Trip to Dallas

So our Executive Team went to Dallas for our last session with Leadership Network on Generosity! It was a good workshop. It is so good for our team to get away and have discussion that in the day to day grind we don’t have the opportunity to have. The best part for me on this trip was the realization of how cool our church is! Rock Point has a great staff and is doing really neat and progressive things in an area that is super tough to do ministry. Arizona has been hit so hard by the economy and our culture is one that is hard to teach people about commitment and priorty. We live in a culture here in Arizona where church is just one option out of many for people to choose from. In Texas, everyone goes to church. It is very rare to meet someone that does not go to church. With that said I love Arizona.

Now Dallas is a very cool place. I could totally live there. It is such a cool culture and a beautiful city. We went to see the 6th floor museum where JFK was assassinated. What a cool thing to see! It was such a treat for us to have a couple of hours as a staff to go and sight see and have some fun together! The only bummer was we had a 8:30 flight that got delayed to 11:45 and we didn’t get home until about 1:30. I don’t think I got into bed until 2:00 am! I did take a four hour nap today though – so I am feeling pretty good! Just a snapshot into my life this last week. I am so happy to be home! Hey let me know if you have ever been to Dallas – I’m interested to hear what you thought of the city!

New Home Defense Firearm

So since Amy and I have been married, I have been wanting to get a home defense gun! I like the idea of having a way to protect my family in the unfortunate occurrence of an intruder in my home. My father in law was out here this last week and we spent some time looking at guns. He ended up buying a Springfield Armory XDm 9 mm. The XDm is much like the XD except it is outfitted with a match barrel and match trigger. It is a little more accurate and ergonomic. It is also about a $100.00 more expensive. As cool as the XDm is it was a little overkill for me. As we browsed the different options we both were sold on the Springfield Armory handguns. They are incredibly safe new style semi-auto pistols. I ended up buying the Springfield Armory XD .40 cal. They are similar to a Glock in the look and feel. Both being a polymer handgun with a striker fire system. (But feels like a double action stroke when the trigger is pulled.) They have multiple safety feature including a palm safety that has to be pressed to chamber a round as well as to pull the trigger. I liked the way the XD felt in my hand and I wasn’t fond of the Glocks angle as it is held. The Springfield is set up more like a 1911. I went to the range and shot 100 rounds through it and just love the way it feels. I chose to go with the 40 S&W caliber. It is a very fast and large round. It is primarily what the police departments issue based on the ballistics of the round. I was considering the .45 but decided not to go with that round based on cost and overall performance. I am using hallow point round for home defense and regular target rounds to practice. My first time at the range and I was making groupings at no more that 6 inches. Most being at around 2 inches. (25 ft) I can’t wait to get out and shoot some more. I am the first to admit that guns are not for everyone, but I just love it! I think it is amazing that we live in a country that we can exercise our right to bear arms.

We Got Towed at Savers!

So Amy and I went on a little day date today! It was a great day. We had a great lunch at Wildflower and then went to Ikea. (Amy loves Ikea – I get a little overwhelmed) We had a good time there and bought a few things then headed down the street to Savers to do a little thrift shopping for awesome clothing that you can’t buy at the store!. So we pull up to savers and park in a parking lot directly in front of the store and go in. We were in there for 5 min when the lady comes on the intercom and says, “Remember we have the orange tag sale and the prices are discounted on anything with an Orange Tag and if you are parked in the Wendy’s parking lot (Which is adjacent to Savers on the other side of the parking lot) please move you car or it will be towed.” So it took a second for it to register with me, and right when it hit Amy yells my name across the vastness of Savers, “Chip!!!!” I come running over to see my Truck GONE!

Furry and Rage start setting into my gut and I run out and look at the signage in the parking lot. Sure enough – it’s Wendy’s parking lot. I called the tow truck company and told them that we had just eaten at Wendy’s and then went to Savers in an attempt to try to get out of the cost of the tow. (Yes I lied – don’t let me teach your kids at church!) They said it didn’t matter and that I should have moved my truck after we ate and yada yada yada. So I yelled at them for a little while just to make myself feel a little better! All the while Amy is watching what is going on. The tow truck company had a guy posted across the street that was calling the tow truck whenever someone parked there and went into Savers. They were basically just trapping people that were as confused by the appearance of the parking lot as we where! This really made me mad. So I called a cab and just then a poor old couple came out of Saver only to see that their car had been towed as well.

I felt so bad for this couple. They didn’t even know what to do. So Amy and I told them what the deal was and that they could share the cab with us. Just about then the cab arrived. As we started to get in a man walked up and introduced himself. He told me that is was a public relations consultant and that he wanted to contact me about this so we could let the press know about it. (I’m definitely going to inform the Arizona Republic about this one!) So we got in the cab and headed to the tow yard. We had to stop and get 120.00 dollars in cash out of the ATM because they only take cash and about 10 minutes later we where at the tow yard. It was run by thugs – seriously. Amy was pissed and scared all at the same time. They made her stand outside and threatened to let their dog on her if she gave them any more Sh$T. Thats my wife for you! So I got my truck – and everything was in fine condition. We decided that it was probably time to head home so we did. A botched ending to a great day! At least it was memorable and we have a good story to tell!

