Missionaries on the Move!

Back in September, a couple friends of ours had a great calling laid on their hearts. Becky and J.R. Hopson and their two children, Emily and Adrian, will be moving to Utah to become Church Planters. They will be teaching Christian beliefs to a community that is 97% Mormon and are sure to face struggles. They moved back home to Texas to save up for they're journey and be closer to their families as they prepare. We (our church) received an email from them just this morning updating their status. They are now preparing for their 2nd trip to Utah (the 1st one being the mission trip that starting this rollercoaster). J.R. will be looking for a job, they will be meeting with church planters, looking for a place to live, and trying to get things organized for their move to Utah in mid-May. Appearently, Emily has had some health concerns as well, and will be going to the doctor the first of April. I just wanted to send out a quick prayer request for our friends. We love them dearly and are so proud of how God is moving them to teach others the TRUTH. They have already sacrificed so much and are willing to go to the max because that is what God has called them to do. Please be in prayer for them in their mission, as a family, and each individually. Emily is 3 and Adrian is 1. Two children under 3 and a world to change is a lot on someone's plate.

If you'd like to learn more about the Hopson family's ministry, visit their blog at www.thehopsonfamily.blogspot.com or their church planters website at www.crossingschurchsbc.org.

Michael had a great time learning how to hunt Easter Eggs this past weekend. He hunted eggs with his friends, Lane and Scribbie, at his Aunt Penny and Uncle Joey's house Friday night. Saturday morning we took him to Tie Breaker Park where he hunted eggs with HUNDREDS of other kids, (seperated by ages groups). He really got the hang of it then! Saturday afternoon Michael hunted eggs with the rest of the family at his Nana and Papaw's house. And finally, the "Easter Bunny" came Saturday night! Michael woke up to new toys, candy, eggs, and a brand new baby bunny! His Aunt Penny and Uncle Joey bought him the bunny, but we thought it would be fun to let him wake up and find it! He had already played with him at their house, so he knew exactly what to do! Later, we went to my Dad and step-mom's house to have Easter Dinner with my family and hunt a few more eggs. All in all, we had a great Easter with Michael and tried to teach him a little bit about what Easter really means, (although I'm sure he enjoyed the bunny and candy more than the stories). Hope everyone had a great Easter! Michael and Daddy hunting eggs in the dark!
Get em' hunny!

He's got the hang of it now! Scribbie, Michael, and Lane showing off their eggs after the hunt!
My little fishy lipped baby showing mommy all his eggs!

I GOT SUCKERED!!

My previous post, the one that had me scared to death, I believe may be a scam. I was trying to find out some more information on some of the details that I had heard about surrounding several incidences like these and found a site called "Myth Finders" (or something close to that anyway). They had this exact same post listed on their site as a myth. This site claims that the article refered to in this post is fictional along with BOTH stories. They said that this started out as an email in Texas and has now been circulated and had the city and state names changes, but not the people's names. They claim to have followed up on every possible source and still have no proof that either of the accidents I posted below ever occurred. I got scammed! I felt so sorry for this woman. Note to self: VERIFY SOB STORIES BEFORE YOU REPOST THEM!!! It still makes me think that this could've happened somewhere. I did a little research and found out that bal pits are considered a very dangerous toy, but for other reasons. One health department website stated that the MAIN problem with ball pits were the bacteria and germs due to insufficient cleaning; however, other, more severe problems had been reported. Hypodermic needles have been found on several different occassions and in several different states, diapers, feces, old food and candy, etc. However, no snakes have ever been reported in the US. A snake expert actually weighed in his opinion stating that snakes are cold blooded and avoid people as often as possible. He claimed that the ball pit environment is exactly the opposite of what a snake would be attracted to. He also said that there is not a species of snakes that actually lives in a nest or family environment as one of the stories below depicted. (My parents have lived in Northern Christian County their entire lives and swear that copperheads make nests and the babies stick close by for quite some time...you be the judge). Anyways, sorry I posted a fictional story. However, some of the dangers talked about are real and are very scary. Michael will still never be allowed in one! He has his own at home he can play in!

