En Plein Air

Years ago, this was the view from the Patty garden in Englewood, Colorado.

Every summer, they worked the land and raised vegetables from this very spot. From their hard work and well-earned money, it was possible for each of the kids to go on a trip with their dad at different times as he visited missionaries around the world during the years he was general director of OCSC (now Cadence International).

Many a day, they all spent here, hoeing, tilling, weeding, harvesting...and making lots of memories and fun together.

Ten years ago, Joyce and her husband, David, got to build their home on this piece of land, and began making their memories there.

Now anyone who comes to their home, including our family, still gets the thrill of enjoying that spectacular view out to the Rockies!

Gathered in their living room this afternoon (as we're in the midst of our family reunion), we waited to hear from Uncle Steve who'd told us earlier that he had a surprise for everyone today.

He began by telling stories about the four kids' childhood and what it was like to spend the summers in this very spot. Oh how I wished I could go back in time to see them as kids there! What a crazy time they had working out there in the summers!

At last, after finishing the stories, he unveiled the surprise: paints, canvases and brushes. What?!!!

 

Steve said that he thought it'd be fun for all of us to sit out on the front porch to watch AND paint the sunset, looking at it as the four Patty kids used to each summer! 

While some of us are artistic, others of us are not! But he said this was not about artistic ability, but about capturing the sunset all together, yet in our own ways.

So off we went to get started on our 'en plein air' experience!

We filled the porch, all finding a spot from which to observe and paint. 

 Some began to sketch, while others just soaked in the view.

In the meantime, Uncle Steve got all the supplies ready for when we wanted to start painting. What an awesome brother/uncle to have prepared this for us all!

Soon, brushes were dipped into paint and the creative juices began flowing!

There was a quiet, happy hum out there on the porch as everyone, even our youngest family member (Luke, who's 7) began to create.

While we're all at different levels in our artistic abilities, ALL of us were artists this afternoon! In the midst of laughter and encouraging words, everyone took Uncle Steve's challenge seriously and enjoyably painted to our heart's content.

Side by side we worked...

...capturing the sunset through our eyes.

It was such a rich, happy, memorable experience to share with each other.

And there was something so sweet being out there sharing in such a meaningful time of capturing the beauty of God's creation in our own ways.

It was not only fun sharing in the experience together, but so great to see what people captured of the "Sunset View from the Garden"!

We were all looking at the same thing, and yet our individual interpretations are so unique and varied!

 

 

And the best part? Seeing them all together at the end!

We'll all remember this day of family reunion for a long time. Thank you Steve for giving us such a wonderful memory!

At Home with the Family

For over forty five years, this table has undoubtedly served thousands of people in the home of my dear in-laws here in Colorado.

Thanks to the servant heart of my mother-in-law, Margaret, and her excellent skills in the kitchen...

...and the generosity of my father-in-law, Dick and his warm, fatherly ways, MANY have been blessed in their home over the years.

This Christmas, our whole family has the privilege of being together with them for a week-long reunion, which started with my dear niece's wedding (Claire has photos HERE), and continues on with sweet events like waffles at Grandpa and Nana's house for breakfast.

There is something so very special about being with them this week, as well as with aunts, uncles and cousins who came from Slovenia and Oregon, and with those who live just down the street and can literally walk over when it's time for breakfast.

I loved seeing the three brothers with their dad in the very living room where they grew up.

And seeing the next generation of Patty girls in the warmth and love of Nana's kitchen!

Working her wonders on one side of that kitchen, Nana turned out her now-famous waffles, made with wheat ground by grandpa in the garage.

While Claire was on the other side working her wonders with a gluten free version of Nana's wonderful waffles.

Afterward, we all settled into the living room for "Grandpa's Fireside Chat", soaking in truth from the Word, and wisdom from grandpa's years of walking with God.

You can't see it, but there are more than twenty people packed in here.

And we don't mind a bit!

It's a privilege and joy to be together this week, experiencing the goodness, the joy, and the blessing of calling each other "family"!

A Christmas First

At Grandpa's request, twenty four of us gathered at one table for Christmas dinner today.

The reason for his request?

This is the first time that all the Patty children, with their spouses and children, as well as the children's spouses, have gathered together to celebrate Christmas with each other!!

What a remarkable, memorable, and very enjoyable first Christmas all together!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Nearly Christmas

It's nearly Christmas here in Denver, where I sit curled up by the Christmas tree as it nears midnight. After a busy day of preparations, it's so sweet to sit in the quiet, soaking in the blessing of being here with our family, getting to celebrate together.

