Wee Bit Of Me Wednesday

{one} do you watch the history channel? if so, what’s your favorite program?We don't watch TV. Hence, I have no idea whats on nowadays. And I don't really care.  {two} what is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?Read a book, clean the house… open the windows so I can smell it!

{three} what does your dream house look like? I want a farm house with a "hobbit hole" feel. Lots of wood furniture and walls and simple stonework. {four} what state were you born in?California. Don't judge me.  {five} do you have a change jar? if so, what do you use it for when it gets full?No. No comment.  {six} what’s the first website you look at when you get on the computer?Our blog.  {seven} what is your favorite breakfast?I like Swedish pancakes and bacon and sausage and fruit (MUST have fruit) {eight} what’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?A trip to the Oregon coast a couple years ago. Bare feet and sand and salty water...too much relaxing fun.  {nine} do you prefer your coffee black or with cream/milk/sugar?I like it really strong with a little bit of milk.   {ten} have you ever done a professional photo shoot?Depends on your definition of Professional. In Christ,Jillian

Life (For Lack of a Better Title)

I would post about life more. Really I would. Those little random details that make everyone just a little bit happier. Those little things that may not seem like much, but tell you a lot about me. Just things that make you go,"Oh! That's interesting! I didn't know that about them. How nice..." or at least, a reaction akin to that.

But, life is the very thing that's been keeping me from plunking myself in this chair and just writing a post for you. Caitlin motivated me to. She does that a lot, actually.  Thanks, Caitlin!

So, here I go at an attempt to tell you a little bit of what things are like 'round here.

Were Busy. I'm really busy. I think eleventh grade is the fullest grade for us, even more than 12th grade is. Maybe it's because of my truly fascinating, but complicated chemistry.


Chemistry is just math in the disguise of a test tube. Nuff said.

But history is fascinating right now. I am really loving learning concepts, motives, and religions this year instead of times, dates, places, and events. Just something for a home school-er to boast about.
 
 Algebra has been keeping me...occupied. I think I'll move on from that unhappy subject with out further ado.

Above all...writing. Writing has been float on a cloud, dance in the rain type of wonderful. We have a writing course that goes from ninth grade until twelfth...if you want it to. Another beauty of homeschooling. I finished that course at the beginning of this school year, so now my wonderful mother said I could work on my first official book...for school! This is the first really organized, seriously thought out story I have written, that I plan to finish. Once I really got rolling, I found a new kind of excitement I've never felt...what's the opposite of writers block? Whatever its called, I've got it. Yes, it's that fun.


I've been attempting to start, and keep up with a garden. We've got pepper and tomato shoots coming out of our ears, thanks to my rushed, amateur planting (don't ask).
 
Hopefully I'll do better next year.

Ever been kayaking? We have.Yesterday.With wonderful new friends, who we now seem to be doing virtually everything with. It was tons of fun, and we got to try out all sorts of different kayaks.
(Note to self: Try wearing a different skirt next year.)


Reminiscing at dinner time the other night, my dad told of a show he watched every now and then called "My Three Sons", a black and white comedy about a widowed father, and life with his three sons. My mom looked it up on you tube, and sure enough, someone went to all the trouble to download every single episode! So now, while we iron, fold clothes, eat lunch, etc, we watch some good old fashioned comedy. It's great fun.


My sisters and me played tennis for the first time ever the other day. I found out I'm terrible at it. We are planning to make it a weekly thing with some close friends of ours.Again, hopefully I'll improve. Hopefully.


Laurel is doing well. She is taking singing lessons and violently pursuing that. Maybe she could tell a little more how shes doing. She can write on this blog, after all (cough, cough).

And Hayley is busy with school and working on being an artist. She is really good, and works hard to become an artist like Laurel. I have no doubt she'll keep up with it.

Thank you so much to Sarah for helping me to fix the blog up a little! I was really surprised that someone actually volunteered to help. Again, thank you!

Sorry for the lack of personal pictures in this post. I don't really have the time to download them and show them to you...it makes me feel a little guilty. If I have a blog, I should at least have the decency to show you what we look like everyday...but apparently time decided for me that I don't have that decency. Sorry. :(
But being busy has been good, though. My mind is occupied, and I really like that. I can't stand it when my mind does not have something to think about. I am learning to think, whilst studying and cleaning and gardening and having a jolly good life:

"I live for the Lord. It's all for the Lord. I live to glorify Him. How can I ever do it enough?"

