Kay family
in reply to a message by PeachyCatMama86
Location: Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
DH [24] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [24] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
***
Year 1
Nolan and Rhonda start their family off with a little boy! Rhonda gives birth to Tristan Isaiah, two names both of them have loved from day one. Tristan is a fairly fussy baby and mostly wants to be in Rhonda’s arms over Nolan’s.
Location: Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
DH [24] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [24] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [0] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
***
Year 2
The family relocates to North Carolina, and they find a house in a town called Pittsboro, which is forty minutes southwest of Durham and a spitting distance from Nolan’s sister Colleen’s place. In fact, they’re now next-door neighbors! This way, they won’t have to fly halfway around the globe for their frequent visits to Aunt Colleen.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [25] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [25] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [1] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
***
Year 3
Nolan and Rhonda welcome a baby girl, Violet Alison, literally the day after Tristan’s second birthday. Rhonda gets a bit of a culture shock when she learns American hospitals run very differently from those in Vietnam, but she has a smooth, safe delivery, and Violet comes home within 48 hours.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [26] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [26] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [2] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [0] Violet Alison Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 4
Aunt Colleen and her husband, Uncle Russ, welcome their first child after a surprise pregnancy, a baby girl they name Stella Colleen, and both of her older cousins are very pleased to meet her. In fact, it seems to Nolan and Rhonda that Tristan is “obsessed” with Stella, because he’s always asking to hold her.
***
Year 5
Nolan and Rhonda start to lose interest in each other, and after they try every trick in the book to work it out (including marriage counseling), they decide it’s best to divorce and see other people. In the settlement, Nolan gets everything he owns plus full custody of Tristan and Violet. Since Rhonda has rights to the house they used to share, Nolan and the kids move in with Aunt Colleen for the time being.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [28] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
Ex-DW [28] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [4] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [2] Violet Alison Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 6
Nolan marries an immigrant from Bulgaria, one Miss Emilia Trifonov, after a year of courtship. Tristan takes to his new stepmom and her excellent cooking right away, but Violet is still very apprehensive and shy because “she’s not Mommy”. Nolan is doing everything he can to help Violet and Emilia form a bond with each other, and he hopes Violet will come around by Christmas.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [29] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
Ex-DW [29] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [29] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [5] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [3] Violet Alison Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 7
Emilia gives birth to hers and Nolan’s first child together, bringing the total boy-to-girl ratio to 2:1. His name is Andrew Gabriel Kay, the English translation of Emilia’s late father’s name—Andrey Gavril Trifonov.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [30] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
Ex-DW [30] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [30] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [6] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [4] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [0] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 8
Emilia’s religious interests provoke her and Nolan to take Tristan and Violet and visit the Holy City of Jerusalem and the area surrounding it. Tristan and Violet ask boatloads of questions about things they see out and about, very eager to learn about the Christian faith. Since Andrew is too young at a mere thirteen months, they leave him with Aunt Colleen.
***
Year 9
Nolan adds “dog trainer” to his resume when he accepts a job offer from a training facility for dogs. Since he only works Mondays and Wednesdays at the gym, he devotes the rest of the week to this new job.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [32] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [32] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [32] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [8] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [6] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [2] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 10
Nolan and Emilia try for another baby, but they’re unsuccessful. The family also attends a family reunion for Stella’s fifth birthday party. Several of the cousins and their parents are there, and the get-together is lots of fun, with games, prizes, and plenty of food and cake.
***
Year 11
Next to join the family is another girl, Hailey Winifred Kay. Violet is thrilled to no longer be the only girl in the family, and she can’s wait until Hailey gets old enough to play with her.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [34] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [34] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [34] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [10] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [8] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [4] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [0] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
***
Year 12
Andrew takes an interest in learning to speak Bulgarian like his mother, so he asks Emilia to find him a class for it. She does, and Andrew really enjoys it because the teacher makes it fun.
***
Year 13
The family catches wind of some sad news—Emilia’s grandmother is terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, so Emilia needs to fly back to Bulgaria to be with her in her last moments of life. Great-Grandma Trifonov dies shortly after Emilia arrives, which breaks the hearts of all four of Nolan and Emilia’s kids.
