This past month has been a whirlwind. The month of November was spent continuing to correct names in our database and printing thousands of year end newsletters and envelopes. The stuffing alone took us about 2 weeks. We are perfecting our system each time we do this mailing and I am hoping next year will be much more streamlined.

Andrew made his visit for Thanksgiving an official tradition this year. I'm glad that I pushed him to come down because we had a lot of fun. While we didn't end up taking the roadtrip we had originally talked about, we did a lot of things around town and he beat me several times at Scrabble.

We stayed home for the Thanksgiving meal and this year's turkey was far superior to last year's. We still aren't sure if it was the kind of turkey or how we cooked it, but we finished all 13 pounds in only a few days. We also tried a few new recipes which seem to have been a hit. And, because I am not eating dessert this year, he had a whole pumpkin pie to himself.

Somehow, we managed to go a whole week and not get a photo of the two of us. Perhaps next year we'll need to be sure we add that to our tradition.

In other news, we've almost had the wettest December in more than 100 years. Just last night I went on a simple errand to get a Christmas gift for my brother and as I entered a long line of cars exiting the interstate I had no idea what I was in for. When I got farther along I realized that the long line of traffic wasn't because of the contstruction going on, it was because of about 2.5 feet of water that covered the road.

At this point, I couldn't turn around as there were probably 20 cars behind me. So, I followed the large SUV in front of me and prayed they didn't stop. We managed to make it through and it was then that I realized just how much rain we were getting. I had to pull a U-turn again when I tried to get home and ran into another flooded road.

We got more than five inches of rain last night and are up to more than 12 for the month. The current record is 14.97 inches in 1905. In my more than two years here, I've never seen rain and flooding this bad. We certainly need to dry out before we get any more!

School continues to be an interesting challenge. Kentrell and I have figured out how to better work together and make sure he understands what he is learning in Civics. Journalism, on the other hand, is a different story. The biggest challenge is perhaps that each student is at a different place and reading can be a challenge for several of them. That makes examining articles and writing a difficult task. Most of them are doing well and are generally trying but I will be spending Christmas break re-evaluating what we do and how I teach the class. I want to be sure they are learning something and taking an interest and not just going through the motions.

I can't believe it's almost the end of the year. I'm looking forward to spending a week and a half at home in Iowa starting on the 23rd and returning to New Orleans on January 4th. I'd love to see as many of you as I can. I'll be in Cedar Rapids most of the time, but I'll also be going with my family to Kansas City for a few days and I plan to be in Des Moines for a day or two.

As you finish your Christmas shopping, holiday parties and last minute errands, don't forget the real reason for the season. Sure, you've heard that all over the place, but take a minute and really think about it. It isn't about finding or receiving the perfect gift, making the perfect meal or decorating just so. It's about Jesus and it's about family and friends because he has shown us the need for community. I know that while I love getting presents and seeing other's reactions when I have found just the right thing, this year I am truly grateful to be going home and spending time with my family.

That's what my Christmas will be about this year. I am most looking forward to hugging my parents and telling them in person how much I love them. I am looking forward to being silly with my brothers, especially at night when we are visiting family and supposed to be sleeping quietly. I am looking forward to my mom's silly outbursts when we play family games and watching the dog jump like a rabbit through the snow. I'm looking forward to falling asleep while watching movies and playing video games very poorly with my brothers. And I am looking forward to just doing nothing, but being together with my family.

This little guy is mouse #14. I should start naming them like they do for hurricanes, although that might make it too personal and harder to kill them. I came home and found he had moved the sticky trap clear across the kitchen floor and it came to rest on one of my boots that I'd left out. It scared me at first because I looked and didn't see the trap where it had been and then I realized how close I was standing to this mess.

So after some careful thought, I spent some quality time on my hands and knees with a pack of steel wool and some spray foam insulation going along the undersides of my kitchen cabinets and all behind my stove.

Feeling good about filling the holes, I went to bed that night around 10:30 only to jump out of bed 5 minutes later when mouse #15 ran across my bedroom floor and behind my dresser. I waited to see if he would stay in the room or leave again and a minute later he stuck his sneaky little head out from behind the dresser and ran back to the living room.

I tore apart my couch to see if he went in there as I have found droppings there from time to time. Then I was back on the droppings search. Follow the poop, find the holes. I found two more spots that needed to be filled and was more than generous with the wool and foam. Feeling satisfied, I climbed back into bed for a quiet night's sleep.

At some point I was up to go to the bathroom and in the silence I heard chewing. I figured it was the guinea pig, but as I listened more closely there was no way it was her. I put my ear up to the bathroom wall that is shared with the kitchen to hear #15 gnawing away and trying to get out. No sir! Trapped you will remain!

It's been a full 48 hours and no signs of my furry visitors. I have also added fresh mint to my arsenal as I hear they don't like it. The floor and countertops remain free from droppings, traps haven't moved and I have, thus far, found nothing suspicious.

Heaven help the next mouse to enter my space!

As has become the standard, a lot has happened since I last wrote. We have finished our first quarter at Urban Impact Leadership Academy and it has gone well. Almost all of my students received an A or B in journalism and I think they've started to understand several concepts. We have started with basic structure and functions of journalism and I've made sure to include the First Amendment in a lot of our conversations because I feel it is such an important part of the whole field.

Kentrell and I continue to work on Civics every day and it is also going well. I'm having to relearn a lot of American history but that has been a good thing. I've always loved history and political science was one of my majors in college. It is a blessing to finally be able to use that somewhere!

I have certainly come to appreciate full-time teachers so much more after this quarter. Planning takes time and I really only have to plan for journalism. We have a set curriculum for Civics so I just have to work a little bit ahead to be sure I am ready for each class. To be honest, there have even been things I didn't quite understand and a few words even I couldn't pronounce so we struggle through some of that together. Ideally I'd use different curriculum and I know Ms. Wendy agrees, but for now we work with what we have and I strive to make history interesting and as relevant as possible.

