I wrote this poem to Dutch six months ago… Today Someday you will gel your hair, fighting those cowlicks you get from your dad, But today I smooth your fine, wispy tufts of baby blond with my hand. Someday your eyes will look to professors, bosses, friends, a wife, But today your deep blue eyes look straight into mine as you nurse at my breast. Someday you’ll listen to radio programs, sermons, and university lectures, But today you listen to my song as I sing you to sleep. Someday your lips will kiss a wife, But today your wet little lips kiss mine. Someday you will taste wine and steak, coffee...

Kari is continuing her retelling of our story, “The Road to Santa Clara,” detailing our experiences in leaving all for a ministry opportunity a few years ago. The lessons learned along the way have proved to be invaluable, and although we wouldn’t sign up for it again, we wouldn’t trade it for the world. It is a redemptive story of God’s sustaining grace and the depth of friendship in the midst of confusion and frustrating circumstances. There are 6 chapters thus far, not quite half way through: Road to Santa Clara (Ch. 1): The Phone Call Road to Santa Clara (Ch....

A few weeks ago Dutch started saying “Ba ba ba …,” over and over. Tonight he said what appears to be his first official word: “Dadda.” He said it clearly over and over, and added “Babba” to it a few times. (Perhaps that’s Kari’s nickname?) Now that he’s asleep and we’re playing Scrabble, I miss giggling with the lil’ Dutcher. Happy to be his Dadda. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "First word", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2007/09/07/first-word/" });

Kris & Nikki Zyp have announced the birth of their first daugther (and our niece), Jennika: Hi everyone, after a lengthy labor (37 hours), Nikki gave birth to healthy 6lb 13oz, 20in Jennika LaRee Zyp at 3:57pm on Friday (her due date). Thank you everyone for your prayers, they were needed! Dutch was excited to meet his new cousin! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Meet Jennika LaRee Zyp!", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2007/08/18/meet-jennika-laree-zyp/" });

Introducing karipatterson.com, a new place for Kari’s writings and creative thoughts. From fiction to non-fiction to journal stories, she will allow our minds to see and taste and feel life. Glad to be married to a such a gifted and passionate writer! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "karipatterson.com", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2007/08/04/karipattersoncom/" });

(I wrote this ahead of time…) Today is moving day for the Patterson family. We have rented out our home and are moving in with Kari’s parents for the next two years (at least that’s the plan) to finish up seminary at Multnomah.  I will continue to work out here in McMinnville for the summer. To that end, today is the best day to move, as I’m off work, and since we sold quite a bit at our garage sale and on CraigsList, it should be easy enough. (If you need our new address, send us an email.) — You may have also noticed that today is July 4th, commemorating our Independence...

We just got home from a long-weekend mini-vacation to Phoenix (Chandler, AZ) to visit my brother John, his wife Brenda, and their daughter Brooke. This is the first time for them to meet Dutch. It was an awesome time being together as a family. Also, Dr. John gave us a dental cleaning, and fixed some of my teeth. (All weekend Brooke called me “Uncle Ralphy,” (or “Raffy”) and we’re not sure why!) SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Phoenix trip", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2007/02/26/phoenix-trip-07/" });

We’ve revamped this site with the aid of our friends at Kattare (hosting, PHP, MySQL database) and Textpattern (content management; Note: now managed view Wordpress), to get what you see here. We’re hoping to bring to life our daily adventures and reflect on the faithfulness, love, and creativity of the great God we serve. We call it deTheos because that little Greek phrase means “but God,” as in “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us…” (from Ephesians 2:4). We call it version 3.0, because, as you can tell, there are 3 of us now. You’ll find...

In preparation for a growing family and for the sake of being good stewards (financially and environmentally), we decided to sell Jeff’s Jeep Wrangler and get a four-door car gets better gas mileage. Dad Zyp bought the Jeep to sell, and tonight the four of us went car shopping here in McMinnville. Of the three Honda Accords we planned on viewing from Craigslist, the first one was a keeper — the older couple selling it were the only owners, and had kept track of every single fuel fillup, servicing, everything. We could tell this car was treated very well. We made a good but low offer...

We’ll celebrate the most important (and enduring) profession in all human history today with three of the Moms in my life: Janie (Jeff’s mom = ‘Nana’), Karen (Kari’s mom = ‘Grammy’) and Kari (the Jellybean’s mom = my wife = the most beautiful pregnant woman ever). Betsy (‘Mom2’) is with Jeff’s Dad (Dan) visiting her Mom + Dad in Florida. Confused yet? I am surrounded by godly, wise women. I’ll leave you with a couple famous motherly quotes: “A mother is a mother still, the holiest thing alive.” —Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), British poet, from The...