Hey, What's up? How's the kids? Wow! College ALREADY?!? WOW! Has it really been that long since I posted?...

Hey! Remember me??? Yes, I am still alive, and breathing. At least I was the last time I checked....

Okay, I have EXACTLY 22 minutes until my MacBook goes 

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So, I will try to type über  fast.

Okay, on monday, we were kinda loitering (ooohh, good word) around in Family Christian stores. My family has a tendency to get lost there.... and this lady came up to us  and asked us if we had enough coupons, and offered us some of hers. She was a pretty women, of about 50, with blond hair, and pink wire rimmed glasses. She also was walking with a cane we noticed. My Mom, being the type of woman she is, offered to pray for her leg. We soon found out that she was born with a spinal problem, that made her have no function of her legs. Then she started explaining that her doctor was surprised she even made it out of bed in the morning, but she was defying what everyone thought, and taking BALLET LESSONS!!

I thought it was a challenge for ME, but this women who doesn't even have toes, is taking ballet, and trying her very hardest.. WHAT AN INSPIRATION!

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It was my brother's b-day, and we had balloons, and all the green ones popped, but not the blue, or the yellow. Isn't that weird??

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Okay....

My 3 reasons (*cough excuses cough*) why I haven't been blogging as much are these:

1. I have been playing piano!!! A bunch!!! I am so falling back in love with my instrument!!! Currently, I am playing "River Flows In You" by Yiruma  (yes, that is a link where you can listen to the song). It is just BEAUTIFUL!!! My friend Kati sent it to me, and I knew I was going to start playing it right off the bat. I downloaded the sheet music off a site, and began. And I am so happy. This was really sweet of my Mom; when I was getting ready to leave for somewhere, she passed by the piano in the foyer, and glanced at my sheet music, and she "Jillian! You can play this! It's nothing you don't know already",

and it really made me happy, because it's been awhile since I played a real piece, and I was a little concerned that I lost my chops (look it up, I am not referring to my teeth. Never mind, I know you won't so I'll post the definition here:

chops | ch äps| |tʃɑps| |tʃɒps|

plural noun informal2 the technical skill of a musician, esp. one who plays jazz : when I'm on tour, my chops go down.)
2. Because I have been reading a lot. I just finished "All American Girl" by Meg Cabbot, and now I'm reading "Jude" by Kate Morgan-something-or-other. I like to balance my reading between non-fiction, christian lit, American classics, suspense, and girl novels. "Jude" is just my type of suspense. It's on the high school reading list, which is cool, but you have to be careful on that, because a lot of those books try to make you conform to what the system is trying to teach us teenagers, and we have to be strong, and not let ourselves get brainwashed by the government's idea of "acceptable".Here is some really great teen fiction books, I will only list 3, so y'all won't get overwhelmed:
1. "Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie" by David Lubar. LOL!! I LOVE this book!!! It is a teenage survival book, from the view point of one of the funniest guys around, who is writing a bio for his unborn brother on how to survive H. S. It is a feel good novel, with an awesome ending.
2. "Unwind" by Neal Shusterman. Callie read this book, and I'm pretty sure she'll agree that this is one of the best suspense stories around. An amazing work of art. It's scary, and beautiful all at once.
3. "The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year, That I Truly, Completely Lost It" by Lisa Shanahan. READ IT!! I won't even bother explaining it. The title speaks volumes.
And the very last reason I've not been blogging, is *drumroll*I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_____________________________________________________________________________________I found this picture, that was taken a long time ago. It was of us, and some neighborhood kids.And I thought "WOW" (FYI, I know you guys don't read my blog that much, but it was Post-Paige's move up the block, and Pre-Patrick moving next door. I have yet to find those pics. But when I find 'em, I'll show you guys. Well, at least Paige; I don't think Patrick would care. But, you never know...) All these kids we used to hang out with are SO old now!!! Matt, Megan, and Michael all moved to Nevada. Christiana, Philip,  Justin, and Carl all moved further down in the neighborhood (See what you started Paige!! Now everyone is making inter-neighborhood moves!) Christi is a senior, Phil is a junior, and Justin is a freshman! Carl is still in middle school, but is bff with A.J. (no comment, A.J. you KNOW how I feel). Kelly is in college; and Eric is a senior; Patrick, even though he wasn't in the picture, is a junior; and Paige is a sophomore! Every one is growing up WAY too fast. It makes me want to yell "Stop it!" Even Matthew and Kevin are in 3rd and 1st grade, which is way past the little boys I remember toddling around in the backyard. So, *sigh*, this is strange.______________________________________________________________________________________Exit Jillian