2024 Family Recap

Thanks for popping in for our family update. We love that you are a part of our lives. Thank you for your consistent love, support and friendship. 

Lest I wax overly nostalgic, I've had the kids each share a bit about their lives. 

STEPHEN & VICTORIA

Stephen has continued to work while Victoria has completed another year of school! They enjoy being up in Rexburg with friends and family. 

In October Stephen and Victoria got to unleash their inner monsters and scare people for a side job. They say it’s one of their favorite times of the year. 

EMILY & TYLER

Tyler and Emily are still enjoying life in LA! They keep busy with their full time jobs, volunteer opportunities and hobbies. 

They love going to the beach and getting family time whenever people want to visit theme parks (and them haha). They have had a blast teaching Gospel Doctrine in their ward as well.

NATHAN & LILY

This year has been quite an adventure! Lily has soldiered through school while pregnant throughout the Winter and Spring semester of school. Then at the beginning of BYUI’s fall semester she gave birth to our second little boy Lincoln. 

At her insistence we also got a puppy named Annette in the Spring. Alex has welcomed the expansion of our family with joy and care for little Lincoln and excitement with Annie. In this busy season of our lives, Lily and I rejoice in our parenthood and the love we feel and share with our boys!

THOMAS

Thomas has been attending BYU-Idaho studying history. 

He had the opportunity to sing at April General Conference in the Saturday afternoon BYU-I choir.

BEKAH & GARRET 

Both Bekah and Garret finished their degrees this year, Bekah from EAC and Garret from UofA! Garret took the DAT and they are in the long process of waiting to hear which dental school has accepted him! 

They kept themselves busy with reading, running, work and lots of soda runs. 

Their time in Tucson is coming to a close, and while they’re sad to leave their home, they’re very excited to leave behind the Tucson traffic!

SAMUEL 

Sam has been serving in the Piura, Peru mission since November of 2023. He is currently serving in a small town called Ignacio Escudero and meets with a family group each Sunday. He is putting all of his efforts into helping that family group become an official branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

He is learning wonderful life lessons and coming to know God more completely as he serves Him with his whole heart. 

ISAAC

Isaac has had a great year trying new things. He is 17 and in his Junior year. 

He's currently participating in theatre, learning to weld with the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), working at Chik-Fil-A (my pleasure), and staying busy with both online and in person classes.

He is grateful for God in his everyday life.

NATALIE

Natalie is finishing up her last year in middle school (8th grade!). It's odd to think my baby girl will be in high school next year. 

She says: This year has been SO FUN all the hanging out with friends and StuCo events have been amazing. My brother Thomas came down for the last semester and that has been awesome!

Natalie is 13 and almost always has a book in her hand. Pat is working VERY hard to get her to love movies as much as she loves books. :P

PAT & KRISTINE 

Pat continues to ride his bike both recreationally and competitively (ie: trying to better his own time).

He's now worked for 2 years at Lucid motors in the same field he's worked for most of his career (environmental compliance). He optimizes his commute time with podcasts, audiobooks and language study (Chinese). 

Some of my greatest joys have come from gathering with other women. This past year, I have continued a weekly General Conference study group which feeds my spirit and has deepened friendships. 

I also hold monthly card class and teach occasional card classes online. Teaching will always be a core part of my life, and these women have become dear friends. 

Along with trips to visit my kids, running a household and serving the women in our church congregation, I'm staying busy. :p I'm especially grateful this year that I have had the capacity and health to do all of these things. 

A couple of snapshots from family trips this year. 

May this Christmas season bring you & your families the peace and joy you are seeking. We testify that Jesus Christ lives and loves each one of us. 

Have a blessed and wonderful new year. 

Pat & Kristine John

Creative

 Creativity is elusive. 

Some days it seems to flow out of me, onto a page like this, into a card I'm making, or even in the food I'm cooking.  

Other days, I halt and stop and throw away. Try again. Fail again. 

And I'm going to tell you right now, it's ok.  It's ok to fail...because in failing, you're one step closer to knocking it out of the park.  

You can stop yourself from big victories, from breakthroughs, and from the joy that comes from creativity if you don't keep making the effort.  

The effort is worth it. 

Today and every day.  

2023 Recap

Thanks for coming here for the Pat John family year in review. 

              You're an important part of our life if you scanned a QR code to find this update here. :) 

The one thing I realize as time passes is that the relationships we build with others are the most important things we can invest in.  Those relationships strengthen and bless us in a myriad of ways, even if it's memories of time togeher that we rely on.  Thank you for being a part of our lives. 

We pray that you may feel the love and peace of our Savior, Jesus Christ at this season and always. 

Merry Christmas! 

PAT & KRISTINE 

Pat loves being Papa JJJ...(or should I say Grampa JJJ). 

He's loving the opportunity to harass and talk rocks to a whole new generation of Johns.  

He spent much of his free time this past fall preparing for El Tour de Tucson yet again. He finally switched to the metric system and completed a metric century (100km/62 miles) with a couple of his friends. 

