GENEVA, Ohio — When you think of something quirky, something peculiar, the Kings' romance might fit the mold.
They have pets named after "Star Wars" characters: Vader (dog), Luke Skywhiskers (cat), Lucky (cat), Leia and Chewy (fish).
Mike King, the first mate on a freight that hauls iron and coal around the Northeast region, is away, sometimes for months at a time. Life on the ship can be difficult sometimes.
“Chaotic. Busy, very busy," Katie King, Mike's wife, said. "A lot of running. It gets hard. It gets lonely."
“Tough. Hard. You know, it’s a lot of work. Seven days a week. A lot of hours. Long hours. All night. All day," Mike King said.
They have three kids: Michael (15), Cailyn (11) and Logan (7). Their youngest was born on Interstate 90 in Madison. Yes, you read that right.
“I said, ‘Just keep going,’ thinking we could make it. And it happened within five minutes," Katie remembered.
“I looked over and the baby was coming out!” Mike recalled.
It's not your picture-perfect arrangement, but they make it work.
"Communication. Communication, understanding. All that," Mike said.
And, a sense of humor.
“We will joke about it and be like, ‘Oh gosh, what now? What can happen now?’” Katie said.
Three kids. A house full of pets. And Mike on the ship. The distance is challenging, but the Kings have a connection running deeper than the Great Lakes, which separate them.
“He’s my best friend. I mean, and that’s all there is to it. He’s the person I go to when I’m sad. He’s the person I go to when I’m happy. He’s the person that I tell things to that I could never anybody else in the world," Katie said of Mike.
“I couldn’t imagine our life not together," Mike echoed.
Check out our previous story on another couple below: