Valentine Card // Lost Without You

I'm Lost Without You

That is how I feel about Patrick....a reason I am not anticipating him leaving to the US in the next few weeks. I will be sitting alone at church & at church functions. I won't be able to have a 10 minute chat over the phone and say goodnight before I fall asleep.....

I'll be Lost without You

There is someone else I'd be lost without.... Jesus Christ. If I had not accepted his free gift of salvation....his death and resurection....I would be on my way to hell.

I'd be Lost without you.

Head over to Feminine Modesty to see my Valentine outfit....date night tonight. ☺

Happy Valentine's day!!

The First week

 Last week Thursday Patrick landed in Germany. When he got on the plane in Houston, TX to come to Germany they had everyone get off again because the airplane had a leak that couldn't be fixed. This of course meant...finding a new plane....and a 3 hour delay. In Germany he then landed "on time" but then they had problems with the baggage so finally, after 4 hours delay I saw this handsome man with Aussie hat come  walk toward me.☺

Sorry for the bad quality. When I had time to focus Patrick turned his back and then there was a lot of movement.

At home Patrick got freshened up, we ate some lunch and then he took a nap. I wish I could show you guys the picture of him sleeping but he won't let me. ☺ Bellow I had my grandma take a picture of us two. Our first picture together in Germany.

Friday we had a slow day. My plan has been to take a picture of us every day...well I already forgot on the second day. ☺ On Saturday we were both invited to go with friends to an amusement park. Here we are on our way "bright and early" (at least for me on a Saturday) ☺

My other friend took lots of funny pictures I had hoped to show here but that will have to wait for another time.

So what are we doing now?

Right now the plan is for Patrick to go to German language school. The name of the school is called "Volkshochschule". The literal translation would be "Folks high school" but normally you would call it an adult learning center. Here he is taking an intensive learning course in German. Its 4 hours of school every  morning. He has been doing really well. He's had 4 days of school and he already is conjugating words and doing it well! When I took French I knew the rules and that is how I conjugated and created sentences. I can tell Patrick is doing it by ear. He kinda knows if it sounds good or not...and that is great! I am really proud of him because he is catching on quick. ♥☺

Please continue to keep him/ us in your prayers. Pray he continues to learn the language quickly, Wisdom with visa, Find a CHEAP apartment that is in a good location for public transportation and....a job!

On the left you see the building Patrick is taking classes in. ☺

♪♫ We're smiling in the rain...smiling in the rain ♪♫

By the way, this has nothing to do with our relationship but it has gotten COLD. We actually have snow up in the hills, its bellow freezing and .....it only October. We will have one looooooong winter!

Today's the day- he's here

The relationship as Patrick and I know it is ending today. Today is when our long distant relationship ENDS....

forever Lord willing. 
Now we are starting a new way....I guess the normal way and I can't wait to see how it is like to see each other more often, go to church together, do ministry together, be at family functions together or even spend Christmas together!!!

Excited! ☺

On the weekend we will try to write an update. 

LDR- Advice #2- Games on Skype

By now everyone has heard of Skype and most people have a Skype account. If you don't happen to know what it is, it is a free video calling programm that anybody can download on their computer. All you need is a microphone and a video camera.

Today I want to show you something not very many people know about. You can play games with your friends on skype! Do you two (or one of you, like Patrick and I) like playing games. Then you will enjoy this. Its free and has lots of games. Its just you and them. Its a great way to relax and just have fun together! Just download this free GameXN and it connects to your Skype. Bellow you can see the steps... ☺

Follow the link above and you will see this.... Click where the arrow is showing.

It will ask you to save it...go ahead.

After its downloaded open it up.

Click "Run"

Follow the steps....I promise it should be in English. ☺

It will ask you if it can have access to your Skype. Let it connect...

After you both download it...choose a game.

One of you click on the game, invite the other and....

HAVE FUN!!!

Updates on the move!

Normally I had scheduled to write number two of our LDR advice but we have some more news about Patrick's move to Germany. The Lord has really been blessing us so far! We both keep doubting but through so many ways the Lord continues to encourage us.

(Patrick)
It took some time to get the paperwork filled out correctly and it looked like I would not get my passport in time for the dates I wanted to leave. I eventually went to the courthouse, got everything fixed, paid the extra fee for fast delivery and.... WAITED. We all waited, eagerly to get it so we could plan and buy tickets. Wednesday my passport finally came. Iris kept asking when I was going to buy tickets because I had been following and checking prices for the past two weeks now and I told her I would buy the tickets Friday.....we will get to tickets in a minute.

