Allow me to introduce myself.

I was a kid in the 80's, when all the after school shows specialized in types.  But I wasn't the glamorous popular girl.  And I wasn't the brainy straight A student.  And I wasn't the sweet churchgoer.  And I wasn't the wild and crazy quirky friend.  And I wasn't the wealthy but evil girl.

Probably, it should be the relief of my life that I defy description.  Or at least description in 3 words or less.  It isn't, though.  It has always upset me that I didn't have that sort of ice breaker.  That I couldn't look out there, point, and say, "Ah, yes.  Those are my people."

So.  Even though it takes longer, I will have to explain myself a little, before I introduce the other main characters.

1.  My parents are both very educated.  My father is a pharmacist.  My mother has a P.H.D.
2.  I grew up in a University town - an Engineering University town.
3.  My grades were mediocre.  Few people probably suspect that my intelligence was tested at a point in late childhood, and that I am an equal of my brother.
4.  My brother is gifted.  He looked gifted.  He acted gifted.  He was in the gifted program at school. 
5.  That program would not accept me as well, despite the testing.
6.  I never minded.  I was not scholastically ambitious. 

*And a brief intro of other main characters*

7.  My husband is a smart guy.  But that's all.  (Well, he's nice and stuff, but we're talking about degrees of intelligence right now.)
8.  We've never had money.  We scrape by.
9.  I STAYED HOME WITH MY CHILDREN ANYWAY.
10.  My children never had any sort of glaring problems until they were in school.
11.  Our school is inadequate.  (This is not a below the belt blow.  We were ordered to restructure by the state when our test scores were abysmal.)
12.  Both of my children are in the gifted program.
13.  Both of my children are experiencing behavioral problems of different types.

*sigh*  Thirteen.  The unlucky number.

On my days off, I plan to write in this blog about what is happening with my children.  I will start with how what I thought of as a flattering label became the most upsetting thing I've encountered in years, and then I will let you know what I find in my research, which is ongoing.

And please comment, if you'd like.  What I mean is, don't comment if you have something you would like to advertise, or if you want to be critical of me, since I'm not sure I'm tough enough right now.  But I sure would like to be able to point and say, "Ah.  Those are my people."

To Be Continued.