, that they don't rely on the other one for fulfillment. Problems can be worked out through negotiation etc. That 'romantic' love may or may not ever come in those relationships but they can still happy and fulfilling none the less. And, yes, it's official
. The girlfriend is Mindy [but not Church because she's never been married to Bill - not a clue what her maiden name is...].
Ann - they are far from perfect. I don't enjoy stories about perfect people [generally] because I'm not perfect and perfect is boring or can be and people with flaws are more interesting. As Lisamaree pointed out [and you agreed with], sometimes people - men and women - are deservedly selfish. When DS was so sick, he demanded so much of me that I didn't have anything left for DH [after doing the bare minimum for the other kids]. It *was* pretty... selfish of me [though I'm not quite sure that's the right term]. I *needed* him to take care of me because I simply *couldn't* take care of him or even myself sometimes. I had to give and give to DS and the other kids [we're talking making sure diapers were changed and everyone survived the day with something to eat - nothing 'overboard'] which meant I could only take from him. Long term, that kind of relationship won't work. In a good relationship, there will be times that each person ends up taking and the other giving but most of the time there's give and take from both. Not long after DS' surgery, DH had a kidney stone so bad that he literally couldn't move much at all for a couple weeks and the roles were somewhat reversed [the house went to that hot place in a handbasket b/c he couldn't do it and they were both very intensive in their needs]. Anyway... I'm glad you can see them as human - that's a good goal
. Oh and Nana and Pop Pop? Who? /ducks and runs/ Seriously, I thought the chapter where a lot of that is explained was going to be right before I head out of town the first week of November, but I think I may have counted wrong. If I can get enough done this week [pre Nano], I'll do a bonus post before I leave
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Lisamaree - I think you've hit Lois on the head here. I remember with DS I was so tired and so sick and I couldn't help but be a bit selfish [see comment to Ann above too]. I think Clark is trying - but it's hard...
AnKS - why does everyone want a Lois/Lana confrontation? /looks puzzled/ hehe I love that he tells her the truth about where he's been. Life doesn't always wait and Clark will be confronted with that question at some point... More details? AH! Will have to RAFO
. I said to Beth last night that no one mentioned the Christopher thing, but I must have overlooked it when I read this the first time. Interesting speculation...
Michael - glad you enjoyed it! Safe trip!
More momentarily...
Carol