I do not require life to be neat and orderly. Anyone who doubts that should dig around in my backpack, where you will likely find a half-eaten candy bar that has been there since Iowa - a state we moved from nearly a year ago. I’ve changed school five times since kindergarten. I spend half of each week with my mom and half with my dad, where I sleep on the sofa and share a ridiculously tiny bathroom. I’m not high-maintenance. I can deal with chaos.Some things, however, should happen in the correct order. Shoes go on after socks. Peanut butter is applied after the bread comes out of the toaster, not before. And grandchildren are born after their grandparents.
-- Kate (Chapter 1 paragraph Page 1)

Importance: This quote not only sets up the time travel nature of the plot, but it also gives a little insight into the kind of person that Kate...