This is actually my (Iris') passport ☺

Well, today is a special day for another reason as well. Not only were the tickets bought but I also sold my car. I had not even put it on the market when a co-worker's family member heard about my car and wanted to come see it. Sunday I showed it to them and today I sold it. I got exactly the price I had wanted for it...another answered prayer. It was sad to sell my car though. I've almost had it 7 years now and I have many memories with this car.

Now to buying tickets: Sadly, the tickets got more expensive by almost a $100. We looked around some more and found one only $10 more than before and hurried to buy the tickets. Iris and I are very excited to finally know for sure when I'll be arriving. We have been waiting so long to know.

(Iris)
I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited and no I didn't fall asleep as we wrote this almost 1 AM in the morning (for me) but I am really that excited. I can't help but smile so big when we talk about it or people ask me about it. :)

Its 2 weeks & 5 days until we are together...... (no I am not counting hours or minutes....yet!)

LDR Advice #1: Talk

Patrick is coming to Germany soon. Boxes are being sent with his stuff and more things are being sold in the US. The step of faith is coming soon and with that our long distant relationship will come to an end. There will still be lots of ups and downs but the distance will be a street car drive away. ☺ Patrick and I have been together for almost 2.5 years and over 22 months of those were long distance!!! There are couples that have been apart longer but I think we still have learned some things that might help others in a LDR. This does not only mean boy/girl relationship but any friendship that is long distant can glean from these series. We will mainly talk about a courtship LDR since that our experience so here we go...

Our first advice is: TALK. I've had a few people ask me what are some things I can tell them about a LDR and I always say TALK first. In a LDR you do not have the joy of just doing things together but you still must be involved in each others lives. There are many ways to do that, which we will cover but one of the most important things is TALKING.
How you talk is up to you. Skype is great! You can see and hear each other. A phone call is another way to keep in touch and tell each other about your day. Sometimes an email is great, a quick text saying "I'm thinking of you", "I miss you!!!" or "I love you, honey." is all it takes to keep  in touch. Snail mail is great though more out of the romantic sense than keeping in touch in today's day in age.

When you talk is up to you. If you are in the same timezone and on the same schedule you may have it a little easier to stay in touch but when you are in different timezones and scheduling conflicts you will just have to work something out. We would encourage to talk every day, even if its just a quick email or text. Some people are really busy and just cannot talk but do your best through other means to keep in touch. If you can only talk once a week write things down that happen over the course of the week and tell each other.

Today it is very easy to stay in touch. Do it. We don't have to wait on snail mail and often can find ways around expensive phone bills. Do what you can and talk talk talk.

The beginning of the End

Iris and I have not written a blog post together for a few weeks. While she was here the Weekends were packed with activities that we could do together. Later at her dad's there was not time either to just sit down, chat and write. Iris flew in last Saturday and so today we thought we could write something together again.

You might be wondering what in the world we are talking about in our title. Well as we had mentioned <here> I will be moving to Germany. Just yesterday I sent a box with some clothes of mine and today my brothers helped me move most of my big furniture out of the apartment. We are planning for me to fly sometime in October.

This time is very exciting for me and Iris. We are seeing the end of our long distant relationship, Lord willing; and are happy to know we will be spending our first Christmas together in person. Please pray for us, there is a lot of planning and money involved and we need a lot of wisdom in this big step of faith.

(Iris)
I am so excited about this but yes, please pray for Patrick to find buyers for the stuff he's selling, a good price on a flight ticket (they are very expensive this year), and for everything he will be needing over here.

"I like hearing from you in the mornings"

In case you are a new follower, Patrick and I are in a long distant relationship. I live in Germany and Patrick lives in Tennessee. With 7 hours time difference are getting up and going to bed can sometimes happen around the same time.☺ A month or so ago Patrick had gone to spend an evening at some friends house. As we all know, fellowshipping with friends can sometimes turn into a very late night and that is exactly what had happened...

For me it was Sunday morning, I had gotten up, showered, put on my makeup when I get a call on Skype. Patrick just got home from his friends house. It had turned into a really fun but late night and he was telling me all about it. After I told him goodnight I headed out to walk my dog.

