YOU MUST READ THIS!!!

Mike did it again with his streak of being lucky. I know all of our seminary/college friends have always wondered how did the Shelton's win that item or get those tickets? He has gotten more free plane vouchers than we can count and many great basketball tickets for face value, macbook pro,iphone etc... However, many of you always say that Mike volunteers for things that many would not try. Well, you are about to drop your jaws when you hear the latest event in our lives. I am so thankful that I have a husband who takes risks and there are only a handful of times where I regret his adventure, risk-taking spirit!
I will try and set this story up for you. However, to hear Mike tell it in person is hilarious. Yesterday, the Watermark staff went on their yearly retreat to some lake in Texas and stayed in different lake houses. The retreat was more of a fellowship, play games, get to know each other time. Everyone went on the retreat including administrative assistants etc... There were probably 70-80 people there I think? Our pastor, Todd loves games and competition. We've heard of these games and of course Mike would be up for it. The game this time was for a great prize. However, to even qualify to play the game you had to jump in the pool at night and swim across it. It was pretty cold last night and surprisingly only 20 people or so even wanted to do it. These 20 people were now qualified to play the game. The next round moved to a dice game called Farkle (Thanks, Gurney's for introducing this game to us)! It is something where you roll the dice and try to get to 5,000. Mike said he did pretty good and advanced to the next round where only 6 people got to play. He got down pretty far in farkle and thought he wasn't going to be able to come back. He rolled a great round I guess and won the Farkle! The final round to win the grand prize was to play the dvd game 1 vs. 100 just like the tv show. Mike as the 1 and the other 80 people were against him. It is a trivia game which Mike is not so good at and was probably a little nervous at this point. He could pick one other staff person to be on his team and help him. He was going to pick David Penuel. The MS director at our church cause he is really good at trivia. David told Mike he really wanted him to win and that he should really pick someone else (Thanks David!). Mike chose a guy named John who is our assistant pastor. John is really intelligent and has 5 children so he has to have learned lots of info. John can now help Mike answer any question. Praise God! The first couple of questions were not to bad and if the people on staff miss the question they are eliminated and the same with Mike and John. There is one question that comes up about "Rip Van Winkel" which Mike is really unsure about and so is John. I forgot to mention I am his other helper on the phone. I thought I was going to throw up I was so nervous. I had stayed the night with a friend so I wouldn't have to stay alone. Angie was so helpful in helping me stay calm and her husband works with Mike so she knew all about these games. I have no clue either about the question. I hear Mike tell John I think it is "C". John says "I don't know" . Mike says I think we should go with our gut. He could have used a lifeline at this point just like millionare, but he decided to just go for it. The answer was right and the staff went from like 60 people left to 11 people left. This move was critical cause it eliminated so many people. Anyways, it gets down to 4 people. 2 from the staff, Mike and John. The last question comes up and if Mike gets it right he wins the prize along with John. The last question is about the movie "Fight Club" which of course Mike knew about. He gets it right and so does one of the staff guys left. Now, there is one staff guy and Mike and John so the game is over. They all three won! We are excited to tell you that we are all going on a trip to COSTA RICA!
Our airfare, lodging, and child-care is all included!!!! We are so excited. I would like to tell you a little bit about the place we are staying. Someone in our church owns a private villa at a Four Season resort in Costa Rica. It will overlook the ocean and there is a private plunge pool etc... Here is the crazy thing besides it all being crazy. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spent New Year's at this resort last year. You can imagine how nice it is. We are in shock and are so thankful to be able to work at a church like Watermark. They know how to have fun and we always feel so blessed by how they do creative things like this to bless people. I am thankful for Mike being willing to jump in the pool etc.. We are going on this trip at the end of January and we will most likely drop the girls off at my parents house. We haven't been on a "fun" trip without them and are so looking forward to this trip! I now have to try and focus for the next three weeks!