Twenty Gifts- A Week in Mexico Part VI

(This final post is from Hannah herself but it was so tender and sweet that we just had to share it here. Grant and Hannah were wonderful hosts and added so much to our whole experience. Can't believe its over.)

So they told us that after they left, we had to do a post about the week. The long and short of it is that we have been tremendously blessed by these two families being here. I could never summarize it all in a blog post. But here is an attempt, in the style of One Thousand Gifts, a book I've been reading (from Kara B.) - some things I'm so thankful for about this week (in no particular order)...

1. learning lots about life and parenting from both Bryan & Kara and Dave & Kara
2. singing "My Savior's Love" around the breakfast table every morning and considering that song together
3. Settlers (this one especially got an additional vote from Grant - none of you will be surprised)
4. little boys in cowboy hats
5. learning how the eye clinic operates and trying a little translating
6. celebrating Valentine's Day all day long with hearts and other fun goodies
7. listening to them sing, especially "All God's Creatures"
8. seeing Faith & Kate's friendship and their beautiful, developing personalities
9. Kara B. using her camera lots and finding the beauty in things that I see each day and don't stop to think
10. learning patience from Bryan
11. Kara and Kara being willing to be used in the kitchen to bless all of us, every day!
12. grace and energy from God every day, all day to be able to be a part of the fun and not wear out
13. getting to know our families better! Dave & Kara are Grant's aunt and uncle, and Kara S. is my mom's cousin, but you so rarely get an opportunity to really get to know people like that - that is maybe one of the greatest blessings of being down here. When people come, we really get to know them!
14. all the little moments - the jokes, the quotes, the mishaps - sharing laughter relieves the stress of life!
15. basketballs bouncing and people playing the piano and whistles and noises and chatter that happens when kids are around
16. singing "I'm in the Lord's Army" with Caleb at Matt & Ruth's house on Thursday night - we all sang it with him and he was so pleased
17. contemplating "vision" in my own quiet time - especially Matthew 6:22 - and thinking about our perspective, our sight, our lens... and how that affects our daily life
18. getting a whole duffel of baby stuff that I had packed over Christmas, our baby changing pad, and some diapers (thanks, Kara B.!)... not too much longer and we'll be needing all of it!
19. the week going by so fast... it always does when there's visitors around... and now we're one week closer to meeting our little girl
20. even the necessity of using keys to get into our room to avoid little-boy (and big-boy) pranks. I loved it because it meant there was fun going on. :)

Thank you so much for coming this week! We already can't wait until next time!