***
Year 14
The family’s fifth and final addition makes Tristan and Andrew the only boys. Emilia gives birth at home to Claudia Yvette Kay, and everybody but Hailey is invited to watch. Nolan also has video proof of the birth, which the whole family will cherish forever.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [37] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [37] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [37] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [13] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [11] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [7] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [3] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [0] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 15
The summer of the year Tristan is to start high school, Nolan calls a family meeting to announce that he’s been transferred to Wichita, Kansas, twelve hundred miles away. The younger kids are okay with moving, but the older kids are angry and upset that they’d have to leave their whole childhood behind. However, once they set foot into their new home in Derby (just outside of Wichita), the beauty of the area changes their minds completely, and they start to love it here.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [38] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [38] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [38] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [14] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [12] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [8] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [4] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [1] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 16
After being gifted a stuffed kitten for Christmas, Hailey has taken a keen liking to cats and begs her parents for one of her own. Nolan and Emilia are reluctant at first because she’s only five and they’re not sure she’s responsible enough, but they eventually give in and look into adopting one. Hailey ends up with a five-month-old Javanese kitten from a rescue shelter and names her Creampuff after her favorite dessert. Creampuff is very playful and very good with Hailey and the rest of the family.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [39] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [39] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [39] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [15] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [13] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [9] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [5] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [2] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 5 months)
***
Year 17
Nolan gets a significant pay raise, which is really coming in handy for his large family.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [40] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [40] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [40] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [16] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [14] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [10] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [6] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [3] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 17 months)
***
Year 18
Nolan and Emilia have something to celebrate for—Tristan announces that he’s been selected for the foreign exchange program. He would be spending the next year with a family in Barcelona to learn about Spanish culture and lifestyle, and he promises to call every day he’s gone to give updates.
***
Year 19
Emilia is finally promoted to become a veterinarian, which has always been her calling because she loves caring for sick and injured animals.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [42] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [42] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [42] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [18] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [16] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [12] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [8] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [5] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 17 months)
***
Year 20
Nolan and Emilia, along with several members of the extended family, throw Violet a surprise high school graduation party, which is also considered a family reunion. Violet almost wets herself from laughing so hard in her surprise, but she has lots of fun with friends and family.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [43] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [43] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [43] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [19] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [17] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [13] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [9] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [6] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 5)
***
Year 21
Andrew gets arrested from school for allegedly vandalizing the schoolyard. But it’s just a case of mistaken identity, and he’s let go within 24 hours.
Tristan and his therapist wife, Marcia Moreno from Portugal, move to Carlow, Ireland. There, they welcome a baby girl, Lauren Teresa Kay.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [44] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [44] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [44] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [20] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [18] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [14] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [10] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [7] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 5)
***
Year 22
Emilia gets a pay raise at work.
***
Year 23
Nolan quits his dog-training gig for a position as a pet groomer because he feels the former is too stressful for him.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [46] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [46] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [46] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [22] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [20] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [16] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [12] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [9] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 7)
***
Year 24
The family moves to Albion, Indiana. They even bring the cat along, who does surprisingly well during the drive.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [47] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [47] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [47] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [23] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [21] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [17] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [13] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [10] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 8)
***
Year 25
The family vacations to Oslo, Norway. While there, they try out different types of Norwegian food and do lots of shopping, to name two.
***
Year 26
Emilia gets demoted to vet tech and has her hours cut after the small animal clinic she works at starts to lose business.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [49] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [49] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [49] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [25] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [23] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [19] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [15] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [12] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 8)
***
Year 27
Emilia’s workplace starts to pick up clients again, so she gets promoted back to her previous position.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [50] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [50] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [50] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
Location: Carlow, Ireland
DS1 [26] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [24] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [20] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [16] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [13] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 11)
***
Year 28
Hailey gets involved in a drunk-driving accident, and it totals her car and gives her whiplash and a sore neck for a week. Luckily, her insurance will pay for a new car, so she won’t have to burn a hole in her wallet buying it.
***
Year 29
Nolan’s niece Stella gives birth to her first child, a baby boy. The whole family is overjoyed by this, as Stella has been struggling with infertility for half a decade.
***
Year 30
Claudia gets arrested for violating the restrictions on her learner’s permit by going out late at night with several of her friends. She ends up losing her permit and being grounded for a month without her phone.
