Wednesday, October 17, 2007

What's up with us

Sorry I'm not real good at posting pictures/comments in an orderly fashion....I do want to give a quick update as to what we're up to...

I started a new school year at Granada (my 6th year teaching!) and am really enjoying it so far. It's amazing how busy it gets-all you teachers out there know what I mean when I say that you are never done...I imagine we're not the only job that feels that way. :) I do have great students and teach in a wonderful school. I'm really enjoying some of the friendships I'm making with teachers near me.

Curtis is still loving doing full time youth ministry. We have a great group of teens. Our junior high students just returned from a weekend missions trip to San Francisco. It was such an amazing time for them. Curtis was so impressed with the hearts of these kids!

Curtis and I have recently become quite hooked on "The Office". We don't get tv at home, but in the last 2+ weeks have managed to watch every single episode done so far by renting, borrowing, and watching the seasons on line. We now spend much of our together time quoting the Office. My personal favorite character is Dwight....I mean, seriously. My favorite prank I think is when Jim and Pam put his stuff in the vending machine and then Pam bought his pencil cup....and of course, the office romance is the best! If you don't watch the show, you really should...but it's definately not kid humor, so put those kids to bed first!!

Anyhow, I'll let y'all go....but we are doing great down here in Livermore!

Just a few more...








While I'm at it, I'm going to include a few other pictures....

Curtis' sister Erin and I in San Francisco (I had such a good time with you Erin!), a couple pics of us this summer in Oregon, and a few pictures of our life here in Livermore....

Disneyland






Curtis and I flew down to LA a couple of weeks ago for a quick DIsneyland trip with my parents and Becca. We had a blast! I hadn't been to DIsneyland with my family in years, and it was fun to share that with Curtis, too. We had a blast riding Splash Mountain, Soaring over California, Indiana Jones...Bec and I screamed and laughed on Mulholland Drive. We shared a giant piece of chocolate cake at the Golden HOrseshoe review (my family has a crazy knack of getting called up on stage in that show-this year it was my turn!), etc. I love these snippets of time we get to steal away with my family. Thanks for a wonderful time, guys!

Here are some pics to commemorate our time...


Wednesday, August 22, 2007

I've been tagged, too

Sorry, I'm not computer saavy and I'm not sure how to cut/paste the rules and I'm running late for lunch-so see Ang's page for the rules!!

My 8 random facts:

#1 I am really scared of rodents-rats in particular (it was actually hard to type the word). My phobia has turned into a much more healthy fear as I've gotten older, but I must admit that I still to this day have nightmares about rats. Recently I was sharing a bed with my sister Jenny, and in my sleep in the middle of the night I was doing scissor kicks with my feet in bed. She was like, "what in the world?!" and when I woke up later and she told me I remembered thinking there may be mice in the bed and I was checking to be sure we were rodent free. Wow. My favorite rat dream was in high school and Andrea Arnold (now Moffat!) was chasing me down my street with a rat in her hand chuckling a menacing, witchy ha-ha-ha laugh as I ran from her in fear.

#2 I LOVE Europe. I don't want to live there, but it is seriously like a fairy land to me. I think it's so romantic-cobblestone streets, old architecture, colored buildings, twinkle lights (ok, maybe just in my imagination). But, seriously, I love it. I just need to convince my husband that going there would be way more pleasurable than Israel where he is dying to go and reminds me of this fact on a regular basis.

#3 I own every episode of I Love Lucy. I've loved that show since I was a kid and have aquired all of the dvd box sets in the past couple of years. One of my all-time favorite episodes is when Lucy pretends like there's a burglar at home just to see if Ricky cares enough about her to comes running home from work to rescue her. It's a riot.

#4 I re-read novels like no one's business. Over and over. My favorite authors are Robin Jones Gunn and Lori Wick, but I've recently really expanded my reperatoire.

#5 No matter how hard I try, I suck at reading non-fiction. I think I've completed maybe 2 non-fiction books. I know I could really grow from them, yada yada, but they just don't send me.

