Update...

Sorry for taking so long in between posts... We've been super busy.
Some highlights from the last 11 days:

Starbucks backed out of providing coffee service to a Diabetes walkathon at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in early October. We have a meeting Monday with the event organizer to become their new coffee service provider. As it turns out, they also need a photographer for about 85 group photos, as well as some candids/event photography. I will be providing those services as well. I love it when we have the chance to meet a need that Starbucks has agreed to do, then bailed...

We are continuing to grow our 'regular customers'. We are having new people in daily that comment on how much better our coffee is than anywhere else in town. That is encouraging...
We are still not capturing the morning commuters. Most of our day business is from people in the surrounding buildings. We have considered hiring cute, energetic girls to stand out by Pikes Peak during the morning rush hour and wave signs advertising $1 coffee and $2 lattes. No, there is no profit in that, but we want to get some rush hour drivers to know we are here and try our product. Once they have tried it, and noticed that our prices are cheaper than Starbucks, then we'll have 'em hooked for good.

My Photography group is really coming together. I have been named an assistant group leader. I don't have time to devote to it right now, but I am looking forward to when I do... We have gone from monthly meetings to a meeting every one or two weeks. We have one tomorrow, which will be a Still Life workshop. It will be a hands on, cameras out, firing away photo session to experiment with depth of field and lighting for still lifes. We have also discussed going to two meetings a week to accommodate the group size. We limit an individual event to 25 or so, but the group membership has grown to almost 60 people. We have some really great people, and lots of photographers are also making friends and business acquaintances out of the group. The meetings are supposed to run from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, but I've had people here until 11:00pm or later the last several meetings!

I know this isn't all that exciting to you, but Tracy and I both got new shoes today! Tracy wanted to get some shoes that will help her to be on her feet for 12-14 hours a day. She found some great shoes for a whopping $165! I decided to go the athletic route instead of the 'work' shoes route and got some Solomon hiking shoes (low cut, not over the ankle). They are super comfortable, are all leather, and provide great support. I think these will last much longer than cross trainers or trail running shoes... We have not had an income for awhile, so we have bought absolutely nothing for months and months. If you have gotten to the point where nothing is exciting anymore and you don't appreciate the little things in life, then I suggest you go six months without spending ANY money, except for absolute necessities like house payment, food, gas for the car, etc. Once you have done that, then buying a new pair of shoes becomes very exciting, and much appreciated. In the past, I have always picked out two or three pairs that I like the way they look, try them on, and buy a pair. Today, I wanted to make sure that I spent money wisely and get something that will work well and last a long time. I tried on over 20 pair of shoes!! I took two hours to narrow it down to the Solomons, or a pair of New Balance trail running shoes. I went with the Solomon hikers because of the leather construction and they have better arch supports in them...

Updated prayer list:
Andrew Harris - he is here from Ohio for medical treatment. He came in today and asked if we had anything healthy for $2. He came here for specialized medical treatment and the airline lost his luggage, including his cell phone and his wallet. He looks like he is healthy enough to be playing football for a college team, but apparently has a medical issue that he does not expect to survive. It is such a contradiction to see someone young and visually healthy, who is suffering from something that may take his life.

Bobbi's mom - Bobbi is one of our best 'regulars', and is also someone we knew from a church we attended together back in 1997. Her mom has been hospitalized with MS, and is not doing well.

Jo Renda - my little sister had shoulder surgery last week and is recovering...

Sharla - a woman from our church, who is also interested in buying our rental house. She was diagnosed with breast cancer on Friday. We wish her well with whatever treatment her doctor chooses...

Aubrey and George, my brother and neighbor who are both serving their third tours in Iraq. Please pray for all of our troops, everywhere. I've been there, done that, and I know from personal experience that they could use our prayers, no matter where they are stationed or what they are doing on a daily basis.

James, our nephew. After some rough teenage years, James has been out of trouble and attending college, studying pre-med, working at Starbucks, and just doing really well in life. He met up with an old friend from back in his 'trouble' days and has followed him down the wrong path... James was recently arrested driving a stolen car, plus apparently had some drug paraphernalia on him, and is in more trouble than he cares for right now. There are consequences in life to poor choices, and I am not asking you to pray for his troubles to go away. I'm asking you to pray for him to learn to make better choices in life, and that he can turn this around before he gets in trouble that will take his whole life away from him.

There are many more people out there, friends and family, as well as total strangers, who need prayers. Take a look around your own life and find someone you can pray for... They are there, all over the place.

Gotta run,
JD