Out in the vineyards where I walk my dog it is really peaceful and quite. I normally don't meet anybody and since I just had a chat with Patrick there was a skip in my step as I walked through the grass. As I hiked up my skirt to step up a little hill I was having a conversation with Patrick in my head and I said, "I really like hearing from you in the morning! It makes me so happy!"

Right after those words my heavenly Father asked me if I could say those words about him. Do I enjoy hearing from him in the mornings? Do I have a skip in my step after I read his Word? Does Bible reading make me happy? I prayed to God after those questions that he would give me a greater love for his Word. In a way we are in a long distant relationship with Jesus Christ. He has written us many love letters and would love to have a Skype/Bible reading conference with us where we can chat and talk about each other...

Now I'll ask you: Do you like hearing from your heavenly Father in the mornings? Do you find time to talk to him?

So, what's new?

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal! In  less than a week we will see each other after 7 month of being apart. Yes, it's me, Iris that squealed, not Patrick...though he feels the same way. I know this isn't new to ya'll but... you didn't know it was less than a week, so HA! ☺ I also already picked out all my clothes and they take up less than half my suitcase! I am proud of myself...now we are just counting each day as it goes by...

(Patrick)
We told you last week that Iris will be going to my church's Music School when she is here. Well, Iris never learned about shape notes and since she is advanced in everything else I told her what each of the shape notes are and  now she can learn them.

click on picture for source

 What next?
(Iris) Patrick got a haircut. Your probably wondering what's special about that but I finally gave him a chance to get a flat top and see if I like it or not. I am girl that likes guys with hair on their head (you know what I mean?) and so I was very reluctant....well...lets just say...I can't wait for it to grow back. ☺

I think the newest new (Is there such a thing?) is the BLOG LAYOUT. You can read why we started this blog {here} but we both had no idea how big the blog world was! I (Iris) got more and more into it and we want to expand. Our old URL address was ridiculously hard and the blog name, fitting to the theme before, does not match much more (←tongue twister).  Patrick and I will continue to write posts together over the weekend about our long distant relationship which prayerfully will end this year.

Whats else is new?

• Germany lost the soccer game against Italy. :(
• We have a twitter account
• I started  Pinterest
• We are planning a giveaway at the end of the month!!! Stay tuned
• Its hot..I guess you knew that...

What's new with you? We love hearing from you!

Summer "Wishlist"

{source}

So summer is finally here and four weeks of it Iris and I will spend together!!! It will be be about 7 months since we last saw each other and we cannot wait to actually see each other live again. Sometimes it seems so unbelievable that this person we talk to every day in Skype, share our sorrows, hopes and dreams, the person we tell everything is actually a real human being. ☺ This may sound funny but it is true and you could probably only understand if you have been in a LDR.

(Iris)
With the visit coming up soon we have of course talked about things we want to do together as well as things we personally just want to get done. I've been seeing quite a few people on other blogs creating summer bucket lists. This really is not a bucket list but some things we are planning on doing. Some things might never happen...but our enthusiasm is up... So here we go:

Patrick

• Iris coming
• Go to the Rymond
• Going to to Mammoth cave with Iris & friends
• Plan my trip to Germany
• Move out of apartment
• Sell most of my stuff
• Introduce Iris to my churches Music school
• Take Iris to a waterfall
• Play music with my brothers before I leave to Germany

Iris

• See my HONEY
• Visit my Dad
• A big blog change....
• Sew my patchwork quilt
• Prepare some sewing tutorials
• Go to the Rymond
• Go to the Grand Ol' Opry
• Meet some friends
• Write many friends
• Read some Jane Austen books (never read any of her books)
• Get to know Patrick's family better
• Take lots of pictures

Ok I could go on but I'll stop here ☺

What are you planning to do this summer? Have you created a "Summer-To-Do-List"? What are some things you want to do?

A silver envelope

So what do you think of this beautiful gift that I received??? Don't you think Patrick has excellent taste? ☺

I finally got to open Patrick's present after months of teasing "how much I'll like it", waiting forever for it to get here, and then having to pay to get my package from customs. I was FINALLY allowed to open this beautiful gift!

 Wonder what it is..... a necklace with a envelope locket!!!

 Let me put it on right away!!!

And Here are some more pictures I took. ☺♥

What I truly like about this envelope locket is that it represents our Long Distant Relationship. People write letters when they are apart which has been most of our relationship.Looking at the locket reminds me how far away my Love is yet how close we have become and how special our love is. No matter what we go through our love will be "Always & Forever".

