Day 2: California

A tunnel in Nevada, early in the morning. Left the hotel about 6:30 am, drove for a long, long time

        I loved Nevada and the hills. It was a beautiful place and I can't wait to see it again...

                                                             Jillian being studious....

                                                                  Me being cool....

                                                          A cute wrinkly pug-dog....

                                                  Reno, Nevada, the last of the of it.....

                                                             California, here I come!

                                                 The top of a building, if you didn't know that

                                                           This is were I was born....

                                                           Were Jillian was born....

                                              The bridge crossing the Sacramento River....

So was our trip today. We are at our destination and waiting for more exciting experience's. See ya tomorrow!

In Christ,

Hayley Carstensen

Day 1: California

Well, we made it a little ways today. Right now, as I am writing this, we are in Wells, Nevada. Nevada is a beautiful place, despite the fact there are barely any trees. It was a long drive, I admit, but it was worth it. During this long drive, I took pictures, listened to music, did slugbug to my sister and said cheez-it a lot.

                                                             The first picture I took....

                                                             The red sun rises!

   We went to a place called Craters Of The Moon, which is a place there is whole bunch of solidified lava rocks, such as in these pictured below.

                                              Mount Doom! (With trees on it...)

                                                     That's me! I took this picture...

                                                     A cool looking, twisty, dead tree

                                                      A majestic looking plastic owl....

                                                        A beautiful Nevada sunset....

                                       So I leave you till tomorrow, with this lovely picture.

     Tomorrow we hope to be having dinner with our grandparents, and not have such a long drive.


  In Christ,


Hayley Carstensen

Happy Days

Two years ago RomanPaul Mallery asked me to marry him, and eleven months ago we were blessed by an adorable baby boy, Ethan Patrick. It has been a wonderful time living with these two men. But it is quite a contrast to my life before the my engagement and marriage.
The home I grew up in had a very gentlemanly father, a ladylike mother, and four girls of varying personalities, but still girls. It is very different from boys, and while I always knew this to be the case, I now know it from life experience. My mother-in-law did well in raising her son to be courteous and helpful around the house, yet he is still male. Boys will be boys, never like girls in anyway, and I have learned a lot of wonderful things from living with my boys. So to reflect on those lessons:

1. Mud has magnetic properties, and is generally a sign of hard work or hard play.

2. Kisses are fun, to be given with more enthusiasm than finesse. (at first.)

3. How a car looks is almost as important as how it runs. ( And the louder it is the better!)

4. Fire holds steady attention when all else fails.

5. Boys must have something to do, or the energy will come out in destruction.

6. Back scratches and cuddling are acceptable forms of comfort.

7. Whipped cream is the best dessert because it not only tastes good, it's cool to play with.

8. When they think you aren't watching they do goofy things(dances, faces, etc.).

9. The bathroom is a great place for lessons and conversation.

10. I am the most adored lady in the world, the anchor of their busy lives, comforter of their sorrows, and forgiven for every mistake without a second thought. I love these guys who love me so much.

In just three months we are anticipating the arrival of our daughter and sister. I am very excited to be joined by girl to share these wonderful men with, and as she grows I know I will learn so much more about the differences between boys and girls. I have no doubt that life will be exciting, because it already is. The Lord made my Roman and my Ethan people who love life, and find excitement in everything. I have been amazed by this zest for everything. Such a passion is a great gift, and should never be extinguished. I hope and pray that I may be an encourager my husband and children, in all their delights and hopes. God has truly done a marvelous thing in making boys and girls different!

Mother's Day (and a baby update)

Going round the calendar we have a daunting and dizzying round of celebrations. From January 1st through December 31st sees frequent gatherings and gift-exchanges commemorating births, weddings, national and international anniversaries. Yesterday we had a holiday set aside for the honoring of mothers.

One holiday to celebrate a role that is vital to all families. Every person has a mother, and most people have a great fondness for their mother and the impact she has had in their lives. It is an amazing responsibility, and by the grace of God I hope to handle it well.

Our little family had a lovely Mother's Day weekend, which started by finding out that our new baby (due in September) will be a little girl! We are so excited at the prospect of having Ethan joined by a sister. He could care less of course. At nine months old he is more interested in exploring the world around him than in any future events. He is growing tall and healthy, and his cheerful smile now boasts three teeth. His favorite activities are being outside with my in-laws dog Molly, and trying to get into anything that belongs to Mommy or Daddy. A magnet for dirt and mischief, his happy spirit makes little battles more bearable. His favorite food is still banana's, but trying new things is very exciting in his little eyes. I sense he has a curious nature and adventurous spirit. Living the country will suit him; he'll need wide spaces to grow and learn. I pray for an open heart and mind as I strive to train him up in the way of the Lord and fill his heart and mind with the beauty and truth of God Almighty.

As for the baby in the womb: we have given her the name Saoirse Dawn. Saoirse (pronounced seer-sha) is an Irish name and it means freedom, while Dawn is for Roman's mother, Rhonda Dawn. Freedom rises early, and we will strive to show the freedom found in being a daughter of the Christ, another little handmaiden of Lord. She seems to be a happy baby, and when I feel her wiggling around in my tummy I become quite excited to see her personality and character. Well, we are half way there.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day, sunshine that was warm without being sweltering, light breezes in the blossoming trees, and a great blue expanse that shows why Montana is called the Big Sky state. Sadly, I have yet to find my camera so I don't have any pictures from the day, so words will have to do. Roman made a lovely breakfast and took care of Ethan so I could do my grooming in a more leisurely fashion than normally allowed. We went to pick up flowers for our respective mothers and were able to visit with each of them for a little bit. After Ethan's afternoon nap we went up to Hungry Horse Dam for an evening picnic. It was so pleasant sitting by a small creek, overlooking the reservoir, listening to the birds, and playing with rocks. All in all, the day was relaxing, which is one of the nicest gifts a busy mother can receive.