Last week the students dissected a starfish at Tulane University as a part of their biology class and I got to tag along as the photographer. I won't lie, it brought back horrible memories of frog dissection in high school biology class. Oh I'll never forget those sounds and smells! This, however, was a little more tolerable as 1) I didn't have to cut anything, 2) A starfish doesn't seem to come across as "real" as a frog since I've never played with a live starfish and 3) It has no face which makes it a little less creepy.

The kids did a great job and all of them got in there and were willing to explore and get messy. Better them than me!

In addition to school responsibilities, I've purchased a furry little friend. I know, I know, so many of you have heard all my mouse stories and probably wonder why I'd bring in something that could attract them. Well, I figure, how much worse can it get? (Just in case you're keeping track, I've now caught 13 mice.)

We had a rough start as she had ringworm when I brought her home and that meant she had to go back to the store for antibiotic treatment for two weeks. They (praise God) covered those costs and when I got her back she was like a totally different pig. She is very curious and often will respond to the sound of my voice. She knows she'll get fed when I get home and if that isn't the first thing I do she'll flip her food bowl around the cage and squeal at me.

Her name is McGuire (not like Lizzie or Mark McGuire). My mom was reading a book of teddy bear names and that's the one that stuck out. She's good company and once she's eaten she's more than happy to fall asleep under her towel on my lap.

We recently had a very successful 20th Anniversary celebration and it was so good to catch up with ministry supporters, former staff and friends from out of town. It was a lot of planning and preparation but I'm pretty sure that I was an event planner in another life and I thrive on the busy-ness and stress of big projects. I also love to see things that I've worked so hard on come out well and we received plenty of compliments on the whole weekend. It was certainly a team effort and I applaud all our staff for how everyone stepped up to the plate to pull it off.

As much as it frustrates me when others do not update their blog, you'd think I would be more likely to stay on top of mine. Alas, much time has again passed and here we are.

Last two weeks ago I had the wonderful blessing of a visit from some friends from Cedar Rapids. Jerry and Marlys Law made the long trip south for a few days of touring and learning more about what we do here. We went to junior high youth night and Bible study, I introduced them to our staff and we toured a little bit of every part of the city. The last day we took a trolley ride down St. Charles and South Carrollton, which was a lot of fun. I hadn't been on the trolley in more than a year.


It is always so great to have people visit. I love to show off the ministry and the city I love so much. Thank you again for coming Jerry and Marlys!

This week I am again blessed to have a team from Valley Church here for the week. I'm excited to see several new faces and I pray they fall in love with this neighborhood as much as I have. They will be working just a few houses down from mine and they'll get to take part in homework help and youth night. I'm also in charge of leading the talk about poverty, which is both fun and a challenge. A huge thanks for former staffer Scott Lundeen for producing amazing videos which make my work a little easier!

As many of you have probably already read in my newsletter, I have begun teaching this fall and I am very excited about it. I am working one-on-one with one of our students teaching civics on a daily basis, which currently means U.S. history. He passed his first test, doing very well, and I can't tell you how happy that makes me. It also helps me feel a little more justified as a teacher and I feel like I must be doing something right.

I am also teaching a journalism class once a week. This has been more of a challenge for me as there is no standard curriculum and I have been writing the lessons as we go. It has been a lot of fun to use what I spent so many hours learning from others and putting into practice while I worked at the newspaper. Although cramming all that into 45 minutes once a week has proven a challenge as well.

All in all things are going very well. We are well into planning our 20th anniversary celebration which will be October 16 - 18. I am excited to see former staff and interns as well as folks from all over the country who will come down for the weekend to help us celebrate all that God has done here. If you'd like to come, we'd love to have you. Just contact Ms. Joan at 504.523.5556 and she'll give you all the details.

This past weekend I made a surprise trip home to Iowa to help move John into his dorm and Iowa State (Go Cyclones!) and attend his swearing in for Navy ROTC. I flew in and out of Kansas City and my aunt and uncle were so gracious as to let me use their car to drive to Cedar Rapids.

My plan all along had been to get the family to go out to eat and surprise them there, but the closer we got to the time, the more than looked unrealistic. And why I thought that a 5 hour drive from KC would be easy, I'll never know. It was the longest 5 hours of my life as I waited to make the big surprise.

I found out my mom would be going to Wal-Mart to get some stuff for bulletin boards at school so I planned with my dad to surprise her there as I knew she would least expect it. Keep in mind, she had absolutley no idea I was coming. I got her on the cell phone as she was leaving school and talked to her as she drove while I waited in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I also managed to never lie to her. She asked what I was doing that evening and I told her just hanging out and probably watching a movie, which is exactly what we did.

I saw her drive into the parking lot just as she was ready to hang up so she went in one door and I went in the other. At one point we were walking down parallel aisles and I was sure she'd seen me, but not expecting that I'd be there, I'm sure she thought nothing of it. I'm also sure that if the security folks were paying any attention they'd wonder why I was peering around corners and walking very slowly.

Anyhow, she finally made it to the fabric section and I walked up behind her and said, "Rumor has it I could find you at Wal-Mart." She did a double take and said the classic, "What are you doing here!?" Mission accomplished.

The boys were also surprised to see me, but being as that they are boys, you'd never really know it. But the dog sure let me know he was glad to see me!

Saturday we moved John in and it brought back so many memories of moving into my first dorm in Friley Hall nine years ago. It seems like forever and just yesterday all at the same time. I had this overwhelming feeling of wanting to go back to school as we spent the day unpacking and getting last minute things for his room.

I'm pretty sure he was bored out of his mind all day Sunday, frequently texting us with questions. Although he did figure out how to ride the bus to McDonalds to get some "real" supper that night.

Monday, however, the boredom ended. We all piled in the car that morning and went to a brief luncheon and then the swearing in. One highlight was one of the officers pointing at Andrew and forcefully saying, "You, come with me!" Oh the look on his face as he tried to find the words to say that he was a brother and not going into ROTC. Classic.