Paying customs ~ Looking at Flights & more LDR fun

Paying Customs

So, Iris has been waiting and waiting for her birthday gift to get there in time. A few days ago Iris says to me "Honey, your gift is KINDA here" Of course I was totally confused at what that was suppose to mean. She explained that she received a letter from the post office stating that she needed to get her package from customs. She was to bring the receipt, the paper she got and money to pay taxes.

(Iris)
A friend drove me there and I really had no idea what to expect but they explained everything well. When I got there I showed them my paper and they got my package from the back room. It was slightly ripped and they made me open it infront of them. I was a little annoyed since this gift was suppose to be a surprise and now I knew how much it cost and had to open it up as well. I told them it was a birthday gift and they were really sweet and opened it in a way so that I could not see it. ☺ So I still don't know what it is and have to wait to open it.  Hmmmmmm???

Well, on top of having to open up my package for them I had to pay a certain percentage of my own gift!!! Thankfully they saw that I had not ordered this myself but my boyfriend had and so I had to pay a little less. After paying the money I got this impressive stamp on my paper.

Anyway, I can't wait to share with you what I got!!! Be sure to come back next Saturday... or earlier if I can't wait to share!☺

Looking at Flights

So Iris and I might be seeing each other earlier than we thought! We had been planning a visit for awhile but for various reasons we could not really settle on dates yet. This past week we finally settle on some dates and are trying to look for a cheap flight. Iris will try to be here for my churches music school. She has always wanted to go to something like that and since I have told her much about our music school, she probably is actually coming!!! We are so excited.... can you see??

We were looking at the different airlines now, seeing which one is the cheapest. Wonder which one it will be.

More Fun

I had this idea to sing together like we sometimes do (Patrick doesn't hear me- I have my mic on mute- It doesn't work any other way because of the 3 second lagg) and I record it.  What do you think? :D

Oh and I found these: P & I don't know how I'll decorate them yet but it definitely will be some summer fun.

Do you have any plans for the summer? We would love to know!

We are linked up {here}

You look beautiful today!

 

(Iris)
 I don't know about you but I think every girl wants to look beautiful especially when she is around the guy she likes. If we know we'll see him that day we changed a couple of times to find THE outfit that will be appropriate...yet make us look beautiful. We fix our hair just so, fiying it a couple times to make it sit perfect. Maybe we add a little makeup and then look at ourselves in the mirror. We look at ourselves from the left side...then the right side and if we have a flowy dress we twirl in a circle. We smile at ourselves in the mirror to practice that smile for later....what do we do it for? A guy. Yeah. Then the question is: Does he notice?

Well one Sunday morning in the beginning of Patrick and my courtship I was getting ready and even wore a dress which is Patrick's favorite but when it came to fixing my hair it just seemed like I couldn't get it to work. I tried several times but knowing I had to leave for church soon I ended up just having to put it up. I felt so ugly. For one, I used to hate wearing dresses and secondly I don't really like to wear my hair up... so it felt like a bad day. When my mom asked me what was wrong I told her that nothing seemed to be working and she just smiled and said that Patrick would think I looked beautiful anyway.

(Patrick)
That Sunday when I woke up I decided that I was going to tell Iris just how beautiful she looked. She always looked beautiful to me but I had never told her  face to face. It didn't matter to me what she was wearing I knew she was beautiful and wanted to tell her so today. While I was at church that morning I kept looking for an opportunity to tell her. I didn't want to embarrass her in front of lots of people so I kept waiting for a chance to tell her with less people around. Finally, when most of the people were gone and we were heading out the door, I turned to Iris and told her how beautiful she looked today. My heart was thumping and for some reason I was nervous. Iris blushed, said thank you and didn't talk to me for the rest of the morning.

(Iris)
I did not expect Patrick to say that and if you have read any of our previous stories you know how weird I acted and how nervous I felt around Patrick. ☺ When I heard those wonderful words from the man I was in love with I felt sooooooo happy but really didn't know how to act. The thousands of butterflies that went through my stomach almost made me feel sick. I didn't want to look at Patrick after that because I felt so embarrissed but I can tell you that the rest of the day I didn't think of anything else except the four words from my man "You look beautiful today."

Wish you all a happy Sunday and be sure to look beautiful! ☺