Work, family and helping with the young men fills his time.  You can almost always find him with a book playing on his headphones...and if you say Brandon Sanderson, you'll have a friend for life.  

Kristine has discovered that bigger kids still need Mom. Between a missionary coming home and a missionary leaving, graduation, new school enrollments, driver's license tests and all the other everyday parts of running a household, she's been busy.  

She's spent a lot of time with different doctors this year, but is still searching for answers to some elusive health issues.  Her "extra" time is spent now with the young women, and making cards. :)  

STEPHEN & VICTORIA

Stephen and Victoria continue the search for the balance between life, school, and work. Despite their ups and downs, they are having a great time Rexburg with friends and family both old and new. 

Stephen continues to serve as a member of the bishopric in their wonderful ward, and Victoria has been released after nearly two years of serving as the Relief Society 2nd Counselor. 

Stephen has worked a number of different jobs this year, settling on a job making potato flakes at Basic American. A true Idahoan now.

EMILY & TYLER JUDKINS

Tyler and Emily had a very busy year! 

Emily survived her first tax season and celebrated with her coworkers with a trip to Catalina island (which Bekah got to join her on!). 

Tyler got a promotion at his audio studio and was moved up to a nicer room. 

They’ve been traveling a ton this year, mostly to Arizona and Utah to visit family. Emily got to see Sam graduate high school and both Emily and Tyler got to be there for her grandparents homecoming talk!

They celebrated 5 years of marriage in August!! 

They had a big move in October to a nicer apartment and they bought a second car a week later so Emily didn’t have to ride the bus anymore. 

They’re loving life and enjoying the sunny California weather!! 

NATE & LILY

Nathan, Lily, and Alex have had a busy year. Continuing school has been a great adventure and joy for them- Nathan is continuing on his track in Psychology and Lily is continuing in Child development. 

They have also had a crash course in parenthood as Alex has grown and developed so quickly over the last year. He’s already walking, saying simple phrases, and tackling walking up and down stairs. Alex loves ramen noodles, toy cars and cats. He’ll become quite insistent on playing with these if he even catches a glimpse of them. 

Overall 2023 has been a delight for their little growing family.

THOMAS

This year Thomas got back from his mission in February! 

He has kept on moving since he's gotten home. He was a counselor for FSY (church youth camps) this summer and went to Texas, Provo, and North Carolina. 

He has also started college at BYU-Idaho, enjoys singing in the choir and lives near his two brothers that are in Rexburg. He loves spending time with his nephew and is vying for the "favorite uncle" title. 

BEKAH & GARRET HUNT

garret and bekah are loving life in tucson and staying busy between school, work and traveling to see family!

bekah will be graduating from EAC online in May with a business and project management degree. she’s loved working as a shift lead at crumbl and a receptionist for a massage office! 

garret has just finished working at a furniture salesman and is going into his last year of his biology degree from u of a! they’re looking forward to getting closer to dental school and all of their plans for 2024!

SAMUEL

Sam graduated from Combs High School in May!  

By May he had his mission papers in and was anxiously awaiting his call.

Between  his graduation and leaving on his mission, he chose to skydive! 

It was something that has been on Pat's bucket list too!  

Sam spent a couple of transfers in the Detriot, Michigan mission and had the chance to experience what fall looks like and feels like! We were sincerely hoping his visa would come through before the real winter weather set in.

In mid-November, Sam got notice that his visa had finally been approved! He headed to Piura, Peru (La ciudad de eterna calor) and has been serving there for the past month!

Here is an excerpt from his latest letter: 

Remember to do the small things- pray to God, read in His scriptures, and attend His church. The Holy Spirit testifies of His truth, and it testifies that this Gospel is true. I testify along with the Holy Ghost, in the name of Jesus Christ, that His church is again on the earth, and it will help you become a better person!

ISAAC

Isaac has had a busy, eventful year. He got his driver's permit this past spring, and his driver's license in the fall. It's been a blessing to have another driver in the house! It's always a fun step toward adulthood and independence when you send a kiddo out the door to run an errand or two for you. 

He made the decision to switch schools this fall, which meant going back to wearing uniforms for him. 

He said earlier this year "It took me a while to figure out I just needed to do what God was telling me to do and get the Holy Ghost off of my back".  

 It has been a wonderful thing to watch Isaac thrive in the environment we feel the Lord chose for him.  Listening to that still, small voice isn't always easy, but it is something on which we can truly depend. 

NATALIE

Natalie ran for Publicity Commissioner within her school last spring.  

While she wasn't elected to that position, she was asked to serve as a representative for Student Council this year.  She has spent many hours already in service helping others in her school, and she LOVES it.  

This fall, she was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society 

(which is also a service oriented organization).  

She's thriving within the young women's program and has the opportunity to grow her testimony with activities like a Book of Mormon Read-a-Thon and temple trips.  

She most recently loved the Amazing Race activity.