10.31.2008

Lléname con tu amor, Señor, otra vez...


This blog is dedicated to the man of many nicknames. Weathy. Weatherfired. Swayzee. Twinkle. And my personal favorite, Otra Vez. And that's not even all of them.

I originally picked this song line because it is the reason we call Patrick "Otra Vez." It's a song we sang in Mexico on our youth group missions trip. It translates "fill me completely with your love once again." Of the songs we learned that week, this one was probably the one where Patrick spent the most time forgetting the lyrics. Every once in a while you would hear Patrick, almost under his breath, singing "llename da da da da amooooor..." and then he'd get a little louder and sing "otra vez!" Eventually he did learn the words, but he had a thing for that song for some reason, and he still sings it, and we still call him Otra Vez.

Patrick became a Christian some time around March. We didn't hear about it until some time after at a Skillet concert, where he told one person and slowly but surely we all ended up hearing about it. He didn't see what the big deal was. We were thrilled, to say the least. Of course we were thrilled, though. That's what we'd been waiting to hear for months.

Every year the youth group has a big party at the school for the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game. It's a big outreach thing, and we all try to invite as many people as we possibly can. Patrick was one of them. I knew him from riding the bus with him and this guy called Rounds. He never talked to anyone and he sat by himself and Rounds would talktalktalktalk to either Patrick or me, and neither of us made much habit of responding too often, because Rounds was not a very nice guy. Anyway, so I knew who he was but never talked to him before. Then he comes to this football party, and I tried to talk to him. Just say hello, thanks for coming, are you having fun, the food is good, you know, whatever. I was not the only one to attempt this and fail. I remember Gabe asking a couple of us if we'd talked to the new guy, and we were all like "We tried and he won't respond! I think we're scaring him." Turns out, we did scare him. But he came to youth group two sundays later, and he's been coming ever since.

Patrick has missed youth group like, twice since then. He is involved in everything the youth group does. He's read more C.S. Lewis books than I have. It's pretty awesome. At first, he didn't talk to anyone at youth group. He literally showed up at the beginning, sat in a corner by himself, and left at the end. Eventually, he started to talk to us. Now we can't get him to shut up, and I mean that in the best way possible. ;-)

Patrick is a good example of why it is okay if you freak out the new people. He is also a fun person to skip advisors to go to vending machines with. He will laugh at you when your Gardettos spill all over the floor, but he will buy you more if he has enough change. He will bum rides off of you for everything and then talk about how awful your driving is, but he will let you steal his pop-tarts. He is a fun guy. You should know him.

Sincerely,
Mara

16 comments:

  1. Patrick is the only person in the entire world who has any sort of understanding of my randomness. And I love him for that. He is el awsomeness. Fauxsho!

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  2. Not to mention his obsessions with tennis.(which he got from me and Burk I might add) 90% of the time you walk up on us having a conversation it is most likely about tennis, the world's most awesome sport ever in the history of the current galaxy and prior galaxies.

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  3. and REALLY not to mention risk. . .wowzers if there is one thing we talk [or complain ;) ]about more than tennis it has to be risk. If risk and tennis did not exist (the horror!) Patrick and I would probably just sit there and laugh at how funny each other looks. And then proceed to pwn all at halo :P

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  4. I decided not to mention the fact that all Patrick talks about is tennis and Risk, but it looks like I didn't need to. *laugh*

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  5. Weathy! What an amusing boy. I like him. He has all the unbridled energy of a particularly high-strung puppy, but when he decides to focus on something he is a force to be reckoned with. I'm not sure he realizes that, so I hope he figures that out.

    One favorite Patrick memory was his care and concern for Mara when she was sick in Mexico. He was a good friend to her and that was a comfort to me.

    He does complain about Risk and tennis a lot, though. *laugh*

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  6. When are you posting the next one? I am excited to read it!

    I will be sure to get butter for your pie. Are you going to do the lattice crust?

    I really like our itty bitty baby snake.

    I JUST HAD A RANDOM FLASH OF INSPIRATION ABOUT YOUR 18TH BIRTHDAY. Oh. My. Word. And it's too late at night for me to tell anyone how awesome it is...ugh. This is going to kill me. *dies*

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  7. I'm normally up peeeertee darn late, if I qualify as "anyone" lol.

    YOU HAVE A BABY SNAKE?!?

    I am going to be the first of Patrick's friends to enter his house this coming Friday. I am ecstatic!

    PS my verification thing is "pasto"

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  8. Mara--I am not a fan of Emery...they are screamers...scaaaaary screamers.

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  9. Ooooh, I like Emery. But you're right, they are screamers.

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  10. Fan of Emery. Definitely screamers. Walls rocks your socks off.

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  11. I like Patrick....but he smells like DQ french fries and burgers or is it just my imagination?
    Summer Lee

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  12. Yep. Word's already hit the street. For shame, for shame, French Fry Smuggler...I mean, Patrick...

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  13. This is me checking to see if you've posted the new blog dedication. *coughhurryitupcough*

    I also did a blogger flashback. You should read October 29 from last year. Brought back some very vivid memories. And no one else did it to my knowledge, which is too bad. I bet Brian would do it! Maybe. It is fun to read those. Very insightful. Or just fun.

    Your rat is rearranging his furniture. Rather violently.

    And last night the snake was hiding under one of those fake rocks and then peeked his tiny little head out of the hole. It was cute.

    And now it's time to prepare burritos and Spanish rice for the potluck.

    Last night you were adorable in every way. Just so you know.

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  14. Ohmywordmrsdyoumakemegoandread
    lyricstoallofthosesongs
    andthenicantlistentothembecause
    MARASPLAYLISTISNTONHERBLOGGERANYMORE. *dies*

    Disciple wuz off da hizzle.

    Over break the ppl who are music ppl should have a music meeting of musicians to discuss music in a musical fashion musically.

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  15. Mara-You need a follower thingy on your blog so I can follow you!

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  16. Must.Order.Pictures.

    How many big pictures? We for sure need them for Grammy and Pepaw, Pepaw's desk, Great Grams, Millers, Dad's desk, home...and most of those poses are already chosen. Harmsens? Harms?

    Only four more weeks of DMACC! Whoa!

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