#6 I love working with teens. They crack me up and break my heart. Sometimes I want to kill them (or myself), but really, I love them. Which is convenient since I am married to a youth pastor-who, by the way-I think is AMAZING at what he does. Seriously gifted. And really smart, which also works out really well, because he loves non-fiction and fills me in on all I miss out on and I don't have to read it!

#7 I don't like football. This makes me the weirdo in my family. I cheered for it for 4 years, my entire family enjoys it, my husband and his Mom and step-dad are fans, but I just don't like it. I've tried, but no matter how many times people explain it, it just isn't exciting to me. Sorry, guys.

#8 I really like sourcraut. I especially love it on those Costco sausage dogs. I was really bummed when they stopped offering it with them....

I am tagging...let's see Andrea, Karyn, Erin, Megan, and Kristi-if ya'll see this. :)

Monday, August 13, 2007

my cultured husband

As I write this post, I think of the irony involved. My husband has decided that it's a shame his wife has no culture. Huh. Last time I checked I was a FOREIGN LANGUAGE teacher. In fact, I teach 2 foreign languages (though the one that isn't so foreign, especially in CA, I don't teach past the beginning level, but who's counting?). I have a degree in French, a masters in foreign language ed, I've been to Europe 5 times, yada yada. Yet, according to Curtis, I am sadly uncultured. Hmmm.

Basically, because I'm not a fan of seafood or Asian food, I suck. So, with less than a good attitude (sorry, babe), I accompanied him to a Vietnamese restaurant for Pho (sp?). It's a type of noodle soup. He usually gets it with yummy things like tendons in it (barf). I had the safest looking kind with chicken and no tendons. It wasn't bad-it was no Red Robin bbq chicken wrap, don't get me wrong-but worth it if it meant gaining some "culture" points in my dear husbands eyes.

I suppose French pastries and Belgium chocolates and Italian gelato (my type of culture!) doesn't count. Go figure.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

it took me by surprise

When Curtis asked me if we could open our home every morning for 30 days at 8:30am to have students over for quiet times, my first response was possibly less than Christlike. I said yes, but I was dragging my feet a little bit...every morning? What about 10am?

We've been going for over 3 weeks now, and all but 2-3 mornings have had at least one if not several kids/parents at our house. And guess what? They are actually QUIET. They usually go for 50-60 minutes minimum, and they read, journal, and pray. One day I remember it was over 2 hours (I stopped after one and made my menu for the week :).

Here's the part that surprised me a bit...I LOVE it. I actually teared up yesterday thinking about how it was going to end soon (school is coming!). I teared up today watching one girl ask another about something in the scriptures.

Not only has it built community among our kids, but it's been so good for me. When people are coming over, there is simply no room for justifying away why you can't have a quiet time that day! I'm growing to cherish and need that time.

Has anything surprised you all lately?

Sunday, August 5, 2007

The day has come

Well, it's been awhile since Curtis or I have blogged. My excuse? My best excuse is that we don't have the internet at home (hopefully this will be resolved soon), and also I want to post pictures (my sister is soon to kill me if I don't showcase her soon) which are on Curtis' computer and I just don't get to spend much time in his office when he doesn't need his computer. So, basically, we're lazy. I cringe to think what will happen when I'm working full time again!

Speaking of work (I'm shushing myself right now at the mention of this), I head back to school in about 3 weeks. Seriously? Could the summer really be almost over? I feel like it just sped by this year.

Last time I blogged I asked for prayer concerning our youth conference in Saint Louis. Thanks for praying. Physically, other than the massive amounts of sweets I've eaten this week with my cousin Kate who's been down for a visit, I'm feeling great. And the conference was phenomenal. I hope the kids got as much out of it as Curtis and I did. :) I know some of them are changed significantly, and for some it was just one more small step in their journey. But, really, when you get in a stadium with 9,600 other people to worship God...well, not a whole lot that I've experienced can compare. It was just amazing. The speakers were fabulous and extremely challenging, and the students at the conference were able to serve the city of Saint Louis in really tangible ways-building 2 habitat for humanity houses, feeding over 10,000 families with donated food they contributed, serving in the school district, etc. It was awesome.
I feel like we left with a fire in our hearts to be a part of a revolution to change the world by being the hands of Jesus.