So another holiday passes and we move on to other events. But these special days will stand out in memory as we go around our calendars, preventing us from ever living a life that is mundane and boring. Thank the Lord for holidays and mothers that deserve honoring!

Baby Look-a-likes!

 

Blair

 

 

Caitlin

Ethan

Can you see the resemblance?

There's No Time, No Time...

Excuse my absence from the blog world of late. I'm a busy girl! I've been working, and doing school, and playing violin, as you can see...

And making funny faces for the camera...

And admiring God's marvelous nature...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And attempting to look graceful...(cough)

And being happy for the camera... and learning so much! looking back at the previous year or so, I think I have learned many, many lessons, through life, babysitting, and the books my parents have put in my hands. I am enjoying learning so much...God is teaching me new things every day, with the latest lesson being "Man is not aware how bad he is until he starts trying to be very good."  C.S Lewis. How True!

 

 

The Wardrobe

If you are female, there is no doubt whatsoever that a slice of you gives considerable thought to your dress. Don't try to deny it! We all do it, to one degree or another.

With the upcoming change in seasons we often start planning all the lovely outfits we would like to wear, fantasize about a new wardrobe for summer, and then try revamping the clothes we have accumulated over the past years. There is a challenge here that we ought not to overlook: God has surrounded us by beauty, and we want to be a part of it.

Beauty is an amazing gift to be treasured, but not hidden; displayed, yet not flaunted. There is nothing wrong with desiring to be beautiful or wearing pretty clothes. The Lord encourages this in Psalm 45 ~ Then the King will desire your beauty. Because He is the Lord you will bow down to Him. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is wrought with fine gold.

In Proverbs 31 we are told her clothing is fine linen and purple. Esther, Ruth, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, etc. are noted for godly character and physical beauty. They may indeed go hand in hand.

Man is of an evil heart, and every good gift can easily be misused and perverted by that evil heart. However, there is nothing evil about beauty or food or music in and of themselves. If we abuse God's gifts they will become stumbling blocks and sins. Christian women have a duty to be beautiful as a testimony of God's goodness. People are very ready to admire beauty - mountains, flowers, paintings, on and on it goes.

Young women, daughters, are to be a support and adornment to the home (see Psalm 144). A house needs to be filled by precious and pleasant riches (Prov 26). Do not be consumed by your looks. Simply be thoughtful about them, wear a dress you love, have a favorite pair of cute shoes, have fun styling your hair. Wear make-up not for covering up yourself, but for showing what the Lord has made. After all everything He makes is good.

My husband daily tells me I am beautiful, and I think this does more to cure my vanity than anything. He loves to see me dress well, loves my face at anytime, and likes my hair done fancy or simple. My infant son has learned to smile whenever he is asked is someone is pretty. This is delight to me, and all the ladies in my family. :) I want to be beautiful, because it pleases my husband. The Lord is also pleased by beauty, so I shall also try to be beautiful for His glory and because of His love. He speaks of adorning His Bride in the Old and New Testaments. So when you plan your spring/summer wardrobe, have fun and admire the creativity and beauty that the Lord fills these seasons with and allows us to share in. I plan on having a beautiful summer with my son, my pregnancy, my husband, and my life!

for more beauty inspiration go to:

Saltwater Clothes

&

Shabby Apple

House of Love

So after nearly 18 months of wedded delight, and 6 months with the most smiley baby boy ever, the Lord has decided we are ready to expand our family. Yes, we are expecting a baby in Sept. making Ethan a 14-month old big brother. I think he will be delighted with the role.

I remember once reading a little book entitled "The House of Love" one of the beautiful Lamplighter Publications. The story has nothing to do with this situation, but I find the title to aptly apply to our household in a variety of ways. Roman has a love which overflows infectiously into his life; it is bright and cheerful, also tender and comforting. In his role as husband and father he gives a strong foundation of love on which to lean. Ethan's love is shone by the delighted smiles and squeals whenever Mummy or Daddy give him attention. His eagerness to enjoy life is clear, and he brings sunshine to every gloomy or sunny day. As the son he brings liveliness to each moment (I'm sure this will be true as a brother too)! Then there is my role, wife and mother. I am of a much calmer nature than my husband and son, the soothing constant in their lives, learning to enjoy all of their joys, comfort any fears and hurts, and be there for their needs. The wife and mother is doubtless the beating heart that fills the home, secure in my husbands love. This new baby, whether girl or boy, will add to the the love that fills our house. They too, will have a role to fill and it will be a joy to watch.

Of course, we can only be a house of love as long as we are grounded in the One who is Love. It is because He teaches us that we are able to love. God Almighty is the definition of Love, the creator of it, and the only teacher thereof. I know by experience that I do love anyone who loves me - my parents, sisters, husband, etc. I know that the Word proclaims the truth was given to us not to destroy us, but to demonstrate God's vast love for us. The truth is love, and love is truth. When these are entwined in our minds, hearts, and lives then we can build a house of love. That is our house, our habit, our home. Lord willing, the Roman Mallery family will always dwell in a "House of Love."

Ethan as a newborn (above) and at 6 months (below).