This is certainly a timely question. I just come home from my second sleep study this morning. The first study was to see if I had a problem. I wasn't sure how they would know because I didn't think I slept much at all. The next morning I asked the tech if I had any epsiodes where I stopped breathing and all he could tell me was that my dr. would call with the results, but that I did have "issues" :lol: When I got home, I took a 4 hour nap. :tongue_smilie: A few days later, I received the test results and was scheduled for a 2nd study so they could try out different CPAP masks. Luckily the first one they tried seemed to work because it was still on when I woke up this morning. I slept better this time, didn't need a nap today. I'm not sure how long it will be until I actually get a CPAP for home, but I'm hoping it's soon. My dr. and I think alot of my problems, ie. depression, weight gain, etc. could be helped by getting good sleep every night.

Sounds like fun! Off to join.

Fascinating article and wonderful pictures!

:grouphug: Praying :grouphug:

My dh and I are in the process of converting from Southern Baptist to RC. My dc received their First Communion just last week! (My dh is going through the process of having his first marriage annulled before we can enter the Church) Our families haven't supported our decision so it is something that we just don't talk about. My mom said she hoped it wasn't permanent and could I change my mind later. Most of our friends were members of the same Baptist church that we attended, and when we left we were put on the prayer list. I'm still part of a book club with ladies from the Baptist church, but it is different because I feel like I can't talk about one very important aspect of my life. Our conversion has also affected our homeschooling. We left the support group we were in because I could no longer sign the statement of faith. But I have been so blessed to have found a wonderful Catholic Co-op that we joined in January. The ladies have welcomed my family with open arms and have been a wonderful addition to my life and our homeschool. My kids have been amazing with all the changes. They quickly found new friends at our new parish and have embraced the Catholic Church. And like a pp stated, my dh and I now have many conversations about our faith. Overall, the positives have far outweighed the negatives. I have never felt closer to God and I have such a hunger to learn more.

Just emailed you from the Greensboro area :001_smile:

We are in the process of converting to RC, so this will be our first time observing Lent as a family. As a family, we are giving up all "screen time" which includes, tv, internet, and video games. We are adding in daily family rosary. My ds(11) said yesterday that he couldn't wait for Lent because we would have more family time. This coming from a kid who has an IPod Touch, PSP, DS, Wii, and Gamecube. I'm not sure what I will be giving up personally. I might need chocolate to deal with my withdrawal from the internet. :lol:

:party: She did a wonderful job!!!

I'm 42 and had a hysterectomy about a year and a half ago. Only my uterus and cervix were removed, I kept my ovaries. My dr. had planned to do a robotic laproscopy procedure, so my hospital stay and recovery time would be minimal. But he nicked a vein, so they had to open me up. I woke up with a vertical scar about 6 inches long, all the way to my belly button. :001_huh: My hospital stay was 2 extra days and my recovery was much longer than I had anticipated. I could drive after 2 weeks and no restrictions after 6 weeks. But my energy level didn't come back for several more weeks. I would just get tired so easily. So just be prepared that there might be complications and your recovery could take a little longer. I would think twice before going on a trip to Disney that close to surgery. Having said that, I'm glad I had the surgery and would do it again.

:grouphug: Praying :grouphug:

I just finished the book and really enjoyed it. In the beginning she does come across as intense and sometimes "cruel", but her intentions were in the right place. She also modifies her parenting style for her second child when she finally comes to the realization that what she was doing wasn't working. The book made me reflect on how I raise my children. Do I expect less from them because they are just kids? Do I push them enough so that they can excel at something that might have been hard at first? She had an extreme parenting style that I would not want to emulate, but that doesn't mean that there weren't some nuggets of truth that I might want to think twice about.

I doing OK myself, but I haven't had my kids join me. At least not yet anyway. ;) I like doing a family rosary, so I don't want to add too much so as not to start a mutiny. Glad it's going so well for you!

That's wonderful! I remember the first time I met with a priest. I was so nervous but luckily he was an adult convert also so we actually had a lot in common.

:party: You look amazing! Way to go!

Just ... :grouphug::grouphug:

We wouldn't be able to go back and forth during the day, so we would be at the hospital for 10 - 12 hours each day. They couldn't stay by themselves at my aunt's house, they would have to come with me. We would only do minimal school work, mostly to keep them occupied. We have thought about that. My dd has such a servant's heart, she would be a big help. I can only make one trip and I need to be there until she goes home. There is a chance she could end up with a permanent feeding tube, so my dad might need some help making sure she had everything she needs. I hadn't thought of a CNA textbook. What a great idea! I expect her to be in ICU for several days and after that, I'm not sure. Thanks for all your words of wisdom. I've been so worried about my mom, that I'm having a hard time thinking clearly.

My mom is having major surgery in a month and I really want to be there for her. The only problem is that my parents live about 1000 miles away and the hospital is an additional 400 miles away from my parents house, so we would be staying with my aunt and uncle who live about an hour from the hospital. My mom could be in the hospital for up to 2 weeks. I would like to stay with my parents until we can get my mom out of the hospital and home. Pros of taking them: My parents really want to see the kids, we could do school "lite" in the hospital waiting room, my dh wouldn't have to worry about finding someone to watch them while he was at work. Cons of taking them: Most of my attention will be focused on my mom and her recovery, I don't want to hear "I'm bored" every hour, traveling that long with just me and the kids will be tiring. I'm just not sure what to do. My dh would rather I take them, but he will work with me if I want to go by myself. My preference would be to go by myself, but then I feel selfish. My dd(12) wants to go, and my ds(10) is not sure. If they stay, my dh can work from home 1 day a week, the kids can stay by themselves one day, and he can take them to the office for the other days. He has a table in his office they can sit at and do their work. Mil might be able to come and stay for a day or two also.

