I love discussing with my wife how we’re deciding to conduct our lives. One area is Christmas spending. Over the last couple years of marriage, we’ve made consistent efforts to create gifts and not focus on the price tag or the pressure to give a certain amount. We’re very much on the same page here. If we see something for $85 and we know a family member really wants (or needs) that, then it’s a joy to get it for them. And if we see another item for $35 that another wants, then the same spirit of giving has been present in each situation. This is obviously easier said than done.

At the same time, Katie and I are trying to give more to causes near and dear to our hearts. The biggest for me is Blood:Water Mission. Started by Jars of Clay, BW:M exists to provide clean drinking water to areas of Africa affected by the AIDS pandemic. I need to fully dedicate a post to this cause. But for now it’s part of a different cause.

So Katie and I are trying to be conscious about our giving at Christmas. Then this movement called Advent Conspiracy comes out. Advent Conspiracy is best described as “taking back Christmas from the pop culture of spending more, and bringing it back to the Christian heart of giving.” The videos at the right of the Advent Conspiracy blog are fantastic.

I know – kind of weird that I know Brett Favre’s birthday. But it’s just one of those things I guess. So for his birthday Brett got to celebrate a week off (Jets had a bye last week) after throwing six TDs the week before. Career high.

In a related story, Aaron Rodgers‘ birthday is December 2 (I had to look that one up). If anyone’s thinking of what to get him, they might consider shoulder surgery or 6 months of rehab.

Alright, I’m being too hard on Aaron. Yes I miss Brett, and Ted Thompson is the biggest idiot in the NFL – no, he’s the biggest idiot in pro sports. I miss Brett, but I’m behind Aaron Rodgers. The Packers’ problems haven’t been the QB. Their line has been dismantled and they seem to lack the leadership that Brett provided.

Random post, but anyways — Happy Birthday Brett.

Two weeks ago, I was supposed to meet a client at the gym at 4:30. Unfortunately A.J. had passed away the night before of unknown causes. A.J. was a very active man – 23 years old, but he was autistic. He was a bowler, golfer, runner, and he worked out with me at the gym.

Being a person with a disability, A.J. was still able participate in so many activities. He worked at Copps and had just moved into a house of his own with his long-time friend, Max. At the gym, A.J. and I would meet twice a week – once to lift weights and once to ride our bikes for cardio. My newest goal was to get A.J. to train for a half marathon. I know he would have been able to do it b/c every time we ran, he never tired out.

Two days ago I went to A.J.’s Celebration of Life. Walking into the chapel at Edgewood College I was faced with an aspect of A.J.’s life I hadn’t expected. The audience was filled with other people with special needs. After I realized that this was the representation of A.J.’s life, it was warming to see friends and family gather to remember A.J.

The women’s choir sang a song. His attendant and advisor talked about their memories of A.J. But what I will never forget is eight of his friends reciting a poem they put together entitled “How I’ll remember A.J.” When they stood up to read their section of the poem, it was often simple memories spoken in broken English. My words aren’t doing the experience justice. Seeing people with special needs talk about a friend is very touching. They don’t add anything that isn’t supposed to be said, like many others often do. They pull every word straight from their heart. And they remember the simple things: bagging groceries at Copps, his love for comic novels, and art work. He was a good artist. Here’s his painting of Favre handing off to Driver.

The hardest part of the night for me was the social afterwards in a room filled with a bunch of A.J.’s personal belongings. The first thing I saw was these two NFL jerseys which A.J. would wear to the gym. It just forced into my mind a memory of him walking into the weight room to begin our workouts. It really made me miss him. A.J. was very authentic in everything he did — as someone stated in the service, you always new where A.J. stood on things.

I’ll miss A.J.’s attitude and effort that his had in his workouts. Fully aware of his disability, he never let it stop his pursuit of sports and other hobbies. He made the most out of his years here on Earth.

I just realized that during the whole summer and preseason I was mistaken. I was under the impression that the nightmare that was the Brett Favre Saga was not really happening. Sure, Aaron Rodgers started the preseason games, but the reality of it never sunk in with me. And yesterday I was watching the Ironman while Brett was throwing a 56-yard beauty for the Jets, so I didn’t see him start his 17th NFL season with a team other than the Packers. But tonight, as I tuned in my radio and heard Aaron Rodgers take the field for the Packers, I couldn’t help but think of where Brett was watching the game.

We don’t have cable, and I needed to be home with family tonight. But it was an amazing (yet disturbing) feeling to know that I’m tuning into the same game that Brett Favre is. He HAD to be watching. The Packers were taking the field for the first time in 17 years WITHOUT him.

Ted Thompson should be fired. I’m a Packers fan, and maybe a bigger Favre fan. The leadership of the Packers has made a huge mistake – from a business perspective. A leadership failure, that of which their large egos won’t allow them to realize.

It’s just not right. But it’s another example for me where I need to keep in check the truely important things in life.

It is my honor to introduce Sorin Steven Schiefelbein to the Game Plan. As of right now, you won’t be hearing much about him here b/c he has is own blog – (SorinSchiefelbein.blogspot.com).

