Part Time Game Tester

Part Time Game Tester. That's one of my job titles. It goes along with being married to a YP I guess. At least once a week Tony will come into my office with an assortment of strange objects and make me test a game idea with him. He's constantly thinking of new ideas for games or on the hunt for great ideas other people have come up with. (Thank goodness for Minute to Win It!) He tries to test every game before he attempts it at Youth Group...it gives him a little better idea of whether or not it will be a flop. There are the few times that games have been complete failures even after we’ve tested them and thought they were sweet, but we think we’re pretty good at predicting the likability of a game.

Just this week I was at my computer working on an agenda for a meeting when Tony comes in, places a glass right in front of my keyboard, and starts throwing pencils at my desk to try and get them to bounce off the eraser and into the cup. Thank goodness I have cat-like reflexes, or I might be down to one eye. I put an end to that game pretty quickly. No pencils were landing in the cup.

If you were at the church late last night, you would have found Tony and I standing on the youth room stage, at the edge of a ping pong table top. We were bouncing ping pong balls off the table top and onto a table full of whip cream containers set up like tic tac toe. I was the first to get three in a row! That game’s a keeper!

Another day we were standing side by side by a microphone stand set up with two rolls of toilet paper on it, racing to see who could unroll their TP the fastest. That turned into the TP 500 – a new youth group favorite.

I must admit, Part Time Game Tester is a title I just don’t mind keeping. Send game ideas my way if you’ve got any worth trying!

Cheers and Tears

Last week we worked through Thursday and took Friday off to head to the UNI dome and watch our WACO Warriors compete in the State High School football tourney. We're so proud of those guys and we love getting to watch them play. We sat down front, close to the sidelines, and ended up in front of the spot the cheerleaders were for most of the game.

The whole experience proved it all over again - my husband is the greatest guy ever. The cheerleaders were cheering their hearts out throughout the game, but the fans around us were soooo quiet. The silence didn't phase Tony for a second. Every time those cheerleaders asked for crowd participation, he was on his feet cheering at the top of his lungs. Of course I joined him. Later that week, even some of the football players commented that even when no one else was cheering along, they could hear Tony's voice. Cool, huh?

After spending over three years with some of these guys and girls, we really have grown to love and admire them so much. When the senior boys went forward to receive their trophy, I looked up at Tony and his eyes were all filled up with tears. (Thankfully he's not one of my avid readers because he may be embarrassed I shared that :)). I thought it was awesome. He really does love those guys and love his job.

The Coffee Shop

We spend a lot of time (and a good deal of dollars) at our local coffee shop - the Coffee Corner. We love the owner, Gina. We love the lattes (Cari) and coffee (Tony), and we love the conversation. Many of you have heard me say that I was not particularly pleased when the Lord called Tony and I to small-town Iowa. Over time, however, he has molded our hearts and given us a deep love for the people of our community. One thing I have come to appreciate about our small town is the guarantee that wherever you're headed, whether the grocery store or the coffee shop or the YMCA, you're bound to see a familiar face. (Yes, there are days when this falls on my list of things I don't like so much, but usually it's a positive.)

I've blogged about the old men at the coffee shop before and I must bring them up again. Each time we go in, there's a table full of anywhere from 5-12 gray-haired men in the back corner sipping on coffee. Tony always heads straight back to greet them, and they smile as they see him coming (who wouldn't?!?). Then they start in with their questions about when we'll be having a baby (or some other topic to harass Tony). I always end up laughing while listening to the boisterous sound this crew makes as they laugh so hard at themselves they about roll off their chairs.

This morning it went a little something like this..."So Tony, do you have the nursery painted yet? Is it blue or pink? Doesn't your wife want to start a family?" Each question with hysterical laughter in between. Tony laughs along as he passes out a hand shake to each one of these great guys. It's a blessing to get to know people from different generations. We learn much from their experience...and their humor. :)

When 2 Become 1

It's a beautiful thing, wouldn't you agree? God's unique and miraculous design of bringing two completely different human beings into a loving relationship and making them one! Don't start thinking too hard about that or your brain may start to ache. After all, we can't totally understand God's design. I'm okay with that. I'm satisfied knowing that I can trust that God's design is perfect and good, even when it's just too big for me to fully comprehend.

God's grace has been so real to me since I've been on the receiving end of the incredible blessing of marriage. Part of that blessing is the joy and hilariousness that comes along with being married to Tony. At the end of days like today I just can't help but smile and laugh.

When two become one it's not as if two sets of interests suddenly mold into one. That’s what keeps life so stinkin’ entertaining! I’m a better person today (particularly in the area of athletics) than I was 3 years ago because I’ve been challenged by a husband whose interests…well, they just aren’t all the same as mine. Thankfully, we share a number of interests. Thankfully we each brought unique interests to our marriage.

Today’s entertainment made for a fun conglomeration of our interests. My interests were certainly satisfied by a good, long shopping trip to Von Maur and a trek through the mall. Is there a better store than Von Maur? I’m not sure there could be. We hardly ever make our way over to the mall Von Maur is at, so I’ve really missed it. Don’t let me fool you, it’s not my intent to pretend as if I spend a ton of time and money shopping…not the lot the Lord dealt this lady. :) I grew up tagging alongside my Mom and cousin Heidi on many a shopping trip to Von Maur, and my life in rural Iowa has made me appreciate a trip to my favorite store all the more. Thankfully, my husband is incredibly sweet and patient and let me spend a LONG time browsing the sale racks – a great way to spend a day off. He even decided we should start a new tradition – Thanksgiving gifts, so he bought me a precious new dress and had it wrapped all beautifully for me to open thanksgiving day. Oops…I was supposed to forget what was in there.

From Von Maur we went on to Scheels. There’s nothing Tony really enjoys about shopping except going to Scheels (and spending time with me, of course). He could spend a good deal of time browsing their sale racks…and he did. We left with a Thanksgiving present for him (can’t tell what it is, he’s supposed to forget) and a new “winter” coat. Tony spends most of the winter in shorts, and his winter coat is what most of us would consider a wind breaker. I don’t understand, and I’ve realized I never will. His new winter coat is what most of us would call a fleece. Better than a windbreaker, I suppose, and he looks good in it.

After dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings, we hit the road. We got home at about 7:30 or 8 and my poor hubby was about stir crazy after a day of shopping. It was pitch black out, super windy, and the temp was in the 40s. The perfect tennis playing weather, right? Brrrrrrrr! This is where I find the whole “2 become 1 thing” to be so amusing. I felt obliged, after my kind husband pretended to enjoy shopping all day, to say yes (and say it enthusiastically) when he asked, “Hey Cari, want to go play tennis?” I bundled up from head to toe, grabbed my racquet and hiked up the street with Tony for a few games of tennis under the lights. It was incredibly fun. Something I never would have done if my life had not been joined with Tony’s. I’m thankful for that.

This whole post reminds me so much of some of the stories my Grandma Lois has shared with me about her marriage. I never had the opportunity to meet my Grandpa Victor, but Grandma Lois keeps his memory alive by telling us stories of him often. She has told me a number of times that Vic encouraged her to try so many things that she never would have on her own. I really appreciated that perspective going into marriage. Now I understand what a beautiful thing she shared with Vic, and I get to share with Tony.