Grandpa Patz

I just love this picture of my grandpa smiling. I think this is how we all remember him.

The picture below is my grandpa and all of his sons. The taller ones beside him are Clifford on the left and Howard on the right. My dad is the little one on the left and my uncle Darrell is on the right. A neat thing about this picture is the pink chair that you see in the background is in our house to this day.

And here is a picture of my grandma and my grandpa together.

I've Been Tagged

My sister Katie tagged me and my sister-in-law Tristan tagged me. So here are the 8 things about myself:

1) When I was ten, I was fishing at Phillip's Lake with my dad, my brother Matthew, and an elderly man we called Grandpa Al. My dad, thinking I knew how to cast a fishing pole, let me cast it all by myself. Big mistake! A few seconds later I heard my dad yell my name. I looked over, and cut some slack on the fishing line since the end of it was now hooked on my dad's nostril. We couldn't help but get a video of the worm hanging from his nose. But my poor dad ended up having to go to the emergency room to get it out. They had to freeze his nose and pull it all the way through. The next day he still went to church with a pierced nose.

2) When I was in first grade, I brought a rock to show and tell at school. This was a big rock I found that i thought looked like a diamond. Since I kept it out in the hall in my backpack during the day, i had to get it during bathroom break. So I ended up having to take it in the bathroom with me. I must not have felt comfortable leaving it on the bathroom counter, so I brought it into the stall with me. Another big mistake! As I was about to set the rock on the back of the toilet, it fell through the cardboard box I had it in and went straight for the toilet bowl. And so for the next few weeks the stall door read "Out of Order" and the broken toilet sat by the dumpster. I felt so guilty.

3) I love to crochet.

4) I've never had a broken bone.

5) I don't like to read, but my husband loves to read...and I mean he LOVES it.

6) Someday I'd like to adopt a Chinese baby girl, but I wonder how I'll ever be able to afford to meet the demands of the Chinese adoption policies.

7) I like to organize and decorate.

8) I love being married...Scott's the best. I always tell him he's my bestest friend.

Now I have to tag 8 people. So i'm tagging Scott, Stella, Janelle, Heather, Kelly, Sarah, Alicia, and Jenn.

I'm So Proud of Him

Mom Mohler, Scott, and Jodi
We took more pictures with his family , but my camera ran out of memory space, so I still need to get those from everyone.

Scott hugging his mom after the graduation.

Dad, Scott, Me, and Mom before the Graduation

Yesterday, May 12, 2007, Scott graduated with a bachelors degree in Biblical Languages. I am so proud of him. Most of his family came to celebrate, and it was a special time. I am so proud of Him. He has worked so hard!

A Desire Within Me

Well, I don't normally just write out my thoughts on this blog. It's much easier to post pictures when they're available. But there is something on my mind lately...a desire within me that longs for fulfillment. And i know that fulfillment is ultimately found in Christ, but I am talking more specifically along the lines of my specific purpose here on earth. I don't know where to begin in explaining my feelings. I am no writer. But, I guess it began when the Lord changed my heart and gave me a desire for him at the age of 12. I began to examine everything in my life, and I became tender to the Holy Spirit's working. I have so many memories of Missions Conferences at Northland, Missions week at church, or missions trips to Mexico, St. Vincent, and China. Every time the Lord stirred something within me. To see people without the Lord and children going hungry and homeless...I wanted to do something about it. And then there were the girls in youth group who came from ungodly homes, who struggled with security and feeling loved...I wanted to do something about it. And then now, as I've watched my sister lose her precious children who were finally getting love...I wish I could do something about it. It's like I have this craving to love the ones who have never felt love. I want to help them. I HAVE to give what I have been given so abundantly. I guess, to sum it up, since I may sound very vague...I believe that God has given me the gift of compassion. And so, I look to the examples in my life...my mom who always practiced hospitality even to the people that were always overlooked or with special needs, my sister who has fostered 6 children, my sister-in-law Tristan who recently adopted a beautiful Haitian orphan, and many others who DO something about their compassion. And also, I look forward to my next phase of life, praying that God will give me opportunities and strength to fulfill this longing within me to the glory of His Name.

Proverbs 31: 20
"She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy."

My Wonderful Weekend

Above, is a poem that Scott wrote for my 22nd birthday.
It made me cry.

As you can tell, i just woke up. And i woke up to all these candles below.

With 22 licorice sticks spelling "I Love You"

And we got to go to fireworks the night before.

He made me this picture album with 22 pictures in it.

It was a special birthday.

This fireworks show is the biggest in North America. Louisville does it to celebrate the beginnign of the Kentucky derby.

And below is our visit to Southern Seminary.

We absolutely loved it, and we're making plans to attend the seminary in the fall.

Scott really like the library.

Answer to Prayer

Below was posted by my sister Janelle Johnson about her precious kids. Please pray!

Yesterday, Jason and I were able to talk to the kids! It was so good to hear their sweet little voices, although they sound so different on the phone.

We talked to Kalynn first. She said she is honoring Jesus.

When we talked to Paul, he said "Mom, I'm sad, I miss you Mom."

We didn't talk to Preston much. He doesn't have the patience to be still and talk on the phone.

Courtney held the phone up to Anna's ear. She didn't say anything, but Courtney said she was waiving "bye bye" to us.

It was so good to hear their voices and be able to tell them how much we love them.

I talked to Courtney for a few minutes. She said everything is going "really well". Anna has an ear infection and is on an anti-biotic. The kids all leave really early in the morning for their daycare, and do not get home until after 6:00. (Courtney works full time and is also in nursing school.)

