My name is Lydia Penelope Barclay and I am twenty years old. I grew up with my loving parents Cornelia Rhoda Barclay (nee Avery) and Virgil Wallace Barclay and I have one older brother, Edmund Godfrey Barclay, who is five years my senior.
I am currently midway through college and I already have a job lined up and plan on becoming a lawyer. I've been dating the love of my life, Jonah Percival Lawson, since my first year of college. Jonah's a year older than me, and he's planning to become a doctor - more specifically a cardiovascular surgeon.
I have recently found out that I am pregnant. Jonah is worried, not sure he's ready to be a father, but we agree that we are both in it for the long haul, planning to raise the baby together. After my twenty-first birthday and my third year of college begins, I give birth to a healthy baby boy; who we name Henry Jonas Barclay-Lawson.
After two years of amiably living together and raising Henry, Jonah and I have decided not to live together anymore. There was no cheating, there were no fights--we simply realized that we no longer were in love with each other. We maintain a friendly relationship, but we don't really spend time together unless it is to drop off Henry at one another's home.
I now live in an apartment, sharing Henry's time with Jonah. I am currently twenty-five and Henry is four and has really come into his own as a little person - he's a troublemaker for the most part, but he can also be sweet when he wants to be which is all that matters in the end, he's a good boy despite his trouble making precocious nature.
When I enroll Henry in preschool, I am a little surprised to find that the teacher is a young, attractive man, named Remy Dashiell Crawford, one that many of the mothers take notice of. He's great with Henry, and after he realizes I am a single mom he seems to take an interest in me--being extra friendly, making jokes, taking a bit longer to talk to me before I leave. One day, I arrive while the children are still busy playing a game outside with the teacher's assistant, and after talking for a few minutes, Remy says, "I hope this isn't awkward, but I'd like to take you out on a date." I'm floored yet excited nonetheless.
Worried it might make things awkward, I accept, figuring that if one date goes badly we can stop. Otherwise...Remy is very handsome, very kind, and he makes me laugh. I decide I have nothing to lose. I tell Henry about my plan to go on a date with Mister Crawford, and Henry is a little confused on the whole idea, but don't seem completely opposed to it.
My first date goes surprisingly well, and we continue to date, even after Henry finishes preschool.Remy has told Henry that when he's not at school, and now that they're finished with preschool, that they can call him Remy, not Mister Crawford. As our relationship matures, Henry and Remy grow close, as I'd hoped.
After two years of dating, we are now living together in my apartment. I am twenty-seven, Henry is six and Remy is twenty-nine. One Friday night, I arrive home from work and Remy has already picked Henry up from Jonah's house and there are flowers on the table. When I ask what they are for, Remy goes into a short, romantic speech about how he much he loves me and Henry and could not imagine spending the rest of his life without us. Then Remy gets down on one knee and asks me to marry him.
I start crying tears of happiness, and look at Henry, who has been there the whole time, and is smiling. Remy says that he asked Henry ahead of time if they thought it was okay, and that Henry had kept the secret from me all week. Knowing now that Henry has agreed, I give an enthusiastic yes.
A year later, when I am twenty-eight, Henry is seven, and Silas is thirty, we get married. Our wedding is fairly large, with many of our friends, extended relatives and a few coworkers outdoors. I pick out the most beautiful ballgown dress and I have an elegant rustic bouquet; and Remy wears a chocolate tuxedo. Henry is the most adorable little ring bearer in a black suit. The wedding is just stunningly set up. We even have a whole cake stand with different kinds since we were so indecisive and I am a dessertaholic. The wedding was fantastic and honestly, a wonderful time. Jonah attended and then took Henry home with him for two and a half weeks while Remy and I went to Nice, France; Santorini, Greece and Bali for our honeymoon.
Only a couple months after we get married and moved into a new house, I discover that I am pregnant. We had talked about kids, but hadn't planned on it happening right away. Nonetheless, we are excited, and when Henry is eight years old and Remy and I are twenty-nine and thirty-one. This pregnancy goes a little smoother than my last one, I have someone willing to hold my hair while I get sick morning, noon and night and Remy is understanding of all cravings going out at midnight to fetch me grapes, avocado,bacon and pesto pasta and everything else that comes to mind. We even make one of the few empty/guest bedrooms in our home into a nursery with Henry's help. I give birth to my second child, though it is my first with Remy. The baby is a beautiful baby girl, Remy and I name her Aurora Claudia Crawford. She is the prettiest baby girl and I know just looking at her that I love her as much as I love Henry.
It has been three years since Aurora was born. Henry is now 11, Aurora is now 3, and Remy and I are 32 and 34.
