The Patterson Family

Our Space Adventure

2011-07-10T23:31:00.000-04:00

Ok…it’s been way too long between posts and to be honest I have often thought that we were beyond the point of no return. I have so many special and very important things of which I wanted to share with you all and the thought of blogging “out of order” drives me crazy!!! I’m not giving up yet and you may still see some of those posts from moments that are dear to my heart…

We just returned from a wonderful long weekend and since returning last night I have been thinking a lot about the privilege of what we were able to experience. With that, I also feel like a chapter which contains a significant part of my growing up years has been closed.

When NASA announced that the Space Shuttle program was coming to an end, John and my Dad agreed that we would make every effort to witness one of the last launches together. For John, having never witnessed a launch, he had a great desire to see one in person. For my Dad, we knew that he just couldn’t let the program end without him trying to see one more. John and I both wanted to be able to bring the children and allow them the opportunity to experience a real launch. While they have watched many from our backyard (Poppy has come over just about every time to watch with them and show them) and even seen the International Space Station as it has flown over, we knew this would be so much more exciting and memorable for them. For myself, having seen several launches in person, I knew the blessing my family would be missing if weren’t able to make it!

Being raised by a Dad (and Mom) with a lifelong love for anything Space has great advantages. I am convinced that if it weren’t for the fact that he is legally blind in one eye, he would have been an astronaut himself! It’s bittersweet to think of a sweet boy my son’s age dreaming of the wonder and adventure of space and being an astronaut when he grows up – only to know that in his teenage years he would be told by the Air Force that flying would never be an option for him. Bitter to think about the pain of that unfulfilled dream – sweet to know that it was part of God’s wonderful plan for his life (and mine)!

My Dad’s love and excitement for the space program didn’t end with his dream of visiting space himself one day – instead, I grew up loving it myself. My childhood included no less than 6 or 8 visits to the Kennedy Space Center as well as one to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL. We were privileged to witness several launches together as a family. My favorites included a night launch (unbeatable!!!), one on Kennedy property where they had the big countdown clocks and another with my grandparents. My parents surprised my sisters and I by picking us up early from school and taking us over to watch, unforgettable. As a middle school student, I was a member of Young Astronauts. I fondly remember making and launching rockets and visiting Space Camp with my peers. My Dad and I also launched our fair share of rockets – we also lost quite a few – on the roof of Golden Gate Middle School! But like many, a love for the Space program also brought deep sorrow at the loss of the Challenger. I will never forget that day in elementary school, standing outside to watch the launch and knowing that something was terribly wrong. I already knew that I wanted to be a teacher someday and was saddened too, over the loss of Christa McAulliffe, knowing that she was someone’s teacher. And as newlyweds, John and I together sat in disbelief as we were watching the news to witness Columbia land – only to learn that they were lost too. Heartbroken.

So I guess it was natural that as a parent I would desire to share the same love with my children. So blessed am I, that my dear husband values these experiences for our children too! Perhaps it’s no surprise that John Robert has already made a couple of visits to the Kennedy Space Center and we have a future trip planned to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. I guess it’s also no surprise that he has a genuine love and interest in the space program himself. I think he and his Daddy would love to get their hands on that Saturn V Rocket engine!

So when the opportunity arrived and God miraculously provided us a campsite at Jetty Park right on the beach we were so blessed!!! We decided to turn it into a 3 day stay and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to camp right there and hopefully avoid the early morning frenzy! Truth be told…we would have totally joined in on the early morning frenzy had God not given us a campsite right there!!! We left Naples hearing about unfavorable weather and listening to reports of only a 30% chance of launch. BUT, my sweet little Hannah Mae and John Robert prayed to the Lord, asking him to help make the weather nice for the Space Shuttle to launch. I believe that He heard their hearts and He chose to give us perhaps the most perfect weather!!! I don’t think I could have possibly even imagined a July day on the beach without sweating to death! Instead, it was beautiful and there was a cool breeze. The clouds were perfect and provided a dramatic backdrop for a launch. After a pre-launch day celebration of cookie cake we tried to get to sleep in anticipation of an exciting day ahead. We went to bed surrounded by an empty park nearby and woke to literally hundreds and hundreds of cars lining the nearby streets and cell phone service that was practically non-existent! Breakfast for everyone and coffee for the grown-up girls – then we were off to the beach. It was a beautiful morning on the beach. The children played in the sand and we listened to the radio. There was a beautiful aroma of patriotism in the crowds around us. We knew things were getting close when the NASA helicopter flew over. The final moments of the countdown went very quickly and in a moment that felt unusually surreal, we waited to watch the shuttle appear over the horizon. We followed it in and out of the clouds for probably nearly a minute and a half and then enjoyed its powerfully long and low rumble as it disappeared into the atmosphere. It’s trail of smoke left a remarkable memory of the wonder we had just experienced. All that was left was a feeling of wonder and gratefulness.

It was no less breathtaking than the first time I witnessed it. This time was even more special, to be with my husband and children. I think my Dad loved it even more too, I think having John and my children there was very special for him. His love for my husband (and children, of course) couldn’t be any greater or more genuine. For that, I am so thankful. I am convinced that the feeling is very mutual, too!

All that remains now is a strange feeling of loss, the loss of something that I never knew I loved so much. That, along with feelings of awesome wonder for my God who would create such a world for us to care for, explore and enjoy.

Oh, …and a little boy who is crazy about the NASA channel! My heart broke when he told me that it was too late for him to grow up and be an astronaut. I told him we could go back and visit space as soon as he invented a new and better way to get there! I think he can do it!

Posted by Mommy

Hannah Mae's Best Birthday

2010-07-10T02:41:00.000-04:00

We love birthdays!!! They are a big deal in our home. When John Robert was born we made special efforts to celebrate each of his birthday month milestones. It was a lot of fun for us. We enjoyed doing the same for our sweet Hannah Mae and now precious little Sarah Kate. They grow so much in their first year. It has been a blessing to get together with our parents each month and enjoy our little blessings from the Lord. I think the excuse for dessert is a big bonus for the kids now (ok... John and I too!).

I thoroughly enjoy planning birthday celebrations for my kids. I love making their birthdays special. Now that John Robert and Hannah Mae are older it is especially fun to get their input as far as their party is concerned. They have picked some pretty fun themes over the past few years. We've had rocket parties, pony parties, hosted treasure hunts and lots of little chefs. Each year I look forward to making their day memorable. I'm actually in the process of planning Hannah Mae's 5th Birthday Party right now. She will be five on July 25th. I really can't believe it!!! We will be blessed to visiting family in Michigan on her actual birthday so we are having her party before we leave. It will be next Friday night. She has chosen a ladybug theme (she's my little garden girl...LOVE that!). I'm having a ton of fun with it! When in Michigan we will be celebrating her birthday with her "cute Grammy". The children affectionately call her "cute Grammy" because...well, because she is just simply cute. Grammy is making her a doll cake. She will love it. The cool thing is that we will be celebrating Grammy's birthday at the same time. She turns 80 this fall. I think an early double birthday party will be real special. Sarah Kate will also turn 9 months old while we are there. Yep...lots of celebrating and lots of sweets. Grammy makes some yummy goodies, that's for sure! We are looking forward to our time there.

So, maybe its obvious...my love of birthdays. I do love them. There is however a most meaningful birthday that we recently celebrated with our beautiful Hannah Mae. It was the most important birthday of all. It did not require all kinds of planning and to be honest, it caught me by surprise. Hannah Mae prayed to receive Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. April 3, 2010 marks Hannah Mae's Spiritual Birthday. We rejoice because our sweet little girl made the greatest and most meaningful decision of her life on this day! It is a day that John and I have prayed for. We have prayed for this day even before she was born. Our greatest desire is that our children would come to know and love Him with all their hearts, souls and minds. In doing these things we believe that they will be mighty vessels and warriors for His kingdom.

Saturday April 3, 2010 - the day before Easter - the children and I were making cut-out easter cookies (one of our Easter traditions). They were excited about Easter the following day. We had been talking about it. After making our cookies Hannah Mae and I sat down to do our Quiet Time together. She loves doing her Quiet Time! I am so blessed to watch her "read" her Bible. I am also thrilled to see her excitement for the Word of Life Devotionals that we have been doing with our church. We've been doing these since last August. Throughout the weeks and months we talked about our need for Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. I don't think that the message on this particular day was something new to her. I do know though, that it touched her heart. When asked if she wanted to accept Jesus as her Savior, she calmly and confidently told me she was ready. I was a mix of emotions....overjoyed, a little caught by surprise and a lot panicked because John was outside and was missing it! I talked to her about the important decision she was about to make. I asked a lot of questions...wanting to confirm that she knew what she was doing. Well, SHE KNEW what she was doing and why. I was blessed. Daddy came inside and we prayed together as a family. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. It surpassed the joy of childbirth - one of my most favorite moments in my life. As much as I cherished the moment that each of my children were born, this was even more meaningful. My little girl had truly been born, born again! Her life would never be the same. Her act of obedience would change her life forever! Praise the Lord!!! He is faithful!!! What a joy it is to see my children as they begin their lives walking in His ways! My prayer now, that Miss Hannah Mae would always stay close to Him and humbly serve Him with her life!

Here's Hannah Mae after making her big decision! Sweet girl, this is your BEST Birthday ever!

A decision this big certainly warrants a celebration! We asked Hannah Mae how she would like to celebrate. Her answer: "I want to make a cookie cake with Nanny and eat pizza!" Well, that is exactly what we did!

Her they are mixing up the ingredients for their cookie cake.

Hannah Mae poses with Titi and Nana.

I think someone was eating the cookie dough...bad habit learned from Mommy!

Our family.

Hannah Mae with her Titi, Nana and Papa.

My Dad has a great perspective. Back in November when John Robert shared his news about his Spiritual Birthday my Dad made a really big deal about it. I don't remember his exact words but he basically said that he thought we needed to celebrate. He insisted on taking John Robert out to his favorite restaurant. Now you know me...I love celebrating birthdays. His point was such...THIS IS the greatest birthday celebration that they will ever have! He's right!!!

The coolest part of it all...John Robert and Hannah Mae pray daily for Sarah Kate's salvation! I couldn't be more blessed. Neither could she! How special that her older brother and sister recognize and take seriously her need for Jesus too!

And if you are wondering...Yes, I'm pretty sure we will be celebrating birthdays on April 3rd and November 4th of each year! I can't wait!!!

Posted by Mommy

The Man I Love...

2010-06-21T13:05:00.002-04:00

The Man I Love...he is many things. He's a man of great integrity, he is loving, kind, and compassionate. He is the smartest man I know, he is handsome, funny, gentle and yet very strong. He is a servant and a leader. He is responsible, dedicated and devoted. He is slow to speak, he is slow to anger and always quick to hear. He is honest and humble. He is content. He is a man after God's own heart. He is everything I could have ever wanted to love in a husband. He is the best father. I am often amazed at just how wonderful he is. I admire him and desire to be more like him. I am reminded that he is this man and father because of his relationship with his Heavenly Father. It makes me want to be like him even more!

Is it possible to love him more today than I did yesterday? I don't know how...but I know it to be true.

I love and appreciate this man. I am blessed by his desire to always honor the Lord. I am thankful for how he leads our family. I am thankful for the call of God upon his life and how he humbly serves Him everyday. I am grateful that he seeks God's will in all things. I am thankful for his obedience.

Thank you John, for loving me like Jesus does! Thank you for doing the same for our children! They are so blessed to walk in your footsteps. They could not have a better role-model. You remind me each day how important our role is as parents. You take the calling and gift of fatherhood seriously. You never take your children (or time with them) for granted. You make me feel the same way. You help me recognize that our days with these precious three are so few and that every minute counts.

Thank you John, for working so hard to take care of us! Thank you for asking me to be home full-time to care of our children. Thank you for praying for me as I seek to take care of their physical, educational and spiritual needs each day! Thank you for trusting me with this awesome privilege and responsibility! Thank you for affirming me as I seek to do God's will as I care for them. Thank you for leading our family to recognize, embrace and do well those things which God has set as priorities in our lives.

It is not difficult to love, honor and respect a man and father as wonderful as you! This is my desire, for all the days of my life. We had the best day with you yesterday Daddy! We are looking forward to celebrating you again tonight and tomorrow and the next day and the next day...

oh, and I love you the mostest...

Posted by Mommy

Guess What Poppy Found!!!

2010-06-04T23:51:00.000-04:00

Poppy might have known something unusual was going on when Sarah Kate grabbed his finger and shoved it in her mouth...but, that is really typical behavior lately...everything in the mouth! I mean EVERYTHING!!! If she can reach it, it's fair game. Needless to say, I am a Wet Ones, handwashing, anti-bacterial lunatic! Well, little Miss Sarah Kate had very good reason to be gnawing on her Poppy's poor finger tonight. SHE DID IT! She cut her FIRST TOOTH! That tiny little (very sharp, might I add!) tooth had finally made its way out!

Now, I have to say...John and I both have been waiting and looking with excitement and expectation. We knew she was teething and we've been waiting for this moment. It's the first thing I look for in the morning. Well, it was not there this morning... but it couldn't be sweeter. It will always be a little something special between Sarah Kate and her Poppy.

Posted by Mommy

EASTER

2010-05-04T11:13:00.000-04:00

It was our best EASTER ever...for many reasons. What joy we have in celebrating a RISEN LORD and SAVIOR! We delight in knowing that each year our celebration is more meaningful, to not only us, but also to our children. More to come on why this EASTER was so special...