The swearing in was, of course, very fomal and they drove home the point that this wasn't a game and you are here to succeed or you are out. I was glad I wasn't the one sitting there about to take the oath as I knew I couldn't do it!

We had a few minutes to say goodbye following the ceremony and then he was off to orientation. Because I'd made the trip all the way from Louisiana, I decided to stay until his orientation was over and take him out to eat. Jen came up to Ames and we spent some time walking around campus and hanging out there, which only made my desire to go back there even stronger.

I finally realized that it may not be so much that I want to take classes again but it is that feeling of first time independence that is so intoxicating. Moving now is still fun, but nothing can match that first time your parents drive away and you are all on your own. I don't think I'll ever go back to get my Master's, but if I did, I think it may just have to be ISU.

John called that evening and I picked him up as he was on his way home, hot and exhausted from a day full of training. Being that it is the military, they cut you no slack for not knowing what is going on and how to address your superiors, but I believe that makes you learn faster. John was a chatterbox all through dinner and I was amazed. I also felt the need to harass him for calling the waitress ma'am. It made me laugh.

I have been amazed as he has gone through this week of training enduring a variety of physical and surely emotional challenges. Even in one week his whole demeanor has changed and the boy who just a week ago thought that good enough was good enough called me last night and proved otherwise. He said he gets frustrated when others don't follow orders or get to where they are supposed to be and commented on how sloppy his fellow freshman dress. I'm blown away by the maturity that has come this past week.

There has been a continual fear as he has talked more and more about wanting to be in the military and now that he has made that commitment, but I believe now more than ever that this is where God wants him. Leading up to this point I have said that while I didn't feel comfortable about his choice, I would always support him wholeheartedly. That remains true as some of the fears have subsided and I see the growth this past week. Who knows what the future holds, but I know that he can do it and that he will be a stronger man because of it. While I have always supported our troops, I didn't realize the pride that would come from having a family member be one of them. I'm proud to wear my Navy sister shirt and I tell everyone I can about what he's doing and learning.

I'm so proud of you John and I can't wait to see what this year brings and how you grow through all of the experiences you have. I'll always be your biggest fan (except maybe for Mom) and I'll always be right there to support you in any way that I can. Grandma would be so proud of you for serving your country in the ways that you will and representing all that this great nation stands for. I love you.

This is by far and without a doubt my favorite photo from the entire summer. These little boys were at the Calliope housing project for Challenge Circle one night. One of the high school students said I should take a photo so I got down on one knee to be at their height and the little boy in the gray copied me. Then the other one got down too because we were both down on our knees. Sometimes, things just work out perfectly.

This summer National Project was full and busy. We had more than 350 high school students come from across the nation to help us run vacation Bible school and Challenge Circle and we had an average of 50 kids from the neighborhood attend the majority of the summer. The kids were learning the names of God this summer and so many did an amazing job of remembering all of their memory verses and the names they were taught.

Summer is such a great time for everyone and I feel like it really renews everyone's passion for what we are doing here. To see the kids grow in their understanding of God and to see how their lives are touched and changed by all the love they receive from teams and interns is amazing. This year we also sent two teams out into the community, one to Taylor Park to play basketball and one went on a prayer walk. Those who played basketball were able to be a light to a lot of the young men in our neighborhood who need a positive influence. Those who went on the prayer walks were able to see different parts of the city and cover those areas with prayer.

We had an amazing group of interns this summer, also from all over the country. There were three who returned and the other seven were new. They came together so well as a team and handled everything that was given to them with a servant's attitude. I am so excited that several of them have already decided they want to come back next summer!

Today has already been a little bit frantic as I am making last minute preparations before I leave for camp tonight. We leave Castle Rock at 11 p.m. on a charter bus with 40 11-18 year olds for Kids Across America or KAA. I've never been but I hear it is a lot of fun and it is where we get all of the cheers that we do with the kids during the summer.

The camp is actually split up into 3 different camps, based on age. I will be in K1 with the youngest kids. I have already started to get to know one of the girls who will be in my camp and I'm very excited to get to know her better.

We'll arrive tomorrow around 2 p.m. and we'll return to New Orleans on Saturday, July 18. I am thankful to my parents for sending me to summer camp for all those years growing up so that I have a better idea of what camp is all about. I'm really looking forward to spending time outdoors where things are a little cooler. I will also have no cell phone or internet access and actually, I'm really looking forward to that.

I'll post photos and info once I return!

Wow, I just realized how long it's been since I last wrote! As I said, the trip to Iowa was great and as far as the trip there, I can't complain. We made it in what may be record time.

It was so good to see family and friends in both Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. My mom and I also drug John out to take a few more senior photos and ended up with more goofy shots than anything else.

My dad made the trip back with me instead of John because there was still much work left to be done on the quad. He spent several days painting and doing other small detail things to make sure that my apartment was in the best shape it could be when he left.

We didn't do much sightseeing and generally stuck to the same restaurant when eating out, but it was so good to be able to work together on my apartment and to spend that extended time together. We also spent a good deal of time watching HGTV and learning about all sorts of home improvement tips and techniques.

After he left I had two days to recoup and then my friend Emily from Nashville flew in. It was so good to have her here when the city was "normal." Last year she flew in just before Gustav hit and ended up evacuating with us to Birmingham. We checked out some of the sights and caught a few festivals in the French Quarter. It's always so much fun to have people come down and see what I do and where I live.

A few days later I was able to meet up with the missions team leader from my home church and show him and another church member what we do here for National Project. We talked through a lot of things and they were able to ask flood recovery questions of Laura as they are from Cedar Rapids and in the continued recovery stages themselves.

That Friday, June 17 A few people helped me move most of my things back into the quad and I am so grateful for their help as it was immensely hot that day.