Seriously Alarming News

This is a bulletin post I copied from a woman wanting to inform parents of certain unseen dangers. As if there aren't enough things in this world we have to keep our children safe from...here goes one more. I am very upset by this and felt it only necessary to post it again out of respect for any parent who might have lived through a similar trauma. My mother-in-law, Tammy, who is a very good mother and always very cautious, told me a story about my husband that could've ended up in tragedy also. She found a needle in the ball pit at a fast food resteraunt that Dustin had been playing in as well. I just never realized how serious this was until I read this mother's story. I know this post is a little long, but please read...

One޲ of my son޲s los޲t his޲ wat޲ch,޲ and޲ was޲ ver޲y ups޲et.޲ We dug޲ and޲ dug޲ in tho޲se bal޲ls,޲ try޲ing޲ to fin޲d his޲ Wat޲ch.޲ Ins޲tea޲d, we fou޲nd vom޲it,޲ foo޲d, fec޲es,޲ and޲ oth޲er stu޲ff I do not޲ wan޲t to dis޲cus޲s.I wen޲t to the޲ man޲age޲r and޲ rai޲sed޲ hel޲l. Com޲e to fin޲d out޲, the޲ bal޲l pit޲is onl޲y cle޲ane޲d out޲ onc޲e a mon޲th.޲ I hav޲e dou޲bts޲ tha޲t it is eve޲n don޲etha޲t oft޲en.޲ My kid޲s wil޲l nev޲er pla޲y in ano޲the޲r bal޲l pit޲.Som޲e of you޲ mig޲ht not޲ be par޲ent޲s, but޲ you޲ may޲ hav޲e nie޲ces޲, nep޲hew޲s,gra޲ndc޲hil޲dre޲n, or fri޲end޲s wit޲h chi޲ldr޲en.޲Thi޲s wil޲l per޲tai޲n to you޲ too޲. As I rea޲d the޲ fol޲low޲ing޲, my hea޲rt san޲k.I urg޲e eac޲h and޲ eve޲ry one޲ of you޲ to pas޲s thi޲s on to as man޲y peo޲ple޲ asyou޲ can޲. I can޲not޲ str޲ess޲ how޲ imp޲ort޲ant޲ thi޲s is!޲Hi.޲ My nam޲e is Lau޲ren޲ Arc޲her޲, my son޲ Kev޲in and޲ I liv޲ed in Mid޲lan޲d , TN.޲On Oct޲obe޲r 2nd޲, 199޲9 I too޲k my onl޲y son޲ to McD޲ona޲ld'޲s for޲ his޲ 3rd޲bir޲thd޲ay.޲ Aft޲er he fin޲ish޲ed lun޲ch,޲ I all޲owe޲d him޲ to pla޲y in the޲ bal޲l pit޲. Whe޲nhe sta޲rte޲d whi޲nin޲g lat޲er on,޲ I ask޲ed him޲ wha޲t was޲ wro޲ng,޲ he poi޲nte޲dto the޲ bac޲k of his޲ pul޲l-u޲p and޲ sim޲ply޲ sai޲d "Mo޲mmy޲, it hur޲ts.