***
Year 31
Nolan ditches his job once again, this time for a gig as a pet store employee.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [54] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, pet store employee)
Ex-DW [54] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [54] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [30] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [28] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [24] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [20] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [17] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 15)
***
Year 32
Claudia wins a creative writing competition and wins the prize of her work, a short romance story, being published in a magazine.
***
Year 33
Emilia is bitten by a dog as she’s trying to give him his routine shots. She goes to her own doctor right away to be tested for rabies, but thankfully it comes out negative.
***
Year 34
Nolan gets a pay raise for excellent customer service.
***
Year 35
Now that they’re empty-nesters, Nolan and Emilia have a lot more free time outside of work. Thus, Nolan takes up wood-carving, which he’s always wanted to do. He even signs up for a class to sharpen his skills.
***
Year 36
Nolan and Emilia visit the Great Wall of China and other famous Chinese landmarks, and they even learn a few basic Chinese words.
***
Year 37
Creampuff, who has been getting weaker and weaker over the years, gets euthanized at the age of 21, which is at least a hundred human years. Her vet makes a special house visit just to put her down in her very favorite spot—on the ledge of the living room bay window.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [60] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, pet store employee)
Ex-DW [60] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [60] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [36] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [34] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [30] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [26] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [23] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, deceased)
***
Year 38
Emilia has had enough of working at the vet clinic, so she quits and applies for a new job in a totally different field—cooking. She winds up with a job offer from a bakery not too far from the house, as they needed a new baker to replace the one who’d just retired.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [61] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, pet store employee)
Ex-DW [61] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [61] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (baker)
DS1 [37] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [35] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [31] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [27] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [24] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, deceased)
***
Year 39
Nolan gets promoted to department manager at work, which will give him a much bigger paycheck.
***
Year 40
Stella, who now has two more children, welcomes another boy to her family.
DH [24] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [24] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
***
Year 1
Nolan and Rhonda start their family off with a little boy! Rhonda gives birth to Tristan Isaiah, two names both of them have loved from day one. Tristan is a fairly fussy baby and mostly wants to be in Rhonda’s arms over Nolan’s.
Location: Thai Nguyen, Vietnam
DH [24] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [24] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [0] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
***
Year 2
The family relocates to North Carolina, and they find a house in a town called Pittsboro, which is forty minutes southwest of Durham and a spitting distance from Nolan’s sister Colleen’s place. In fact, they’re now next-door neighbors! This way, they won’t have to fly halfway around the globe for their frequent visits to Aunt Colleen.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [25] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [25] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [1] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
***
Year 3
Nolan and Rhonda welcome a baby girl, Violet Alison, literally the day after Tristan’s second birthday. Rhonda gets a bit of a culture shock when she learns American hospitals run very differently from those in Vietnam, but she has a smooth, safe delivery, and Violet comes home within 48 hours.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [26] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
DW [26] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [2] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [0] Violet Alison Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 4
Aunt Colleen and her husband, Uncle Russ, welcome their first child after a surprise pregnancy, a baby girl they name Stella Colleen, and both of her older cousins are very pleased to meet her. In fact, it seems to Nolan and Rhonda that Tristan is “obsessed” with Stella, because he’s always asking to hold her.
***
Year 5
Nolan and Rhonda start to lose interest in each other, and after they try every trick in the book to work it out (including marriage counseling), they decide it’s best to divorce and see other people. In the settlement, Nolan gets everything he owns plus full custody of Tristan and Violet. Since Rhonda has rights to the house they used to share, Nolan and the kids move in with Aunt Colleen for the time being.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [28] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
Ex-DW [28] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DS1 [4] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [2] Violet Alison Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 6
Nolan marries an immigrant from Bulgaria, one Miss Emilia Trifonov, after a year of courtship. Tristan takes to his new stepmom and her excellent cooking right away, but Violet is still very apprehensive and shy because “she’s not Mommy”. Nolan is doing everything he can to help Violet and Emilia form a bond with each other, and he hopes Violet will come around by Christmas.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [29] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
Ex-DW [29] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [29] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [5] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [3] Violet Alison Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 7
Emilia gives birth to hers and Nolan’s first child together, bringing the total boy-to-girl ratio to 2:1. His name is Andrew Gabriel Kay, the English translation of Emilia’s late father’s name—Andrey Gavril Trifonov.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [30] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer)
Ex-DW [30] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [30] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [6] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [4] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [0] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 8
Emilia’s religious interests provoke her and Nolan to take Tristan and Violet and visit the Holy City of Jerusalem and the area surrounding it. Tristan and Violet ask boatloads of questions about things they see out and about, very eager to learn about the Christian faith. Since Andrew is too young at a mere thirteen months, they leave him with Aunt Colleen.
