Table of Contents
This Thing Called Life … a Note from Gia and Envy xv
Introduction: We Wanted This xviii
Part I Personal Life and Identity
Chapter 1 Finding Life's Common Denominator 3
Chapter 2 100 Stitches 11
Chapter 3 When "Protect and Provide" Goes Too Far 25
Chapter 4 Perception Isn't Reality 33
Chapter 5 Ladies, Don't Fall for the "Mind-Bleep" 40
Chapter 6 How I Became DJ Envy 43
Reflections: Dahlia Haynes, Rasheed McWilliams, Sasha McWilliams 45
Part One Q&A 49
Part 2 Love and Relationships
Chapter 7 What Happened (According to Him) 57
Chapter 8 What Happened (According to Her) 69
Chapter 9 The New Deal 96
Chapter 10 "Faking It" in a Real Relationship 107
Chapter 11 Use Your (New) Words 116
Chapter 12 Twenty-Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Get Married 119
Reflections: DJ Clue, Kirk and Tammy Franklin 122
Part Two Q&A 124
Part 3 Parenting and Family Life
Chapter 13 Like Mother, Like Daughter 133
Chapter 14 The Talk(s) 142
Chapter 15 Five + Baby Makes Six 148
Chapter 16 Do as I Say … Not as I Did 159
Chapter 17 Ten Things Every Parent Should Know 168
Chapter 18 Envy Wins Father of the Year 169
Reflections: Madison Casey, Sean "Diddy" Combs 172
Part Three Q&A 174
Part 4 Priorities and Goal-Setting
Chapter 19 Own the Dirt 183
Chapter 20 We Got Us 191
Chapter 21 Family Mission Statements 195
Chapter 22 All Is Fair in Love and the Fifty-Yard Dash 201
Chapter 23 12 Days 203
Chapter 24 Three Steps to Creating a Vision for Your Marriage and Family 205
Reflections: Charlamagne tha God, 50 Cent 207
Part Four Q&A 210
Conclusion: We Created This 217
Acknowledgments 223