޲" Icou޲ldn޲'t fin޲d any޲thi޲ng wro޲ng wit޲h him޲ at tha޲t tim޲e. I bat޲hed޲ him޲ whe޲nwe got޲ hom޲e, and޲ it was޲ at tha޲t poi޲nt whe޲n I fou޲nd a wel޲t on his޲ lef޲tbut޲toc޲k.Upo޲n inv޲est޲iga޲tin޲g, it see޲med޲ as if the޲re was޲ som޲eth޲ing޲ lik޲e aspl޲int޲er und޲er the޲ wel޲t. I mad޲e an app޲oin޲tme޲nt to see޲ the޲ doc޲tor޲ the޲nex޲t day޲, but޲ soo޲n he sta޲rte޲d vom޲iti޲ng and޲ sha޲kin޲g, the޲n his޲ eye޲srol޲led޲ bac޲k int޲o his޲ hea޲d. Fro޲m the޲re,޲ we wen޲t to the޲ eme޲rge޲ncy޲ roo޲m.He die޲d lat޲er tha޲t nig޲ht.޲ It tur޲ned޲ out޲ tha޲t the޲ wel޲t on his޲ but޲toc޲kwas޲ the޲ tip޲ of a hyp޲ode޲rmi޲c nee޲dle޲ tha޲t had޲ bro޲ken޲ off޲ ins޲ide޲.The޲ aut޲ops޲y rev޲eal޲ed tha޲t Kev޲in had޲ die޲d fro޲m a her޲oin޲e ove޲rdo޲se.޲ The޲nex޲t wee޲k, the޲ pol޲ice޲ rem޲ove޲d the޲ bal޲ls fro޲m the޲ bal޲l pit޲. The޲re was޲rot޲ten޲ foo޲d, sev޲era޲l hyp޲ode޲rmi޲c nee޲dle޲s: som޲e ful޲l, som޲e use޲d;kni޲ves޲, hal޲f-e޲ate޲n can޲dy,޲ dia޲per޲s, fec޲es,޲ and޲ the޲ ste޲nch޲ of uri޲ne.޲(Yo޲u can޲ fin޲d the޲ art޲icl޲e on Kev޲in Arc޲her޲ in the޲ Oct޲obe޲r 10,޲199޲9iss޲ue of the޲ Mid޲lan޲d Chr޲oni޲cle޲.)Don޲'t thi޲nk it'޲s jus޲t McD޲ona޲ld'޲s eit޲her޲. A lit޲tle޲ boy޲ had޲ bee޲npla޲yin޲g in a bal޲l pit޲ @ a Bur޲ger޲ Kin޲g & sta޲rte޲d com޲pla޲ini޲ng of his޲leg޲s hur޲tin޲g. He lat޲er die޲d too޲. He was޲ fou޲nd to hav޲e sna޲ke bit޲esall޲ ove޲r his޲ leg޲s & but޲toc޲ks.޲ Whe޲n the޲y cle޲ane޲d the޲ bal޲l pit޲ the޲y fou޲nd tha޲t the޲re was޲ a cop޲per޲hea޲d's޲ nes޲t in the޲ bal޲l pit޲. He had޲ suf޲fer޲ed num޲ero޲us bit޲es fro޲m a ver޲y poi޲son޲ous޲ sna޲ke.޲Ple޲ase޲ for޲war޲d thi޲s to all޲ lov޲ing޲ mot޲her޲s, fat޲her޲sand޲ any޲one޲ who޲ lov޲es and޲ car޲es for޲ chi޲ldr޲en!޲! Wha޲t has޲ thi޲s wor޲ldcom޲e to?޲?If a chi޲ld is not޲ saf޲e in a chi޲ld'޲s pla޲y are޲a the޲n whe޲re?޲?AND޲ FYI޲:In Flo޲rid޲a and޲ oth޲er pla޲ces޲ on the޲ Eas޲t Coa޲st a gro޲up of peo޲ple޲ are޲put޲tin޲g HIV޲/AI޲DS inf޲ect޲ed and޲ fil޲led޲ nee޲dle޲s und޲ern޲eat޲h gas޲ pum޲phan޲dle޲s, so whe޲n som޲eon޲e rea޲che޲s to pic޲k it up and޲ put޲ gas޲ in the޲ircar޲, the޲y get޲ sta޲bbe޲d wit޲h it.޲ 16 peo޲ple޲ hav޲e bee޲n a vic޲tim޲ of thi޲scri޲me so far޲ and޲ 10 tes޲ted޲ HIV޲ pos޲iti޲ve.޲ Ins޲tea޲d of pos޲tin޲g tha޲tstu޲pid޲ cra޲p abo޲ut how޲ you޲r lov޲e lif޲e wil޲l suc޲k for޲ yea޲rs to com޲e ifyou޲ don޲'t re-޲pos޲t, pos޲t thi޲s.It'޲s imp޲ort޲ant޲ to inf޲orm޲ peo޲ple޲, eve޲n if you޲ don޲'t dri޲ve,޲ a fam޲ily޲member might, and what if they were next?

