The Road Home

October 2013
There is nothing that can compare to giving service.  Add willing, happy family members serving alongside and it's a little bit of heaven.  

When our non-profit organization, My Story Matters asked for volunteers to help with a special project, I didn't realize that 75% of the volunteers would come from the Jackson Family.  Thank you dear family for offering a bit of your time and talents to the children and families of Roadhome.  Below are a few of your comments...thank you for your loving service.  

Also thanks to Melissa (Jackson) for being our family photographer-she seems to have left herself out of the pictures!

My experiences at the Salt Lake homeless shelter are and will be forever in my heart as I grow older and try to serve people of all kinds. My first experience at the shelter was when we spent some time interviewing and photographing the families there.  I loved it.  Then came the day we got to deliver the books.  I could see all the people lined up to get there books that My Story Matters put together for the families.  It was great watching the families lined up eager to get their books.  The books were amazing with so many cute pictures of each family member. After they received their books I loved watching the children and parents open their books.  Their faces  would light up when they read the pages.  I also loved to watch the little kids choosing their very own blankets.  They held them tight and squeezed in joy because maybe some of them didn’t have their own blankets.  I would ask them which color they wanted and they would choose their favorite color.  I also was put in charge of creating and helping all the children there sign a huge banner that said THANK YOU HERITAGE MAKERS.  The children signed and drew pictures all over the sign to say thanks.  I want to thank all the people that invited me to visit the Roadhome.  THANK YOU SO MUCH for giving me these experiences and I hope that I can come back to help and serve more children and their families.

Cierra Warenski.

I  had a very unique experience with the Roadhome shelter.  I realized that  I am very blessed to have the things I have and I am grateful to my parents who provide for me.  Some children were happy even though they obviously don't have much.  I was impressed by that characteristic.  Some children were reserved and were less happy to play and interact with me.  I hope they are all able to find homes soon.

Lauren Chong
  

I liked listening to the stories the dads had to share and working with the little kids. I especially liked watching the kids open their storybooks.  It felt good to be with the nice people of Roadhome.

Jake Chatfield

Spending time at the road home was a great experience. I definitely think I got more out of it than the families. Seeing those kids and families have an opportunity to get family pictures put things into perspective. I was glad to help and learn about the homeless needs in Utah as well as the my story matters program.
Noah Zemke

Volunteering at the Road Home was a wonderful experience. I loved photographing the kids and families and helping them feel important. There was one child who kept coming back to me and asked to have his photo taken again. He wanted to see the photo I'd taken after each shot and the way his face lit up when he saw himself left me with such a great feeling. It was awesome to put some smiles on their faces.

Allyssa Zemke (Professional Photographer for the storybooks)

The Road home was amazing.  I loved it, even though it was sad to see all the homeless people.  I loved seeing their smiles and happiness for a chance to tell "their story".  The children are so cute!  It was such and awesome experience.  If you need me again ask me and I would be more then glad to work there again and again!

Kate Chatfield

John and Christine visit the Portland Temple

Standing in Holy Places

LARPing...Some Jacksons are doing it!

LARPing, or Live-Action-Role-Playing, has become a favorite tradition in the Jackson family.  These nerds spend hours constructing swords out of pipe, foam, tape, and fabric and then use them in pretend combat to battle each other individually or on teams.

Casey, Bradley, and Scott at the beginning of a battle.

Scott, Chris, Brad, and Casey mid combat.

They get seriously into it and even follow a set of rules. Injuries often occur.  I must say I would not make fun of them so much for doing it, if I was just better at it.  Whenever in battle, I just run around trying not to get hit and have yet to actually "wound" or "kill" anyone.

Of course, the young Jackson boys think this is awesome and want to play as well.  One day Grandma Jackson and I helped William, Jet, Adam, and Tyce make armor out of place mats and ice cream buckets.

Then we let them loose to fight each other!

The youngest warrior, still in diapers.

I loved this post from Scott and Stacy's blog...see more at

The Jackson Five 

Happy Birthday John

A brief story about the birth of my son, John.

John was due to be born the first of June, 1959.  But he surprised us by being born on May 1, 1959 in American Fork, Utah.  His dad was going to BYU at the time, and we lived in American Fork and he commuted to school in Provo with some friends.  On May 1 I was having contractions quite regularly, and being the first child, I didn’t know if this was the time or not, especially since I had another month to go.  But as the contractions became worse we decided to go to the hospital and see if it was the time, and when there was told that yes, it was time, but since it was the first baby, it could take a long time.  So Mick decided that since he had a final that day, he would go take his test and be back in plenty of time.  Well, surprise!  While he was taking his test, John decided to come and he did.  So when Mick got back, he had a little ditto mark.  There was no doubt whose baby he was because he looked just like his dad.  We decided to name him John William but called him Bill because he came at the first of the month with all the other bills.  (by the way, the dad did great on his test - should have been more worried).  As I was still working for DeVere Wootten, attorney, sometimes dad would be the babysitter while he was studying.  Sometimes I would come home from work and find the boy’s face covered with licorice.  The dad said that he loved it and it kept him quiet.  Go figure!  John grew up in the baseball fields watching his dad play, so wonder baseball became his favorite sport, and I think it still is.  John has turned out to be a good husband, father, and physician and above all, a good member of the church and disciple of Christ.

We love you, John!