So we’re playing at Fort Lee Army Base this past weekend - we play for the soldiers there once every three months or so, and it’s always a great experience. Last week was interesting though - to say the least. Our guitarist/singer lost her wallet the day of the show. And you need a driver’s license, or at least a picture ID, to get on a military base. She brought her passport, but mistakenly grabbed the expired one. So at five till seven (concert starts at seven) I get a frantic phone call: she cannot get on base. Our keyboard player is not going to be there that night, and I do NOT play guitar well enough to carry a concert (worship I can handle, concert: not so much). So I beg a sergeant who knows us to intercede on our part, while Greg, our drummer, and myself get going (the soldiers have a limited time they can be at the coffee house, so we cannot wait too long). We scrape through the first two songs, and halfway through song #2 get the thumbs-up sign from the back: Kim and Dan (our bass player) are on their way in. I have seldom been so happy to see band members show up! By the time we took our first break my heartrate is finally down to normal again. All a part of life on the road :).

I have been reading an amazing and sobering blog the past few weeks - a young Australian woman who is losing her battle with colon cancer. She writes openly and honestly, and it moves me. Here's the link. Her name is Jen, she is a single mom. Say a prayer for her.

I am sitting at Common Groundz Coffee, where we are playing tonight - it is pouring down rain and instead of heading back home after a lunch meeting I figured I would go straight there and stay through the evening. So I am sitting on a super-comfy Ikea couch, drinking a snickers-latte (I am not kidding), and working on my laptop. This place is supercool - the bathroom walls are made of blackboard, and there's colored chalk sitting in a basket - needless to say you don't need reading material :). There's a huge bookcase with lots of topics represented. Lots of games under the coffee table. Music with an edge playing (interesting mix between world music, techno, and emo). I am loving this place already, and as icing on the cake we get to play here tonight!