Wedding Flashback: The Shoe Game

To say I had a total blast at our wedding might even be an understatement. At our reception, I wanted to make sure that our guests could see where we were and also that they were entertained. I'd seen the shoe game at some other wedding receptions and knew I wanted to have that at ours. Mom took care of planning all the games and explaining them to the DJ and we were definitely not disappointed. 

For the shoe game, the bride and groom each have one of each other's shoe and their own. Then they answer questions by holding up the appropriate shoe. Here were the questions they asked at our wedding: 

I tried to match them up with the photos below...but I'm pretty sure the DJ asked them in a different order than this. So, enjoy the questions, then enjoy our reactions.

Who is the biggest flirt? 

Who made the first move?

Who’s the better cook?

Who said I love you first?

Who has the wackiest family?

Who’s the best driver?

Who’s the fastest driver?

Who spends the most time in front of the mirror?

Who spends the most time in the bathroom getting ready to go?

Who is in control of the checkbook?

Who is most likely to eat dessert for breakfast?

Who wears the pants in the family?

Who is in charge of the remote?

Who’s the better kisser?

Who will be the 1st to fall asleep tonight?

Who has the smelliest feet?

Who do you think will  love the covers more?

Who popped the question?

Who says I love you most in a day?

Who talks more?

Who’s mostly likely to get lost?

Who’s most likely to ask directions?

Who’s the 1st on to make up after a fight?

Who’s most likely to be grumpy in the morning?

Who’s most likely to be running late?

Who spends more money?

Last, who do you love the most in the whole world?

This was easily one of my fave things from our wedding...I enjoyed it (I mean, I know you can't tell from the pictures, but I really did), Jordan enjoyed it (he'll tell you that our levels of reaction in these photos is completely telltale to our entire relationship) and the guests enjoyed it. A win for everyone.

If you're married, what was one of your fave things from your wedding? 

A(nother) Season of Change

There's been a lot of changes going on again in our lives, and on the outside edges of our lives. I've been struggling to come up with something to write about because even with all the change, life just seems constant(ly boring, lol). Work, weekend, work, weekend...I'm sure you've fallen into that slump before, just feeling like life is all the same. (And I've been listening to a Chuck Swindoll radio series in the morning on the way to work about Ecclesiastes, which is kinda of along those same lines.)

The biggest change for us right now is that Jordan decided not to continue on with medical school. He'd been wrestling with this decision since January, and we made it final in July. It was a variety of reasons: the time investment, money investment, work-life balance (or lack thereof), culture, future of medicine...the list goes on. He's started at UMKC and will graduate with his master's in Bioinformatics (bascially, computer programming for medical things) in August 2015. It's been a good change, and I think he feels at peace with his decision.

At work, I've been wrestling with purpose...I want to be making a positive impact in people's lives, and I don't know that this job does that. I think that "purpose" is something a lot of people in my generation struggle with: wanting to make a difference. I'm continuing to refocus myself and know that this is God's purpose for this time in my life, and that I am making a positive impact where I'm at just by loving Jesus and putting Him at the center of everything I do (or at least trying to!).

We went home a few weekends ago for quite the juxtaposition of events: a bachelorette party and a funeral. One of my friends from college was married this past Friday and I went home a few weeks ago to celebrate with her at the bachelorette party. It was low-key and, really, just my style. Eight of us went out for dinner and then back to the bride's home to open gifts and paint canvases. I'm so excited for my friend and this new chapter in her life. Marriage is such a blessing, and it really shapes us into new people as we grow closer as a couple. I'm praying for them that they continue to bring out the best in each other and learn to love each other more each day.

The funeral was for one of my nanny kids. I spent summer 2007 with her and her two little brothers...I always tell people that my two summers of nannying were the best "jobs" I ever had. I loved loving on the kids, planning fun days for them, blessing their parents by keeping their kids happy and occupied, while at the same time taking some stress off them by keeping the house picked up and getting dinner on the table. I still really, really love my two families. Jess was a vibrant, fun-loving 18-year-old...and she decided to take her own life. There's only questions in situations like this and my heart continues to break for their family. I can't imagine having to go forward in a "new normal" like this, and I think about them each day and how hard it must be to wake up with that realization that it isn't a horrible dream, but reality. I'm just praying that they cling to each other and to Jesus, that they love on their boys, who are still young and need a lot of leadership and shaping as they're growing up (as all young men do).

With the decision to quit med school and start at UMKC, we're planning on staying in KC long-term (unless God has another plan) so we've started trying to intentionally invest more in our church (now that we have time to invest as a couple) and building new friendships with people there and outside the med student circle. We've had dinner with a few couples, which has been lovely, and we've started a class at church and signed up for the membership class, too, which starts here at the end of the month.

Those are just a few of the "changes" going on in/around our lives lately. Are you in a season of change? What sorts of things are you wrestling with?