life's little lulls

Men and women communicate very differently. I learned that in Duh School. But somehow it still manages to astound me when communication becomes a game of charades and 20 questions.
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Last night, Audrey and I spent some time with James and Abby Beuerlein and their beautiful adopted newborn, Tiago - one week after hearing the news of Abby's pregnancy (their two children will likely be less than 10 months apart).

After leaving and arriving back home, Audrey and I were sitting at the table, eating a late snack when Audrey broke the silence:

"I can't believe they're pregnant," she said.

"I know, that's so crazy."

"But they're doing it backwards."

With a confused look on my face, wondering why adopting and then getting pregnant is necessarily 'backwards' I said, "What do you mean?"

"You know, first comes marriage, then comes a baby.... or whatever the saying is."

"I thinks it's 'First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.'" (Despite knowing this elementary school saying, I am still very confused at where this conversation is going.)

"Right, I knew that," Audrey said. "But you know what I mean? Like, they're not doing it in the right order."

I silently produce a more obviously confused expression.

"Like, they're having a baby first and then getting married."

"Wait, who are you talking about?" I said, getting more confused by the second.

"Jim and Pam," she said, while adding a non-verbal "Duh" with her tone of voice.

Jim and Pam? Now my head is about to explode. I quickly search through the caverns of my brain and through our previous conversations that night that may have led to this very moment. Maybe there was something I missed? What could it be?

My first thought: Jim and Pam?!?! Huh? Jim and Pam Beuerlein?? We were just at James' parents' house, and their names are Jim and Pam. But they are neither pregnant, nor are they getting married, nor are they doing the two in any kind of frowned-upon sequence. Who else do we know named Jim and Pam?

My second thought: A bunch of stuff that would make no sense typed out here... Something about banjos and lava, and a rescue mission over a precarious cliff where my rock climbing skills come in handy while pulling a puppy away from almost certain death, etc.

My seventh thought: Jim and Pam from The Office? I guess we had quoted a line from an episode a few minutes ago when we started eating, but it was a Dwight Shrute quote. Not to mention, we quote lines from the show constantly, as Audrey has an extensive catalog of Michael Scott quotes from which to draw upon during life's little lulls.

My eighth thought: Yes! It is Jim and Pam from The Office! SPOILER ALERT: They did find out they were pregnant during the season finale a few weeks ago, and they have yet to be married (because they have to drag us through a few more seasons somehow). Hence, the backwards order of operations.

"Wait, Jim and Pam, from The Office?!?" I ask, about to break into bewildered and nervous laughter.

"Uh-huh," she said, taking a bite of her sandwich.