Becca, Blake and Kendra in front of Haystack Rock at the Pacific Coastline.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Camping Season is here!
As you may know, in the summers we make a big thrust towards taking students to camps. When we first arrived we started off with English camps but as we grow we continue to look for new in roads into kids' hearts.
It's still a new country and what we are doing is still very new. This is hard fought over territory. And because there's not much happening evangelistically in Slovenia, satan is going after those who are involved in this movement of God reaching the young people of Slovenia.
Our teammates who are leading and directing are very aware and prepared. And yet the push is very strenous and often filled with dark opposition.
Please join us as we pray from this side of the ocean. Here's some things we're praying about.
* Because of "complications" we've had to cancel one of our camps and change to a combined effort. A lot of prayer and effort went into the planning of these camps so to have to make a change requires a huge challenge. Pray that we'll see God's leading and directing as we rememeber that Jesus was often focused on interuptions and "accidents".
* Students who have not been able to attend or are afraid to ask their parents if they can attend an evangelical camp.
* Teams who have been sent by churches in the US and Ireland. Pray for them to make wise choices about where to direct their engery and to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Especially as they pour themselves out in a new culture and a spiritual war zone.
* Our staff and teammates who will be leading and directing 8 camps throughout the summer as well as arranging for follow up. It's a deep kind of weary that you feel at camp....but also the best kind!
It's still a new country and what we are doing is still very new. This is hard fought over territory. And because there's not much happening evangelistically in Slovenia, satan is going after those who are involved in this movement of God reaching the young people of Slovenia.
Our teammates who are leading and directing are very aware and prepared. And yet the push is very strenous and often filled with dark opposition.
Please join us as we pray from this side of the ocean. Here's some things we're praying about.
* Because of "complications" we've had to cancel one of our camps and change to a combined effort. A lot of prayer and effort went into the planning of these camps so to have to make a change requires a huge challenge. Pray that we'll see God's leading and directing as we rememeber that Jesus was often focused on interuptions and "accidents".
* Students who have not been able to attend or are afraid to ask their parents if they can attend an evangelical camp.
* Teams who have been sent by churches in the US and Ireland. Pray for them to make wise choices about where to direct their engery and to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Especially as they pour themselves out in a new culture and a spiritual war zone.
* Our staff and teammates who will be leading and directing 8 camps throughout the summer as well as arranging for follow up. It's a deep kind of weary that you feel at camp....but also the best kind!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Patty Family Reunion
Here are just a few cousin shots from our family reunion trip to Telluride, Colorado. This pic is Tyler pointing out some big time construction equipment to Luke. One of my favorite things about being in the Patty family is the way our kids love each other. They have played together non stop and can't seem to get enough of each other. And the creative influence is better than putting your kid in some kind of work shop! Tyler and Caleb sang in church one Sunday. They were great! I'm ready to put them on my iPod! And Blake is ready to bust out that dusty guitar we've got in the garage!
We did several day trips including Mesa Verde where I took this picture of Becca, Claire, Kyrie, Blake, Kendra and Jonathan. Later on when we returned to Denver, the older kids went to the Jr. High program together while the younger ones went to the kids program.
We got a taste of American heritage and had a picnic near an old abandoned railroad. Kerith, Justin and Caleb join Blake and Jonathan on the rail fence.
Continental Divide
After we landed the whole Patty family came into town and we headed out on our family reunion to Telluride Colorado. On the way we stopped at the Continental Divide. Josh's dad explained how at this point water poured on one side flows towards the Pacific Ocean and water poured on the other side flows towards the Atlantic Ocean. He handed each family two bottles of water labled Pacific and Atlantic and we got the chance to send some water to each of those two oceans.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Last Day of School!
Yesterday was the kids' last day of school. Their school mates are in until June 24 but since we are flying today we got permission to take them out early. They all did very well and there was lots of excitement around our place last night. No school and a trip to the states! Yee haw! Rebecca sent me this text message "I am done,finishig scool with a 5!" 5 is equal to an A so that was her overall grade! Now we just need to work on her english spelling! Off to go shove the last things in our bags!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Eventful week
Monday marked our 7 year anniversary of arriving here in Slovenia! Kathy Codanti came over and even made brownies! Then we recalled with the kids what those early days were like and how different it is now that we feel at home here.
