John says hello

15 You Tube videos in the past 3 weeks??? Yikes. Sorry bout that everyone, guess I had a summer crush. Regardless, I figured I should actually write something seeing as a lot has happened.

I joined a quilting club for one . It really helps with the anger management. I'm about 28 squares in. Plus we won the lottery. $2 on a $1 scratch card. We were able to buy 18 blue whales. It was extra income so I dropped 1.8 in the collection bag last week. Other then that I've been baking up a storm and doing pushups every morning.

But enough about me, the biggest thing to report is the kids new schoool. I know I mentioned this a while back but we put the kids in this year. We found a fantastic charter school called Calgary Arts Academy. Its an arts immersion school and may very well be the best way to do school period. Everything is first hand, experiential, and engages all the senses. Couches replace desks, student learning contracts replace homework, passionate teachers replace ones just doing their time. Every time I go there I choke up unable to believe my kids are recieving an experience this good. Its a parents dream to see their kids thriving. I'm a lucky dad indeed.

Besides school, I have been able to get much more socially involved by serving on a the Board of Neighbor-link, an organization that partners with churches to care for the poor. I never believed the day would come where I'd be board material but hey, that's life. Besides Neighborlink I've been working hard with the shelters as we get set for another year of Homeless Partners. We're expecting to interview over 1000 of Calgary's homeless this year. The media is always kind to us so check the news every night. I'm kidding. But still. . .
Other than that, I've just begun my seventh year of youth ministry and am having a great time especially as we plan to return to Tijuana next summer. Cheap drugs there apparently.

Here's something great. We got rid of our van, traded it in for something. . .operational. We invested $6000 into that van this year only to lose it all. Not lying. My anger has subsided thanks to the quilting and our NEW CAR!!! Think Bob Barker and that last line will really come alive. Yes, we got a 2008 Toyota Matrix and couldn't be happier. I'll take some pics soon. I think the Closes may just become Toyota for lifers. (TFL's)

I could tell you more but let's be honest, most of you probably skim anyways so I might as well end here. I plan to write much more now that winter is coming. I hope you do too.

Bring on the Grid Blog!!! I'll start us off with something easy: The best book you read last year and why. Post by next week.

Note: A Grid Blog is where we all write on the same topic with the same deadline.

John