Now, I'm sure everyone heard a little bit of what happened at the First-Mid Illinois Bank in Arcola Il (about 10 mins where I used to live and right across the street from the bank I used to work at), but I'll tell you my version of the story. Early in the morning on Thursday June 21, 2 African American men broke into a house and held up the residents by gunpoint. They then stole a van and started going towards Tuscola (about 20 mins from where I live). On the way, a policeman noticed that the windows were tinted and pulled them over. After he did, he was suspicious that there were drugs in the vehicle and called for a K-9 unit to come. Knowing that they were in trouble one of the men shot the officer in the face and started off south on I-57. Getting off at the Arcola exit they sped westward until they got to the train tracks and then lost control. The police got the driver but the passenger managed to duck into the First-Mid bank before the police could apprehend him.
In the bank, the manager told one of our close friends, whom we also go to church with, to open the safe door immediately after the man came into the bank with a gun. Once she opened the safe, the man said that she could go...praise God! This was sometime in the morning, and as the day progressed he let more and more hostages go until it got down to the manager and his grandfather being the only hostages. The gunman then let the manager's grandfather go and it was just him and the gunman then for a while.
Now, I'm not sure how it officially ended, but I've heard two different stories. One, that the gunman just gave the manager the gun and they both walked out. Two, that the gunman set the gun down to use the bathroom (however this is a very small branch and there are no bathrooms for the public so he used a potted plant) and the manager picked up the gun and then they both walked out.
Thankfully only one person (the officer) was hurt and he as far as I know is in critical but stable condition. I thank God that he was watching over Arcola that day and that the man wasn't interested in robbing the bank just having a place to hide out. For those that have worked at a bank, they know that a bank robbery is something you try not to think about but it is always in the back of your mind and is the scariest thing to think of. I'm just so happy that everything turned out all right.
On a lighter note, the day of the robbery was also Colt and mine's 4 year anniversary. We were definitly bothered by what was happening but when we knew that most of the people were out and the situation seemed to be under control, we decided to go out. We ate at the Olive Garden, yummy, and then ran a few errands up in Champaign. Nothing too big but it was really nice getting out just the two of us. Colt's grandparents watched Hunter for us.
One other really fun thing was that we got Hunter a new toy! It's a little jumper that he can sit in and bounce and play with all the fun little toys all around the top of it. Once we got it together and set him in he just started laughing and didn't stop for like 2 mins. Now, Hunter will laugh now, but you have to do something to make him, but this time it was just out of sheer enjoyment at his new toy, it was so great. So, here are some pics of him in his bouncer and a few others.
Colt does not like it when hats are worn to the side, but this was just too cute!
And he didn't even bother the hat either 
Apparently he was comfy though it looks rather uncomfortable
Asleep at church one morning when I was home, apparently Mike needs to jazz up his sermons...just kidding. :)
Another little (although too big for him) hat that he has
At Olive Garden for our anniversary
Hunter's new bouncer
Just look how happy he is!!!!!
He just loves it!
Blanca and I at the reception.
Blanca and I at the reception.