The following Monday I was on a plane headed for Minneapolis for the week for the EFCA National Conference with Laura, Pastor John and Wendy. I had only been to a district conference and didn't know what to expect. We had a great time and it was a blessing to be able to catch up with some former staff members and pastors from a few of the churches I've attended over the years.

We had amazing hosts in Bloomington and I can't say enough about their hospitality. I hadn't really slept in a real bed (I'd been using a blow up bed while not in the quad) for almost two months and that alone made it amazing. But more than that they were so giving and fun to hang out with that often we'd find ourselves up way past our "bedtime."

I love learning new cities and quickly acquainted myself with the greater Minneapolis area. I always tell people I don't get lost, not as a matter of pride, but simply as a gift. It seems a strange gift perhaps, but it comes in very handy and we made our way all over the city with no GPS and of that, I am very proud.

There has been a lot to do since I returned to New Orleans and I am slowly but surely settling back into my home at the quad. However...

Last night I was in the bathroom and I saw/heard a giant spider running toward me. As I squealed and moved it turned around and ran the other way. I tried spraying it with hairspray, as that was all I had, and it ran for the fridge. So I soaked the entire area around the fridge with bug spray. I also sprayed by the back door, front door and my bedroom door.

Thinking I had surely kept it from going anywhere past the fridge, I layed down to read for a while. No more that 30 seconds later out of the corner of my eye, I spied it running up the wall in my bedroom! I'm not gonna lie, I almost wet my pants. I was terrified at this point, especially because we had recently been talking about the brown recluse spiders that live here and cause incredible damage with their bite.

I, thankfully, had thought enough to leave the bug spray by my bedroom door and so I inched over to it while not once taking my eyes off the spider. Then I had to make the decision to spray or not to spray. I seriously thought about going to sleep somewhere else, anywhere else. So I sprayed and it flew off the ceiling, just like in that movie Arachnophobia. Creepy! So I jumped and after a deep breath, moved the pillow it had run under spraying all the time.

I thought I had killed it because it curled all up like they do, but after 3 seconds of not spraying its legs shot out and it proceeded to run away so I sprayed it some more and smashed it with a piece of a chalkboard thing that happened to be close by. So there is was, in a lake of bug spray, finally dead.

All night I was creeped out because it felt like there were things crawling on me and tonight I will for surely be doing more spraying all along the baseboards and anywhere those nasty huge spiders may be coming from. I never thought I'd say it, but I'd rather have the mice!

It's been an eventful several weeks since I last wrote. I have had my brother here for a little more than a week, made a 2,000 mile roundtrip to Cedar Rapids for John's high school graduation and now my dad is here for several days helping to finish up the quad. I feel like I need about a week's worth of sleep to catch up with myself, but that won't be happening anytime soon.

Andrew spent a good deal of his time (while I was at work) helping a few guys from Iowa hang trim in the quad. His many projects with Dad around the house have made him pretty handy when it comes to construction and home repair.

We spent a lot of our free nights playing Scrabble at Starbucks, which I'm proud to say I won all games. The weather was beautiful and it was so good to have him here. I also drug him all over town to take photos. We went to a local festival and checked out some abandoned spaces which I am adding to my photo collection.

The "worst" part of his visit was our 15 hour trip back to Cedar Rapids. We went to bed around 10 p.m. and were up again by 2 a.m. to leave by 2:45. So early! The initial hour wasn't too bad but after a few hours when Andrew was sound asleep I was glad I have a box of Cheerios to snack on to keep me awake. We were in Jackson, MS far too early for Starbucks to be open so we settled for a McDonalds for some coffee.

We realized by the time we got to Memphis that we were making very good time and decided not to stop for lunch anywhere but to keep moving and eat the Wheat Thins we brought along. We did have to make a Starbucks stop, but I was totally bummed that the one in Arkansas was closed and I had to wait until much farther into Missouri. We also gased up again in St. Louis and made it home by about 5:45.

I was so tired that night and the next day, but it was a good trip and we had some fun along the way. Stayed tuned for Iowa trip and graduation updates to be posted soon!

Last Saturday we partnered with the Orleans Parish Public Defender's office and the Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Association for our annual block party. It was a beautiful, sunny day and lots of people came out to enjoy food, music and many of the local organizations that came out for the event.

In the past we have done our own block party, but this partnership was a great opportunity to build and nurture relationships with other organizations and churches that are also seeking to bring about change in our neighborhood. The party was at Taylor Park, just three blocks from my apartment and two blocks from two homes under construction for tow of the elders of our church. It's great to be able to tell folks I live in the neighborhood when I meet them. It helps build some credibility.

The day couldn't have been more perfect, until the end. Right about 2 p.m. we started to tear down and put things into vehicles. Ihad just put away my camera and all of our Urban Impact newsletters and banners when very large raindrops started to fall. Within minutes we were in the middle of a full-fledged downpour. Racing to get all remaining things under the last two large tents, I was soaked. As a group of about 10 of us huddled under these tents trying to stay warm and not get any wetter, the wind started to blow.

Our pickup was parked under the second tent and all of a sudden the whole tent, concrete stabilizer blocks and all, just up and blew away. The concrete just barely missing the truck's windshield. Within 30 seconds our tent blew away and we were once again standing, and shivering, in the pouring rain. We all pitched in and put the last few things into the pickup and I headed for my car. What happened after I turned my back may be the best part of the story.

Two folks climbed into the pickup to get out of the rain, but neither was in the driver's seat. One of the tent poles had rolled under the front tires so Pastor John removed it and when he did, the truck started to roll forward. Without thinking, he tried to stop the truck but when he realized that would just end in trouble, he ran around to the side and was able to throw it into park before it hit the fence. Perhaps even funnier is the fact that the two in the truck were having a conversation about whether the truck was in fact moving, but neither thought to step on the brake.

So all in all, it was a great day and we had a lot of fun. And to be honest, even the rain was fun, in a chilly, I can't believe this is happening, sort of way.