Until then, here are some of our favorite pictures:

Check out all of our EASTER pictures here.

Posted by Mommy

A Beautiful Sound

2010-02-06T13:26:00.006-05:00

We received a wonderful phone call this morning! John's parents had gone up to St. Pete to visit Great Grandpa Bobby. He has been in a special rehabilitation facility there for almost three weeks now. It is actually the same facility that my Grandfather stayed at several years ago. When I answered the phone I was excited (but maybe a little bit nervous too) to hear what John's mom would have to say. I could tell immediately by her voice that there was no need to be nervous, she had great things to say. But then, almost immediately after telling us that Grandpa was doing great, she proceeded to tell us that he wanted to SPEAK to the children! What? WOW!!!! We have not heard his voice in over a month and a half! What wonderful news! She explained quickly, that they had hooked him up to some kind of device that would allow him to speak through his trachea. I didn't really care about the details, I just ran to John and the children and put the phone on speaker. What a wonderful conversation it was! He called them by name, told them he loved them and they did the same in return. They shared with him how they had been praying and he thanked them. It was beautiful. It was our Grandpa Bobby. His voice was the same, just as we all know him. He talked a lot! Oh, how I can not imagine. All the things he's been wanting to say over the past weeks, now he can more clearly communicate! And let me say, he was just like his old self! We were blessed!

I rejoice in the Lord! Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." What a perfect opportunity for our children to see our Mighty God at work! Our caring, loving, compassionate Father is indeed magnificent and All Powerful! He is The One who has brought healing and comfort to our Great Grandpa Bobby! I believe it without one doubt! In the words of John Robert, " This is the best day!"

Grandpa Bobby knows and loves Jesus with all of his heart. I am certain that he would not be able to walk this road without Him! Praise the Lord that You know him and that he knows You!

Here is Great Grandpa Bobby in November 2009 with his
newest granddaughter, Sarah Katherine.

Hannah Mae and Great Grandpa Bobby playing ball
together, June 2009.

Great Grandpa Bobby was a special guest
at John Robert's 6th Birthday Party, April 2009.

Daddy's birthday party last year,
with Great Grandpa Bobby.

We just celebrated Daddy's birthday last night. Before our families arrived, John and I both commented how we wished Grandpa was going to be there. We ate pizza last night, in honor of him. I originally had something else planned but decided to do pizza instead. It wasn't fancy and it wasn't nearly as good as Grandpa Bobby's famous homemade pizza, but a part of Grandpa Bobby was there with us. We are hopeful that he will be with us to celebrate our birthdays next year.

Thank you Lord Jesus for what you are doing today, let us not ever doubt your love and care for us...no matter what you choose for our lives. But for now Lord, we thank you for what you are doing in Great Grandpa Bobby's life! We thank you too, for the opportunity to know You and see You at work! May we always recognize Your Hands, as they comfort and heal, guide and love us!

Posted by Mommy

In the mail...

2010-02-04T23:13:00.003-05:00

This afternoon I walked out to the mailbox...just Sarah Kate and I. John Robert and Hannah Mae were napping. Little did I know that there would be a sweet surprise in the box, something just for my baby girl. After pulling out the mail and flipping through it I quickly recognized a familiar envelope and the handwriting on it. It was a love note from Daddy, one that he had mailed to his Sarah Kate. These special letters show up pretty regularly. They have for years. They are handwritten notes from Daddy to each of us...myself, John Robert and Hannah Mae. They are priceless gifts, all of which I have kept. I was particularly moved by this one as it was Sarah Kate's first. How special that God ordained it that I would be walking alone with her to receive it and read it to her! Its words were precious, tender and sweet. They were penned out of pure love and thankfulness, thankfulness to the Lord. I struggled to read its words aloud, my baby girl's soft and tiny head was covered in tears before I was done...Sarah Kate's first love note, from her Daddy.

Tonight I celebrate this man, on the eve of his birthday. I treasure him and thank God for who He made him to be. I could not have asked for a better husband or father to my three beautiful children. Thank you Jesus for a husband and father who loves you first. I thank you for his life and the gift that he is to us!

Sarah Kate loving on her Daddy...

These two just love looking at each other. Too sweet!

Daddy's biggest girl! Hannah Mae loves to build with him and enjoy tea parties too!

Celebrating Sarah Kate's 3rd month Birthday with ice cream sundaes.

Now it's your turn Daddy! Happy Birthday, we love you to the hearts!

Posted by Mommy

2010-02-01T15:18:00.000-05:00

John's Personal Testimony....

2010-01-31T13:16:00.004-05:00

Well, I was asked by the Men's Ministry to videotape my personal testimony about how I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. So below is the video if you would like to see and hear a brief synopsis of my life. God bless. John

We're Thankful!

2009-12-03T00:20:00.002-05:00

We do have so much to be thankful for! God has blessed us with three absolutely wonderful children and precious family and friends. We are a part of an awesome church where we worship and have the privilege to serve as well. He provides for all of our needs and so much more! We are most thankful for a loving God and His Son Jesus who has forgiven us!

Each year, we enjoy the blessing of being a part of a Family Thanksgiving service at church. I believe that this year was the most meaningful one for us. What a gift to holding my new baby girl in my arms and agree with Hannah Mae as she sits by me and tells me that our most important job is to tell her (Sarah Kate) about Jesus! That's right sweet girl! As a church family, we shared the Lord's Supper and John Robert was able to participate for the first time! He was so sweet about it. He knew right away that he wanted to and was now able to participate. We've told him before that he could not take the elements until he had received Jesus into his heart and asked Him to be His Lord and Savior. When Mr. Cole came to serve us John Robert politely told him of his decision and asked if he could participate too! It was a very special evening. I can think of nothing better than being in the house of the Lord with my family and watching my children learn about and grow in Him!

We had to get a picture...

A proud Poppy and one of his sweetie girls. As you can see, she has him wrapped around her finger...

Doesn't take long for Nana to steal her away...I think she's a baby hog too! (Not my words, but Titi's!)

Thanksgiving morning...watching the parade and making cutout cookies. Love it!

The kiddos with Cousin Ashley and Titi, after dinner at Poppy and Nana's...frosting and decorating those yummy cookies!

We're so thankful for this sweet little smile. Our little blondie girl. JUST LOVE HER!

And this toothless little boy...we just adore him! He's AMAZING!

Cousin Julie enjoys some cuddle time with Sarah Kate. This little girl is just full of love. We're so glad to be able to share her with loving family and friends. Thank you Lord Jesus!

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34

1 Month Old Sarah Kate

2009-12-03T00:19:00.000-05:00

Unbelievable...our sweet baby girl is already a month old! It's been an absolutely wonderful month. Sarah Kate has gained 3 pounds and grown 3 inches since we brought her home! At her one month checkup she weighed in at 10 pounds 5 ounces and is 22 inches long. She is both 75% for her weight and height. She is obviously growing but her look is changing too. Along with our family, we're enjoying every minute.
Here are some pictures from Sarah Kate's one month birthday celebration.

It's a good thing she doesn't mind being kissed all over..constantly!

Big brother and big sister have their eyes on the brownies that they made in honor of their little sister's birthday.

Sarah and Great Grandma enjoy each other's company.

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to...even her cry is precious.

She doesn't cry often and it is more like a wimper (most of the time). Daddy says it's good exercise for her lungs. There's usually a very good reason...I'm hungry or sleepy.

In this case...sleepy.

She peeks her eyes every so often to see her Daddy. These two LOVE staring at each other.

We are forced to open presents for her. I don't think she minded though. Oh, and we KNOW she LOVED the new clothes. What girl doesn't love new clothes?

Sarah's First Bouncy

2009-12-03T00:18:00.001-05:00

I have been accused of being a baby hog...probably true. I have found that the blessing of a third baby has brought with it not only experience but perhaps a bit of wisdom. A bit. For me, that means the understanding that children grow too quickly. I am thoroughly enjoying the time and stillness that nursing a baby requires. We don't like to put Sarah Kate down unless it is necessary. The children and I could hold her and love on her all day long. They are chomping at the bit for her to wake in the morning and from her naps. Ok, we have a problem...well, reality kicks in and I do recognize that we do need to put her some every now and then. Yes, homeschooling and showering are both easier when they are hands-free. So last week we decided to get a bouncy seat for little Miss Sarah. We had actually picked out a gender neutral one (before baby was born). I liked it, it was very nice. Well, Daddy wouldn't have it. He insisted that we purchased a pretty pink one for her. I founds this one and we put her in it for the first time last week. She is very happy to be in it and we think she looks perfectly precious!

John Robert Looses A FRONT TOOTH!!

2009-12-03T00:17:00.001-05:00

Mommy is in LOVE!!! I have to say that this is the most adorable little boy I have ever seen! I must tell you though, as cute as he looks...he SOUNDS just as sweet! I could listen to his toothless talk for hours!

I'm not in a hurry for his new adult tooth to grow in...I'm just enjoying my sweet little boy who is growing up far too quickly!

Playtime and other fun

2009-12-03T00:16:00.000-05:00

The kiddos and their morning "Quiettime".
LOVE that we can teach them how to have a time alone with God.
LOVE that we have books that correspond with theirs.
LOVE that they love to do their quiettime!

John Robert and one of his very cool contraptions...a very long marble run.

They insisted that I take a picture of their "alligator". Team John Robert/Hannah Mae can come up with some really neat stuff!

We love field trips and are blessed to go on many of them. In recent months we have visited the fire station in our neighborhood and "our" Publix. We were very impressed. Recently, we went on a field trip to the post office, saw some cool stuff...but really liked their trucks.

On Accident...

2009-12-03T00:15:00.000-05:00

Once Sarah Kate was born we decided to do a little room move around. While we have a fourth bedroom and each of the children could have their own room, we thought it would be nicer to put the two girls together in the larger second master suite. Well, that meant a good amount of work because the second master suite had a closet FULL of all my homeschooling materials, not to mention a room setup as an office...one that had become a "catchall" I might add. The children were excited about the move but before we got started we decided to take a few pics of Hannah Mae in her "old" room (I think my kids are almost as sentimental as me...well, maybe close).

So, she posed around her room for me...

showed me all her favorite things...

and then I captured this photo...totally on accident...and WOW!!! I am stunned at this beautiful little girl and how she is growing up to be such a loving little lady. We tell her that God made her beautiful on the outside but her "real pretty" is inside...and it's true. Hannah Mae is a precious girl, so wonderful!

Daddy loves this picture but gets a little crazy . He has made a vow that his children will never model. We are in agreement and I promised him that I really did not try to capture this little pose...hmmm, I wonder what her first "date" will be like, considering that she will be at least forty years old?!?!?

Sarah Kate's First Bath

2009-12-03T00:14:00.000-05:00

We were all quite excited when Sarah Kate's umbilical cord came off! John Robert and Hannah Mae were quite perplexed (or maybe grossed out) by it...no matter what we tried to tell them about it. Daddy and Mommy were curious to see Sarah Kate's reaction to her first bath. We had a little thing going here...boys thought she wouldn't be too fond of it but the girls thought she'd love it.

From two girls to another...the girls predicted correctly. Sarah Kate LOVED her first bath. She was content and peaceful...but who wouldn't be if you had an older brother and sister pouring cups of warm water over you? They treat her like a princess. She's most definitely LOVED!!!

A PraiseKids Thanksgiving Performance

2009-12-03T00:13:00.000-05:00

John Robert and Hannah Mae have both enjoyed being a part of PraiseKids at our church. They just did a little performance, Mr. Bleich (their teacher) called it an "informance". It was relaxed and a lot of fun. The children shared some of the songs they had been singing over the past couple months. I don't think there is a better sound than hearing a bunch of children sing praises to the Lord!

I think it is safe to say that we all had a great time. Hannah Mae absolutely loves her teachers Mrs. Julie and Mrs. Jennifer. John Robert's teachers were just great! They made puppets in his class, they were based on Biblical characters of their choice. They had to decide why they like that character and share in class. John Robert's choice: John the Baptist. Why? Well, because they share the same name but more importantly, because he ate honey (John Robert's condiment of choice) ...guess the locusts didn't bother him?!?!

A Special Birthday!

2009-12-03T00:12:00.003-05:00

Birthdays are big in our home. We enjoy them to the fullest! November 4th marked the most important birthday for John Robert... his Spiritual Birthday!!! That night after AWANA, John Robert asked his Daddy to pray with him. He decided that he needed to ask Jesus to forgive him of his sins and wanted Him to live in his heart. We are so thankful that John Robert has recognized and responded to his need for a Savior. We have been praying for his salvation daily, even before he was born.

Here's John Robert and his Daddy after they prayed together. We were still at church. They prayed together in the hall around the corner from Daddy's office.

After John Robert shared his special news with Poppy and Nana, they wanted to take him out to dinner at his favorite restaurant...you guessed it...The Olive Garden.

We couldn't resist this t-shirt. Saw it at the bookstore at church and just had to get it for our Wii guy...

Thank you Father for drawing my son near to You. How great is your love for him! I know by this...that you would give the life of Your Son to save the life of my son. There are no words...

A Little Photo Shoot

2009-12-03T00:11:00.000-05:00

The children had fun (and cooperated so well for Mommy) during our little photo shoot. We decided to top it off with a nice walk. We are so thankful for some beautiful, cooler weather and the opportunity to enjoy being outside in our yard.

Family Visits

2009-12-03T00:10:00.000-05:00

Great Grandpa Bobby with great grandchild #4. We are so blessed to have him here. He will have grandchild #3 next year, as well as great grandchild #5. How wonderful for our children to have him in their lives!

