Soccer Wife

You should know that Tyler is a dynamite soccer player. Second-team, all-state and all. His handling with the ball is something I’ve admired since we started dating. He’s a leading scorer and quick as lightning. It’s so fun to watch. 

But, did you also know that I play soccer? Oh, you didn’t? That’s because I do not. Not even a little. So, when Tyler told me about his dream of having a Gibb family soccer team, I got that ball in the back of my throat that makes it hard to breath. I didn’t want him to see it. But I was panicked.

In the end I knew what I needed to do. He wanted this. And I wanted him to have it.

I cannot tell you how much fear I had to get over. It was a lot. You would think with a 6-5 basketball star for a father, I would have inherited some amount of skill and grace. Not the case. I played softball quite well, I can do other things just fine. But my feet. Ugh. They’ve given me grief. At times in my life (particularly the awkward stages between 11-16), my feet struggled to keep me upright. It was a rough time and left a few scars and fears of public humiliation that I’m not quite over apparently.

So, this next part might come as a shocker. I kind of like soccer. Oh, I’m still not very good. But I’ve learned to stand in front of the man (or woman) with the ball and try not to let them pass. I’ve also learned that I really love my husband (and not just because he’s a stellar athlete). I’ll do anything for him, because he’d never ask me to do something that’s going to hurt me. Soccer’s fun. It’s something new. I’ve broadened my horizons and taken on my fears and a couple men twice my size. All’s fair and the memory of the Gibbie soccer team is a good one.

Winter Not So Blues

December was lovely. But after the holidays... After all the family has gone away, the alarm clock has been reinstated, the running has been resurrected. After the head/chest cold combo that had me leveled and still has me coughing. What then?

A winter girl I am not. It gets me down. Too dark. Too cold. Too icy to run free in the road. But I really do try to fight it, because I’d rather not be down (not really a good color on me). So I have gone into high action mode in the brain. I am thinking and re-thinking all the totally sweet and awesome things I can do to make it until the 80s (in Fahrenheit, not fashion sense to be sure).

Now, the trick of tricks is working around a schedule where I see that man of mine only one night during the week before 10 p.m. That will just have to mean that the weekends will be phenomenal. Another task to overcome might be our cash flow diet. If you know of free, you just chime in. We won’t let anything (cheap) stop us though. We have a winter to conquer and a lot more fun to have. I don’t want to waste a minute.

My plans are not all fun and games. Maybe it’s the New Year that’s got me feeling the need to purge and purify. Whatever it is, I’m feeling it. Like last night, I spent two hours with rag and bucket. Baseboards. Need I say more? We’re going deep. It’s a bit cold, but I’m thinking of tidying up in the garage and storage shed in the next two weeks. On the inside, we’re going to sift through clothing and donate the remnants to the local D.I. 



Not all, but most, will be fun. And games. We are going to a free art exhibit. Experience something new. I have fun doing anything with Tyler, so we might as well throw some culture in. We are going snowboarding. Tyler will snowboard backwards so at least there’s some sort of a challenge. I will try not to snowboard on my face. We will throw some exercise in at home or in the club house. V-day weekend we are hitting the road to St. George with our good friends Beth and Ryan. I can hardly wait.



And the list continues. We are going to take my nephews to the dinosaur museum. We are going to do a 500 piece puzzle. We are going to play every game in the closet – and I have high hopes of winning one. We are going to get 2-for-1 massages. We are going to celebrate our Anniversary – Tyler’s on top of that. We are going to watch Despicable Me – I’ve heard good things. We are going to make personal pizzas. (Ummmm … Tyler doesn’t know most of these things – excited yet, babe?!)

Anyway, there's a lot more, but, you don’t need all the details. It’s just going to be great. Until May. When life and the weather get a little brighter. Thank goodness.

Sick and the Fire that Wasn't

I am taking the second sick day of my working career. It’s not like me, but I’m legitimately under the cold weather (and sick of the cold weather, for that matter). I called my boss, Tyler made me an awesome breakfast, then I went back to bed for two more hours. I was pretty impressed with myself.

I put our sheets in the washer. I got a cup of dry cereal, and I sat on the couch to rest some more (honestly, it took it out of me). Well, 10 minutes down and the fire alarm was going at full blast. My first thought – the washer! I mean, let’s be honest, Tyler usually does the wash. I’ve done laundry most of my life though, so you wouldn’t think I’d lost the touch… but anyway. I threw the cup of Lucy Charms (I regretted that later, I just vacuumed, for heaven’s sake) turned off the washing machine, checked for smoke, then got out of there.

It’s cold outside. I forgot my shoes. The alarm was going off in the whole building, not just our condo. The other ladies of the building and their little kids (or dogs, as the case may be) followed me out. You always wonder what you’ll actually do in case of an emergency. I did not turn off the gas – thought of that later. Sorry, Dad. I did call 911. I gave them the directions in what hopefully sounded very calm and collected (probably sounded sick. I’m sick. Ugh.)

The emergency guys came – first the police officer, then the fire truck and ambulance, complete with lights and sirens. And then and then … it turns out it was construction work that set it off. They checked the condos. We were cleared to go inside 30 minutes later or so. We’re safe and I’m grateful for emergency guys, especially when they have to come for nothing.

Not much of a story, but that’s the eventfulness of the day. At least I finally blogged again! I’ll be around again shortly. For now, I need another nap.