***
Year 9
Nolan adds “dog trainer” to his resume when he accepts a job offer from a training facility for dogs. Since he only works Mondays and Wednesdays at the gym, he devotes the rest of the week to this new job.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [32] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [32] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [32] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [8] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [6] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [2] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 10
Nolan and Emilia try for another baby, but they’re unsuccessful. The family also attends a family reunion for Stella’s fifth birthday party. Several of the cousins and their parents are there, and the get-together is lots of fun, with games, prizes, and plenty of food and cake.
***
Year 11
Next to join the family is another girl, Hailey Winifred Kay. Violet is thrilled to no longer be the only girl in the family, and she can’s wait until Hailey gets old enough to play with her.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [34] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [34] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [34] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [10] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [8] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [4] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [0] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
***
Year 12
Andrew takes an interest in learning to speak Bulgarian like his mother, so he asks Emilia to find him a class for it. She does, and Andrew really enjoys it because the teacher makes it fun.
***
Year 13
The family catches wind of some sad news—Emilia’s grandmother is terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, so Emilia needs to fly back to Bulgaria to be with her in her last moments of life. Great-Grandma Trifonov dies shortly after Emilia arrives, which breaks the hearts of all four of Nolan and Emilia’s kids.
***
Year 14
The family’s fifth and final addition makes Tristan and Andrew the only boys. Emilia gives birth at home to Claudia Yvette Kay, and everybody but Hailey is invited to watch. Nolan also has video proof of the birth, which the whole family will cherish forever.
Location: Pittsboro, North Carolina
DH [37] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [37] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [37] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [13] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [11] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [7] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [3] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [0] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 15
The summer of the year Tristan is to start high school, Nolan calls a family meeting to announce that he’s been transferred to Wichita, Kansas, twelve hundred miles away. The younger kids are okay with moving, but the older kids are angry and upset that they’d have to leave their whole childhood behind. However, once they set foot into their new home in Derby (just outside of Wichita), the beauty of the area changes their minds completely, and they start to love it here.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [38] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [38] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [38] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [14] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [12] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [8] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [4] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [1] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
***
Year 16
After being gifted a stuffed kitten for Christmas, Hailey has taken a keen liking to cats and begs her parents for one of her own. Nolan and Emilia are reluctant at first because she’s only five and they’re not sure she’s responsible enough, but they eventually give in and look into adopting one. Hailey ends up with a five-month-old Javanese kitten from a rescue shelter and names her Creampuff after her favorite dessert. Creampuff is very playful and very good with Hailey and the rest of the family.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [39] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [39] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [39] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [15] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [13] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [9] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [5] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [2] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 5 months)
***
Year 17
Nolan gets a significant pay raise, which is really coming in handy for his large family.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [40] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [40] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [40] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [16] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [14] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [10] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [6] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [3] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 17 months)
***
Year 18
Nolan and Emilia have something to celebrate for—Tristan announces that he’s been selected for the foreign exchange program. He would be spending the next year with a family in Barcelona to learn about Spanish culture and lifestyle, and he promises to call every day he’s gone to give updates.
***
Year 19
Emilia is finally promoted to become a veterinarian, which has always been her calling because she loves caring for sick and injured animals.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [42] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [42] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [42] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [18] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [16] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [12] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [8] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [5] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 17 months)
***
Year 20
Nolan and Emilia, along with several members of the extended family, throw Violet a surprise high school graduation party, which is also considered a family reunion. Violet almost wets herself from laughing so hard in her surprise, but she has lots of fun with friends and family.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [43] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [43] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [43] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [19] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [17] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [13] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [9] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [6] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 5)
***
Year 21
Andrew gets arrested from school for allegedly vandalizing the schoolyard. But it’s just a case of mistaken identity, and he’s let go within 24 hours.
Tristan and his therapist wife, Marcia Moreno from Portugal, move to Carlow, Ireland. There, they welcome a baby girl, Lauren Teresa Kay.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [44] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog trainer)
Ex-DW [44] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [44] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [20] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [18] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [14] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [10] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [7] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 5)
***
Year 22
Emilia gets a pay raise at work.
