We had the opportunity to host our team leaders for a week of blessing this past month. The Jacksons are just such a wonderful family and we’re thankful to have gotten the chance to share our normal with them. They were overflowing with grace at our early rising crew and Karla made quick friends with our little ladies, distracting and playing away the morning while Matt and I were in language. The girls got used to their consistent hugs and the house just felt too quiet without them. Hannah ask 2 days after they left, “When’s Karla coming down for breakfast?” before she thought about it. =)

Cheers, Karla! =)

We got the chance to do some fun things that week too, enjoying pizza at the restaurant down the road, going to a local park and even taking a whole day off of school and language to go play at the beach. We also enjoyed the normal together: picking up the girls from school, running errands, Friday night pizza and a movie night, skyping with one of the Jackson kiddos (if that term is even applicable once their “kid” in in college. hehe), and family worship song time.

Karla and Steve were beyond gracious to smile through the kid interruptions, convince Titan that he doesn’t need to use his teeth to play (*sigh* puppies), and the realities of toddler tantrums. But I’ve got to tell you, friends, the sweetest time by far for me was after the kids went to bed. I loved just sitting around the table playing ticket to ride together and sitting out on the couch talking about God’s work in our lives. I loved the randomly placed times throughout the day when we got the opportunity to absorb wisdom about future ministry and laugh about Portuguese confusion. Karla and Steve are just such a blessing and we’re so thankful to have had the opportunity to do a week of life together. We can’t wait to work closer together on the team down south once we complete our training here.

Thanks for being just another part of the family, Steve and Karla.