Each day we are moving one step closer to summer and one step closer to finishing the quad. As it turns out, we had to rip out all sheetrock in the bathrooms, most of which was originally thought to be greenboard. So that hasn't necessarily set us back, but it means the rest of this week is being spent replacing that sheetrock and getting all of that area ready for paint. We have a small team coming in soon (although I am not exactly sure of all the details) who will likely rehang all of the cupboards and woodwork and install countertops. Because this team has construction skills, we'll forego painting until after those things are done.

The good part of much of this is that my brother, Andrew, will arrive on the 19th and will likely be able to help that team with much of the reinstallation and it is my goal to at least be able to move my things back into my apartment before we head to Iowa on May 28 for John's graduation. The last thing I want is to come back to a move, although it is still a possibility.

The plan is for John to come back with me after graduation for a few days before he starts work. But as of now he hasn't found summer work. If he does find a job that doesn't allow for him to come, my dad will likely be the one to make the trip. Either way, I'll have some help settling back in once I return home.

Planning and preparation for National Project is well underway and the Martin children have been hard at work on this year's logo. Andrew designed the lettering and hand-drew the lettering and the rim that John designed. I, then, combined the whole deal in Photoshop, cleaned it up and added the details. It may be changing a little bit as we prep it for tshirts and visors for the summer, but we're very excited to see this project come to fruition and it's been good to work as a team to see it accomplished.

Well, we're making progress on the quad. A wonderful team from Northcreek Church in California spent last week hanging sheetrock. With that finished, we hired the taping, mudding and texturing to be done this week. It looks like all that should be finished by Thursday or Friday and then we're ready to start painting.

One potential setback is the fact that the utility room and bathroom didn't get gutted in my apartment or Anthonika's, so that has to be done and sheetrock hung. It is still uncertain as to whether that will be able to be done this week. If it is, then the guys will be able to do the finish work, if not, then we'll have to do it ourselves.

I pray this hang up doesn't set us back and we are still on target to get moved back in the first week of June.

So sorry for the lack of updates on the quad. This week we have no teams in so there really hasn't been anything going on. Our director of operations met with a contractor this week to go over a few things and we are still on the plan to finish close to June 1.

Last week I had a great team from Connecticut (below) help me move and begin the gutting process. This past week has been great as I have moved in with my friend Emily who goes to church at Castle Rock.

This next week we'll have a team working on hanging sheetrock and I'm planning to get in there with them a few days and work on my skills. I feel I've gotten pretty efficient hanging sheetrock but I'd like to work on the mudding and taping end of it.

There's honestly not a lot else going on right now. We continue to gear up for the summer and I am working with our interns on their fundraising and newsletter writing. I am also doing a lot more design work as we are updating some things and planning a head for what is to come.

Here is a little peak into the gutting of my apartment. It is being done by a high school youth group from Connecticut.

Yesterday was high stress for sure. I was up by 6:30 a.m. to finish organizing all the little stuff before people showed up to help. Dingo called about 8:00 and he came to help pack all the stuff I was taking to Emily's (the friend I am staying with) into the van as I realized it was not going to fit in my car. We were done by 8:45 but the team didn't arrive with a truck until 10.

We packed the first round of boxes and took them to the storage unit on the Westbank and then came back for the furniture. I finally had to stop for lunch at 1:30. We had the last load to the Westbank by 3 and then Dingo and I were off to unload the van at Emily's. I finally had a minute to sit down about 4:30 and by that time I was exhausted.

By that point in the day I felt like I hardly knew where anything was and what I had and what went to storage. I hadn't had a shower since 8 a.m. the morning before and I just wanted to sleep. But I had dinner with the teams and then ran to the grocery store quick before finally making it "home" in time to catch most of The Biggest Loser.

It's definitely and eye opening experience to be moved out of your home and have it gutted. It was emotional to have all my stuff moved and it's hard to have it done by those to whom I have no connection as they may not be as careful or as interested in what is going on. I felt like I was on the verge of tears all day and it is likely I'll have a meltdown here before all is said and done. But all in all the move went as well as could be expected and I have a great place to stay while the work is being done. God has been good and even though it seems like my life is in total upheval right now, I know that he has the whole thing under control.

Just the joy of the Lord. Bless his heart.

I've spent most of this evening packing and even though I am praising God for this day of resurrection and dancing around my apartment to a few of my most favorite praise songs that have been on repeat for some time, I am still feeling very overwhelmed by this task of packing. Wow, that's the world's longest sentence! I have boxes scattered everywhere and anywhere that there is bare floor space and what began as a fairly organized process has turned into the "put it wherever it fits" method of packing.

I am truly realizing how many shoes I have and how much space they take up and for as little as I thought I had (because I got rid of a bunch of stuff the last time I moved) this has become a more daunting task than originally thought. And why is it that no matter what, there is all this little random stuff that never seems to find a place? Because this move will be so much different than all others, my goal is to eliminate all that little random stuff so when my help arrives I simply point to the stack of waiting boxes. We'll see how that goes.

I made a huge dent this evening so I am done for the night. I plan to round up a few more boxes and be almost finished by tomorrow at this time. The next decision is whether to begin sleeping somewhere else in the next few days. I feel that it may be in the best interest of my long-term health to do so as we are still not sure the long-term effects of this sheetrock and its potential contaminants. Prayers for peace would be most greatly appreciated as I'll be living in limbo for the next month to month and a half.

Chinese sheetrock

Well, you may have heard the rumblings out there, but here is the confirmation, we have indeed been flooded by Chinese sheetrock. If you haven't heard about this, it is low-cost sheetrock made in China that has been found to corrode copper, discolor silver jewlery, cause air conditioner and electronic device problems and it poses potential health complications.

I found out just before my last post that The Quad, the apartment building I live in, is full of the stuff. Therefore, it now has to be totally gutted and we must start over. Dingo has moved into the Yellow House and Ms. Deb has moved back to Iowa, so they started downstairs first. Those units are now gutted and we will begin the process of re-sheetrocking next week.

