Wow!

Hello, my name is Tyler Hopkins...(Hi Tyler...) and I love the Simpsons. I don't think there is a 12-step program for me...but the movie coming out this summer is for me.

Stealing Homer's Popcorn

Jess and I went to Shrek the Third tonight (wow a date without the kids!) and there was a life-size+ Simpsons family at Edwards Theatre. This picture was Jess' idea, I thought it was kind of fun.

TJ at 6 Months

On a completly different note, TJ is doing very well. We were a bit converned with his stump continuing to bleed, but it has slowed and still looks ok. We go back in about 2 weeks for a check-up, then a little after for a prostetic to be made. He just wants to go go go, and I think if frustfrates him that he can't. Thank you for the touching comments and support.

I have been photographing him playing and moving around. I think I would like put together a body of work of this experience. Along with prints of the x-rays. I don't know if it would amount to an exibit of sorts, but that might make an interesting project. Any suggestions for images or presentation (NOT A SCRAP-BOOK!) would be appreciated. I would like to see some of the images in simple black frames (like the ones I built for my BFA show)...I don't know. I am not sure about where to exhibit--if I would exhibit. I would also like to have images of us taking care of him...it's a bit different than before the symes amputation, wraping his stump...how he holds up that leg when he stands...other ways he is learning to adapt to it. What do you think?

TJ at Shriner's

We made the trip to Salt Lake for TJ's surgery this week. Monday was very nerve wracking simply because of the anticipation of the whole thing. We got checked in and into his room, then they checked his vitals...and all that stuff. Then we just had to wait. The doctor came to visit him a little. Tuesday morning he went in at 8:00, and we got him out of the recovery room about 10:30...so quick!

TJ is such a happy boy. He did so well through the whole thing. He was grumpy when he came out of the anesthesia...waking up in a strange room, with strange stuff around, and strange people. We were able to get him fed and calmed down quickly, then he was really good...restless but good. He wanted to go play as much as he could. He didn't realize that his leg should hurt and kept trying to stand on it, so we had to slow him down a bit and limit what he could play on out in the big play room.

He does not like having his arms held down or being confined. He did not like having his blood pressure taken (on his arm) or the IV. It just made it too hard to get around! But we were still able to let him play a little, just had to adapt.

We discovered that TJ can throw balls very well. He soon got tired of throwing them into the little tub and started throwing them at us and across the room. Not much slows him down.

I am not sure if he has completly realized what has happened. When we change the bandage he has started to look at his stump a little funny, but I don't think he as caught on completly yet. At this point he may just think that it is a sock that we won't let him pull off...he loves to pull his socks off. He has pulled the wraping off once already.

We are very proud of our little boy. It is amazing how this has strenghened us as a family and our faith. I know it was our family and friends' prayers that got us through it all. During and after the surgery we were at such peace and I know it is because of all the prayers...THANK YOU!

Temple Progress

I was about 40' below Moroni's feet

We have been making a lot of progress on the Rexburg Temple. I counted today and we only have 15 more window openings to do...never mind that some of them are 35-35' tall. It truly has been an incredible experience to work on it.

This is looking down on to the roof of the front entry...the lift is fully extended

Monday, we set the highest frame. It is right below Moroni, the 105' lift just reaches it. That was really cool, I was up inside the spire. Highest place in Rexburg.

Matchbox cars!

While glazing the glass in that high frame (glazing is when you put the glass into the frame), I snapped this last shot with my camera phone. I thought that the shadow of the Temple looked really cool...and that you can see the window opening in the foreground.

So we are getting close to being complete...there is much more to do yet, but the road behind is longer than the road ahead. There is a lot of caulking and some interior stuff as well as entry doors. We have made a lot of progress in the past month.