John Robert and Poka use rock paper scissors to determine who goes first at Connect Four. A favorite game for him and he's really good at it too!

Sarah Kate and her Grammy.

Grammy gave Sarah Kate a special blanket that she made just for her.
It has ruffled edges and is so pretty, just like her!

Thank you Grammy! We love you.

Uncle Joe and Aunt BB hold Sarah Kate for the first time.

Baby looks good on Aunt BB.
Her new little boy will be here sometime in late March or April.

Uncle Joe and Sarah Kate.

Sarah Kate enjoys having her Uncle Joe hold her.
Daddy captured this sweet picture of her looking at him.

The cousins disappeared...we found John Robert, Hannah Mae and Wyatt were doing the funniest thing. They had about a hundred marbles that they were sorting and then sending them down a funnel...that landed in Daddy's BOOT!!! Guess the smell didn't bother them!
Just wish we had a better picture...

Daddy and Uncle Dave with their littlest ones. We're hoping that these two will be real good friends...or maybe that we can arrange a marriage?.?. Sarah Kate and Bradley are almost exactly one month apart. How fun!

Hannah Mae and Drew with a serious choo-choo track. Lots of fun!!

Big brothers and sister show off their new babies.
The Patterson/Gonzalez party of 9!
WOW...so wonderful. Thank you Jesus!

More Sarah Kate

2009-12-03T00:09:00.000-05:00

Sarah Kate's first week... LOTS of sleeping. So precious.
We could watch her all day!

Pure sweetness.

Daddy says she has dainty little hands.

Sarah Kate at 3 weeks. Love this little outfit, given to her by special friends.

Fall Fun!

2009-12-03T00:08:00.001-05:00

A first outing for us as a family of five! John Robert and Hannah Mae were excited to visit the pumpkin patch. It was still terribly hot out (near 90 degrees) so we enjoyed it for just a few minutes.

We just love this picture of John Robert!

Hannah Mae picked herself a perfect little pumpkin.

Our little punkin' (4 days old)! Oh how we love her!!!

John Robert and Hannah Mae love these photo moments. Gotta snag them whenever we can.

Sarah Katherine (Kate)

2009-10-28T19:46:00.015-04:00

We are rejoicing in the birth of Sarah Kate and the blessing she is to our family. Jesus has been so good to us and we Praise Him for His tremendous blessings! Sarah Kate is such a welcomed addition to our happy family and we look forward to what God has in store for her young life! We are thankful that the Lord chose her for our family.

Here are a few pictures of our family with our new baby blessing. To see more pictures of her click here for her photo album!

Announcing Sarah Katherine (Kate) Patterson
Born on: Saturday, October 24th, 2009
12:19 PM
7 lbs. 13 oz. , 19" long

Daddy and Mommy pose for their first picture with Sarah Kate!

One of Daddy's favorite pictures.

Sarah Kate relaxes after her first bath.

Sarah Kate wearing her hand knitted cap. Love those cheeks! We could see them in the ultrasound, but they sure do look better in person!

Mommy gazes at little Sarah Kate for the first time.

Sarah Kate in her first night-gown. Thanks big sister Hannah Mae for the pretty pink clothes.

Couldn't you just eat them?

The Patterson Family of 5!

Daddy holding Sarah Kate.

Big Brother John Robert holds his little sister, he can't stop telling her that he loves her!

Big Sister Hannah Mae holding little sister. She said the first time she saw her, "Can we keep her?" You bet Hannah Mae!

The Greatest kids in the world! (Well at least we think so.)

Sleeping in Daddy's hand. Shows just how tiny Sarah Kate is.

click here for her photo album!

Sarah Katherine (Kate)

2009-10-24T12:19:00.018-04:00

All About Me

Sarah Katherine was born on October 24th, 2009 at 12:19 PM. She weighed 7lbs. 13oz. and was 19" long. She is such a joy and truly a tremendous blessing from our Lord Jesus. In the short time we have known Sarah Kate, we have found her to be very "Mild" and laid back. She does not cry a lot, but will let you know when she needs to be fed or her diaper changed. She is very delicate and "All Girl"! We will post many more pictures of her, but here is the most recent one of her on her birthday.

John Robert

2009-09-28T11:57:00.005-04:00

WOW!!! By looking at this blog you'd never know how much I really do enjoy blogging...I think I am a slacker. We've had a great summer and a lot of fun stuff happening around here. I guess I just need to take the time to get you "caught up" in a Reader's Digest version kinda way. I'll warn you in advance...we've got a ton of pictures! John is really into photography lately. No complaints from me! I love it!! (Just as long as I am not the primary object of his photographing!)

So hard to believe that our baby boy is in Kindergarten!!! Wow...he is loving it and so am I! The blessing of homeschooling him has been a tremendous gift! He is reading, adding like a crazy man, really enjoying science and has BEAUTIFUL penmanship! He is learning how to have a "quiet time" with the Lord each day and learning scripture. I like to teach by thematic units. So far we have been studied amphibians, magnets and careers (for Labor Day). Surprisingly, when asked what he wanted to be when he grows up...John Robert said that he'd like to be a chef at The Olive Garden. He said he wants us to come and he will make alfredo, breadsticks and salad for us and then he will take a break to eat with us when he's done! Not too much of a surprise after all, it is his favorite restaurant! He just took his first Spelling test and got 13 out of 13 correct! He really loved the idea of a test and was especially impressed with the marks and sticker I put on his paper. It is hanging in our schoolroom!

I must brag here...seriously, I've seen
many adults who can't write
as well as John Robert!

Last week, he asked if we could write a book for our schoolwork. I told him that we could (LOVE that I have the flexibility to do that!). He dictated sentences to me and I typed. He ended up with an awesome book titled "Jesus Loves the Children". It was ten pages long and he did a great
job illustrating it. John and I were blessed to see his heart and to be able to "see" his understanding of Jesus through the words he wrote.

One of John Robert's most recent accomplishments...SHOE TYING! Yahoo! I am so happy for him! He had been wanting to learn and was determined. That moment of achievement was precious! And now, he loves to tie shoes so much that he offers to tie his Daddy's shoes! I'm impressed and very proud!

Love this picture...it reminds me that this IS my son! The sticking out the tongue thing while concentrating...yeah...he gets that from me! Sorry sweet boy!

John Robert graduated from AWANA Cubbies to Sparks this fall. HE LOVES IT! He really liked "moving up". He gets to do all new things in Sparks. They work through books memorizing (and learnign the meaning) of scripture, they go to council time (with puppets...SO COOL!) and have outdoor gametime on the AWANA Court. After two weeks of Sparks he earned his new vest and passed his first booklet. He was really excited that night. I think the first week of Sparks was really special for me. He came home with this piece of paper that he had been writing on in his freetime.

The teacher in me loved reading his work. I love deciphering inventive spelling. The Mommy in me was even more blessed as his written words penetrated my heart. The two blue arrows connect the words -Jesus and I Believe- What wonderful truths he is learning at church!

John Robert, he's just wonderful! In six years it's amazing to see how he's grown and is turning into the little man that God has created him to be. He's still Daddy's helper (being with him in the workshop is his favorite), he's our roller coaster junkie, loves tractors and driving anything!, and will not pass up the chance to go down some waterslides! He loves to build "blockers" and forts for his little sister and is a pretty great little bowler! He's always up for a game of Wii Bowling with his Poppy.

Waterslide junkies! A day of fun at the Sun n Fun on Nanny's Birthday. The kids were so cute, that is where they said we were having her Birthday Party. She didn't mind a bit!

This is what you call a blocker. It basically means "use anything and everything you can in a creative and clever way...all in an effort to produce some really awesome tunnels and hiding spots"! Totally fun...except when your children expect you to contort you 9 month pregnant body into their contraption!

Thrill-seeking John Robert treats Poka and Grammy to a few rides on "The BT" (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad). Our trip to Disney with them was a lot of fun. The children loved showing them all their favorite rides.

I think this boy was born wearing green and yellow. His second word was tractor and he has not stopped riding them since! This is a special tractor that Poka got for him. He will drive it around the yard for hours...or until it runs out of gas!

John Robert shows off his bowling skills. He LOVES to bowl. Thanks to Poppy
for all the practice on the Wii!

This was a very special fishing trip for John Robert. He and his Uncle Jason enjoyed some real good fishin' at The Fishin' Hole. Daddy had a great time too and was sure to get lots of great pics for Hannah Mae and I to see!

How I thank my Lord Jesus for the precious gift of my son! We continue to pray each day for his salvation and that the Lord will use him in great ways to share The Truth to those around him!

Hannah Mae

2009-09-28T11:56:00.001-04:00

I can hardly believe that our baby girl is soon to be a big sister. She's still just a little peanut! She will however, be the best big sister...a title she is already very happy to call herself! She is such a loving little girl. We are so blessed!

Little Hannah Mae got her very first bike with training wheels for her 4th Birthday. Until this point, she was very comfortable on her little pink tricycle. While Hannah Mae is tiny, she is pretty tall. So, we decided it was time to try and get her on a bigger set of wheels. When she first saw her bike she was very happy. John and I were anxious though, wondering how she would do...well, once she got on she didn't want to get off! Just like her brother! After about an hour in the summer heat she finally took a break for some water!

A funny Hannah Mae moment here...I was ironing clothes while the children napped. Hannah Mae woke and spotted a pair of Daddy's pants that I had just pulled out of the dryer. She must have been cold because I turned my head and next thing I knew she was wearing them! Not sure if it is a matter of me cranking the air down a bit too low or perhaps she just loves anything about her Daddy. I think it is the latter of the two.

Hannah Mae and her Daddy. Oh my, he's her favorite date! Good thing...I don't think she will be allowed to date anyone else for thirty years! These two love to enjoy milk and cookies together while on their dates together. Hannah Mae loves the fact that her Daddy sits at her little table with her. She puts on her pretty pajamas and they eat and talk. So sweet...literally I guess!

Hannah Mae takes Grammy for a ride on one of her favorites at Disney World. They picked the pink Dumbo and had a blast. We had a great time with them. One of our favorite places and two of our favorite people. A nice little getaway on Mother's Day weekend!

Cubbie girl Hannah Mae begins her second year of AWANAS. Hannah Mae loves to go to church. She loves to read her Bible (or scripture as she most commonly calls it) and is already hiding God's words in her heart. It's so wonderful to hear her tiny little voice as she so boldly speaks word of truth! Hannah Mae is blessed that her Poppy and Nana teach her Saturday night church class and Poka teaches her Wednesday night AWANA class. How wonderful!

Hannah Mae's newest interest...Calico Critters. She absolutely loves these tiny little creatures. They are quite amazing. Hannah Mae was blessed to get several sets for her birthday to get her little family started. They have every accessory imaginable and the cutest little animal creatures. Here she is with Grammy and Poka and the Critters House that they got her for her birthday. The perfect little house for her little animal babies...we're talking little itsy bitsy teenie weenie pieces! Just in time for a new baby...

Hannah Mae and her Nanny chilling out in the lazy river at the Sun and Fun Lagoon. These two weren't up for the waterslides but lounging in the river was a sure thing. According to the kiddos, this was Nanny's Birthday Party. They sure had a great time!

A favorite activity for Hannah Mae is dress-up. On any given day, she might wear 7-8 outfits! The really cool thing about her is that her wardrobe is not just limited to princesses and pink. She is happy to oblige her brother and play things of his interest too. This happened to be a cowboy and cowgirl moment.

Aunt Missi joined us for a fun field trip to the zoo. Love homeschooling...love that we can do this! Hannah Mae enjoyed the boat ride while sitting on Missi's lap. I just love this photo. We all love the fact that there is a new baby in Aunt Missi's tummy too!

Hannah Mae loves doing her schoolwork! I am so thankful! Anything that Bubba does is great for her! She is learning her letter sounds and writes very well. She and classmate John Robert have fun learning together. Sometimes perhaps a bit too much?!?

During centers time Hannah Mae so generously made me a Happy Birthday Cake. She sang and all...so sweet. Then I noticed...my birthday cake was adorned with bugs! Well, at least they were sparkly bugs. This delicious cake creation came shortly after cousin Andrew's birthday party. You guessed it...it was a bug party and yes, Auntie Jen made him a cake with bugs on it! The cake was delicious and obviously a hit! I will always treasure my birthday bug cake too!

Big girl Hannah Mae writes in her Tadpole log. I just love this picture...my officially a preschooler holding a pencil and writing. And I might add, she has some pretty awesome pencil posture. It came very naturally for her. We're still waiting for our tadpoles to turn into frogs. A very long process...two to three months! We caught these tadpoles ourselves and I am thinking that they had just hatched. We're hoping to have baby frogs in the next month...

Chef Hannah Mae had a great 4th Birthday. Given her choice of food to serve...she chose a pancake breakfast...for dinner. So yummy! Nanny made us girls matching aprons to wear. We had the best time. A house full of lots of friends and great memories made. Our "Little Ina" is growing up...

Hannah Mae and her birthday cake, made by Nanny, of course. A super delicious apron cake!

Hannah Mae and her friends made their own chocolate chip pancakes and then decorated cookies. Each little chef had their own apron and chef hat to wear.

Our blue eyed blondie. Four years has flown by...we're praying that the next four might be a little slower. Not likely, I know. What we do know is that we are so thankful for each moment and for this tenderhearted little girl who brings so much love to joy to all those she is around. We're amazed to see how she is growing to be tender to the ways of the Lord. Thank you Jesus for our sweet Hannah Mae!