Praise God that there are several general contractors on the teams next week and we hope to accomplish a lot. Anthonika and I remain upstairs (with windows often wide open for ventilation) until the bottom units are finished and then we will be moving downstairs temporarily until they finish our apartments.

So the packing begins. Seems like just yesterday I moved in and just as I was finally feeling very settled it's packing time again. But God has been go throughout this process and he is providing for all our needs.

With all of the current properties affected, the estimated cost without volunteer labor is $39,000. The quad alone has 6,240 square feet that need to be redone. Our goal is to be finished by June 1. So, if you would like to help, here's what we need:

1. We need small teams of skilled labor, ie: professional drywallers, general contractors, skilled carpenters. We will provide the housing and meals and we have waived our Sunday to Saturday guidelines to allow teams to come anytime that is convenient for them. If you are interested in helping, contact Katie Hooks at katrinarelief@efca.org or give her a call at 704-305-3427.

2. We need financial contributions. As I mentioned, the cost of redoing all these homes is great but we believe that with financial contributions and volunteer labor we can keep the cost to around $8,000. Financial contributions can be made through http://www.urbanimpact.org/, make a note that it is for drywall repair.

As you can see, this past week has been very full of ups and downs and I am both physically and emotionally drained. The Beth Moore conference could not have come at a better time and God has been faithful to remind of his goodness and provision in the midst of this daunting task. Your continued prayers are greatly coveted. Please stay tuned here for updates and photos.

This past week has been a challenge in so many ways. Spiritual attack grew stronger with each day, coming to a culmination on Thursday night. By Friday evening I was ready to throw in the towel and hide from the world for the weekend. But I had already signed up for a Beth Moore conference and at 7 p.m. that's where I was. If you've ever been part of one of her Bible studies or heard her speak, you know you're guaranteed to be encouraged and this weekend was no exception.

Exhausted and burdened I walked into the New Orleans arena and it felt good just to sit down and take a deep breath. There was amazing worship which in itself is such a renewal. To sing praise to our God of victory with thousands of other women and return my focus away from myself and back on the the Almighty, what a blessing.

Then Beth spoke about 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24. The initial session was about the meaning of holiness which, she said, is wholeness. It is having every part of yourself (spirit, soul and body) devoted to one thing. She also said that every single season in our lives has some input into God's purpose for us and asked how we would handle and respond to those seasons.

My life isn't riddled with abuse or addiction, it isn't plagued by deep loss or unbearable sin. But that doesn't mean that live isn't hard and that intense challenges don't present themselves. Ministry is messy. Living in community is messy. But like Beth said, "I cannot be a whole person without other people." We all need each other. We need to be in each other's business, meaning we need to look out for one another, ask the tough questions, encourage one another.

I left so encouraged and though I was still physically exhausted I was spiritually renewed.

Saturday she talked about making a personal commitment to joy and getting away from the human fire extinguishers in our lives. Those who quench what the Spirit is trying to do in us and the passion he ignites. We are supposed to be blazing with Him! Hard as it is, I know that needing to be very aware of these that intentionally or unintentionally extinguish the Spirit in my life is so important.

Prayer was also a huge emphasis of the day. "Pray continually" was the verse and she explained it is living in a God-conscious state. It is taking the intentional time with Him each day and then being in constant communication throughout the day. And it's also not just asking for the big things, but the smallest things. How often do we only pray about the major things in life and then wonder why we don't see God answer prayer?! He answers all prayers in His perfect timing but those big things may take a bit longer and if we were faithful to bring even the small things to Him how much more encouraged and connected would we be?

Part of these verses has an emphasis on giving thanks. This isn't something you can conjure up, either your grateful or your not. But we are to give thanks to God in our circumstances not necessarily for our circumstances. If we are truly paying attention, we have so very much to be thankful for. And if we value what God values, we'll be thankful people. In that, she gave the example of her grandchildren. Jackson is 3 and loves Hot Wheels. His younger sister is still a baby and the other day they were watching him try to pry open her little fist while she slept. When he finally succeeded he put one of his Hot Wheels in it as if to say, "this is important to me. Wake up! This should be important to you too!"

What a way to look at God. He is constantly trying to pry open our clenched fist to place in our hands that which is important to him and therefore should be important to us. How often do we miss that?!

I left Saturday with a lot to think about and with a huge turnaround in my spiritual and even emotional state. My focus redirected and realigned to where it should be. Oh how much I miss when I narrow my focus to only myself.

I heard a lot of great songs this weekend which I promptly added to my iTunes collection. Songs giving glory and praise to Him who is worthy. But this one stuck out. Download it and turn it up as loud as you can and glory in what He has done for us!

Jesus Saves
by Travis Cottrell

Hear the heart of heaven beating, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
Hear the hush of mercy breathing, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
Hear the host of angels sing, "glory to the newborn King."
And the sounding joy repeating, Jesus saves.

See the humblest hearts adore him, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
And the wisest bow before Him, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
See the sky alive with praise, melting darkness in its place.
There is life forevermore, Jesus saves.

He will live our sorrow sharing, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
He will die our burden bearing, Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
It is done! Will shout the cross, Christ has paid redemption's cost!
While the empty tomb's declaring, Jesus saves!

Freedom's calling, chains are falling, hope is dawning bright and true.
Day is breaking, night is quaking, God is making all things new.
Jesus saves!

Oh to grace, how great a debtor! Jesus saves. Jesus saves.
All the saints who shout together, I know that Jesus saves.
Rising up so vast and strong, lifting up salvation's song,
The redeemed will sing forever, the redeemed will sing forever, the redeemed will sing forever, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

This past week my mom was able to come for a visit during her spring break. She made it Saturday night with no problems and we stayed up plenty late looking at photos and catching up. Even though I was just back to Iowa in February it seems like it had been so long since I'd seen her.


