Ok...Ok...I'll fill ya'll in...

Sorry to keep you in suspense... my life has been a whirlwind of meetings, work, meetings, work, helping friends move, stuff, stuff.....crazy this last week...I've got a couple evenings without major plans- now I'm free to plan/help coordinate a 3 year old birthday party...superbowl party, a one year church anniversary party, a couples event, a 30th birthday, enjoy a visit with my parents...all in the next two weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (oh, and enjoy valentines day with my sweetie....) I LOVE February- (I'm tired already, and I've still got 27 days to go!)

Last Weeks Lessons Learned:

1. Check card fraud is rampant. Two "ladies" in Chicago got a hold of my husband's card numbers somehow, created their "own" cards linked to his account and bought a bunch of athletic gear all over the Chicago Ridge Mall. Ran that account until it was empty. So we've taken the steps to make it right but a check card is a lot harder to dispute than a credit card...When it's Visa or Mastercards' money being stolen they work REAL hard to get it back. When it's your OWN checking account- there are a whole lot more hoops to jump through. I'm moving to a cash only system...(ok, so I'm not sure about that either...) But truly we were violated!

2. The guy at work, he's okay. He didn't suffer any major brain damage...but lots of blood and I'm sure a nice law suit for the security company that manages the security doors here at our building. They decorated his cube with hard hats, caution tape, a body outline...he hasn't been back to work, but when he DOES come back I'm sure he'll appreciate that.

3. Four of the FIVE Phoenix water treatment plants were shut down last week due to the huge amount of rain we've recieved. When I say huge I mean nearly three inches in January when our desert usually gets less than one. So they were I guess having issues keeping up and had to close down a few...there was "muddy" water, not necessarily unsafe, but they took the precautions they felt necessary. One of the largest metro areas in the country without water for 24 hours. Brush your teeth with bottled water, coffee shops and restaurants closed...just weird. It actually didn't personally affect me at my new house because we have Scottsdale water, but had I lived in my previous location it would have been no showers for me. Things are back to normal in that arena...but you do take for granted what is an everyday necessity when suddenly it is NOT available, ya know?

OK, is your insatiable curiousity appeased? Can you step off for a minute...jeez people!?!!!

On a positive note...things at our church are going great...there is a feeling of momentum in the air and "synergy" (hands clasped together "In Good Company" style...hail Teddy K- GREAT movie.) It is a great feeling. We've had some changes and bumps in the road as EVERY church does, but it really feels like people are stepping up and taking ownership of "their" church- an excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead in 2005 is really growing in my heart.