Baby Patterson

2009-09-28T11:55:00.001-04:00

I sometimes wonder how it is possible to love someone so deeply...someone who you have never truly seen, met or held. For me, I think it is a matter of recognizing a gift. An absolutely wonderful gift, one far beyond what I could imagine that I am ever really worthy of receiving or being trusted with. While on a different scale, it is the closest earthly comparison to a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have not seen Him but I love Him none the less. He is real and while I am undeserving of His love and forgiveness I receive it with great responsibility and gratitude.

In a matter of about 30 weeks I am amazed at how our family has become so attached and bonded with a sweet little baby whom we have yet to meet in person. For months now, John Robert has referred to our family as a family of 5! Hannah Mae has proudly received the title of Big Sister. The children are constantly touching the baby, kissing on and talking to him or her. They have gone back and forth deciding whether or not they think the baby is a girl or boy. Recently however, they both have come to the conclusion that it could be either one and that "the Lord has already decided"! Whew...what a relief for us!

Baby Patterson's 31 week photoshoot. We love this picture and the sound of that heartbeat. Amazing!

Our ultrasound tech Nadine says that the heavy white shaded area is hair! Maybe a lot? That is funny to us because we never noticed that much hair with John Robert or Hannah Mae. And if what she says is true and this baby does have a lot of hair, I think I can disprove the old wives tale about heartburn and lots of hair. Really haven't had nearly as much as with the other two. Either way, not getting too excited about hair because any hair we are born with falls right out and doesn't come back for a while. John Robert didn't get his hair back until he was over a year and a half old and Hannah Mae was closer to two! Rumor has it that I was the same as a baby.

A baby with a full belly! Like Mommy, like Baby. When you don't want to know the baby's gender, you find lots of other little things to get excited about!

This 4-D picture shows the baby's hand right by his/her face. Hmmm...wondering if there is nay finger sucking going on in there? Baby is getting the hiccups a lot lately. Poor thing...

The Patterson Family of 5 after a most blessed evening with great friends! We all enjoyed food and fellowship at a Family Diaper Shower given by friends. It was an absolutely wonderful time for us all! We will be singing their praises as we change diapers at 2am! Thank you Jesus for such great friends that we can raise our children togeher with!

Our three children. Big Brother and Big Sister loving on their Baby before Daddy and Mommy enjoy a night away celebrating their 8 year anniversary.

The girls at a Ladies Baby Shower given by great friends! Nanny, Titi and Hannah Mae pose with Mommy and Baby. Just noticed that I wore the same dress to both showers. What can I say, it's so comfortable. I love it! It was an absolutely beautiful shower. We enjoyed the time with great girlfriends and family. Being a girl is so much fun!

Grammy and Hannah Mae at the Baby Shower. Us three Patterson girls and the Baby. Girl or Boy? We will see very soon...less than 5 weeks until we meet you sweet baby!

We are overwhelmed with the blessing of our friends and family. Their love and excitement for our family and our new Baby is more than we could ever imagine or deserve! Lord Jesus, we pray that even now we would honor and glorify you with the life of this new child. May we be the parents that you would have us to be to the three children with which you have so richly blessed us!

Posted by Mommy

Living a Legacy

2009-06-30T07:37:00.003-04:00

Life is just uncertain. You may think you have tomorrow, but that is a lie. God never said that you are guaranteed you will have the next day. In fact He says that we are but like "vapors" in the wind. Here one day and gone the next. I write this because I have learned to understand that each day is a gift from God. I sometimes forget that, but in recent days I have been reminded that we must slow down and take time to enjoy the relationships we have. Especially those with our spouse and children.

I thank God for my family. I never thought I would have one. Before I was married I really did not think that it was God's plan for my life. But I believe that when Jesus knew my heart was totally His, He deemed it time to bring me my family. The past 8 years of my life have been the best years of my life. None better. I am looking at pictures of my family right now and just thank Jesus for what He has allowed me to have. I try to never take them for granted. I hope He knows how much I thank Him for the privilege to be the "Daddy" in this family. It is my greatest calling.

Some years ago I went to a "Promise Keepers" rally in St. Petersburg, FL. I had never been to anything like that, but a friend of mine who was in the AV business new the sound re-enforcement company doing the event and needed some extra "hands" to roll up wire ;). So I was glad to go. Many things impacted during that event, but one thing in particular stuck with me. The theme of the event was "Live a Legacy". Well it was there that I determined in my heart that "I" wanted to live that legacy. What that meant is that I want to be rememberd not for what I had or even accomplished, but for what I stood for. I want people to remember me for loving Jesus and living for Him 110%. For loving my wife and children with sacrificial love and devotion. For dedicating my life's work to the furthurance of the Gospel. These are the things that matter most to me. I pray they always will. I did keep a small reminder from that event. An "All Access" badge that says, "Live a Legacy" on it. I keep it in my truck and transfer it to every vehicle I have. I pray I live every day like it was my last. I praise Jesus that I have today and the opportunity to tell others how blessed He has made me. Thank You Jesus for Your undeserving kindness You show me. I am truely blessed to be called Yours. Let me be the man You have called me to be. Let me "Live a Legacy".

Posted by Daddy.

Our Daddy...

2009-06-21T09:29:00.008-04:00

I could write a million wonderful things about the man who God chose to be the father of my children. Where would I begin...telling you how he is the hardest worker, a most-talented technical & mechanical genius, the funniest guy ever , loving and kind, strong but yet gentle, faithful and God-fearing...where would I end?

I could go on for quite a while but if I had to sum him up I'd say this: John seeks the Lord and His will in all things. He leads an example of selfless love and obedience for his children. I thank God for him and that he strives always to be the husband and father that He wants him to be. We learn more about love from him each day...we love him more and more each day too!

Happy Father's Day John!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad too! I have been blessed to call him my Daddy and thank God for his example of a godly man. Because of him, I knew what to look for in a husband and could easily recognize a man of God when I met John.

Posted by Mommy

Our Little Boy

2009-05-17T21:25:00.025-04:00

John Robert is just finishing up a rather big project...writing his own thank you notes for his birthday party. Up until this point, I have usually helped him with writing them. He would add some finishing touches such as pictures or stickers but for the most part I did all the writing. Well this year I decided that he was able to write his own. He writes very well and has beautiful penmanship. His thank you's were quite impressive...each one was two or three sentences long! They were heartfelt, a true effort of appreciation and he never complained once! We worked on them one at a time (unfortunately it has taken us a few weeks to get them all done) but each one was from him. I am so proud of him.

I am in disbelief that my little boy is 6 years old! WOW! Where has the time gone? I look back at how much he has grown, all the new things he learns each week, how he blesses my life each day...all of these things are reminders of how blessed I am! I LOVE the fact that God has called me to be his mommy, and that He would see fit to allow me the pleasure of being with him each and everyday. I wouldn't want to miss any of it! I count it an honor to be a stay-at-home-mom. John and I both feel very strongly about this calling. He works very hard so that I can devote my time to our children...he tells me often that my job is the best and the most important. I love him for that (and a million other reasons too!). Taking care of my family brings me much joy!

Looking back through our pictures is a visual reminder of how much our little boy has grown. He's changed in so many ways but one thing has remained pretty much the same in his six years of life. At his recent 6 year check-up, he once again was in the 90th % for his height! He's 49 inches tall...the perfect height for lots of roller coaster adventures at Disney World. He IS a roller coaster junkie!

Here's our 7lb. 8oz. gift from God! Amazing!

Mr. Bubbles enjoys tub-tub time in Nana's bathtub.

John Robert's 1st Birthday...post-birthday cake. The beginnings of a life-long love for Nana's cakes!

Summer 2004. Four generations of John Patterson. John Robert is the one and only to carry on the Patterson name in our family.

Farmer John Robert's 2nd Birthday Party. His second word spoken...tractor! No kidding!

Summer 2006 at the John Deere Museum in Moline, Illinois. John Robert's loves for tractors has not diminished a bit! He has his own John Deere tractor and would drive it around our yard for hours!

Another special Birthday...John Robert turns three!

Fireman John Robert enjoys riding around in a special truck given to him by his Great-Grandpa Patterson. A super fun Birthday party with another one of Nana's yummy cakes.

John Robert and his friends enjoyed special visitors at his 4th Birthday Party. Up close and personal with the firefighters and their really cool truck!

Blasting off for his 5th Birthday...lots of rocketship fun!

Fall 2008: A very exciting milestone for John Robert. No more training wheels! He made the transition look like it was super simple. He took off right away and has not fallen since. He's got amazing balance...I don't remember it being this easy for me!

Our handsome boy. Just like his Daddy...in every way. I pray that he grows up to love the Lord just like him too! His wife will be so blessed. Until then, I pray for her each day.

A treasure hunt was John Robert's request for his 6th Birthday party. We're not into pirates and all that scary stuff so instead we decided to focus on God's Word and what it says about treasure. We used the scripture from Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Poppy put together the coolest treasure hunt ever. The kids used clues from the Bible to find clues throughout the yard. After working up a sweat...and an appetite...we enjoyed a super cool treasure cake that Nana made.

Click here to see more pictures from John Robert's 6th Birthday Celebration.

I love planning birthday celebrations for my children. I only regret that their birthdays go by so quickly. Not so much just the celebration, but the fact that another year is gone. Looking back and recognizing that each year is precious...and every moment is to be savored. God has blessed me and I don't want to take that for granted. Days of browsing through stores at a leisurely pace, having my own agenda, a career or a perfectly clean home...those aren't my priorities these days. Instead, I'm thankful for this gift of time with my husband and my children. Ten years ago I received my degree in Elementarty Education. I was/and am thankful for the blessing of an outstanding education at a Christian College. I realize now though, that He was preparing me for the ultimate teaching job: homeschooling my children. How cool is that? I'll have plently of my "own time" later on ... I'll pursue those "other things" then. I know God will have exciting things for me to do then too!

Posted by Mommy

A New Blessing from God! We're Pregnant!

2009-04-28T09:36:00.004-04:00

We are thanking Jesus for the blessing and favor of a 3rd Baby! Our family is filled with excitement!

Here are some of Baby Patterson's first pictures...the first of many thousand to come!

Baby Patterson at 8 weeks.

Baby Patterson at 14 weeks.

We took the children to our second ultrasound appointment on Monday (14 weeks). They were both so excited! John Robert impressed the ultrasound technician by identifying many of baby's physical features. Afterwards, he enjoyed showing the video to family too! Hannah Mae was busy trying to decide what kind of present she wanted to give her new baby...too cute!

The last week has been wonderful. Although the children were curious and expectant of my growing belly, we waited to "officially" tell them until our 13th week. I must say it was a beautiful moment. They were very excited, thinking about a new brother or sister, kissing my belly and talking to their new baby! Surprisingly, John Robert seemed more surprised than Hannah Mae. "I knew it!" she said. "There's a baby in your tummy!" Over the past year one of her favorite playtime activities is baby. We're not talking just taking care of baby, but actually walking around with a baby in her tummy! She also has a special fondness for expectant mommies! It's precious. After hearing the news, John Robert quickly informed us that we now have 5 people in our family. We have no doubt, this new baby is going to be quite loved!

Missing Our Grandpa

2008-12-15T01:28:00.003-05:00

We're missing one of the most wonderful men that I have ever had the opportunity to know and love. My Grandpa...a son, a sibling to 22 brothers and sisters, a devoted and loving husband of 66 years, a father to 11 sons and daughters, a grandfather to 55 grandchildren... My precious grandpa went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, a week ago. WOW...the lyrics from the song I Can Only Imagine, they have been running through my head.

To understand the wonder of being received into the presence of the Lord is more than I can grasp. Nevertheless, I know it to be true, especially in the case of my grandpa. We miss him terribly already. To see his chair empty, to miss his hellos and goodbyes (each time we parted ways he would always say "I love you Jenni"), his calm soothing voice, a reassuring word, never a conversation was spoken without giving praise and honor to Lord, the delight of summer vacations up to Grandma & Grandpa's shop in Michigan, picking berries in the evening with Grandpa, campfires and smores (and an occasional firecracker that he tossed in...just to get a laugh), the Patriarch at our BIG family gatherings, a loving Great Grandpa who sparkled when John Robert and Hannah Mae were in his company,...a most wonderful part of our lives.

As I think about Grandpa, I have so many cherished memories to be thankful for. I am blessed that I have had him in my life for so long. I too, am thankful that he was such an important part of the lives of John Robert and Hannah Mae. The children saw and spent time with him several times a week. Walking (or riding bikes) back to Great Grammy and Great Grandpa's House (they live in the guest house behind my Dad and Mom...Poppy and Nana) is always a treat. I have concluded, that with young children, mourning the loss of a loved one is both more difficult and easier at the same time. Let me explain my rationale...As I would expect, my children do not understand why Grandpa left and went to Heaven. John Robert is concerned about Grandma being lonely. He also seems to think that Grandpa can come back. In fact, John Robert words to me, "Mommy, I prayed that for Christmas you could see your Poppy again". While he may not have it all straight, he does understand some things about Heaven. John Robert was excited for Grandpa to be able to go to Heaven. "This is a great thing" he said. He also was glad to hear that Grandpa could run there, as well as eat and talk. We talked about how happy he was to be in Heaven. Perhaps his comfort is because he knows that Jesus is there too! Let me be honest, I'm jealous! I'd love to be with Jesus! So, as far as John Robert and Hannah Mae we talk about Grandpa daily, we try our best to answer their questions and ask God for guidance. I don't even understand it all...Heaven is such a beautiful mystery to me, too!

