Stellar Work Day

Fridays are work days with James because I have class the rest of the week and need to be studying.  This was probably one of the most productive work days we've ever had and I'm excited about everything that we did!  We had our first meeting with the Oklahoma Center for Non Profits and I'm so glad we went because we learned A LOT! The meeting wasn't even that long but we were given so much information about how to get this school started and all of the steps we need to take.  We're so fortunate to have a place like this so close by because I know we're going to have a million questions, but the ladies we met with said that they were excited for us and wanted to see us succeed.  Yay!

Afterwards, we ate a late breakfast/early lunch at Classen Grill and reviewed what we learned, made a list of things we need to do and made a timeline for getting them accomplished.  It feels good to have a plan and some direction of where to go next.  We're pretty much just feeling our way through this process so guidance is a huge blessing.  One thing that we discovered today is that because we are incorporated with the Secretary of State, we are already allowed to start fundraising.  I thought we would have to wait until we received our 501(c)3 status, but for 27 months after you are incorporated, donations can still be tax deductible for donors, so we can really start making plans now and seeing what we can raise. And guess what! A very kind and awesome friend at Chipotle in Norman has contacted me because he wants to have a fundraiser for us. This could be our first one!  We'll have a meeting sometime next week to start planning it.  Have I mentioned lately how overwhelmed with gratitude I am? It's almost surreal how everything is falling into place!

After we ran a few errands, James and I met up with Justin Witte, Jo Wise, director of the Paseo Arts Association, and Diane.  We talked about all things music for the Paseo Arts Festival.  It's going to be so much fun! If anyone out there would like to volunteer, we'll need your help! The meeting went so well and I'm looking forward to working with so many great musicians.  Oh! And I've put a band together so we're going to start practicing very soon and we're going to perform at the festival too. I realllllllly can't wait for that! 

So to celebrate all of the goodness of the day, James and I went by the building to check out the new roof. It's hard to see in the pictures because it was only the flat part that was repaired and covered with TPO (Thermoplastic polyolefin), but this is an important step in our goal of energy conservation and efficiency so it's really just as big of a deal as the recycled material shingles that we're putting on the pitched part of the roof as early as next week!  The old gal is getting a makeover!  Here are a few pictures from today.

You probably can't see it but the white part of the roof (TPO) is in place and even reaches up the
 backside of the pitched roof a little. 

The woodwork is now in place for gutters too!

So to celebrate even further, we had a late lunch/early dinner at Iguana and sat on the patio.  What a fine, fine day it was.  I'm thankful for the weather and everything that we accomplished today.  Now it's time to get ready for some fun.  There are birthday parties and bands performing tonight. Can't wait! :)