When she was here a year ago for my birthday we went to Starbucks and for the first time she got something, a java chip frappuccino. Even though she loved it, she hasn't had one since. Therefore, we had to go several times so that she could get her fill as she may not have another one until she comes back for another visit.


We did a lot of shopping and quite literally drove all over town several times. Because she wasn't able to be here when I moved in last August, we did some decorative things that she would have helped with if she were here then. I was able to get a bookshelf so that my tv is no longer sitting on a plastic tub and we got new white curtains for my living room to make it more summery. We also bought a bag of plastic lemons which may seem simple, but they really make the room more happy.


We also looked almost everywhere for wooden, rollup blinds for my front porch. We finally found some on clearance at Kmart and after far more struggle than it needed to be, we were able to hang the first one. Realizing our mistake, we hung the second one in less than half the time it took us to hang the first one. I love my front porch but have found that I cannot sit out there without being whistled or hollered at, so I wanted something to make it a little more private while still allowing me to enjoy the space. I am planning to put either screen or bigger flower planters along the bottom where the blinds do not cover.


I had my eye on this photo for a few weeks now as the flowers are blooming and even though it is just across the street, I hadn't gone over to get it. So, my mom went with me and I think I may add it to those I will be printing to go on my wall.

It was so good to have her here and the time always seems to fly by. I was blessed enough to be able to have 2 days off so we could spend more time together. I wasn't planning to take any time off, I just figured I'd leave a little early a few days but both Pastor John and Terry told me to take the time because she is only here once a year.

Yesterday afternoon was hard because we were both thinking about her leaving and trying to emotionally prepare for that. We got to the airport about 5:30 and the kiosk wasn't working so one of the ladies at the desk came over and when we told her which flight she was on she told us that Mom wouldn't make the connection in Atlanta because of a delay here. So her options were to spend the night here, or in Atlanta. Now there's a hard choice!

So, we got her boarding pass for today and left the airport. I think God knew we both needed just a little extra time. We went to Target and then watched a movie and did a few more things around my apartment that we hadn't had time to do. As we were watching tv we saw severe thunderstorm and and tornado warnings for all of SE Louisiana. It didn't appear that we would be in the tornado area, but not long after we went to bed the rain and lightning started.

It just got worse from there. It was like no storm I have ever experienced. The lightning was constant and the thunder just kept getting louder. It was pouring and the wind was up to 60 miles an hour. My mom and I both got up around 12:45 to check on things and I finally had to put a mask over my eyes to be able to sleep. Thankfully my mom was here this morning because she woke me up after I turned off my alarm.

The best thing about the rain is photos like this one, which my mom pointed out. We headed back to the airport for her 12:08 flight this afternoon and found out when we got there that it was delayed due to bad weather in Atlanta which is the same line of storms that was here last night. According to my dad she didn't get out of New Orleans until 1:35 and only by the grace of God did she make her flight in Atlanta.

It has been a great week and I am excited about all that we were able to do and the time we were able to spend together. I look forward to having Andrew here at the end of May and then being in Iowa for John's high school graduation.

SHEETROCK UPDATE - Just to update everyone, there are a few houses that we have been working on recently that have been gutted and re-sheet rocked by the teams that were here this week. We are still waiting to hear how much further the issue goes. Right now, the organization from whom we received the sheet rock has decided not to gut and redo the houses it has built because they say that the issues are not that great based on an independent study. I guess time will tell.

We learned this afternoon a large portion of sheetrock that we (EFCA Crisis Response) received as a donation is actually part of what is being called "toxic sheetrock" made in China. This contains chemicals that corrode electrical wires and other metals and also cause respatory problems. Therefore, many of the teams who are here this week are spending this afternoon and will spend tomorrow gutting the homes they have been painting, texturing and drywalling all week. It is currently unclear how many homes that we have worked on have been affected by this and will have to be fixed. There are at least 4, likely more. In one potential case, the homeowner has already moved back in. Homeowners are in tears and teams are very somber.

Please pray especially for our homeowners, as some were so very close to moving in. Pray that they are able to maintain hope as we work to undo and redo what has been done. Please pray also for the teams, that they would still see how God works even in this time that doesn't seem to make sense.

So with the gentle and persistent nudging of I am back to my blog and a lot has happened since I last wrote.

I went to Iowa at the end of February for the EFCA Central District Conference with Laura and Pastor John. It was a great trip and a chance to see a lot of people I hadn't seen in almost nine months.

On Saturday before the conference I was able to go to Cedar Rapids and see my family. It was a short trip but we managed to pack a lot in.

I also got to meet Max, the newest member of our family. When we got him he had some sort of sinus infection and fleas, so by the time I met him he was on the rebound. Even though it was freezing outside, we took a family walk and tried to take some photos of John for senior pictures, although we just ended up with a bunch of goofy shots.

That evening as we were uploading the photos onto my parents computer I saw the dining room table move and assumed Andrew was still out there, but no, Max had helped himself (all 34 pounds) up onto the table. Silly dog. I guess he has been chewing a lot of things and acting crazy at times and I told my mom he must be feeling better and he's obviously more comfortable now.

Sunday night a bunch of people went to the Joy Williams concert and it was good to connect with lots of people.

Monday and Tuesday were the conference days and that went well. I learned a few things about conferences and meeting with people. It was good to meet other pastors and ministry leaders from the denomination.

Things have been a little more laid back this past week but I've been busy planning for our next round of newsletters and I've been out taking lots of photos. I went to open court last Saturday night and decided to finally start my graffiti series that I have been thinking about for a while now.

I'm also enjoying the wonderful late spring like weather we've been having. It's such a blessing to be able to have my windows open and the fans on.

I've also been using the wonderful weather to deep clean my apartment as my mom will be here in a week. I'm really looking forward to her visit and I know the time will be too short!