Our days this week were difficult. Remembering our wonderful times with Grandpa helps bring comfort.

This was Mother's Day 2004. I like to see Grandpa's smile in this picture.

We were so blessed to have Grandma and Grandpa at Hannah Mae's Dedication to the Lord in 2005. We dedicated her in the same dress that I wore almost 30 years earlier! Grandma and Grandpa were there for my dedication too. Later in my life, my Grandpa also baptized me. I am so thankful!

John Robert asked me to take this picture. He was inspired by the beautiful clouds in this picture. The conversation went like this:
John Robert: "Mommy, look!"
Mommy: "What Buddy?"
John Robert: "It's Grandpa in Heaven. He's looking out from the clouds and is telling you something!"
Mommy: "Really?!?!?, What is he saying?"
John Robert: "Grandpa says, I love you Jennifer"

The words of my precious son were a gift...

Hannah Mae has spent a lot of time this week playing with her horses. These horses were given to her by Great Grandma and Great Grandpa. We did not remind her of that. She thought about that on her own. I guess she has Grandpa on her mind too!

My Grandma and Grandpa chose to accept and follow Jesus. All of my days, I have been privileged to see them live for Him. What a legacy!

And by the way...my Grandma is the strongest woman I know! She continues, even in her grief, to praise the Lord and look for ways to tell people about Him!

Posted by Mommy

Hannah Mae and Her Big Girl Bed

2008-12-07T23:12:00.008-05:00

As much as we don't care to admit it, our baby girl is growing up! While she is a tiny little peanut in size, she is growing up and doing more and more "big girl" things each day.

Up until now, Hannah Mae has comfortably slept in her "cribbie". She has always been a great sleeper and has enjoyed the comfort of her little pink place. We think she is tall, but she weighs barely 26 pounds! She had plenty of room to sleep and felt safe and snuggled in her crib. Daddy and Mommy felt like she was safe, too. Our baby girl was tucked in her crib and sleeping soundly. Well, until she wanted to be like her Bubba....

John Robert has a very cool bed! When John Robert turned two, Daddy made him a "boat bed". This hand-crafted masterpiece is the focal-point of John Robert's room and he loves it! Turns out, Hannah Mae really liked it too! About two months ago, she began to express an interest in having a bed like Bubba. We started looking around for a special bed, one just for Hannah Mae...

So, here's what Daddy made, just for Hannah Mae:

A sweet place for her to sleep...and play.

Hannah Mae and her baby, having a tea party in bed. FUN!

John Robert is proud of Hannah Mae too!

The most precious part of the whole transition was when Hannah Mae first saw her bed. Daddy had it out in his workshop and was working on it. Her face lit up and she was speechless. The only things she could do was run to her Daddy to give him the biggest hug ever!!!! Let's just say this...Daddy would do it all over again. He was blessed.

A big girl bed for our sweet baby girl. Just like Bubba. Made with love by Daddy.

Posted by Mommy

To My Family

2008-11-29T08:06:00.002-05:00

Somethings that I would like to say to everyone about you:

You support me in prayer. Thank you.
You love me unconditionally. Thank you.
You are a blessing from Jesus. Thank you.
You help me make right choices. Thank you.
You inspire me to love people. Thank you.
You are forgiving. Thank you.
You are generous. Thank you.
You are my greatest ministry. Thank you.
You are treasures from Heaven sent to me. Thank you.
You are making me a better person. Thank you.

You are because He is. Praise Jesus for His abundant blessings! I deserve them not!

Happy Thanksgiving my family!

Posted by Daddy.

Tagged by Rhonda

2008-11-19T09:50:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by my friend Rhonda! How fun! I'm supposed to share the following information with ya'll about my husband. Here goes:

1. Where did you meet? I was teaching at First Baptist Academy when I first noticed him. He was working for the church as the IT guy. He seemed like a very nice guy but it wasn't until many months later that we got to actually know each other. My friend Francie (another FBA teacher) wanted me to go to a College & Career BLG with her. Believe it or not, I really did not want to go. I did though! It turned out that I really enjoyed his teaching and continued going. Within a few weeks we began to hang out casually with a group of friends from our class.

2. How long did you date? We dated for seven months before we were engaged.

3. How long have you been married? Over 7 years now! And no itching! I'm so thankful for him!

4. What does he say that surprises you? "I'm not sure if I can do that!?!?"
He's the most humble man I know. I have yet to find something that he can't do or isn't good at! He is the greatest blessing in my life (aside from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, obviously), the most wonderful father, a talented builder, handyman, tech guy...the list goes on. Bless his heart, I think he wishes sometimes that I didn't know his many talents!

5. What is your favorite feature of his? His muscles...triceps and quads! Is that superficial?

6. What is your favorite quality of his? His unwavering desire to please Jesus in EVERYTHING he does!

7. Does he have a nickname for you? Baby

8. What is his favorite color? He's not too concerned with colors...

9. What is his favorite food? Dessert!, Bread, Italian, particularly Alfredo...really anything but a vegetable ; )

10. What is his favorite sport? Sports are not really a priority in his life, he's certainly not fanatical about them! He doesn't like watching sports on TV. He's really not a big TV person at all. When we were first dating/married we loved going to Nascar races together. Nowadays, as far as sports we're only into the "Golden Eagles". During football season, you will find us on Friday nights sittin on the 50 yard line in the Naples High School stands. Cowbells in hand, we're cheering on our alma mater.

11. When and where did you first kiss? December 2000, in the living room of my parent's home.

12. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Talk, without distractions or interruptions.

13. Do you have any children? 2 precious blessings from God! John Robert, 5 & Hannah Mae, 3

14. Does he have a hidden talent? He can do anything, seriously, but it's not really "hidden" talents!

15. How old is he? 34

16. Who said, "I love you" first? Me...and I really did not mean to! Yeah, the words slipped out!

17. What is his favorite type of music? Definitely Praise and Worship!, anything 80's, Dream Theater, anything with a talented drummer. He's VERY musical and thinks that a drumset can make music all on its own!

18. What do you admire most about him? His motives...they are always pure!

19. Do you think he will read this? Yes, and he will probably be embarrased. Sorry honey, it's all true and I love you morether!

Ok, so now I am tagging my friends Lisa, Bethany, Joanie, and Michele. You're IT! Can't wait to read all about your sweeties!

Another visit from The Tooth Fairy!

2008-11-17T15:00:00.003-05:00

A very happy little boy! John Robert lost his 2nd tooth today!

He looks older to me...not too happy about that!

I think he seemed more excited this time than the first...perhaps because he knew what to expect? He wanted to go put it in his pillow right away! So cute!

John Robert's second order of business. He had to call his Daddy and tell him the good news.
So, here you go Daddy, this post is for you!

So, I'm curious...what is the Tooth Fairy's going rate for teeth? I know the 1st one is worth more, but what about the following ones? Share your thoughts with me if you would...

The Votes Are in...

2008-11-15T00:41:00.000-05:00

Undoubtedly, the November 2008 election was a very important one for our country. The children know about voting and are familiar with the very basics of the process. They have voted with me several times. They actually enjoy it very much. It just so happens that our polling place is manned by one of the local boys scout troops and one of the "mom volunteers" is Miss Karen. Miss Karen is a very special person in the lives of John Robert and Hannah Mae. She is our librarian and we are VERY fond of her. We always enjoy an opportunity to see her. I think the little "I voted" stickers are a bonus too. Anyway, in the spirit of the presidential election, I thought it might be fun for John Robert to participate in an election too! I pulled out a ballot box from my teaching years and decided we'd host a Candy Bar Election. We chose four of our favorite candy bars and made paper ballots: Hershey's Milk Chocolate, Nestle's Crunch, Kit Kat and Twix. John Robert was responsible for soliciting the votes of as many people as he could over the next three days. It was actually quite cute, he was very polite and very eager to collect as many votes as possible. He was insistent that all voters fold their secret ballots and place them in his box that he so proudly carried around. He collected over 40 votes from family and friends!

John Robert and Titi, she was one of his first "voters".

Nana carefully reviews the "Candy Bar Candidates". Poppy casts his vote and doesn't tell us which one he voted for!

The campaign trail was a pleasant one for this little boy. He wore a little red, white and blue pin that said "VOTE" and had a great time.

All the votes had been cast, time to tally up the results!

John Robert and his pretty assistant sorted all the votes into piles.

After all the ballots were sorted, John Robert counted EVERY vote!

He graphed the results and ...

... declared a winner! The Candy Bar Election winner was Hershey's Milk Chocolate!

Our victory celebration included, of course, a sampling of the newly elected "Favorite Candy Bar". As John Robert's teacher, I was quite pleased with the results of our project. Our mock election was a great opportunity for John Robert to learn about the election process. When we began our election John Robert would comment about how he thought that person and their candy bar was the winner. I explained to him that the winner would be decided by the most votes and that it was not solely up to him (or anyone else) to decide. As our election process continued he began to understand it better. Obviously, I did not expect John Robert to learn everything there is to know about the democratic process of voting through this one little fun exercise. I did however, hope that he would learn that things don't always end up according to way we choose, but nevertheless, we can still live with the outcome!

Posted by Mommy

Our Pumpkin Unit

2008-11-14T23:23:00.001-05:00

We've had the best time doing our school work. It's been especially fun for me to be able to put together thematic units and watch John Robert and Hannah Mae as they learn and discover new things. Here are some pictures from our Pumpkin Unit.

We weighed various objects using candy pumpkins. John Robert really liked using the rocker balance.

We learned about the life cycle of pumpkins. John Robert wrote and illustrated a book called "A Pumpkin Grows". He likes reading it to people.

Baker John Robert and Baker Hannah Mae assisted Mommy in making homemade pumpkin bread. Yummy! (A favorite for Daddy!)

The children love playing with playdough and quite honestly we do it pretty often. This time however, we decided to turn our orange playdough into "Pumpkin Pie" flavored dough. They loved the smell of it...me too!

One of the highlights of our unit was a trip to the Pumpkin Festival. It's as good as Fall gets here in Florida. We really had a great time.

Lots of pumpkins to choose from. The children even posed for Mommy to take a few (alright, a lot of) pictures.

Hannah Mae liked the little pumpkins. They were just her size!

Memories of a super fun, fall, family fieldtrip!

Click here to see more October Family Fun Pics!

Posted by Mommy

John Robert's Big Day!

2008-11-02T20:46:00.003-05:00

Today was a very big day for John Robert! It was also a big day for Daddy and Mommy!

For many months now, we've been asking John Robert about taking off his training wheels. He's been riding his bike with them on, although he does had not been really using them. The only time you could hear them touch the ground was when he would take a turn. Each time we would ask, he would quickly respond with a "No, I want to keep my training wheels on." Personally, I did not have much of a problem with him keeping his training wheels (one more reminder of the fact that my baby boy is growing up!). John and I are also well aware of John Robert's cautious demeanor. He is not much of a risk-taker. He is very methodical, calculated and mechanical. We decided to continue to talk to him about his training wheels but to not press the issue. In parenting, John and I have experienced that our children will achieve most milestones when they are ready. Waiting until they are ready seems to make the experience more enjoyable for all of us! Our thought...most likely, John Robert will not go to college with his training wheels on...

Now that the weather is more enjoyable here (it's not blistering hot and the humidity has thinned out a bit) we have begun to enjoy the outdoors again. This is the time of year when we are especially thankful for our almost three acres of land. Over the past week or so John Robert expressed an interest in taking off his training wheels. We talked it up really big and decided that Sunday would be the day.

After naps we went outside right away, knowing that it would be getting dark earlier. Daddy removed the training wheels from John Robert's bicycle and we dressed him for what we thought might be a battle. Knee pads, elbow pads, gloves and of course his helmet...if John Robert was going to fall, he'd at least have some padding. So, off we went. Daddy was in charge of the instruction while I had a camera in each hand. It was amazing! John helped get him off and immediately John Robert took off! He was confident, steady and having a great time! We're blessed to have a really long driveway with a circle. John Robert went down the whole length of the driveway, round and round the circle and back...again and again. He stopped and started all by himself! Daddy only had to show him twice! John and I just watched in amazement. We were obviously proud. We all got on our bikes and rode around together for over an hour. Hannah Mae rode her little pink tricycle while big brother showed off his new skills. It was a great Sunday for us.

John Robert poses for Mommy, no more training wheels for me!

A very happy boy, John Robert was so excited!

Congratulations John Robert, Daddy and Mommy are so proud of you!

Bounce House in the House

2008-10-09T23:31:00.003-04:00

Okay ya'll...it's hot and humid here in Naples! I hate to be a complainer but I just can't keep it in any longer. IT'S HOT! I heard a rumor that it was fall. I consider that to be purely a rumor as it is just as hot as ever down here. No cool breezes, no leaves changing colors. There is only one sign of fall in this neck of the woods. Our sycamore tree (one of my two favorite trees on our property) is losing its leaves. They simply turn brown and fall. No orange, red, yellow. Just brown and then they fall.

Now, I have always lived in Naples (minus a four year term in West Palm while I attended PBA). I suppose this should not be a surprise to me. Despite the arguments of global warming (blah, blah, blah) I believe that the weather in Naples is the same as it was 30 years ago. I think however, that as I get older I know more of what I am missing. How I'd love for my children to know what seasons are too! John Robert insists that we need to go live with Aunt Becky in Oregon (he heard that it snows there!). It breaks my heart, for obvious reasons (his missing his Aunt Becky) but also because I too would love for my children to have some autumn and winter in their lives. Selfishly, I wouldn't mind it either.