Curtis gave the message at church on Sunday, and, with absolutely no bias at all :), I have to say that I am married to a very gifted man. It's so fun to see God moving in and through him.

This blog is getting too long, so I'll just say that while Curtis has been on his junior high road trip to Oklahoma this weekend (not kidding-I sat this one out!), I have been lounging by the pool getting brown, reading novels, and resting. It's been wonderful. For you Jane Austen fans out there, seeing "Becoming Jane" is a MUST. I cried my eyes out with one of our high school girls. :)

And, I promise that one of these days we'll post pictures.

Friday, July 6, 2007

St. Louis

On Sunday night, Curtis and I are heading to St. Louis, MO with a large group of teens and a few adults from our church's district. We're participating in a Nazarene Youth Conference that is supposed to be incredible in terms of quality and opportunity. Would you pray for us, and namely for our students? We are yearning for this to be a time where students who don't often, if ever, experience Jesus will hear his voice and respond to him in real ways. So many of our kids need to experience healing and refreshing in their lives. We would be ecstatic to bring home a force of students committed to knowing and serving Christ in our community.

I'm really hoping that this will also be a refreshing time for Curtis and I. Visiting Oregon absolutely was, but our hearts are still a little fragile. I'm still a little fragile physically as well, and don't want that to get in the way of this trip.

Sorry this isn't a super witty post, but we sure appreciate you all. :)

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

BLOG with PICTURES!

So, it's been a while since there has been a picture on this swell blog. Today you are in for a treat! I discovered on Tuesday that my computer has a port for the memory card in our digital camera. I love discoveries. Good thing the church I work at is called Discovery....hmmm


Me and the Rickster baptizing Andrew


Me, Janer, Nayrb and Candice at the Corn Maze

Junior High Christmas Party w/Lenny Clause

Ben (another y.p. in the L), his wife Kristi, and us

Jane and I along the 17 mile drive in Carmel on Christmas Day

More fun camera treasures to come!

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Jericho!

Jane and I watch very little TV. Most people know that about us. Ever since we got married, we have only had a DVD player...no cable, no antenna, nothing. On a weekend getaway we accidentally got hooked on CSI, and have enjoyed renting season after season (of any version of the show) and supplementing our movie watching with a little TV on DVD.

Well, for those of you who don't know...there are a good number of TV shows that are available on their host network's website. This first discovery led me to an even greater one just a few weeks ago. That hidden treasure is the show Jericho; a show that started out strong, but after a winter break saw a drop in viewership. CBS decided to cancel it, and the rest is history...Jericho became the first canceled show to ever receive the kind of viewer response that would soon follow.

Anyway, the response was so great that CBS decided to create new episodes, as long as it could regain some of its early excitement. For that reason, I have decided to let all who read this BLOG in on the secret known as Jericho. Currently all of the episodes are available to watch at cbs.com, and starting Friday, July 6th at 9pm, CBS is re-airing much of the first season. Check it out, let me know what you think. I found it interesting, intriguing, thought-provoking, and relevant.

"See why people are NUTS for Jericho. Don't miss the pilot episode when the small, peaceful town in Kansas is thrown into a state of chaos when a series of nuclear bombs goes off around the United States." - from CBS website.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Loss

Curtis and I are in Oregon this week, and it has been so refreshing. For those of you who don't know, we lost our baby early last week. When we went in for our first ultrasound, we found out that the baby was really little, and likely not growing anymore. We were pretty surprised. That weekend was pretty rough, trying to wrap our minds around a potential miscarriage. About 9 days later we lost the baby.

It's so awkward to blog about this, because it really is a yucky thing. But, we are doing ok. We have a wonderful support system with family, friends in various states, and our great church. I've discovered that many women I know have experienced this and that has been very comforting (one friend said that it really is like a club). And I've found a great deal of peace knowing that my baby is in the place he/she was made for (I think it might have been a girl:), with the Person she was made for.....and with my brother Gary. One day we'll get to know our baby-his/her little personality (I bet she's crazy like Curtis!)-and get to hold him/her.

