Oh yea, that was during the time when jello was considered salad! 😁

I'm really curious to know what pink salad is!

Can you share your banana pudding recipe? My girls and I were just talking about it (I guess it's popular in North Carolina?), and I was thinking I'd like to make it!

That's all super interesting -- thanks for taking the time to write it out. (Also, my dh's ancestry is Irish so that makes sense!)

I guess because I live in a culture that seems to imply that that this is comfortable and respectful. Is this true? I don't know.

Oops, I realized I didn't answer this part. Yes, so far two of my children have had complete iron panels and have tested off-the-chart high in iron and iron saturation. My dh and another dd will have this test in a couple weeks.

Interesting! Does your dad donate blood now and then?

I'd never heard of this until just a few weeks ago! Did your friend's sons have symptoms?

Interesting! My ds has stopped using his cast iron pans now and is having blood removed about once/month. One of my dd's has had abdominal pains for years -- since she was around 12 -- and we're now thinking it could be liver-related. She works at Mayo Clinic now and is meeting with a specialist in hemochromatosis, so it'll be interesting to hear what he advises.

My sister-in-law donates blood once/month and that seems to alleviate her symptoms. From what I've read though and heard from my dd's doctor, even with just one gene, 6-8% of people can develop full-on symptoms.

My dh's sister gives blood regularly and that seems to alleviate symptoms, but she didn't start to have symptoms until after menopause. (Typical.) It seems really unusual that my children -- with only one gene -- have such severe symptoms at a young age, while my dh -- with two genes -- has none, as far as he can tell. My dd's doctor has said that other inherited genes can be triggering it to be more pronounced. That makes me wonder if I've passed on a gene that it compounding things.

Sorry for the late response --- I feel like this happens every time I start a thread -- and then am suddenly gone for several days! It turns out my dh's sister has had blood removed monthly to alleviate symptoms. My dh has been symptom-free as far as we can tell, but will be getting a complete iron and liver panel via blood tests in the next couple of weeks. The strange thing is that my dh has two genes for it (so both of his parents must have been carriers) but our children have just one, yet they are the ones with some pretty severe symptoms. One of my dd's doctors has said that there could be some other inherited gene at play (maybe from my side?) that is adding to it. My ds has tested as anemic for years which doctors just kind of concluded was his natural state... But it turns out that hemochromatosis can show itself as anemic while also showing up as over-saturated with iron at the same time. This explains so many things! Ds will be re-tested in a month but in the meantime is giving blood and stopping cooking with cast iron pans. His tests also show copper depletion which apparently can happen with too much iron... So he's taking copper supplements.

I was recently pinged on this thread so will add my two-cents. I don't think the actual curriculum is as important as just keeping up with it. In hind site, that's our experience. So you can choose curriculum based on what you think your children will enjoy and be challenged by, but take advantage of other opportunities too -- such as local community ed art classes, 4-H creative arts, etc. Anything that will keep up their passion and add to their skills.

Several of my kids have had vague health symptoms for years, have seen many doctors, nothing ever diagnosed. Finally one child was just diagnosed as having hereditary hemochromatosis. So a second child was tested a few days ago, and turns out she has it too. I have a feeling at least two more have it. My dh has TWO affected genes for it, so from both parents, but he has never had symptoms. I don't believe I'm a carrier since my so-far diagnosed kids have only one gene, yet they still have quite severe symptoms. So perhaps there's another not-yet-known gene from me that is entering into this equation. Anyway, just learning about all of this so suddenly and am trying to get as much information about it as possible!

That would bother me. The only thing I can come up with is that he doesn't believe conditions like that are true medical conditions. On the other hand, if he's with a large clinic, maybe he leaves those diagnoses to a clinic psychiatrist instead? I do know some large medical facilities who seem to handle it that way. Although it's strange that the receptionist wouldn't explain that. I'd probably ask them before establishing care there.

I wouldn't overthink it... This is all part of the reason why you're leaving. I do wonder -- since you've made the decision to go -- why you haven't already left? Sorry it's happening though. I'm sure it's not easy. 😞 (For what it's worth though, the pastor is probably feeling kind of desperate, but handling it that way isn't the right approach.)

I wouldn't have done the reaching out, but if she reached out to you, I would have talked to her. I'm all for more communication too. Perhaps she's concerned about your ds, and wanted you to know a little more. Perhaps it's really hard on her too (even though she's the one who broke up) for reasons unknown to you. Perhaps she wanted to thank you for being a friend to her over the years. I don't think one conversation could hurt anything, and perhaps it could help a little, who knows.

This was always a thing at churches I've been to -- sometimes during the "passing of the peace" or sometimes just a "turn around and greet your neighbor." I never really liked it because it felt forced. But at the church we're at now, it feels different. Now it's just a friendly "greet your neighbor!" but no one feels forced to, or you can just wave and smile or give a friendly nod if you want, and no one seems to mind whatever you do or don't do. Some people don't do anything and that's fine. I'm not sure why it feels so different, but it feels very authentic and caring. I like it.

Apparently it is "anodized aluminum," which is aluminum that has been sealed so that no metal can leak out, and is considered non-toxic. Currently I have Greenpan pans.

Many hugs for your sweet boy. 💞

I personally think cilantro elevates almost anything I make! But I've also learned that some people do not like cilantro at all. So if I were having people over whose taste for cilantro I didn't know, I might leave it out and have it instead in a little bowl for those who want to add it. There's actually a cilantro gene, so for some people cilantro tastes like soap. I love, love cilantro! I think it would taste great in what you're making.

I mostly use ceramic or a non-toxic non-stick. Several of my family members have hemochromatosis, so I don't generally use cast iron. I do replace my ceramic/non-stick pans about every 5-10 years though. I have one stainless steel frying pan and that one will probably last forever.

I think it's a silly article and the author isn't basing it on anything but her own feelings.

It could be something or it could be nothing. I know some men who are just really kind-hearted and touchy, but are completely devoted to their wives. Maybe when he saw your reaction he realized how it might have come off and was embarrassed. Or it could be that he was making a subtle move. It's gross and disturbing when it happens, but it does happen, unfortunately. I'd let it go since you're leaving the church anyway. When that has happened to me, I bring it up with my dh. He has an amazing ability to be calm and unemotional, and I appreciate his insight.

Maybe you have an answer, but I just saw this. My dh mostly learned classical Arabic in school. When we lived abroad (Jordan, Syria, Egypt -- in that order), he learned the different dialects on his own plus through some coursework he took there. He always seemed to get by fine with a mix of what he knew, but learning foreign languages came easily for him.