So, John bought the children this really cool bounce house. They love it! Bouncing in it is one of their favorite things. Unfortunately, bouncing outside right now is not the most pleasant. Our second option, the garage, is still too hot as well. But, leave it to Daddy to come up with a solution. John's brillant idea...bring the bounce house inside. Thanks to our new family room that Daddy built, the bounce hose easily fit inside! How cool is that! Literally, hours of bouncing fun in the air conditioning. In the words of John Robert, "this is the life"!

Mommy's two little jumping beans take a BRIEF break from jumping.

I considered leaving it up permanently, but it just didn't seem to fit in with my decorating style.

My sweetie boy.

Okay, maybe my distaste for such hot and humid weather has been increased since our return from a most wonderful vacation in North Carolina. Our family enjoyed a week of the most beautiful fall weather...real fall weather! We wore sweaters, enjoyed fires, cool breezes and admired trees with leaves (NO palm fronds!). We celebrated our wedding anniversary while away, it was the perfect family vacation. Unfortunately, as with any vacation, it did have to some to an end and we were forced to return to reality. Hot, humid weather.

Alright, I'm done whining and complaining. I do have SO much to be thankful for, and I am. I am so blessed to have a beautiful family whom I love so very much. We are all happy and healthy, Praise the Lord! I do thank God for the ability to be so close to my family and for all the wonderful friendships I have here. I love my church and my home. I AM BLESSED.

By the way...I hope to post pics from our trip by the end of the week. It's taking me some time to caption them, 200 pics that I loved. Yes, that's after sorting through and taking out all the best ones! It was a wonderful time up there. I did post lots of new pics from other things on our web albums. Make sure you check them out...

My Unique Children

2008-09-27T11:59:00.001-04:00

It's 8:40 in the morning...Mommy is in the kitchen and hears commotion in John Robert's Room. He wakes up, comes out into the kitchen and is on a mission... "Daddy", he says, "I need to take apart this car of mine and see how it works". "Ok" Daddy replies, with a smile on his face. He beams with pride, his son is just like him! Trust me, my sweet husband has probably wanted to take apart that very same shake and go car himself! And that he did...John Robert used his trusty blue Kobalt screwdriver (a special screwdriver that Daddy had to get him) and took it apart. The two of them then talked about all of it's mechanical parts...names of which I can't remember to repeat and then calculated how many volts it needed to run. All I know is that it was so cute. My two little boys. I'm just thankful that John Robert got all the screws back in the right place and did not leave any in my bed for me to sleep with tonight.

My first thought in the morning..."Get coffee...then I can see if my body will work!". I love my boys!

Hannah Mae on the other hand, she's all girl! It's amazing how no one had to teach her all of her girlie ways. She loves lipstick, having her nails painted (has to be both fingers and toes), carrying purses and SHOES! She's actually obsessed with shoes. Gone are the days of Mommy picking out the shoes that match her outfits. If Hannah Mae disappears, one of the first places to check is Daddy and Mommy's closet. She likes to try on each pair of Mommy's shoes and test them out. The test is passed if the shoes go "tap tap" on the marble floor. Here's a couple of pics, I caught her in the act...

Posted by Mommy

School Begins

2008-09-06T11:44:00.003-04:00

I think the school year has begun for just about everyone. Across the country, school start dates are staggered. Some students begin in mid August while others don't start until after Labor Day.

We've been thinking school here for a long time! Over the past year and a half, we (John Robert & I) have had our own school time. We've enjoyed so many fun learning opportunities together. I was blessed! As the time passed and John Robert approached his 4th and 5th birthdays, my husband and I were ever mindful of what those milestones meant....SCHOOL! As a teacher, I have been very mindful of the importance of the kindergarten decision. I have seen and experienced as a teacher just how much "readiness" affects a child's success in school. Hear me clearly here, every child is different and every child has different needs. No decision is a one size fits all...especially with school!

John and I sought the Lord, asking Him for His direction. We knew in our hearts that we would prefer John Robert to be given extra time, if necessary, to be able to be fully ready for school both academically & socially. We also knew that our desire was for our children to be taught in a Christian environment and we knew of the best school around, the school that I taught at for many years! This was also an exciting thought for us as John would be there on campus with John Robert. Over time, there was just one thing we could not come to grips with...we did not have a peace about John Robert being in a traditional school setting just yet...

Personally, I struggled with a few things:
I love FBA and yearned for the day that my children could be a part of that place...the thought of returning there brought me comfort when I had to leave so quickly upon John Robert's impending birth.
I did not want my son to miss out on the opportunities that a traditional classroom provide.
Many of John Robert's peers attend FBA and I did not want to be left out nor did I want him to either!
I was also aware of me as a mom and I knew that it would be easy for me to keep him home simply because I did not want to let him go. I have never been excited about how quickly my children are growing up!

After much prayer, the Lord directed us to keep John Robert home this year. He is not enrolled in Kindergarten (or school for that matters). He will be a kindergartner next year when he turns six. For now, WE ARE HOMESCHOOLING and I love it! Even better, my children LOVE IT! So far, homeschooling has helped protect our family time (my priority) and allows us (the children and I) to work with John's non-traditional work schedule. I love the fact that as a family we can be very involved in ministry. I am blessed as a mom that my sweet son is home with me. The joys of teaching him have been my reward. I have to tell you that I am still amazed at how GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL! and that He does give us the desires of our hearts!

So, here's a story of confirmation...I believe it to be confirmation from the Lord.

A few weeks ago, John Robert & Hannah Mae were excited to get together for a playdate with their older cousin Ashley. Ashley and swimming...a perfect combination in the eyes of my children. We had the best time! The kids played and played and played! John Robert & Hannah Mae adore Ashley and she is so sweet to them. I think they swam for three hours! They ate popsicles in the pool and enjoyed yummy snacks together.

John Robert & Ashley made a bridge for Hannah Mae to swim under.

This was so cute! Julie (my cousin, Ashley's mom) and I loved watching how they played together. They loved being together.

Cousins.

A very special find. Together, Ashley, John Robert & Hannah Mae found a caterpillar on Poppy's tree. Collectively, they decided that it would be neat to capture him and keep him as a little pet. Following Ashley's lead, John Robert & Hannah Mae were excited to keep their new little furry friend. They put him in a little container, fed and watered him. What a loved little caterpillar! We were sad when our time with Ashley was over but we had a little souvenir to bring home. Little caterpillar came home with us.

To my amazement, a day and a half after we brought our little caterpillar home she made her chrysalis. We went to check on her and were elated to see that even in our artificial environment she did exactly what God had designed her to! I have to admit, when we opened the little plastic food storage container that we had her in, her chrysalis fell. We inadvertently knocked her off of the lid that she had hung herself from. Secretly, I was worried. I did not know if the butterfly inside would form properly. The children were so excited to see what our caterpillar had done! We anxiously watched her...and waited..and waited. I was still a bit nervous. Was there really a butterfly growing inside or did she not make it when we accidentally flung her off the lid...and then when we transferred her to the butterfly pavilion which we had purchased for a homeschool unit later in the year? Nevertheless, we journaled and watched...and watited. I was hopeful.

And then He did it! It was 8:30 am, on the very first "official day"of our "official school year". (I say it that way because I don't think learning has a beginning and ending point - especially when homeschooling. I marked this day as our first simply for sentimental purposes) But anyway, we began our first day of school with a special gift from the Lord. For me, it was also a gift of confirmation and reassurance!

Here's our little butterfly right after she emerged from her chrysalis. You can see that her wings are wet and wrinkled. John Robert's words for her... "she's beautiful". He was so excited when I woke him. I told him that there was something wonderful that I wanted him to see. To my surprise, he immediately responded..."Is our caterpillar a butterfly now? Did she come out of her chrysalis?" I couldn't believe that even half asleep this little caterpillar was on his mind. Quite honestly, for myself, upon waking up it takes me about 2-3 minutes to figure out what day it is and what I need to do. (For those of you who know me...NOT a morning person...but can manage to look alive with the help of coffee...)

Our little butterfly was quite treasured. We went outside to get her some milkweed and gave her a cup of water. John Robert & Hannah Mae were very cautious around her and her "butterfly treehouse". We watched her as she spent the next half hour or so stretching out and pumping her wings (filling them with blood). It was really neat to watch her...very peaceful too!

After a couple of hours, John Robert and I talked about how our little butterfly would probably be best to be outside where she could fly around and "be with her family". He understood completely. In fact, he said that she would be very sad to be trapped in the treehouse for too long. Now, Hannah Mae on the otherhand, she was NOT so understanding about our need to release the sweet little butterfly that we had "grown". In fact, she was just hysterical. When the butterfly reluctantly flew out of the netted treehouse, ,Hannah Mae lost it. She sobbed...and sobbed and sobbed. It was so sweet, so sad! She kept telling us... "I miss her". Heartbreaking!

Here's another one of my favorite homeschool moments thus far. As a family were able to enjoy a learning opportunity using the M&M's counting book. Each of us had our own bag of M&M's (dark chocolate ones for Daddy & Mommy). We counted, sorted by color, compared, arranged in patterns, followed directions and graphed. And when we were all done...we got to eat them!

John Robert proudly displays his M&M's graph. Who says learning can't be fun?

I reflect upon all that God has done through this process of school decision making. I thank Him for His direction, favor, and the blessing of being able to teach my children. I could not be happier with where God has lead us. I could not have imagined! We'll see what He leads in the future. We will continue to call upon Him and seek his will for each year to come.

I think one of my dear friends, a wise woman and mom, summed it up very well..."Who doesn’t need another year to run around in your underwear and superhero cape?" Sounds like a good idea to me...too bad I can't get away with that!

Posted By Mommy.

Ode to my family....The Greatest on Earth!

2008-08-29T08:58:00.002-04:00

I love my family. They are encouraging to me, loving towards me, support me with prayer, support me with love, and make my life complete. Jesus gave them to me. He blessed me with a wonderful wife and the two best children I could ever imagine. They are simply wonderful and I just wanted to let the world know that this man is truly blessed by God to have them!

Posted by Daddy.

Tropical Storm Fay Brings Fun

2008-08-20T22:19:00.008-04:00

You might ask...Was this the result of another great flood? Rain for Forty Days & Nights? No...God still kept His promise. John Robert was quite concerned at first.
This rain event only lasted about 12 hours but it dropped at least 8 inches of rain in our yard! We loved it! The children slept in our room and we camped out together. We all slept quite well (except for Daddy, he says he was curious...) while listening to the rain fall. Hannah Mae was especially restful, just like she was when Hurricane Wilma came through in October of 2005. She was only 2 months old at the time.
We had power until around 6 am. We got up around 8 am and watched the backside of the storms eye. We had at least 60 - 65 Mph winds. The trees faired actually pretty well considering the force of the rain and wind. John built a sturdy house as we didn't even hear one creak as the winds blew.
So once it became safe to go outside, we just had to explore what FAY had left us in our yard. The children were so excited to play in the puddles. I figured they would be around for several days, but their only chance to play in them would be right away (before anything started to grow in them). Our power was out for the day, but it was really quite wonderful. We enjoyed the simplicity of a quiet day together as a family. No complaints here...except for all those "lovely" palm fronds laying all over the yard! I can not wait to be rid of those messy trees! (That is on our to do list...)
So, here are some pictures of our adventure with FAY and the aftermath of the storm.

Shortly after the FLOOD! Poppy came over to play in the puddles with us!

We couldn't even wait for the rain to stop, we just had to get in!

Hannah Mae is set for the rain, bring it on! She was in Heaven! She is so fun and so animated. Every new experience is a joy with her!

The children were attempting to mow water. It sorta worked....

John Robert always thinks faster is better. He had a great time splashing around in the wake of FAY!

Outfit #3 for Hannah Mae...no electricity and no water pressure, and we produced a whole load of laundry that day. Oh well, we still had lots of fun.

John Robert and his tractor. My precious son still loves to push things around! I adore him!

Daddy and his tractor, see any similarities??? No one ever doubts he is his father's son! Daddy had to reset a tree in the center island. That poor tree has been frozen, blown over by Hurricane Wilma and now Tropical Storm FAY. It is sort of like a Timex watch, "Takes a lickin, but keeps on tickin!"

Posted by Mommy

Our Summer Vacation 2008

2008-08-01T09:03:00.000-04:00

We had the best time this summer! We made a visit to the very neat Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Florida, home of the Blue Angels. We also spent an afternoon exploring aboard the USS Alabama. It was great fun.

We also spent the day at Schlitterbahn (the world's best waterpark) in New Braunfels, Texas. We were anxiously awaiting our visit to Schlitterbahn...we were not disappointed! Our week also included time with lots of wonderful new friends. We enjoyed their friendship and all of the memories that we shared.

See more pictures from our trip. Check out our photo album by clicking HERE.

John Robert the fish...

2008-07-30T07:40:00.005-04:00

John Robert is swimming better than I ever expected him to. Last night we went over to Todd Stearns (my boss) house for a Worship Ministry staff get together. It was very fun. We ate "Breakfast" for dinner (could be my favorite thing for eating dinner). Anyways, John Robert and Hannah Mae went into the pool with the rest of the kids there (at least 5 or 6 others) and they had a blast in the pool. Hannah Mae is learning how to swim, and doing very well at it for her age. John Robert though was just like a fish! I mean he was jumping in the pool, swimming with his head underwater, and doing all sorts of other crazy things. He is really no longer afraid of the water. It is so incredible to see him swim like this. When he started, he was terribly afraid of the water, especially with it getting in his ears or on his head. So to see him swim like this makes me so proud of him. Way to go John Robert!

