homeroom rocked and we so ruled the 7th grade! Have a great summer dude!!!!

Last week we hit a milestone. One year in Brasil. I'm not going to say all the clichés like "I can't believe it's been that long" or "Man, time really flew by" or even "What a wild ride it's been". Those sound too much like the rambling notes in a junior high yearbook. To be honest, the past year has been something beyond my ability to put into words. In some ways I probably haven't processed internally all of the changes our lives have seen. It's easier for me to just trudge on then to stop and reflect.

We hear from missionaries that go home about how much everyone and everything has changed. While that may be true to some degree, I think probably unsuspecting to them, they are the ones who have changed. Can a person be put into a completely different culture, with different values and customs, and expect to come away unchanged? Change is good, but change, I think almost without exception, is painful.

And so here we find ourselves, a year into this adventure, knowing that God is changing us, but also acutely aware that our flesh can also dictate that change. In difficult times I always have the choice to harden my heart, becoming bitter and self-reliant, or the more difficult choice: to let go of self, soften my heart and throw myself at Jesus' feet.


So to celebrate our one year anniversary, we spent the night in a hotel. I made up some award certificates and with some cheesy names like "Most Friendly to Brasilians Award" (Mia), "Giving Us the Most Laughs Award" (Ava) and "Most Brasilian Friends Award" (Ella). My award, "Fastest Learner of Portuguese Award" was either a cruel joke, or shows the ineptitude of the judges, I'm not sure which.

I suppose milestones are important. On the one hand they help us to recognize that we've accomplished something. On the other they help us recognize (at least in our case) that we are truly here only by the grace of God.

Thanks so much for all of you have been such an integral part of helping us make it through our first year!

-JTP