We've become quite attached to American Idol. Every week we watch and revel in our American-ness, snacking on imported goodies like Oreo cookies or brownies. Christina, our co-worker has joined the hysteria and for our last week together with our American Idol family she prepared a special imported yellow-cake-from-a-box to celebrate!
Blake turned 12 on tuesday. And we celebrated him with his school mates on thursday. Johnny and Brooke Stevens loaned us Rock Band and the kids LOVED it! Blake has the best birthday parties through his youth worker connections. Good thing we had to give it back though. Josh and I sneaked down and played quite a bit after the kids had gone to bed. I was getting quite good on bass.
I need to figure out how to put a picture of David Cook right here, because after the party goers left the Jackson family showed up and we watched the American Idol finale. We had decided we'd be happy either way because we really liked both Davids. But in the end we realized that it was quite the opposite! We didn't want either one to lose!
Friday,we kept the party train going and celebrated Kendra's 8th birthday a little early. She had her school friends over for traditional cake and ice cream and party games. They wrapped up the night by watching Surf's Up in Slovene. It was a great encouragement to see our kids watch and laugh right along with the others. Their language abilities have grown over the years!
We've become quite attached to American Idol. Every week we watch and revel in our American-ness, snacking on imported goodies like Oreo cookies or brownies. Christina, our co-worker has joined the hysteria and for our last week together with our American Idol family she prepared a special imported yellow-cake-from-a-box to celebrate!
Blake turned 12 on tuesday. And we celebrated him with his school mates on thursday. Johnny and Brooke Stevens loaned us Rock Band and the kids LOVED it! Blake has the best birthday parties through his youth worker connections. Good thing we had to give it back though. Josh and I sneaked down and played quite a bit after the kids had gone to bed. I was getting quite good on bass.I need to figure out how to put a picture of David Cook right here, because after the party goers left the Jackson family showed up and we watched the American Idol finale. We had decided we'd be happy either way because we really liked both Davids. But in the end we realized that it was quite the opposite! We didn't want either one to lose!
Friday,we kept the party train going and celebrated Kendra's 8th birthday a little early. She had her school friends over for traditional cake and ice cream and party games. They wrapped up the night by watching Surf's Up in Slovene. It was a great encouragement to see our kids watch and laugh right along with the others. Their language abilities have grown over the years!
My new favorite recipe
My sister-in-law Connie made this recipe last time we visited them. I asked her to send it to me and now it's become something I make often. When you find those good ones you have to pass them on! It's especially great when you have family members eating at different times and want to keep dinner warm.
Chicken Escondido
1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large can of black beans (or dry, soaked)
16 oz jar salsa
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 TB olive oil
2 TB balsamic vinegar
Saute tomatoes and garlic in the olive oil. (If the sundried tomatoes come in oil just dump the whole thing in and saute in that.)
Add chicken and cook until done.
Add salsa and black beans.
Simmer five minutes.
Serve over brown rice.
Also, just an update on our nephew Caleb. He and Connie flew back to Czech yesterday. After a very long 6 weeks away from Dave and the other children the doctors were able to determine (the short story) that Caleb's intestines have been over active and have complicated his system to the point of pain and irritation. He's now on a plan for calming them down and his pain level is down from a 9 or 10 to a 6 or 7. So he's on the path to recovery! Thank you for your prayers for them!
Chicken Escondido
1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large can of black beans (or dry, soaked)
16 oz jar salsa
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 TB olive oil
2 TB balsamic vinegar
Saute tomatoes and garlic in the olive oil. (If the sundried tomatoes come in oil just dump the whole thing in and saute in that.)
Add chicken and cook until done.
Add salsa and black beans.
Simmer five minutes.
Serve over brown rice.
Also, just an update on our nephew Caleb. He and Connie flew back to Czech yesterday. After a very long 6 weeks away from Dave and the other children the doctors were able to determine (the short story) that Caleb's intestines have been over active and have complicated his system to the point of pain and irritation. He's now on a plan for calming them down and his pain level is down from a 9 or 10 to a 6 or 7. So he's on the path to recovery! Thank you for your prayers for them!
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