what's new

well, a lot of new things have happened since i last blogged. One, my next door neighbor invited me to a party that was being held at her house. apparently, this group of 12 woman get together every month at a different person's house to play games and eat dinner. it was a lot of fun. and i finally got to meet more people. quite a few of them live in these apartments. and some of them were telling me about their church. so scott and i went to their church on wednesday. everyone made us feel so welcome. they actually had already heard about me from one of the girls at the party. we really enjoyed that church. they were such a blessing to us. they are really small, but they seem to be growing so much. just in the past week three people had gotten saved that they had been witnessing to for a while. so it was a blessing to see that. also, another exciting thing that is more recent news is that I Got A Job! the temp agency finally called and said i'd be starting as a receptionist at an engineering firm on monday. it's pretty good pay, and it sounds like it would get better when i'm not going through the agency anymore. so i am really excited about it, although i'll probably feel a little nervous on monday morning. this company is pretty big. they build all different things like hospitals, libraries, churches, schools.... it's a pretty solid company. anyway, that is a blessing to us. i've been waiting for that call for a week. while i've been enjoying the comforts of my apartment, i've also been drenching my socks every time i walk into the kitchen. the sink or something around there has started to leak. and we aren't sure where it's leaking exactly. i called maintenance yesterday before five and they told me they didn't have anyone to come fix it. they told us not to use the sink or dishwasher. very funny. how am i supposed to get away with not using the sink? and this morning it's 10:16 and they still haven't come. hm...well at least they have to fix it and not us. i just hope they come before they have to fix water damage. but overall we are really enjoying our new home in louisville.

First Days in Louisville

Well, Scott and I are now residents of Kentucky. Louisville that is. We have enjoyed our first week and a half here as much as you can when you're searching for jobs and unpacking. Our next door neighbors have been so friendly and helpful already. They are seminary students as well. And we really enjoyed the church we visited on Sunday. We are also really blessed to already have some friends here. Brad and Teresa Anderson moved here from Pembine, Wisconsin just a few months before we did. Although, we were planning to move here before they planned to. So, I have enjoyed the time we've had here so far. However, I must say that my least favorite thing has been filling out applications and going to job interiews. It wears me out! The picture below is at the end of a day of long interviews. I had had an interview at a huge five star hotel for a front desk job as well as an interview at a Bank for a teller position. I also applied at Pier 1, Banana Republic, Target, a babysitting job, starbucks, and a temp agency for a receptionist job. So that explains my face in the picture below.

Brad and Teresa!

We call them our food friends because whenever they come over they bring tons of food that they've gotten from second harvest. We have so much fun with them. And when me and Teresa get together we get kind of crazy. It all began when we started working together at Northland.

The Chinese characters framed below are me and Scott's Chinese names in ancient chinese writing. Stella bought it for us as a gift when we were in China this summer.

This is our kitchen.

And this is our new bedroom set. we love it!

The First Anniversary with the Cake Topper

Well, my mom did save the top of our wedding cake for our first anniversary. So on Friday we celebrated our first year anniversary by cutting our wedding cake topper. It got a bit messy. :)

well, here's a new post...china

Scott and I just got back from China Sunday night. We had a great trip! And we're still trying to get over jet lag. I have learned so much on this trip. One of the things that was solidified in my mind was how nothing is more rewarding than being a part of God's work. I had fun getting back in touch with Stella and Lina. I got to do a lot with Stella, including getting a perm for ten bucks. We also got our nails done for a dollar. She helped me shop for jeans and we got to talk a lot. Lina's house is beautiful and amazing. Everything was marble, and i got to hold her precious son. It was fun to be able to experience China being married to Scott. One thing i realized more is how good of a teacher he is. We have never had to work together on something so much as on this trip. We were constantly teaching or preparing to teach. We were glad to be finished teaching although it was a good experience. One of the best parts about siteseeing on this trip was in Beijing. The last couple of days we spent in Beijing. The best part was the Great Wall of China. It was literally amazing in every way. This wall is over 3,000 miles long and built by hand. The scenery while standing on it was amazing too with all the mountains. We also got to see the Olympic village from a distance. And i got an Olympic t-shirt for two bucks. It was sweet! So this trip was completely different than when I went two years ago. And i learned so much more. It was so nice to be with Scott and to share the experiences with him this time. Also, while we were there we celebrated his birthday and our first year anniversary! I can't believe we've been married for a whole year now. One thing I always say about being married is that it always seems to get better as we learn to work, live, and grow together. Anyway, there is too much to describe in words about this trip. But I will post some pictures when I get a chance.

Everything and Anything

a date at 12 foot falls

and we found the coolest tree root thing

Oh the joys of packing!

i just got new glasses. i was a little excited!

it took me a while to find some that fit my face. i have a really small head

some beautiful pics down by the lake

Leila

This is one of my friends from China, Leila. This was two summers ago.

This is her husband James doing Karaoke. Boy, that was an exciting time.

Me, trying to fish on their farm...i finally did catch a tiny one.

Their Mercedes that they always drove us around in.

Leila and James

She is so sweet! I can't wait to see her this summer.

These are pictures of her new baby she just sent me. Isn't he adorable? I'm not sure what his name is. She didn't tell me probably because they don't have an English name for him. Maybe she'll let me name him. Afterall, we gave her husband his English name. I can't wait to hold him.

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."