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.