***
Year 23
Nolan quits his dog-training gig for a position as a pet groomer because he feels the former is too stressful for him.
Location: Derby, Kansas
DH [46] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [46] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [46] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [22] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [20] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [16] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [12] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [9] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 7)
***
Year 24
The family moves to Albion, Indiana. They even bring the cat along, who does surprisingly well during the drive.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [47] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [47] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [47] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [23] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [21] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [17] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [13] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [10] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 8)
***
Year 25
The family vacations to Oslo, Norway. While there, they try out different types of Norwegian food and do lots of shopping, to name two.
***
Year 26
Emilia gets demoted to vet tech and has her hours cut after the small animal clinic she works at starts to lose business.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [49] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [49] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [49] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinary technician)
DS1 [25] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [23] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [19] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [15] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [12] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 8)
***
Year 27
Emilia’s workplace starts to pick up clients again, so she gets promoted back to her previous position.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [50] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, dog groomer)
Ex-DW [50] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [50] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
Location: Carlow, Ireland
DS1 [26] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [24] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [20] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [16] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [13] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 11)
***
Year 28
Hailey gets involved in a drunk-driving accident, and it totals her car and gives her whiplash and a sore neck for a week. Luckily, her insurance will pay for a new car, so she won’t have to burn a hole in her wallet buying it.
***
Year 29
Nolan’s niece Stella gives birth to her first child, a baby boy. The whole family is overjoyed by this, as Stella has been struggling with infertility for half a decade.
***
Year 30
Claudia gets arrested for violating the restrictions on her learner’s permit by going out late at night with several of her friends. She ends up losing her permit and being grounded for a month without her phone.
***
Year 31
Nolan ditches his job once again, this time for a gig as a pet store employee.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [54] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, pet store employee)
Ex-DW [54] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [54] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [30] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [28] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [24] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [20] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [17] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, 15)
***
Year 32
Claudia wins a creative writing competition and wins the prize of her work, a short romance story, being published in a magazine.
***
Year 33
Emilia is bitten by a dog as she’s trying to give him his routine shots. She goes to her own doctor right away to be tested for rabies, but thankfully it comes out negative.
***
Year 34
Nolan gets a pay raise for excellent customer service.
***
Year 35
Now that they’re empty-nesters, Nolan and Emilia have a lot more free time outside of work. Thus, Nolan takes up wood-carving, which he’s always wanted to do. He even signs up for a class to sharpen his skills.
***
Year 36
Nolan and Emilia visit the Great Wall of China and other famous Chinese landmarks, and they even learn a few basic Chinese words.
***
Year 37
Creampuff, who has been getting weaker and weaker over the years, gets euthanized at the age of 21, which is at least a hundred human years. Her vet makes a special house visit just to put her down in her very favorite spot—on the ledge of the living room bay window.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [60] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, pet store employee)
Ex-DW [60] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [60] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (veterinarian)
DS1 [36] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [34] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [30] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [26] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [23] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, deceased)
***
Year 38
Emilia has had enough of working at the vet clinic, so she quits and applies for a new job in a totally different field—cooking. She winds up with a job offer from a bakery not too far from the house, as they needed a new baker to replace the one who’d just retired.
Location: Albion, Indiana
DH [61] Nolan Elliott Kay / British (straight brown hair, brown eyes) (fitness trainer, pet store employee)
Ex-DW [61] Rhonda Christine Clarkson / British (wavy blond hair, blue eyes) (hotel receptionist)
DW [61] Emilia Sofiya Trifonov / Bulgarian (straight auburn hair, brown eyes) (baker)
DS1 [37] Tristan Isaiah Kay (wavy brown hair, green eyes)
DD1 [35] Violet Brianna Kay (straight blond hair, brown eyes)
DS2 [31] Andrew Gabriel Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
DD2 [27] Hailey Winifred Kay (straight auburn hair, gray eyes)
DD3 [24] Claudia Yvette Kay (straight auburn hair, brown eyes)
Cat: Creampuff (Javanese, deceased)
***
Year 39
Nolan gets promoted to department manager at work, which will give him a much bigger paycheck.
***
Year 40
Stella, who now has two more children, welcomes another boy to her family.