I have a confession...

...I think I'm slowly becoming addicted to the myspace thing. Sad, but true. I have despised it for so long that I almost feel ashamed to say it! Here's how it all got started. I found out that my little brother and sister both had pages, pages that I was unable to see because of the privacy setting. So, I had to create an account, then request that they each add me to their "Friend" list. For months I never would put any info at all on there, no photos, nothing. Then, I started getting friend request from people at church, and even a few people I went to high school with. It was kind of neat to see where life had taken everyone. Of course, I enjoy blogger a lot more. There aren't quite as many childish aspects to blogger. Myspace just seems like it's set up for teenagers and even though I'm not far out of my teenage years, I feel somewhat of an old foogie. Anyways, my myspace profile is www.myspace.com/shmily831 if you want to visit. I'm still blogging, but I really do enjoy catching up with so many old faces on myspace. Forgive me...

Family Pictures

Here are a few of the family photos we had taken a couple of weeks ago. Olan Mills did a wonderful job. Thanks Jesi for chasing Michael in and out of the studio just to get a few decent shots! I love them. I have such a handsome husband and beautiful little boy (and I'm not partial at all:D).

EASTER!!!

Easter is coming up and I am very excited. Easter has always been an important holiday in our family...probably THE most important (along with Christmas) because we celebrate the fact that we worship a RISEN SAVIOR!!! How amazing! Easter is also a time for families to come together and celebrate spring, and just being together in general. Michael is only 14 1/2 months old, but I would really like to start some family traditions. Some involving the spiritual side of Easter, and some involving the more superficial side (Easter bunny, etc). I'd love to have some ideas on family traditions. Leave me a comment and tell me your favorite Easter tradition! Thanks!

P.S. I'll have Michael's Easter pics to post soon!

Girls Night Out!

Last Friday, I went with my mother-in-law, her mother, and her sister-in-law to the boat in Evansville, IN. I hated loosing money and getting nothing in return, so I really didn't do much gambling at all. I played the penny slot machines! He He! I had the most fun when we left the casino and watched the live band. The lead guy's name was Eric Agnew. He was pretty good (but he was singing other people songs) on stage. BUT...I bought one of his cds and it is TERRIBLE. I didn't like on single song on it! I was so upset! However, the keyboard player sang several songs as well and was even better than the lead guy! His name is Craig Campbell and he sang an original song called "My Little Cowboy" that just took my breath away. It made me think so much of my son. Everything from rodeos to playing football for the Dallas Cowboys...the similarities were amazing. Tammy (my mother-in-law) and I sat there listening and staring at each other in disbelief. I LOVED this guy. Tammy bought one the his cds for Dustin's bday present. Every song is wonderful. My two favorite songs are "My Little Cowboy" and "Growing Up Down South". He has a band website, www.craig-campbell.com and a myspace page, www.myspace.com/craigcampbellmusic. He has a music player on the myspace page where you can hear all the songs on his album. I really encourage anyone to go and listen. Hope you enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Just a quick shout out to my honey! Dustin celebrated his 22nd Birthday yesterday! We didn't do a lot of celebrating...just dinner and snuggle time, but we are PARTING Saturday! Well...kind of. We are having a cook out for Dustin's family and maybe a few of mine early Saturday evening. We havn't decided for sure yet, but we may go out on a "date" Saturday night.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Easter Pictures!

We took Michael to have his Easter pictures made yesterday along with a couple family shots. The family shots and the individuals of Michael turned out gorgeous! However, the "Easter" pictures were a joke! The photographer put Michael in a big pplastic egg on a very bright background-okay-then, she decorates the egg with little life-like chickies-not okay. Michael started crying, got mad, and decided to THROW the chickies off the table! When the photographer started laughing, he finally did too. The entire time he was running out of the studio, grabbing the props, kicking the lights, and throwing things! He was so much easier to photograph when he was about 6 months old! Every shot was a BIG smile, laughing and HE COULDN'T GET AWAY!