This morning, I got a phone call from Rayman Kilgore, the child service worker. He said he got a frantic call from Courtney at around 7:00 this morning. He couldn't understand her, because she sounded so upset. He said that Courtney and the kids are having a difficult transition. Courtney has called him numerous times, and has been very frustrated. He was going to call her back and remind her that she can "get out of this", but she seems very determined to do this for her cousin Karen.

Will you pray that the Lord will soften her heart to the idea of Jason and I adopting them? The kids need love, time, attention, and Christ. God knows, and I am so thankful to have hope in Him.

Good Memories

Scott drove all the way here from Rochester, MN to be my date at my highschool's senior banquet. i was a junior, he was a senior. My hair is hideous!

The above picture is the next time we saw each other after our little date in the Daily Grind in November 2001. This picture is January 2002.

This picture is july 4, 2002. Scott is standing like a foot away from me. We were still a little shy and awkward.

This is still summer of 2002 at leadership camp. Scott and I are in the front, and Jennie Borchardt is behind me. We really got to know each other that summer.

The above pic was my first time at Scott's house in Rochester. We had just gone golfing with Scott's sister Jodi and her husband Ryan.

This was Scott's favorite dog, Duke. Someday we'd like to get a German Shepherd.

Our First Date

This picture is the very first picture of Scott and I together, although i know we have a better one somewhere that we're both smiling in and looking at the camera actually. It was just after what you may call our first date in the Daily Grind. The date was November 13, 2001. It was our second time seeing each other. We met the previous summer at camp. Yes, we are a camp relationship that actually worked. I was 16, and he was 17. I was in volleyball camp, he was in soccer camp. Jodi, Scott's sister was the one that introduced us (thank you Jodi!). I remember shaking his hand, and though the sun was shining directly into my eyes I noticed his beautiful blue eyes. He was so gentle and sweet, I couldn't help but like him. That was basically all the communication we had that week. But two weeks later I received an e-mail from him. It was dated August 9th. I still have that special e-mail to this day. And from there we kept communication by e-mail. I remember longing to get the next e-mail from him. And then we got instant messenger, and we would chat for hours late into the night. So, the picture above was the next time I saw him, when he came with a group of prospective students from his highschool. I'll let the diary excerpt below tell the story:

11-13-01
It is already 12:00am but I cannot go to rest w/out writing a word of my wonderful day. First, I'll explain yesterday. Yesterday, Scott Mohler came w/ his youth group to visit Northland as a college. I saw him and Jodi at the Dining Hall and went to say hi. I was shaking and not much was said besides, "How are you?" and so forth. I went to sit where I was eatin and he never stopped by. I didn't know what to do b/c I couldn't let his visit go by w/o doing anything w/him. So I went to the rechall and saw him there. I asked him if he wanted to do somethin the next day. He said "yeah." and I called Jodi and set a time w/ her and met them at the coffee shop. He was sitting alone on a high table. It was so exciting. We then got a drink. We talked alone for a while and then Jodi came up. We talked a little more and then decided to go to the rest of the basketball game. There, Jodi bought some of us pom poms to cheer w/. Me and Scott sat together and waved our pom poms. It was really quite fun. Then after we tried to decide what to do and after swinging w/ the pom poms to hit the ping pong we went to the rechall to play fooseball. I played w/Scott for a while and then at 10:00 i had to call my mom. I had to go home at 10:30 and so we all just sat around and kind of talked. But thankfully I got a picture of us two together. Then i left as he gave me the pom pom. I only wish that this evening could last forever.

As you can tell, i was the outgoing one in the relationship, and Scott was kind of shy. I always tease Scott about how if it weren't for me being so outgoing that night, we wouldn't be together. But, actually it's because of him that we stayed together because of all the special things he did to win my heart.

Snowmobiling Season and Steven

Well, yesterday we went snowmobiling with Dad and Antonio. It was such a nice day for it. And here we are in our helmets. I'm actually wearing Marco's helmet. It actually fit me pretty good except that it squeezed my cheeks so much that I couldn't bite down.
Below is Scott, Dad , and Antonio. Dad just bought Marco and Antonio their own smaller snowmobile. We had fun following each other through the trails.

Aren't we the happy couple?

Below is a picture of one of my students from when I taught in China two summers ago. I think he's about 14 years old now. He recently wrote me an e-mail including this picture of himself. Isn't it so cute?

This is what he wrote:

"April:

Hi,I'm Steven.I have long time didn't talk to yo.u.I'm very miss you.Now The Chinese Spring Festival is coming.So I hope you are happy in the Cinese new year.Here are a photo for you.Do you think I'm cool and tall? Good bye.I hope you can happy every day. Your friend:Steven"

Miscallaneous Pics

I had to post a nice picture above to justify the one below. But I wanted to post the one below to see if any of you who have seen the show 24 think i look vaguely like Chloe O'Brien.

Now the one below is just an ad for the hormonal lip enhancers we've been taking. I think they're working.

The next few pictures are of my little brother Antonio. Somehow he got a hold of our camera. He took these of himself. I guess this could be an ad for muscle enhancers. What do you think?

What's with the dog?

Peace out!

Below are a few pictures of my tasty and delicious turtle caramels. They just melt in your mouth, that is after you stick them in the microwave for a few seconds because they turned out to be a little hard. It's not always easy to cook at just the right degree. They could easily be too soft or too hard depending on the temperature. I think i need a digital thermometer for some accuracy. Anyway, I love making caramels. Yesterday I made cappuccino caramels. They turned out pretty good. I don't even have to microwave them before eating. I must say that caramels are my weak spot, and Scott doesn't mind them either.