Amy’s Birthday!

So it is my wife Amy’s birthday on March 15th! Let me just start by saying that I am so blessed by my wife. I definitely married out of my league! Not only is she sooooo beautiful, she is smart and makes me laugh everyday! So she is turning 31 this year and is not too happy about it, but she is so young at heart that you would never know that she is over 30! She is also such an amazing mom. She is organized, but fun, is disciplined but fair, is kind and gentle, and most of all just loves our kids with everything that she is! She is truly an amazing woman and I am so proud of her! I think she is the best and I wanted to wish her an very happy birthday!!!!!

Second Cortisone Shot Much Better!

So I got a second cortisone shot yesterday (Friday) and I can tell that this one worked much better than the first one. While I am still sore from the procedure, my left leg is not numb and in fact I don’t have any pain in my leg or hip! I still have a little bit of pain in my groin and some moderate pain in my lower back, but that is to be expected! I am so grateful for all of your prayers! They must have worked!

Cana – rode her bike without training wheels!

So yesterday Amy and I took Cana to the park to try riding her bike without her training wheels. When we got there and took off her wheels she got a little nervous and gave us a little problem. She just ran away and threw her helmet and refused to ride her bike. We let her calm down a bit and finally got her to get on her bike. She started to peddle and I was holding the back of her seat and within a few peddles she was off and riding. She was doing it all on her own. I have never seen that before! SHE DID SOOO GOOD! It was one of those moments as a dad that I was just so proud of! We are still working on turns, but for the most part she has got it! She is something else! I will add a picture of her riding as soon as I get one on my computer!

Conservative Radio Talk Show Hosts Sound Ignorant!

So I do my fair share of listening to conservative talk radio. For the most part I agree with most of the things that they stand for and say, but I am a little suprised at how strong they are coming at Obama on the economy. Even If I don’t agree with Obama’s plan he has been behind the desk as President for less than 2 months. I mean if things are going to get better in the economy it is going to take a lot longer than two months to see anything happen! People what change so bad that even some of Obama’s supporters during the election are jumping ship. To me the rant on how unsuccessful Obama is so far sounds a bit ignorant to me. It takes more that two months for a person to go through the precess to refinance a home, let alone completely overhaul the economic system of the United States. Do I think the stimulus plan is a good thing? Well yes and no! I think there needed to be help for the banks and there needs to be money for infrastructure projects and money to promote new innovation as well as alternative fuels, but I do not believe bailing out large companies that are not able to produce products that people want to buy is the right thing. It goes against the the core principle of a free market economy. It is as simple as supply and demand. GM is a perfect example of a company that needs to file bankruptcy and then reinvent itself. For me the bottom line is that Republicans can whine all they want about Obama being president, but the Republicans did not put a candidate out there that had the ability to give Obama a run for his money. Conservative talk radio hosts need to start re-energizing the party by talking about what can be done now in order to win back Congress and do a little less sulking about Obama and his economic plan.

Updated Link to Promise’s New Blog!

So if you haven’t been to a really cool and creative blog recently, please check out promise’s new blog! http://promisetangemanblog.com/ She just has talent that screams out of everything that she does. Also if you are looking for design work or photography she is definately worth checking out. She is a really neat girl and a great friend as well! Please check it out! Here is the site again, or you can click the link on my blogroll. http://promisetangemanblog.com/

My new Haircut

So a few weeks ago I put a poll out there and many of you voted on what Haircut I should get. It was actually a tie between Ryan Hanson and Zack Effron. If you don’t know who they are scroll down a few posts and you can see the pictures. So on Friday I went

Tying to look super cool - UHHHHH not so cool!

to get my haircut and I think I got a good combo between the two that were voted. I have attached a picture that I took with my computer so it is not that good! But here is the new Hairstyle! I went to a girl named Kim Cornwell who is just awesome. If you want her number let me know! She is super fun and showed me a lot about different ways to fix it and take care of it. I have never learned that stuff! Also Thanks for voting. I have attached another poll to let me know if you like it or not! You won’t hurt my feelings just be honest with me!

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Banquet

Well Amy and I went to our first Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Banquet tonight. My friend Brad got us tickets to go! It is a fundraiser to help conserve the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep. It is a great cause and I was so appreciative to have been able to go! It was an interesting event! I thought that it was going to be a little more formal than it was. With the exception of a few girl that busted out their winter formal dresses, Amy and I were the most dressed up people there and I didn’t think we were all that dressed up. I guess I will know for next year. If you like nature conservancy and are into hunting at all it was a great event. I couldn’t believe it though – they auctioned off a tag for a Sheep hunt that went for $80,000 dollars! Crazy! I guess that was sort of low in comparison to years in the past! We left a little early because I am still in some pain from my back procedure, but it was a great event! Thanks Brad for the invite!