Bringing in the New Year

We have some very good friends in Kansas City, KS, The Shipman's. We have been friends with them for almost 12 years. Nicolas was about a month old when we met. We went to church together, until God moved us to Conway. Right after God moved them to Kansas to pastor a church. Their church is Fairview Baptist Church (link attached). Please stop by if you are traveling thur or visiting KC. You will love them and their members. Bro. Jarod ask David to preach a revival for them, starting New Years Eve thur the 4th of Jan. New Years Eve was on a Wednesday night and service started at 8pm til 12pm. Several of men and young men preach 10 minutes sermons. They had great singing also. I have to say even though all of them were great, my favorite was Nicolas and Bianca. David brought in the new year with his sermon. While he was preaching we could hear something outside. At first I thought it was a thunderstorm, but it turn out to be fireworks.
We slept until 1pm the next day. We got ready ate lunch at Chili's. Then the Shipmans took us a furniture store it was called The Nebraska Mall (link attached). It was the coolest thing, the store was bigger than our two malls put together. The store had furniture galore. Just click on the link have a look. Later when we got back home, we play on the Wii. They had Wii fitness and we had so much fun playing. Stephanie and Sarah are running a race. You run in place. Sarah got caught up in the running that she ran into the TV. It was so funny. David, Bianca and Nicolas are skiing, it was really hard. I tried skiing too, but I kept on rolling into a snowball.

Saturday we spent the day sightseeing. We stop at where the Pony Express started, in St. Joseph, MO. We had fun learning and seeing where the first mail delivery started. David and I like history (don't ask me any dates, I'm not good at remembering them, ha ha). Our pastor has used the story of the Pony Express in his sermons. Since we were close by we thought we check it out.

Facts

Began April 3, 1860, Ended Oct. 1861
Rider Qualifications: Ad read "Wanted,Young, skinny, wiry fellows. Not over 18. Must be expert riders. Willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred." Most riders were around 20. The youngest was 11.
Pay: They received $100 per month.
Horses: The riders got a fresh horse every 10 to 15 miles, they traveled an average of 10 miles per hour.
There were approximately 165 stations covering almost 2,000 miles.
In the beginning it cost $5.00 to send 1/2 ounce. By the end of Pony Express the price had dropped to $1.00 per 1/2 ounce.

The Winston's
Jina, Sarah and David

The Shipman's

Jarod, Nicolas, Bianca and Stephanie

I'm being silly. I'm acting like I am putting the mail in the pouch for delivery.

This a replica of what it would look like with the riders.

Use hospitality one to another... I Peter 4:9
Stephanie and I having a little fun.

The kids are sitting on the saddles (I'm not sure if they are the real ones) that were used for riders of Pony Express.

Two Beauties.Nicolas the Bandit.

We took Bianca to her favorite restaurant Red Lobster for her 16th birthday.
While waiting on our table, the girls watched the lobsters crawling around in the tank.

Bianca and Sarah showing what they had eaten. Sarah and Nicolas had crab legs. Usually we crack Sarah's for her, but we told her that she had start cracking her own now. Her and Nicolas did pretty good at getting the meat out.

Nicolas showing us how much he could eat.