How the Novaks Handle Stress Points

"Ted and I approach life very differently," says Brenda Novak. "Ted is a big picture person, very flexible and willing to go the extra mile, on the one hand--or, if he falls a bit short at something, to say that's good enough and be happy with less than a perfect job."

"I am more OCD. LOL He can do dishes without wiping down the counters. I have to finish it all. He can fold clothes in a sloppy way and toss them in a closet or leave them sitting out forever; I can't. He can plant a garden and leave the trash of the pots and stuff laying in our yard for months. I"m more of a stickler for doing things right and getting them done on time. Those types of messes can really irritate me."

We've basically worked out this difference by realizing that not every tool is meant to do every job. A hammer is just as good as a saw. Whether or not one is better depends on what you're trying to do with it. That's exactly how it is with our separate skill sets. I'm better suited to some things. Ted is better at other things. We appreciate and celebrate our differences and admire the strengths we recognize in each other.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak has three novels coming out this summer/fall--INSIDE, IN SECONDS, and IN CLOSE. She also runs an annual online auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com. To date, she's raised over $1 million. Brenda considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life.