It’s time to take things a step further & get a little intimate with a Q&A. What do you say?😉 Learn a little bit about the faces behind all of this relationship gold. This week we’re chatting with Chris Ownby, husband of 18 years to wife Kristen, #Girldad to two teenagers, outdoor enthusiast, and the Research Strategist here at First Things First. Let’s get REALatable💛 & learn a little bit about him:

Q: Favorite city you’ve lived in?

A: 💛 You know, I’ve lived in several parts of the country at different times of my life. Went to school in Nebraska – can’t say enough about those corn fields. Lived in Las Vegas for a stretch – other than the scorpions in the house and coyotes roaming the neighborhood, not a bad experience. But my all time favorite place I’ve lived is where I grew up and where I now call home: the thriving metropolis of Chattanooga, TN. Great food, lots to do outdoors, mellow coffeeshops, fun nightlife, and a wonderful place to raise a family. Haven’t been? Come visit. I’ll point you to best sushi you’ve ever had.

Q: What’s better: Spooky or funny?

A: 👻 This one’s a toughie, so I’ll say this: I like things that are perhaps spooky to other people but hysterical to me. Case in point: I bought a gilly suit online. For those that don’t know, it’s the outfit that hunters wear to blend into the woods, or what snipers wear in the movies (and real life, I imagine). It’s more than camouflage – you literally look like a piece of foliage. Which is exactly what I looked like in the middle of my front yard on Halloween night last year when unsuspecting little trick-or-treaters came looming around the corner looking for Snickers bars. They walked right by me, thinking I was nothing but harmless shrubbery. And then…Hey kid. Trick or Treat. I’m not going to say they all jumped and screamed, or ran away, or never came back. But I did have a lot of candy left over for some reason. Spooky? I think so. Funny? Absolutely.

Q: Favorite Halloween costume?

A: 😂 Alright, I’m a little embarrassed to admit this one. But stay with me. In high school at a youth group Halloween party, I dressed as a bathroom wall. Seriously. I hung two giant cardboard pieces from straps and wore it like a sandwich sign. On the back I designed a (very classy, I might add) bathroom brick wall with a commode, and on the front I did the same, except (yeah, you guessed it) with a urinal. Then, the final touch, the jewel in the crown, the pièce de résistence: I hung magic markers from strings for people to “tag” the bathroom walls. It was magnificent. People came from all parts of the party to permanently mark their signatures, quotes, or smiley faces. And, not to brag, but yeah, I won first place in the costume contest.