My name is. . . drum roll, please. . . Jalin Bailey. I don't have any official nickname that EVERYONE calls me by, but occasionally people will call me Goofy. The big reason is, because if you were to pick ONE word to describe me Goofy would be the word (and I just adore the Disney character).

I "live" in two places. . . it's not what you think. . . I reside in the small town of Batesville, Indiana. I also "live" in another small town of Greensburg, Indiana (about 15 minute drive away). The reason I say this is I have many friends in Greensburg, we go to church in Greensburg, and it is said, "Home is where the heart is". . . which in that case I also live in Ecuador (I'll explain that soon).

I am the eldest of two in my family. My brother, Nathan, is 13 and finished the 7th grade this school year. My dad, Barry, is a computer nerd (and I say that with love!) and can always get my internet to work. My mom, Jama, is a homemaker/teacher; we spend a lot of time together, mostly laughing (at me).

I am a homeschooled-graduating senior this year! I am kind of done with school, and I'm kind of not. By law I have the required amount of days for a school year, but because by law I have to have X-amount of credits in this, and X-amount of credits in that to graduate I’m not done. So, I am still working on my high school credits.

I am a babysitter 3 days a week. During the school year about 1.5-2 hours each day, and in the summer 8:30am to 5:30/6:00pm. I absolutely love it! The kids are great, and I can just walk right on over to their house! :o) I also occasionally babysit on the weekends, but that's not very often.

Free time? I just learning what that is. . . haha. . . umm, I played softball, but I became "too old", and I played soccer, but because I'm a senior I don't have a team to play for anymore. I enjoy scrapbooking and making homemade cards, and I usually do that while "watching" TV. But my two favorite pastimes are writing and reading. You can check out some of my writing at: www.freeofchargejournal.blogspot.com and www.fbicgirls.com . I also play piano and violin.

I absolutely HATE pink with a passion! I avoid it at ALL costs! But I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE purple, and most any other color. I couldn't choose between cats or dogs, because I love them both. Taking pictures are a must for me. I rarely go anywhere without my camera, and have no clue how I functioned before I bought mine. Journaling, is a BIG part of my life, if something doesn't make it into my journal, its only because I can't find enough time to write it, because I'm writing something else. I LOVEsmiley faces. Most important thing that makes me unique is that I dream of being on the overseas mission's field.

There's so much to put, but I'll try to keep it short. I am an assistant teacher at my church in the Preschool class on Sunday mornings, and this summer I will be co-teaching (so I'm told) the Kindergarten through 5th grades. I have been a JR. Counselor at my church's "Kid's Camp" (3rd-5th grades). I have painted in TN, OH, IN, and landscaping in TN and OH. I have been on only one international mission's trip, which was in March 2010 in Ecuador. I was there 5 days, but was supposed to be there eight (long story short, I was stuck in Atlanta for almost 3 days). We had VBS in the mornings at a school up on a mountain (most of Ecuador is mountain-ed), and then we would go back in the afternoons, and paint the school. I thought that I would be going back there before going somewhere else (ahem. . . Uganda), but that wasn't God's plan, but I DO hope someday I'll go back. :o) I will be going to Joplin, MO to help Samaritan's Purse with disaster relief soon (June 2-5).

I KNOW I am to be going on this trip, because I wasn't looking for a trip, and God showed me AIM, and then (still not looking for a trip) He made my computer go to the list of trips with Real Life for this fall, then showed me my broken heart for Uganda. I am excited about going, because I've been reading this blog (www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com) for a year and a half (2 years this fall) and have had this growing desire to go, and NOW I get to go -- for 3 months!!! What makes me nervous is that I'll be gone for 3 months I've never been away from home that long, much less "on my own." 3 months is a LONG time, especially overseas. I mean, I'm really excited for this adventure with my Savior overseas for 3 months, but I have no clue what He could have me do during and after those 3 months, I guess THAT'S what makes me so nervous, not knowing.

BUT my comfort is this:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

AND:

"I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will keep you, and I make you a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those sitting in darkness from the prison house." Isaiah 42:6-7