Love, Daddy.

A Very Cool Delivery

2008-07-29T09:27:00.000-04:00

Daddy purchased new tires for our mini-van. He ordered them online...what a fun package to receive at our front door! We love our UPS man!

This was Hannah Mae's idea...seriously! She insisted on climbing in them!

Our Baby Girl Turned Three Today...

2008-07-25T23:35:00.003-04:00

Hannah Mae...the sweetest little girl we know. It's so hard to believe that she turned three years old today. She's our little peanut, weighing barely 25 pounds. Her little voice sounds so tiny. She's a snugglebunny. It's wonderful to watch her care for others, for her brother, her babies, her Dadddy and Mommy. Her tender touch is so gentle. She loves to pray for others and is faithful to do just that. We love her smile, her beautiful blue eyes and her sweet little beautymark under her left eye. She has itty bitty toes and loves to have them painted. Her baby fine, blonde hair just became long enough for her first ponytail. She loves shoes and pink in any hue. She's John Robert's best friend and his biggest fan. She's Daddy's little princess and Mommy's lovie girl. She brings joy to all those who know her. We thank our loving God for her each day!

Happy Birthday baby girl! We pray for the Lord's protection over you and look forward to the wonderful plans that He has for you and your precious life.

Hannah Mae wears her first ponytail (on our way to Schlitterbahn).

And now she thinks she's all grown up!

We had such a wonderful day with you today and we enjoyed celebrating your birthday with your grandparents this evening. We are so blessed!

We love you Hannah Mae,

Daddy, Mommy & John Robert

Mommy and Hannah Mae not feeling well...

2008-07-24T09:39:00.003-04:00

Well today Mommy and Hannah Mae are not feeling well, and John Robert has his first black eye. Mommy has a really sore lower back. In fact, so sore she is almost not able to get out of bed. Hopefully this is healed by tomorrow for Hannah Mae's birthday. Hannah Mae had a fever of 104 last night. Just came out of nowhere. No other symptoms at all. She still has a 102 this morning. The medication is helping the fever to stay lower. John Robert received a black eye last night from his sister accidentally. She hit him in the eye with a pad lock. Sooo, I seem to be the only one left in good working order.

What does this mean for me: I am Mr. Mom today. The only problem, I am just not pretty enough. What do you think?

Practicing for Schlitterbahn...

2008-07-10T14:12:00.003-04:00

After viewing the website for the very cool Schlitterbahn, John Robert and Hannah Mae insisted that we needed to practice before our much anticipated arrival. I was more than happy to grant their request as I thought it might make "the waiting" a little less painful!
(We've been counting down for weeks!)

So, the ingenius John Robert and Hannah Mae added a water hose to our playground slide...and there you go...our "Schlitterbahn practice".

Anyone been to Schlitterbahn? We've been told it's the BEST!

Posted by Mommy

Hannah Mae last night....

2008-07-06T07:40:00.003-04:00

So we were watching the food network's IRON CHEF AMERICA last night (probably our favorite channel), Hannah Mae left the room and went into the play room. I was cleaning up the kitchen and doing the dishes when I noticed her pass me. So I thought she was just going to grab something, but she didn't come right back into the family room to continue watching the tv show. So I wondered after 5 minutes what she was doing in there. I peeked around the corner into the playroom and checked out what she was doing. She decided to put into practice what she watching on the television. She had her cooking mitts on, had pots, pans, utensils and food all being prepared for "the meal" of the evening. She was in her own little world. It was incredible to see just how she knew exactly what she needed to do for the meal.

As her daddy, I still can not believe that just 3 short years ago she was a newborn. Unable to talk, eat regular food, and do so many other things that she now does with such ease. God makes us learn so rapidly. Hannah Mae is just another extraordinary example of God's marvelous design in all of us. Her personality (which is TOTALLY different than John Robert's), her outside appearance, her mannerisms.... they just scream out to a loving, caring, and creative God. I praise the Lord Jesus for His amazing gifts of my children to me. They truly do bring me joy and happiness and I thank Him for that.

Posted by DADDY.

The 3 John Pattersons

2008-07-02T19:26:00.026-04:00

There are actually more than three John Pattersons in our family. There are four living John Pattersons, all are named after the older. Here's a picture of the four generations. This was taken in Michigan when John Robert was one year old.

Anyway, about the three who live here in Naples...what can I say about this group...they have so very much in common, more than just a namesake. They actually just took a camping trip together. Perhaps John will post the pictures from that special time at a later date. I was not there, however, I know that they all had a wonderful time. You see, there's something about "The John Pattersons" that I know. They ALL three are very mechanical. They love to build, fix things, tear things apart, find out how things work, tinker, putz around and figure things out. Broken things are not well tolerated around my house! The neat thing is that not only do they all like to do these things, but they are very good at these too! My John, he's just remarkable! He can do anything! Bless his heart...I think he wishes I did not know that about him! Oh my, his "honey-to-do-list"! Anyway, he is the most well-rounded, multi-talented man I have ever met!

Back to "The 3 John Pattersons". So, we went as a family with Poka & Grammy to play mini-golf. It was a very nice time. The children loved it and played very well. They have reached the perfect age for mini-golf. Well, as you probably know, when you reach the 18th hole, after your play is over, your ball goes down the PVC pipe and disappears. For many children, I think that perhaps the idea of their golfball going to mini-golf land would be explanation enough.Not is the case for my precious son, John Robert. He was intrigued, enlightened, impressed and inspired by the square box contraption with a lock on it (the holding place for the golfballs). So, we came home and ate dessert with Poka, Grammy & Great Grandpa Bobby. We watched a fun movie together and before the end of the night...there it was! The blueprint was in John Robert's head. He had designed his own mini-golf ball box and insisted that he needed to build himself one! Oh my, here we were...it's 9:30 at night and he was very excited! We managed to convince him that it was too late, bedtime, and that his project would have to wait until another time. Let me say this, the very next morning, the first thing on John Robert's mind...you guessed it! Only problem, John is at work and building things that require the use of saws and such are NOT my specialty! Yikes!

Thank heavens, John came home from work early that day. In addition, Poka came over to look as well to look at some cabinets that John was building. There you go, John Robert saw his golden opportunity. He had his plans already drawn up in his head and now his two carpentry assistants were available. I'm told that the two older John Pattersons merely assisted and followed directions. Here's John Robert's special "lockbox" as he calls it:


Daddy, Poka & John Robert	John Robert explains his plans	Completed construction


The finished product!	Hannah Mae and I decided to play on the swings while the boys were working!

Posted by Mommy & John Robert

Our Friend Debbie

2008-07-01T23:11:00.005-04:00

I loved most all of my teachers. I loved school in general. I had such fond memories of my school years, from Kindergarten on. My early school years helped settle in my mind the fact that I would be a teacher someday too.

Way back when...when I was in middle school...I NEVER would have guessed that my Social Studies teacher would have such a special part in my adult life. SO...born in Naples, grew up in Naples, married in Naples, now raising a family in Naples. It's funny how people like me talk about how Naples has changed so much. We comment on how its not such a small town anymore...well, I don't know. Now, here I am reflecting upon how God placed this one special teacher into my life. My 6th grade social studies teacher: Mrs. Cantor. I loved her. Her class was fun. She was passionate. She loved her students. She loved to inspire them. Her love for travel and history was evident. Learning was not simply about a reading assignment in a book. It was life.

Fast forward 15 years. I have returned from college and am living in Naples and teaching. A very close friend of mine gets married and I am in her wedding. We get ready for pictures and can you believe that the photographer is my 6th grade social studies teacher??? As it turns out, she was a member of the church that I had just recently become a member of. I couldn't believe it! It was a wonderful day (for many reasons) and the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

A few months pass and now I am engaged. Of course, our photographer...my teacher Debbie Cantor. We loved her talent for photography and we loved her. She has since been a part of many of our big life moments. She has photographed our engagement, wedding, taken family portraits and even maternity photographs. We have been truly blessed to share these experiences with her. We are so thankful that she has captured these memories for us,but there's more to it than that. She was always someone that I cared for and loved. Now, my whole family loves her. Miss Debbie (as my children call her) is well loved by John Robert and Hannah Mae . I have no doubt why...she sincerely loves them and they know it! She makes sure to show them how much she cares for them. She's just always so thoughtful. Debbie has children of her own...how blessed they are, to have a mother who loves them more than herself. How blessed I am to call her friend!

Here are John Robert and Hannah Mae...enjoying some very thoughtful gifts that Miss Debbie gave them...no special reason...just that she was thinking of them and thought they may enjoy them!

Posted by Mommy

The First Annual Father's Day Bike Race

2008-06-17T19:14:00.006-04:00

Check out Dad's blog for the full story.

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

2008-06-15T09:07:00.003-04:00

Our Daddy...we think he's the best there is! Everyday he shows us just how much he loves us. We never doubt that we are so very important to him.

Our Daddy...He gives the best rocket rides...he tickles all the time... he's the most fun wrestling partner...he gives the bumpiest piggy back rides...he's the strongest...he can build ANYTHING!...he can fix ANYTHING too!...he pushes the highest on the swing...his tractor rides are the coolest...he makes the best crumsy oatmeal...we think he's the best drummer ever!...he reads the funniest stories (we like his version of Pajama Time best!)...Mommy think he's the most handsome...he gives lots of hugs and kisses...he loves Jesus...he teaches us about Jesus...he shows us how to love Him too!

Our Daddy loves us...and we love him too!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Love,
John Robert & Hannah Mae

My Son is Writing Sentences Now.

2008-06-12T07:54:00.007-04:00

I have a hard time believing how fast time flies. It astonishes me at the speed at which my children are growing. Everyone always said to me that you will just not believe how fast it goes by. Well I now believe and I am wanting it to SLOW DOWN!

John Robert last night wrote me a note. This is something that he really enjoys doing. He loves to draw pictures, or symbols. Up until last night, this is all he did. But something different happened last night. He wrote me a note that said, "I L U" Now he is learning to spell, but can read all the letters of the alphabet.

Take a look at the picture, you see I L U and the other is H O O S E - E U Z R. So what he wrote was "I love You" and the other is when he was writing a note to the Tooth Angel for his nice present he received last night, "Do you want to come over my HOUSE?" and the tooth angel replied,"SURE" . This is from a 5 year old! He must be a genius! (I know, every parent thinks this.)

So I am just amazed and in awe of the magnificence of God and His creation. I thank Him for my children and look forward to what else He has in store for them. I love you John Robert and I am SO proud of you son.

Posted by DADDY

His Tooth is Out!

2008-06-11T08:38:00.017-04:00

We've been watching carefully and waiting...sometimes not so patiently. It finally happened, first thing this morning...John Robert's first tooth came out! A very exciting but sad moment at the same time...at least for me. I'm just glad that we were all home together when it happened. John

Robert was so excited and immediately had to check out the sound of his whistle. His whistle works and sounds better than ever! John Robert is very eager to place his tooth out for the "Tooth Angel" (his words) ...not sure what the going rate is for a first tooth these days.
Any insight?

Posted by Mommy

What My Little Daughter Told Me Last Night..

2008-06-04T06:58:00.002-04:00

Last night after getting home from church, I was playing with my children and my daughter Hannah Mae came rushing up to me and gave me a huge hug. I looked to her and she was smiling. What a beautiful smile she has. She then says in a sweet voice, "Daddy, I want to marry you!". My heart melted. She is so sweet! After that she proceeded to "Decorate" me. She must have placed 20 stickers that she received from her Aunt Connie all over my T-Shirt. Then she wanted to check my health, so she got out her doctors kit and did the checkup. She told me I was sick. She said I had a "boo, boo" on my knee and then proceeded to try and put a VERY small hard plastic bandaid on my knee cap, OUCH! Anyways, during this whole time, John Robert was making new greeting cards. This seems to be something he really enjoys. I must say, he is very creative and likes to figure things out. Well, I sure do love them both! And, uh, Hannah Mae, I say YES to marrying you! I love you.

Posted By DADDY.

This is BIG stuff...

2008-06-01T14:51:00.005-04:00

Going to the pediatrician's office may not always be the most exciting thing to do but for us it's actually not really bad at all. We don't really find ourselves there very often...mostly well visits (yearly now) and on a rare occasion we might be seen for something else. We are thankful that our children are so healthy. Honestly though, we don't really dread going there...we usually don't wait long, it's a clean place, everyone is friendly, and when you are all done you get a cookie and a lollipop. Our experience has been that usually a cookie and a lollipop can cover a multitude of sins...those include poking, prodding and so forth. A cookie and a lollipop...not just one but BOTH! Where were these people when I was growing up? We probably got stickers or something like that!

Okay...but here's the big stuff...for our son, it's actually better than a cookie and a lollipop. So, everytime you visit you are in a room with handprint and photograph lined walls. What do you mean, you might ask? Well, the walls are covered with all shapes and sizes of multicolored handprints. Most of them accompanied by a cute little picture. Here's the catch...you can only get yours added to the wall on your 5th Birthday visit! So, you wait patiently, each time you visit, admiring all the prints and then finally the day comes. You turn 5 and there you go. You get to join the wall of fame. The rooms are also themed. John Robert added his handprint to the Veterinarian room...just like Aunt Becky. That made him very happy. He was so excited. Now we will just have to wait until Hannah Mae's check up in July to go see it again! Hopefully they will seat us in that room!

