They turn out just fine.

About a month ago, Ralph texted me this picture with the caption: "This was my high school yearbook picture."

I had two simultaneous thoughts:

1. AWESOME.

2. OH MY GOSH. I married that kid.

And I mean "that kid" not as in "the kid with psycho hair in that picture," but more in the sense that every year, for the past six years that I've worked in public schools, there's always been at least one kid who fits in this particular category. This year, that kid is named Austin. The other day he cut off his mullet (which he sometimes wore in a ponytail) and then shaved stripes into the side of his hair. The next day he walked into my office wearing a very 90s black and tan silk shirt that I'm certain I saw Will Smith wearing on Fresh Prince (and buttoned all the way up to his neck), complete with a plastic airplane hanging on a necklace. A key part of this category is that they are absolutely the nicest of kids, and they don't take life too seriously - which every once in awhile is to their detriment, but usually, it serves them just fine.

Before I saw Ralph's yearbook picture, I always wondered a little what kind of adults they end up being. Not out of concern, just curiosity.

And as luck would have it, they turn into the nicest of men and the sweetest of husbands. That carefree attitude that might get them into just a tiny bit of trouble in high school (or at least with the photographer, who was less than pleased with Ralph) becomes exponentially more useful in marriage - I'll speak for myself in saying that Ralph is a fine, fine complement to my occasional tendency to worry more than is useful.