I was content with my small, somewhat unconventional family--still only seeing Henry about half the time since I shared 50/50 custody with Jonah--but as Aurora grows older Remy starts talking about having more kids. I was okay with just two, but hubby really wanted another child, and the more Remy talked about it the more I liked the idea of having another baby. After a couple months of trying we conceive. I can't believe how thrilled I am and Henry is excited to be a big brother again, but not as much as Aurora who is thrilled to be a big sister and they both help Remy and I when we take the room we had been using as a spare guest room and storage and make it into a sunning nursery. About a month after Aurora's third birthday I give birth to a Baby Boy, who we name Spencer Leland Crawford.
After Spencer is born, Remy and I decide that we are content with three children
It's ten years in the future, and Remy and I are still happily married with three kids ages 21, 13, and 10.
It's been 25 years, and now my children are 46, 38, and 35, and all have grown and become wonderful people with amazing families.
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The Barclay-Crawford Family:
DW: Lydia Penelope Barclay-Crawford [67] (Lawyer)
DH: Remy Dashiell Crawford [69] (Preschool Teacher)
Ex-DBF: Jonah Percival Lawson [33] (Father of Henry) (Cardiovascular Surgeon)
DS1: Henry Jonas Barclay-Lawson [46]
DD1: Aurora Claudia Crawford [38]
DS2: Spencer Leland Crawford [35]
Lydia Barclay-Crawford (and ex-boyfriend Jonah Lawson) and Remy Crawford; with Henry, Aurora & Spencer
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The Barclay-Lawson
DS1: Henry Jonas Barclay-Lawson [46] (Principal)
DH: Peter Malcolm Barclay-Lawson (nee Piper) [47] (Firefighter)
DAD1: Piper Lyla Barclay-Lawson [15]
(Adopted from China)
DAS1/DAS2: Josiah Lawrence Barclay-Lawson & Robert Carlyle Barclay-Lawson [10]
(Adopted from Foster Care)
Henry and Peter Barclay-Lawson; with Piper, Josiah & Robert
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The Winchester/Novak Family
DD1: Aurora Claudia Winchester (nee Crawford, formerly Novak) [38] (Homemaker)
DH: Philip Dean Winchester [42] (Anesthesiologist)
Ex-DH: Milton Crow Novak [38] (Father of Chandler) (Physical Therapist)
DS1: Chandler Remi Novak [16]
DS2: Dean Philip Winchester [8]
DS3: Samuel Claus Winchester [5]
Aurora (and ex-husband Milton Novak) and Philip Winchester; with Chandler, Dean & Samuel
----
The Crawford Family
DS2: Spencer Leland Crawford [35] (Lawyer)
DW: Kelley Luna Crawford (nee Wentworth) [42] (Lawyer)
DS1: Dashiell Lucius Crawford [7]
DS2: Stellan Leander Crawford [6]
DS3: Kendrick Lachlan Crawford [3]
DS4: Tiberius Lincoln Crawford [2]
Spencer and Kelley Crawford; with Dashiell, Stellan, Kendrick & Tiberius
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Barclay Family
DH: Edmund Godfrey Barclay [72] (Plastic Surgeon)
DW: Iris Danielle Claire Barclay (nee Addison) [67] (Social Worker)
DS1: Sebastian Godfrey August Barclay [41]
DD1: Aria Penelope Cornelia Barclay [39]
DS2/DS3: Logan Addison Reed Barclay & Hunter Wallace Finch Barclay [36]
Edmund and Iris Barclay; with Sebastian, Aria, Logan & Hunter
_________________________
The Barclay Family
DS1: Sebastian Godfrey August Barclay [41] (Lawyer)
DW: Hunter Clarice Barclay (nee Arrington) [41] (OBGYN)
DS1: Archer Godfrey Edmund Barclay [13]
DD1: Alice Sylvie Clara Barclay [9]
DS2: August Clarence Daniel Barclay [7]
Sebastian and Hunter Barclay; with Archer, Alice & August
----
The Warrington Family
DD1: Aria Penelope Cornelia Warrington (nee Barclay) [39] (Art Teacher)
DH: Ezra Fitzwilliam Warrington [38] (English Teacher)
DD1/DD2: Saffron Arielle Warrington & Clove Eliza Warrington [4]
Aria and Ezra Warrington; with Saffron & Clove
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The Barclay Family
DS2: Logan Addison Reed Barclay [36]
DW: Jace Melinda Barclay (nee Warren) [36]
DS1: Emmett Matthew Barclay [0]
Logan and Jace Barclay; with Emmett
----
The Barclay Family
DS3: Hunter Wallace Finch Barclay [36]
DW: Heather Linnea Barclay (nee Smiley) [37]
DD1: Paisley Henley Barclay [5]
DS1: Jackson Virgil Barclay [1]
Hunter and Heather Barclay; with Paisley & Jackson
_________________________
The Barclay Family
DW: Cornelia Rhoda Barclay (nee Avery) [dec.]
DH: Virgil Wallace Barclay [96]
DS1: Edmund Godfrey Barclay [72]
DD1: Lydia Penelope Barclay-Crawford [67]
Cornelia and Virgil Barclay; with Edmund & Lydia