We hosted Christmas Eve tonight - twenty-three from the Patty/Schroeder clan, all packed into the house of Dave's cousin Carol who is letting us stay here during our family reunion (she's with family in Tennessee).

Wassail, our family's traditional fajita dinner, photos from my niece's wedding just two days ago, reading the Christmas story in six different languages, thoughtful gifts, rousing Christmas carols, homemade Czech Christmas cookies from Claire, artfully told stories and hilarious laughter...all delightful, yet with one thought in mind.

The gift of Jesus. That's why we were together tonight.

There is no other way to say it: He IS the reason for the season! How I love this holiday that reminds me of how very grateful I am for His gift in coming to me, to us.

From our family to yours, we wish you a very merry Christmas!

Guest Posting: Day in Patty History

I, Claire, am writing today. 

This may not seem like much at first sight. But the reality of what is happening behind those windows is more meaningful than words can describe. 

Those are my brothers working behind the counter of Joe's, the Moody campus coffee shop. 

Not only do they make coffee, but they also give me the biggest smiles when I see them between classes, or after a long day at school. This is all about Tyler and Caleb though.

These two have been working together for a year and a half now, and their last shift as a team was on Monday.

The end of one chapter is here, and the the next is just beginning. Tyler graduates from Moody this semester, and will no longer be working at Joe's. Caleb will continue working with other baristas, but nothing will be the same as working with Tyler! They've had many an hour of serving people, crafting coffee drinks, practicing latte art, talking theology, laughing, and being brothers behind the coffee bar.

I have been so blessed by having Tyler and Caleb work together. Because Tyler took an extra semester at Moody, he was there for the beginning of my freshman year. I often saw both my brothers when I walked into Joe's, and that made me the happiest!

This is a big event in the "Chicago Patty's" history. Thankfully, Tyler and Lara will still be in the city, but things will be different.

Everyone was there for the last few shifts - Lara, Haley (and her friend from Colorado, Molly!), and me. We all had bittersweet feelings, because Tyler did finish really well at Joe's. Still, no one likes good things to end.

Good thing this isn't goodbye!

Tyler will continue to work in the "coffee business" at Intelligentsia, which is down the road from Moody. I'm sure he'll be visiting us when he can, and we will for sure pop in to see him as often as possible!

But Caleb and Tyler...

...You guys are the best Joe's baristas!!

I'll miss seeing your faces there together.

Claire

End of the Semester

After four and a half years of having college students, today was a first with them.

To many it may seem like no big deal, but this was the first time EVER that I got to pick my kids up from college for Christmas break! Sure, in past years I've made the trek to Prague or Krakow to pick them up from the airport...that was special in its own way.

But this morning, I got to DRIVE downtown Chicago to pick them up!

Honestly, it meant so much to me to be there in person to greet them after finishing a semester of college...Caleb's first semester of his sophomore year, and Claire's first semester of her freshman year at Moody!

Since I'm all about celebrating the little things, we headed downtown in search of a certain place.

Found it!

Caleb had heard about this place, Do-rite Donuts that makes small batches of donuts each day so they're absolutely fresh. While they're supposed to be really yummy, they're only open until 2 PM and he's never free to get there by then because of classes. 

But today, it was only 10 in the morning so we were all about heading there to see what they had!

YES! They make gluten free donuts! And let me tell you - I have NEVER had a GF donut that tasted like this! Definitely a good treat for celebrating the end of a great semester.

Donuts were just the appetizer as we headed on to a great breakfast place downtown.

While waiting for our order, Caleb called Haley...in Slovakia! She flew home yesterday, arriving this morning. Glad to know she's there safely with her family who serve with JV there.

Oh American breakfasts! SOOOO yummy!

What fun we had laughing, catching up, and enjoying unstressed time together now that finals are done!

Caleb got in the driver's seat after that and drove to O'Hare airport where he dropped me off for my flight to Denver.  After a quick good-bye at the car with Caleb, and with Claire in the airport, they took off for the suburbs where they'll meet up with Dave, Tyler and Lara to begin their drive west to Colorado later this afternoon.

With several hours until my flight, I'm tucked away in a quiet corner where there's a plug, watching the planes come and go as the rain pours down. I'm sure glad it's not colder...if it was, snow would be piling up outside!

I'll get in to Denver tonight and meet up with some of our family who are flying in, and then we'll all get picked up and head for home.

Yes, Christmas is almost here!