It's been rather life changing.

I've gotta start reading Isaiah, and Galatians. And Romans. I really want to.

In Christ,
Jillian

Enjoying Life

How come we find the little details of everyone's lives so intriguing? Maybe it is because we find it interesting to see how others live and compare it to our own ways. Hopefully we can find things useful and encouraging. Never should we look down on others for how they schedule things, the music they listen to, or how they decorate. So how can we show interest in others without tearing them down? I think it just comes from being interested in them for who they are. We should not expect anyone to live like us, and should certainly be glad for whatever glimpse of their lives they choose to give us. All that being said, here is a little glimpse in the life of Roman and Caitlin Mallery.

Easter Sunday and all dressed up!

Progress on the baby's crib. Soon we shall have this beautiful piece of furniture in our home.

I stop here just for the parking space, though I also found the diaper bag I will be using soon. I have been collecting many of my essentials through garage sales, and what a blessing that has been. We found a carseat for $10!

During a game of hide-and-seek with Titus and Adeline, the children of Roman's sister, Roman made this charming discovery.

We took a trip to visit Roman's sister Rayia and her family last weekend. We enjoyed a delightful county picnic, playing with the kids, and in general had a relaxing visit. Thank you so much Rayia and Jonathon!

Now we have been happily married for eight months, and the only thing we "argue" about is driving. We both like to drive, a lot. Well, it keeps us paying attention. Roman is very difficult to argue with because he is so sweet about everything. And he has learned how to give a wonderful massage!

For anyone who read and enjoyed this little part of our lives, thank you. For those who share about theirs, thank you for sharing the delightful pieces of your lives. The Lord has given us all so many things to enjoy in our lives. May the Lord help us to enjoy all the gifts He gives us!

A Give away

I normally don't link to give away's, but I have really admired these handy little things for a few months, so I thought you should, too. So just, just mosey on over HERE and enter this great giveaway!
 

 In Christ,
Jillian

What is This?

                       (Click on image to Enlarge)

" You can't get a book long enough or a cup of tea big enough to satisfy me"
C.S. Lewis

In Christ,
Jillian

Girl of Sunshine

" Some girls are made of sugar and spice. Others are made of something entirely different. When you thought of this young lady, you thought of sunshine. She wasn't  dark and dramatic, with thick black eyelashes and instant mood swings. She wasn't one to squeal and scream and act like an all around flirt with nothing better to do than look pretty.  Neither was she rude and rough. No, she was warm. A ordinary face and ordinary sandy blond hair, that was all.Ordinary brown eyes. Nothing special. But she smiled. And she was happy in her heart. Her smile was true because her heart was happy.  And she radiated in that beauty. Honey colored sunshine just poured from her gentle fingers, from her sturdy face, from the way she tilted her head. She loved because God showed her a greater love.

She smiled almost uncontrollably with joy because she knew how to be happy, really happy.

Just content to tilt her head and smile at life because with God, there is an overstock of things to smile at. She had found it. The thing the made so many people curiously attracted to her. A heart that knew not yet the scars and heartbreaks of older life, but had tasted and seen it, for she was past childhood's happy thoughtless days. She thought and she loved and she let her heart dance with Jesus, lost in His love, wondering every day at its marvels. She cried and she prayed and she was happy again in the morning.
"God loves me" She would whisper elatedly, her faced etched with awe, her crooked smile barely contained
" God loves me."
This is the beauty of a young lady who's righteousness is growing like the coming dawn, slowly, but surely, and beautifully."
-Jillian Carstensen,

In Christ,
Jillian

Ladies Need to Get Their Hands Dirty

I really, really agree with THIS POST. To often it seems like we don't work hard enough at the tasks we can do. I don't mind bugs and I love to be barefoot in the garden.
I'm a feminine, dirty, pretty, and country girl to the core!

In Christ,
Jillian

Cute-ness

I just realized how very pictures we have put up of the wedding that took place...over six months ago! I can't believe that much time has gone by! I would post more pictures, but as I have responsibilities to tend to, I'll leave you with a cute/funny moment that the photographer captured. I suspect they are waiting for the excitement to begin:

Its A niece/nephew of Caitlin's.  I can't imagine what she is telling her older brother!
Their Mother blogs HERE.

In Christ,
Jillian

Learn Something New About Me

                                  

                {one} when was the last time you used a pay phone(if ever)?