He has been an absolute joy for the last 48 hours. Sorin was born Friday night:

Birth: August 22, 2008
Time: 4:41 pm
Weight: 6lbs. 8oz.
Length: 19 inches

Better pictures to follow.

I haven’t written about our pregnancy all summer, and I’m not sure why. I’ve certainly thought about it, but I think it’s one of those things that’s been so new for us, it’s been hard to put thoughts and words to the whole process. Instead, I’ve been writing about sports – go figure.

Obviously I think about our baby all the time. Want to know what his name is? Stay tuned for that one… Being pregnant has been such an interesting experience for Katie and me. I guess as I write tonight I can say it’s gone quite fast. But recounting the nights when sleep was at a premium reminds me that parts of this process have been very difficult.

Lately my thoughts and words to Katie have been the following: I am so proud of her in the way she’s brought our son to life in such a healthy way. She’s been so aware of her diet and physical activity all this time. She’s read so much about pregnancy. She’s found so many pieces of furniture – the crib, changing table, and car seats. And she even found some time to pick out some cute outfits for Junior. I’ve actually enjoyed that last part – I might be that dad who dresses his son to match himself. Picture it – I’ll make it a reality this fall.

I guess I have a little regret that I haven’t documented our pregnancy these last 9 months. But at the same time – an unapologetically – it’s been Our Time. We’ve enjoyed the privacy and intimacy of a whole new life experience together. That’s been very special for us. Fun, funny, hard, and educational to say the least. And now we climax with the final week. 5 days until we start a whole new experience.

I have fond memories of my first Olympics in 1988 – it was the first Games where I was paying attention and knew a little bit about what was going on. I’m sure these Games contributed to my patriotism.

The Olympics of 2008 bring a hype I haven’t seen in years. Most would say the Olympics have lost the glory it once owned. And marketing the Games has addressed this, including the NY Times talking about how much the viewing audience and network coverage has increased each year. It’s almost like they were telling us we’re supposed to be watching this.

Well this year Michael Phelps truly gives us a reason to watch. The headlines are intriguing: Phelps could become the most decorated Olympian of all time. And as I write this, he’s just broke his 4th and 5th world records, so that would mean 5 golds in 5 events. Michael Phelps is the winningest Olympic athlete ever — ever. That’s a story.

I know this is “old news,” but for the sake of documentation I wanted to pull this sidebar off of ESPN (thanks guys) as a sad reminder of these last couple weeks:

BRETT FAVRE SAGA: OVER

After pushing and pushing to keep playing either in Green Bay or elsewhere, Brett Favre’s storied career will continue in 2008. The unretired quarterback has been traded by the Packers to the Jets.

It is a sad day in Wisconsin. Meeting clients at the gym I work at, the tv was tuned to ESPN which was reporting that Brett Favre has been traded to the Jets.

Packers Football was so pure. It had been so great, then it was so bad, and then we got Brett Favre. Now Ted Thompson comes in and drafts Aaron Rodgers (who I think will be really good). Thompson thinks he needs to create his own legacy with his own QB. And all of Wisconsin suffers. Who in their right mind says ‘no’ to Brett Favre? Favre’s last throw was an interception – and a stupid one at that. But he was one score away from the Super Bowl, and nothing has changed since. Yet they don’t want Brett back. It’s bad leadership. This never would have happened under Ron Wolf. Thompson and the Packers need to keep one eye on the future. But AT THE SAME TIME they cannot overlook what is right in front of them – a quarterback legend who wants to play a couple more years.

I’m disgusted with the Packers. I’m embarrassed to be a Packers fan. I wish Brett would have retired rather than be traded away from Green Bay. But this is the sports world we live in now. Nothing’s pure. That was made clear today.

I won’t even mention the line that goes something like, “Can you believe how fast summer is going?”

We haven’t been all that busy with events and things like that. Our life within pregnancy has seemed to change things. We still go to the Farmer’s Market, which is great. Over the 4th of July we went canoing down the Wisconsin river, near Arena and Spring Green. That was great to get on the water and be outdoors. Speaking of outdoors, we bought a great tent (well, it depends who you ask) at REI for cheap. My version of a great tent is one that can be strapped on to your backpack and fits just above your head as you’re lying down to sleep at night.

Katie’s version is the one that can fit a queen-size mattress and where we can fully stand up inside. We bought the latter. But we’ll use that tent for the next 20 years at Family Camps at Fort Wilderness and other State parks around Wisconsin. Look at the view from inside that thing!!!

So we’re doing our best to stay active. Katie gets really tired and is just wishing she could work out like she used to. No bike rides, no runs. The paddling wasn’t that comfortable for her, either.

Summer has been busy. What’s new. But like Matt Metzger talked about today at Blackhawk – we need to be intentional about taking a Sabbath, taking a day off to rest and refresh.

For me, that includes reading and writing. I started this blog to process life, and that’s gotten too far and few between. I need this time to create journal memories and document and process.

I need to read b/c readers are leaders – I get refreshed when I read the paper and learn new things.