Until then, my nephew Jake, in a very insightful moment for an almost 3 year old, told me I could hold him.

How thankful we are for the hope we have in our Lord! In this world we'll have trouble...but He's overcome the world.

We love you guys and are thankful, too, for your support.

PS-pictures coming soon from our trip up north!!

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

The Body of Christ in Action!

I received this email on Monday from a brother in our church. I am thankful for his willingness to be honest with me and to challenge me to a deeper parenting experience. It is amazing to me how God always has in store for us a deeper and more richly experienced life than we could ever manufacture on our own. I wish I remembered that more often....

Curtis,

This is (A man from our church) (in case you didn't recognize the email address). I just wanted to drop you a quick email to welcome you to the father club. Becoming part of that club, as you know, was the easy part. I also wanted to challenge you to start thinking about making the commitment to joining the daddy club. I think you know from working with teens, father does not necessarily equal daddy. Trust me, this is no job for the timid or weak. The hours are long, the sacrifices are great, the heartaches are frequent, the appreciation is sometimes lacking, the pay is infrequent, and frequently doing your job right means making your primary customers (kids + wife/mom) really upset with you.

But the payoff is great when it comes, and it's worth the effort. Given that how you do this may determine your kids' perspective on who God is and what He is like, it's also eternal. What's more, God has equipped you uniquely to do this better than anyone else ever could. But you only have one chance at it, and it's an extremely time-sensitive offer. So if you're up to it (and I think you are with a lot of help from above), and you're willing, I extend a welcome to join the daddy club. The longer you delay in accepting and preparing the harder it is to join.

P.S. BTW, if I read scripture correctly, this is your primary calling and vocation in life. It goes ahead of everything except devotion to God and servant-leader to wife (notice, I didn't include youth pastor in there). Just my opinion

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Hormones are Crazy!

Came home from dropping a kid off after church... Jane was on the couch bawling her eyes out. She was reading a book and the husband character had an anniversary evening planned for his wife in their back yard in a teepee. Apparantly, teepees are romantic. She cried for at least ten minutes. (note to self: figure out how to get a teepee to fit in our 5' x 8' apartment patio by next April)
Next Year's Anniversary Dinner

Friday, May 25, 2007

We're Already the Lazy Bloggers!!

How typical...man and woman find out they are pregnant, man and women get excited, man and woman create blog, man and woman fail to utilize blog; thus leaving a vast number of people in the dark as to the latest happenings with the Lillie baby and parentals!

And with that out of the way, Jane and I went to our first appointment this morning. :) And as exciting as it was, I now know why they told her that I didn't need to come to this appt. The appt. consisted of going into a small room where a lady gave Jane a giant stack of papers to fill out. I think the only question on any of the forms that Jane needed any assistance on was "what countries are ancestors of the father from?" It was cool, however, to be identified as the father. I have been thinking a lot about fathers lately and what that role really entails. I love Jesus' use of the word Father every time he talked to God. To reflect to the love of the ultimate Father seems such a daunting task, yet such a noble calling.


After watching Jane beautifully fill out a stack of papers, I went to the lab with her and watched her give some blood. I love the testimony Jane gets to share with people when it becomes apparent that she has maintained an unusual (by the world's standards) purity through her life. The lab tech was truly befuddled at how one can maintain a lifestyle of sexual purity in today's world. :)

June 8th is our first ultrasound appointment. We will find out (as exactly as possible) how many weeks along we are, and if there is one or more babies in there! For whatever reason, I think it would be cool to have twins. Jane thinks one would be enough. But seriously, if we could have more kids with fewer pregnancies, I'm down for that!

Continue to pray with us for our baby, it's health, Jane's health, and our future.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Bloggin' It

So here it is...this is the beginning of the blog that will revolutionize the blogging world! The Blog will never be the same following the entry of the Lillie family into the blogosphere. Since both of us have family in places other than the suburban paradise known as Livermore, CA, we decided it was time to begin the blogination of our yet-to-be-born baby. We hope that our blog is a place where the people close to us (yet geographically distant) can enjoy our baby and can be a part of his or her life!

Be sure that there is more to come!