 I don’t think I ever have. Not many people use them up here...I thought for the longest time when I was younger that they only used them in movies. Weird, I know.
{two} did you ever fail a subject in school?No, but I am TERRIBLE at math.

{three} where do you go to get your favorite hamburger/cheeseburger?To my mom. She makes really good burgers. Big and juicy and messy and all around wonderful.

{four} have you ever served jury duty? No, and judging from my dads time on jury duty, I don't want to go through the stress. He had a really big case that lasted for longer than usual. It was all over the news, a few years ago. {five} how old were you when you moved out of your parents’ house?I have not moved out...and I don't plan to until I get married, unless maybe no one decides I'm worth the trouble and I'm an old maid. Then I'll be a missionary. Hopefully. 


{six} what is your favorite color to wear?I love to wear white, but it never fails that I spill on it when I do!

{seven} do you have a pair of shoes that you wear all the time?

My leather L.E.I boots. Boots are a must have from October to April around here. And I like mine.

{eight} do you enjoy talk radio?Never listen to it. Never want to.

{nine} if you could turn one unhealthy food into a healthy one, what food would it be?Ice cream. Oreo cookies. All of those fattening fried foods. There is a lot out there that tastes good...that's bad for you. Yikes. 

{ten} who is the best speaker you’ve ever heard in person?Voddi Bauchem. Here's why:

( And Yes, I've heard him speak in person. Been introduced to him, too. Nice guy, judging from the forty five seconds we talked to him.)  In Christ,Jillian

*Bangs Head Against Desk*

I am terrible at this. Excuse the mess our blog is in...I'm trying, but I'm not very computer savvy. I think I need some help...
anyone know how to arrange blogs better than I do?
 It's supposed to be really easy. That's not true...for me anyway. Does anybody else end up scratching their head in confusion after 40 minutes of unsuccessful attempts at making an eye-fetching blog...or am I just being a little blond about this? Oh well. I guess my talent lies in other areas.
( Actually, I'm not sure where it lies, but not at the computer...that's for sure.)

On a side note: life is happy, and very new. Remember this post, where I mentioned that we were searching for something new? Well, I think we found it. Life is now clipping along at a pretty good pace...we are now involved in singing at a nursing home every other week,(the people there love it), planning some new strategies to tackle our garden with,(yes, it is a battle!), doing some other music things...although it may not seem like much, it has proved quite enough to occupy our thoughts when we are busy getting things done at home. Actually, I think the biggest thing is that we are getting to know new people at a new church, one we have been attending since late January of this year. Now that is new! 

But it's been really good...after Laurel's seizure episodes, our old church closing...we were ready for a change. And for us, a new church is a big change. We are making new friends and sitting under new teaching. It's rather odd, not being connected with our old friends as much as we thought we would, and then connecting so closely with new, like minded people. (That's no joke: these few people are great, and so much like us!)


And then, there's baby Mallery...I can't want to be an aunt! I find my self just absentmindedly sitting there smiling to myself, anticipating the joy of tiny little feet and little smiles like pretty rays of sunshine. (And dirty diapers and crying, too. Those are fun! ;), and thinking...This little person is related to me! Happiness.
Caitlin should put a new picture up of her and baby. And maybe the trench coat story. (if you couldn't get that nonchalant hint, I'll just have to post for you!)

Looking back on this post, I realize it's full of exclamation points and side remarks...I'm so much more energetic in my writing than when I actually talk. I like writing...I hope that's where my talent lies. Speaking of which, I had better go do school and such, and work towards being a...


Graduate of 2012! There is a light at the end of my wonderful educational tunnel!

In Christ,
Jillian

Swimming in the Sky

The sun is out, the sky is blue, the clouds are gone and I am HAPPY!


" The sky was so blue I wanted to plunge into it, to swim in it, to move about freely in the almost painful brightness, to feel the air rushing around me in a thrilling new sensation.
I didn't want to fly...I just wanted to dance up there, with my hands out spread and my eyes closed, feeling the baby blue enclose me in a color that sang of happiness and tasted like the cleanest, coldest water on earth. I wanted my feet to be free from gravity, so I could go up there and enjoy the refreshment all to myself. Instead I would have to lay here on the grass, gazing at that untouchable gift from God and imagining that my body was floating on nothing."
-Anonymous

 In Christ,
Jillian