It's Carnival season once again in New Orleans and Mardi Gras is only a few short days away. I've been to four parades this year, and I have to say, I'm just not feelin' it this year. I got a few beads, but I wasn't even into trying. Last year was a lot of fun, but it was still new, a novelty for me. My mom got to be here for a few parades and we had fun going together, but this year all the excitement of it seems to be gone. Because the super krewes roll this weekend, more and more tourists are here and driving is a nightmare.

Out-of-towners don't seem to grasp the u-turn etiquette and yesterday one stopped on the neutral ground, right across the trolley tracks. I had followed her into the intersection thinking (as anyone who drives here regularly would) that she would continue to cross, even if the light turned yellow or red. But no, she stopped both of us right acorss the tracks through an entire light cycle.

It was then that I made my final determiniation: I am not staying in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. It would drive me nuts to be stuck in my house all day but going out is not an option. It will be a bit too chilly to spend a day at the beach in Pensacola (3 hours away) and Baton Rouge is likely not far enough away from all the action.

I am spending today working on a plan and location for my escape Tuesday. The rules are that it not be more than 3 hours away (since it's a day trip), it can't cost more than a tank of gas and one or two meals and it can't be anywhere that has anything to do with beads, crowds or alcohol. So, I've got my work cut out for me.

I'm currently leaning toward a park in Mississippi that has more than 40 waterfalls and some decent hiking. There is also a national forest in Mississippi that is a possibility. I'll be sure to post photos of my final destination.

As the time to continue driving legally was coming to a close these last weeks of February, I finally made the early morning commitment to standing in a long line at the DMV. I was a little worried that I had gotten there too late (7:20) but I was still the 10th person in line when it opened at 8.

I was also concerned that I needed to do something else before I would be able to switch my stuff over. I took my Iowa title, proof of insurance and LA license in hopes that would be what I needed. See, the website is pretty much unusable and didn't help at all, so really, it was a total shot in the dark.

But, once I got inside they assigned me a number and within 10 minutes I was already being helped and what I had was all I needed. I was done by 8:25, which was nothing short of amazing. My next challenge was to get brake tags. In some states there is emissions testing, but here they make you go and get tags to prove that all your lights, wipers and horn work.

The first stop was a bust because for some reason they were closed for the day. The second was a bit of a drive and after waiting anxiously in line it was my turn. Things were going well until she went around to the back of the car and don't you know I had a burned out tail light! So now I have a "rejected" sticker on my windshield.

Fortunately, I have a spare bulb and will only have to pay once. The "rejected" sticker keeps me from getting a ticket and gives me 30 days to fix the problem and return to have it reinspected, with no additional charge. I felt pretty dumb that my stuff wasn't all in working order, but at least I now have almost everything I need to be a fully legal Louisiana driver.

Except, perhaps, any memory of the good driving skills I was taught in driver's ed....

Two weeks ago we had another installment of "Old Guys" vs. "Young Guys" football. This time the "Old Guys" had held at least one practice that I know of and had ordered themselves shirts. Well hey, at least they looked good, right?

I was on the sidelines generally close to what was going on to get the shots I needed and ended the day with a bruise the size of my fist on my upper thigh from the place where one of the guys cleats met my leg. For not being in the game, I'd say it was a rather impressive, and very painful injury. I spent most of that night and the next night with ice on it. Two weeks later it doesn't really hurt anymore, but the bruise is still very much there and I'm glad it's not warm enough for shorts just yet.

As an aside, I will be in Des Moines February 27 - March 4, for the EFCA's Central District Conference at Valley Church. If I have not already let you know that I wanted to pass the info along. I'd love to see as many people as I can while I'm back because I didn't get there during Christmas. I'll be at Valley all morning Sunday, March 1, and may have some free time between conference events. Please let me know if you'll be around and we'll catch up!

Last Saturday Anthonika and I had a joint party to celebrate our 27th birthdays. Her's was February 4 and mine was January 31.

We had most of the UIM staff, some TouchGlobal friends and church members there and it was great to have things split between our two apartments. I don't know where I would have put 20+ people if it was only at my place.

I decided that I wanted to do pulled pork, but I realized after I sent out the e-mail that I had no idea how to make it so I called my uncle David to ask for some expert advice. I went to the store like I knew what I was doing, but felt totally out of place. I cooked it all day with a recipe that I'll never be able to duplicate because I'm not really sure what I used or in what amount. But it turned out very well and people liked it. Not to mention that I had plenty of leftovers.

Laura and I went birthday shoe shopping for most of the day and I came home with a great pair of red pumps that will always be a little uncomfortable, but will always be cute, and sometimes that's all that matters.

Terry and Sarah brought Evie and I have to say that this is the best photo I got all evening, and perhaps it's the best one I've taken in a long time. She makes this face all the time, but I finally caught it on film and it really speaks for itself.

It was a great birthday filled with food, fun and friends. It was hard to be away from home and know that I wouldn't see my family on or near my birthday, but I'm looking forward to a trip to Iowa at the end of the month when I'll get to see them for a very belated birthday celebration.

Sunday I became an official member of Castle Rock Community Church. While I have attended and been involved with several churches, I have never applied for membership until now. There hasn't ever really been a reason for not joining a church, but I know this is definitely the place where I belong. We started right off with the 2009 budget and discussions about our building project which is still on hold until some other things are worked out.

Sunday was also Sherlise's birthday. I picked her up for church in the morning and after church and our annual meeting we went out to lunch. Then we decided to bake a cake. I had her do most of it and we talked about why each step was important.

She decided she wanted pink and yellow balloons and hearts, so I suggested heart shaped balloons, which is what we went with. Years of watching my mom make cakes for our birthdays helped with the decoration part of it.

Sandy, Anthonika, Duane and I all sang for her and enjoyed some of her creation. It was good day and it was good to be able to help her feel special. She turned 20 this year and will graduate in May. For some reason my brother's school decided to move graduation back a week so I'll actually get to be here for Sherlise's graduation, which I'm very excited about because it is a big accomplishment that should be celebrated.