This is my 4th day in bed with the flu. :tongue_smilie: I've kept myself locked away in my bedroom and so far no one else has shown any symptoms. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

My mom is having major surgery in a month and I really want to be there for her. The only problem is that my parents live about 1000 miles away and the hospital is an additional 400 miles away from my parents house, so we would be staying with my aunt and uncle who live about an hour from the hospital. My mom could be in the hospital for up to 2 weeks. I would like to stay with my parents until we can get my mom out of the hospital and home. Pros of taking them: My parents really want to see the kids, we could do school "lite" in the hospital waiting room, my dh wouldn't have to worry about finding someone to watch them while he was at work. Cons of taking them: Most of my attention will be focused on my mom and her recovery, I don't want to hear "I'm bored" every hour, traveling that long with just me and the kids will be tiring. I'm just not sure what to do. My dh would rather I take them, but he will work with me if I want to go by myself. My preference would be to go by myself, but then I feel selfish. My dd(12) wants to go, and my ds(10) is not sure. If they stay, my dh can work from home 1 day a week, the kids can stay by themselves one day, and he can take them to the office for the other days. He has a table in his office they can sit at and do their work. Mil might be able to come and stay for a day or two also.

I've always hated the taste and the smell. Many a time I would come out of the bedroom in the morning and ask what was burning. Oh yea, dh was just making a pot of coffee. And when I was pregnant, I wouldn't let my dh even make coffee in the house, the smell would make me sick. I have my own mugs for tea that dh is not allowed to put coffee in. Ever. I hate the smell so much and I can't get the smell out of them even after scrubbing. It's even worse for travel mugs. My dh is a coffee snob and loves his Keurig that we got him for Christmas. It doesn't stink up the house like brewing a full pot. Both of my kids love coffee. Go figure.

My dh and I left our church last year after having been members for 6 years. Most of the relationships have just died a natural death because they revolved around church. I have tried to maintain a couple of relationships that I think are important, but the rest I have let go. I don't take it personally because I don't have enough time in my life to make friends at my new church and maintain all the relationships I left behind. Of course, most of my friends at my old church were dumbfounded when we left to become Catholic! When I do happen to see them, we never talk about religion.

St. Joseph's Guide to the LOTH is just a pamplet that tells you what page to go to for each day of the year in the 4 Volume set of the LOTH. That way you know you are praying the correct prayers for that particular day. So you only need it if you are praying the LOTH from the 4 volume set. If you want a book that contains the acutal prayers, you could always try this. If you do, you'll need the St. Joseph's Guide to Christian Prayer. I pray the LOTH using the Christian Prayer Book. The 4 Volume set is really not necessary for lay people. I also recommend The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament. I can't wait for the Old Testament edition. Hope this helps!

Thanks! I've watched the first video and can't wait to finish the series.

Both of my kids, if given the choice would choose ps. My dd is 12 and in the 7th grade. She was in a Christian school through 3rd, ps in 4th, and then homeschooled from then on. She had the same type of issues as you described. Girls were just mean, and when she switched to the ps, she was put in a class with 24 kids and only 8 girls. She never really made friends that year, so when we brought up hs, she was all for it. Now she really wants to go to middle school, but I know it would not be a good fit for her. She has some learning disabilities which also affect her social skills. She doesn't get jokes, takes things very literally, and has a hard time telling a story. When she brings up wanting to go to ps, we just tell her that we are her parents and we know what is best for her. We remind her of all the positive aspects of hs and the negatives of ps. We are also joining a co-op this month that I hope will help her feel like she is in "school" at least one day a week. My ds actually feels the same way and wants to go back to ps. When I ask him what he misses the most, he response is: lunch, recess, and the bus ride. Co-op has 2 of the 3 and I told him if he really wants to ride a bus, I'll be happy to take him on the city bus for a ride. I agree with a pp and think it's important that you join a hs group, even if its a long drive. The co-op we are joining is 40 minutes away, and if it were up to me, we wouldn't be doing it. But my kids really want to, and if it will get them to stop asking to go back to ps, then it's worth it. Good luck!

:iagree: I loved this book! There are actually several more in the series. :iagree: I read Rome Sweet Home, which is Scott Hahn's conversion story in book format. I then went on to read most of his other books which are great. Catholicism for Dummies is an awesome book. Easy to read and it answered a lot of the questions I had about the faith. Another book that really got me thinking was Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words The author was a Southern Baptist when he started researching the Early Church and by the time he was finished, he decided to convert to Catholicism. Here are some others: Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church Catholicism-Fundamentalism: The Attack on "Romanism" by "Bible Christians" Born Funamentalist, Born Again Catholic Hope these help. I basicall "read" my way into the RC. Through reading and prayers I decided to convert, and then I went to see a priest and went to my first mass. Again, good luck on your journey!