Personality in a Gingerbread House

We’re an intense home here at the Sahlberg’s.

Nathan’s a firstborn.

I’m a firstborn.

Laura’s a firstborn.

Yeah. That makes things interesting sometimes. When Nathan and I first interviewed with Village Missions 15 years ago, we had to take personality tests, and I so distinctly remember them looking at our papers, then at us and saying, “Do you guys realize you are completely incompatible on paper?!” Yeah, we realize that, but it works. We’re Spirit-controlled. But, we probably drive people nuts sometimes.

Yesterday, Laura went to an event with her homeschool group. They were building gingerbread houses. Now, for most people, gingerbread house building would be a fun, bonding, silly time. For a first-born, it’s a competition. It’s serious stuff folks, quit goofing around, OK!?

I came back to pick her up 5 hours later, and there were 13 houses sitting on the dining room table. 12 of the houses had globby icing and candy just haphazardly thrown on the houses.

Then there was one other house. This house had a perfectly little straight gumdrop sidewalk. It had completely perfect chocolate roof tiles. There was a candy cane front door a contractor would have been proud of.

Somehow, I just knew.

“Wow,” I said. “That’s quite a house!”

The moms all giggled.

“Oh, that’s Laura’s house.”

“Really!?” I exclaimed. “It is?”

“Yes,” answered my hostess. “I think she even used a level on the roof,” she teased.

Those of you who are first-borns will find nothing wrong with this story. You’ll think, “Well, duh. That’s how you should build a gingerbread house.” The rest of you may thing my kid should lighten up a little.

I seriously just had to laugh. Here’s Laura’s and my gingerbread house from two years ago:

She comes by it honestly, OK? My pantry is organized with everything in little baskets, neatly labeled according to type of food. Snacks, baking goods, canned goods, etc. My closet is arranged by type of clothes and then by color. What!? Doesn’t everyone do this? My mom alphabetizes her spices. Neither Nathan nor I can stand a cluttered house and within a day or so will send everyone on a mission to PICK UP and PUT AWAY!! I love Ikea and the Container Store.

We can’t help it. God made us this way, and there’s so many of us in this house. I’m just warning you. Be careful before you enter through our red front door. We might try to organize your life!