Courtney: Well, we have a twice monthly talk-down-from-the -ledge discussion. But this is better than the every other day discussions we were having a few weeks ago. Mikhail REALLY loved our house (the one we just sold). We had plans to stay in there longer than we did and I think when we originally built it, he envisioned us raising our kids there. It was a real sticking point in our relationship when we bought the property and were getting ready to put the house on the market. He felt like I had abandoned our plans and jumped on a one-way trip with Dana instead! While it really didn't go down like that, and venue talk was always present in the past 8 years (8 years people....) I could understand how he felt.

       Since we have moved...he is all about the venue! I can see him getting genuinely excited and geared up for the next 6 months of work or so...he even said he wanted to spend next weekend organizing our rental so we can really focus on what we need to do with the venue. He even calls it by it's 90% sure name! All that to say Mikhail is doing pretty good right now with all things considered...ask me in a couple of weeks though....



Dana: Well..Hmm..Overall, Sam is doing fine. The biggest issue with him is just communication. Court and I have our own ideas in our head and even though we are on plan ZZ, we know what the current plan of action is. Well, not the same for the boys. I know they feel like the plans change every other day and it is because they do! We are finally on "THE PLAN" and Sam is still thinking that they will change in the future. Truth is, they may change slightly, but for now- this is it. He wants a weekly update/progress report so that he can stay in the loop. And I am totally on board with that - I just don't know how these conversations are going to go...

Option 1:

Sam: So what's going on with the venue?
Dana: We have no more weeds overtaking the property
Sam: Good. Want a beer?

OR..Option 2:

Sam: So what's going on with the venue?
Dana: We have concrete
Sam: What are you going to do with it?
Dana: Pour it
Sam: *Rolls his eyes* Yes, but where?
Dana: Where it was on the plans
Sam: The plans have changed since then
Dana: Not this part
Sam: How am I suppose to know?
Dana: Whatever- we have concrete, it is being poured tomorrow.
Sam: Good. What about....

And so begins a very long conversation with questions I don't really know the answer to. Which makes me defensive, Sam mad, and leaves me with this feeling that Sam does not want to be walking down this path. When in truth he just wants to know the answers! I can tell that this is going to be GREAT for our marriage :)