Posted by Mommy

Pretty in Pink Hannah Mae

2008-05-26T17:41:00.009-04:00

She chose her favorite color and we did it...pink sparkles on her toes and fingers. Hannah Mae was VERY excited to have her fingers and toes painted for the first time! The color is just perfect. A very sweet pink. We LOVE pink, any shade of pink. We're not that particular. For fingernails though, this shade was great.

Daddy and John Robert went on a special camping trip with Poka for Memorial Day and so it was just us girls. Just us girls can only mean one thing...WE MUST SHOP! And we did!
A trip to the craft store and mall with Grammy. We had lunch and played...it was very nice!

Hannah Mae enjoyed the opportunity to sleep with Mommy too! I told her we could watch a princess movie in Mommy's bed while we let our nails dry. She was so excited. She quickly ran to go pick one out and returned with Peter Pan. "It has Captain Hook in it." she exclaimed. I was surprised at her choice...not really. She loves Peter Pan. I think we all had a great weekend.

Posted by Mommy

John the science guy...

2008-05-24T22:08:00.006-04:00

Okay…my husband has declared and claimed sole responsibility for John Robert’s education…his science education that is! We spent the weekend in Orlando at the Florida Parent Educators Association Conference (Homeschool Conference in plain English!) and John’s wheels were turning the whole time. He became energized at the thought of conducting all sorts of science experiments together with his son. As we browsed throughout the 100, 000 square foot (my estimate?) exhibit hall he was on a mission…to identify and examine all potential sources of science material. He took his job very seriously and I was impressed. It was a successful trip. We left with great encouragement, insight, many sources of information and the Curriculum for John Robert’s Kindergarten year. Along with John’s experimental science, I will be using a Creation based earth science curriculum called My Father’s World. I love it! It’s thematic, hands-on, and includes lots of literature! We’ll also be using a handwriting curriculum called Handwriting Without Tears, studying Patriotic holidays each month and learning Spanish. We are very excited and thankful for the opportunity to be educating John Robert at home for his Kindergarten year!

Posted by Mommy

Chef Hannah Mae

2008-05-22T21:51:00.005-04:00

Poppy and Nana bought Hannah Mae a very special gift for her 1^st Birthday. It was a hit then and has been a favorite of John Robert and Hannah Mae ever since! Cooking in the kitchen provides for hours of fun! I think we have every piece of wooden play food known to man and the menu choices are endless! Add a little inspiration from one of our favorite movies, Ratatouille, and there you have it. Who knows what yummy food entrée you will be served. One thing is for sure, the little chef is the prettiest one I have ever seen and playing kitchen with her will surely put a smile on your face!

Posted by Mommy

Love your children....

2008-05-22T07:39:00.004-04:00

Love your children today. Do not let one minute pass by without knowing for sure that you have made known to them that you love them. You never know when they may not be here with you anymore. I learned late last night of a tragedy that really reminded of just how fragile and brief life is. Steven Curtis Chapman's adopted daughter Marie Sue Chapman died last night after apparently being hit by the family's SUV. It was an accident. It grieves my heart to hear that this has happened. I can not imagine what this must feel like to the Chapmans. I do know this, they loved her and knew that this child was not theirs, but the Lords. I believe our children are on loan to us; to raise in His ways. We do not know the future plans He has for them, but I do know this, He loves them more than I do. That little girl is in the arms of Jesus and that brings me the greatest comfort. Jesus loves the Chapmans and I believe is going to give them the strength to carry on.

It says in James 1:2-3, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result,so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

It also says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also,so that you will be able to endure it."

Jesus will sustain them. I pray for the family. I pray that I will love my children today. I pray I let them know that as often as I see them.

Posted by DADDY.

Our Cubbie Boy

2008-05-21T21:20:00.004-04:00

He did it! He earned the blue ribbon! John Robert worked so hard all year long in AWANAS. He has really enjoyed being a part of Cubbies. John and I are so thankful! It is very important to us that our children learn God’s Word and that they would hide it in their hearts. We truly believe that His Word will be their sword of truth! I had the privilege of Directing the Cubbies program this year and I must say that there is nothing more precious than hearing these three and four year old children commit these promises of God to their memory. I can not think of anything better to fill their minds with! I am especially overjoyed as a mother when my son reminds himself (and others) of Acts 4:32. “Share what you have” he says…and I have to tell you, it prompts him to do just that! In fact, his Cubbies teachers chose a special character quality for him. They presented him with his Cubbie Bear Patch and the quality of Contentment. They described him as always being the boy who would share his toys and give turns to others. God has blessed me!

Posted by Mommy

Kisses through Crib Rails

2008-05-20T22:58:00.003-04:00

So…Hannah Mae and I have this little game that we play each night when it’s time for bed. After completing our bedtime routine, stories and prayers John and I both tuck the children in their beds. However, before leaving, Hannah Mae and I part ways with sweet little kisses. We share “coldie” kisses through the crib rails on all three exposed corners of the crib. The cold metal rod that the rails slide up and down on rests against our faces and we shiver as we say “coldie”. I’ll most likely cry the day when she is no longer interested in “coldie” kisses.

John Robert and Hannah Mae have always been wonderful sleepers. They love sleep and they both loved their crib. I have loved their cribs too! In fact, I love everything about their nurseries as babies. We had such a great time creating them…incorporating meaningful items and special things that were part of their personalities. It was also quite fun to change John Robert’s room when he transitioned into his big boy bed. For his second birthday, daddy and he made a boat bed for his room. We knew it was time…he was so big and needed more room. As for Hannah Mae, she’s so tiny and at 2 years and 10 months she still is quite comfortable and content to be in her sweet little place. It’s pretty and pink…two of our favorite things!

Posted by Mommy

A Loose Tooth & Lunch with Great Grandpa Bobby

2008-05-19T14:30:00.004-04:00

We had a really nice Monday. The children and I took Great Grandpa Bobby to the eye doctor today. It was a follow-up appointment for some minor surgery he had last week. While the kids and I were waiting we read books and quizzed each other with our Brainquest cards. As I sat next to John Robert I noticed that one of his teeny tiny little baby bottom teeth looked a little crooked. I asked him to let me touch it and sure enough, IT WAS LOOSE! OUR 1^st LOOSE TOOTH…I was not sure if I should shout hooray or if I should start to cry. I think I ended up doing a bit of both. Poor John Robert didn’t know what to think. The good news is that his best little friend already lost a tooth and that made our new discovery very cool. We decided that we were very excited to lose our first tooth! As soon as Great Grandpa Bobby finished his appointment we excitedly shared the good news with him. We were very happy that he was with us and that he could be the first one to know about John Robert’s first loose tooth. We finished up right at lunchtime and asked him if he’d like to grab lunch at our favorite fast-food restaurant….McDonald’s. I have to tell you that we are partial to “Titi’s Donalds” (she works there and it has a really nice indoor playplace), but we were able to settle for one close by the doctor. We drove by the church and picked up Daddy so that he could join us. It was a special treat to go with Great Grandpa Bobby. We are so thankful to have him here in Naples with us!

Posted by Mommy

A Very Special Visitor in Our Home

2008-05-18T20:10:00.003-04:00

For months, John Robert and Hannah Mae have wanted Uncle Dave, Auntie Jen and Cousin Andrew to spend the night at our house. They really love to play with Andrew. Seeing him go home is always sad for us. Well, John Robert came up with a plan…Hannah Mae would kindly give up her crib for Andrew, Mommy and Auntie Jen would sleep in Mommy’s bed and he and Hannah Mae would camp out on the floor. Not sure what he intended for Daddy and Uncle Dave. ??? Anyway, a couple months later, God granted John Robert his heart’s desire. Dave and Jen were planning a special anniversary getaway and graciously asked us if we would be willing to keep Andrew for a few days. We were all delighted to have such an opportunity but John Robert was elated! The time came and Dave and Jen left…I know it was so hard for them…their first overnight away from their sweet little son! I must tell you that we enjoyed every single minute. He was such a joy…as he always is…it was so special. The three children loved playing, and playing and playing! John Robert and Hannah Mae were so excited to wake him in the morning and from his nap each day. When it came time for him to go home John Robert declared that “It was a sad, sad day!”. How sweet it is to love and be loved!

Posted by Mommy

Hide and Seek with a 2 and 5 year old

2008-05-16T10:41:00.005-04:00

It's the funniest thing! For about an hour this morning I watched John play hide and seek with John Robert and Hannah Mae. I cracked up! It was John against the children...sounds fair right? I have to tell you that John doesn't go easy on them and with the two of them together they are up for the challenge. They are not afraid of snooping around and looking in dark unknown places. After about 5 minutes if they are unsuccessful, John gives a tap on the wall or coughs. That little hint is usually all they need.

So now here's the funniest part...when it's John Robert and Hannah Mae's turn, they immediately return to Daddy's previously most cool spot. It gets even better though...they are sitting there waiting...giggling...talking. They think they are totally inconspicuous. We just laugh and laugh and laugh. It's so fun. We love Fridays with Daddy!

Posted by Mommy

A little about our Daughter, Hannah Mae

2008-05-16T08:14:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to take a little time and talk about our daughter, Hannah Mae. Hannah is the sweetest little girl I have ever met. Now, being her dad I guess that I am biased. But in reality she really does have a kind and gentle nature about her, and I believe that makes her the sweetest. She loves to take care of people, speak softly, and she shares everything she has. One of the things I love about her most is that she so happy. She gets so excited when she sees me or mommy, or anyone else she loves for that matter! She loves to sing. There is nothing more precious than hearing her tiny little voice singing in her crib in the morning. I praise God for giving me such a wonderful little person that loves life and others. I pray for her to grow into a woman of God just like her mommy!

It is such a great day...

2008-05-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Well I just wanted to say that it is a great day! I praise the Lord for my family, friends and the ministry I have at First Baptist Church Naples. I am so thankful for what he has entrusted me with and I just want to show everyone that living the Christian life means not just having happiness (most of the time) but more importantly, everlasting Joy! If you do not know Christ, I encourage to take the time and pray to Him. If you do not know how to pray to Him for repenting of your sins, then please email me at john@jjpatterson.com . Make sure you tell your family you love them today and appreciate them! I love you Jennifer, John Robert and little Hannah Mae!

Posted by DADDY

God's Protection Over Our Son Today

2008-05-11T00:03:00.000-04:00

God protected John Robert today. While we were at the playground this afternoon, John Robert was showing his friends how he learned to hang upside down by his legs on the monkey bars. Well he lost his grip a little and started to get scared and ended up falling about 3 feet onto the mulch below. He landed right on his head and cut his scalp. Well we prayed and comforted him. We kept him awake the rest of the day. We just wanted to report that he is just fine and we thank Jesus for that! We did not want to relive the experience we had with Hannah Mae last December. Anyways, we love our God and appreciate His hand of mercy.

Posted by DADDY

Just a little post about John Robert

2008-05-10T07:27:00.000-04:00

It amazes me how fast our children are growing up! Everyone said to me that this would happen, but I never realized how they would be so correct. I am going to center on my son John Robert. I have to say that I can not believe how wonderful he is and just how ingenious he is. First of all he is the most thoughtful 5 year old I have ever met. He really loves doing things for others. For example, yesterday he did at least 3 different things to help his little sister Hannah Mae. I not just saying he said thank you, or something small, but actually went out of his way to show his love for her. Amazing. Secondly, he is one of the most ingenious little kids I know. Before my trip to Nashville this week, he made me a BOOK. This book was actually 2 pages that he drew on and then used electrical tape to create a "BINDING" for it. The amazing part is that no one ever showed him how to do this before . In addition, the book closed perfectly square! I just can not believe how he is so mechanical already. I praise Jesus for giving me such a wonderful, caring and smart young son!

Posted by DADDY

The First Post

2008-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Well we finally made the plunge. We have launched a blogsite! The main reasons for this is basically time and the ability to edit this from any computer anywhere. It was becoming too much of a chore to edit the old website on only 1 computer. The HTML editors where just too difficult to deal with and because I wanted Jennifer to be able to post, we decided to set this up. Hopefully this will lead to to more posts about us, our family and what is on our minds. Check back often to see what is going on. Set us up on your RSS feeds and read about all the new things John Robert and Hannah Mae are doing! We are also going to have an updated way to look at pictures, videos and we may even have our own internet TV channel! Some exciting things are happening so check back!

Posted by Daddy

Meet Hannah Mae

2005-07-25T04:30:00.008-04:00

All About Me

I am 4 years old.

My favorite color is pink, any shade is just perfect!

I love to eat pizza, Daddy's crumsy oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly and salad.

My favorite book is my little green Bible (The Beginners Bible).

I am happiest when I am at home, cooking in my kitchen, swinging on a swing (any and all swings are great), trying on new shoes and coloring with markers.

I am a little gymnast, I LOVE TO COOK, dress-up, am happy to be anywhere doing anything that my Bubba does and know all of my letters.

Mommy thinks I take such good care of my babies and loves it when I help her cook.

Meet John Robert

2003-04-29T05:05:00.010-04:00

All About Me

I am 6 years old.

My favorite color is blue.

I love to eat mac and cheese, Daddy's crumsy oatmeal and pasta alfredo.

My favorite book is my little green Bible (The Beginners Bible).

I am happiest when I am at home, working with Daddy in the barn, riding my bike, driving my tractor or the golfcart and making pictures and notes for other people.

I write very well, can read very well, I swim better than many fish and love to snap and whistle.

Mommy thinks I make the best forts and "blockers" and loves it when I bake desserts with her.