Thanksgiving Break

Being at Louisiana Tech makes for odd breaks. They are on the Quarter system, which means, they have a big break for Thanksgiving. The BCM always takes a Fall Break Mission Trip. In the past, we have gone to Wisconsin, Mexico, California...places that were way far away and not really conducive to taking Jackson (plus, he was a little-bity baby). This year, however, we went to Mission Arlington in the Dallas, Texas area. It is practically in our own backyard. And with Jackson being 2, meant he is old enough to go! We had an absolute blast. There were about 80 students that went and we all stayed together under one roof. Jackson loved all the attention and excitement. He also loved being out on the Mission Field. We had to clean a yard that Mission Arlington had acquired and he jumped right in there raking leaves and picking up trash. Mission Arlington also does a lot of apartment ministry, especially with the children there. Jackson was very sweet to play with the kids and give them presents and love on them. It was like he knew there was a bigger purpose for his being there. It was really neat to experience a Family Mission Trip for the first time...hopefully the first of many.

This is at one of the apartment complexes where we did an after-school program. Jackson gave the children Christmas books about Jesus that were written in both English and Spanish.


This is a Sunday morning worship service at one of the apartment churches. Many of these complexes allow the church to meet in a converted apartment. It was very neat to see the diversity and the informality of what we might be used to.


This is also at an apartment complex. We were playing soccer, football, and frisbee with the boys while the girls colored and talked jewelry.

We also got to see Brett and April Duncan (Brett was one of my best friends from High School who went to Dallas Baptist on a baseball scholarship. He stayed there). They have a one year old boy named Mason who we all got to meet for the first time, plus they got to meet Jackson for the first time. That was fun.


Since we had been doing so much traveling (the week prior going to Atlanta for a DNow and then to Mission Arlington for 6 days), we decided NOT to try to make the trek to Kentucky or Georgia...plus there was a wedding the Saturday after Thanksgiving where Erin had hair responsibilities. All that to say, we had decided to stay in Ruston for Thanksgiving. We missed seeing our family, but it sure was great to not be on the road. It was great to rest. It was great to have some very intentional family time. It was great to heal from the miscarriage news. It was just a really refreshing holiday. We got the house decorated for Christmas and had a wonderful meal with Marmee (Melinda Pratt, mother-in-law to Aurelia Davila Pratt, mother to Lyle Pratt, husband to Dr. John, etc) and her family. It was nice. We all had a really great time of non-blood-family fun.

The progression of our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree being built.


Tree built, lights on.


Tree built, lights on, decorated, Nativities, watching The Office...done.


Jackson with Marmee...his resident Grandmother.


Erin with Aurelia Davila Pratt, Marmee's daughter-in-law and friend of the Clarks.


Jackson LOVES these boxers. We all had a lot of fun wrestling around and rough-housing. I (Jonathan) even left with two big scratch marks from my eyebrow to just below my lip. I think Jackson is checking this dog's oil.