Ooohhh...I am thinking MA violence, lol, sex doesn't bother me but I don't do blood and guts. That makes more sense. Yes, there is gratuitous nekkid bits, so I guess that is the MA. Sorry!

I would think it's too long, Ds is allergic to penicillin, and he got hives immediately. He'd take it many times before, and taken 3 doses that day, but that fourth dose just triggered something. Thank god I needed to ask him something and he was in the shower (this was years ago, he'd kill me for walking in on him now in the shower!) and I saw the hives. I gave him benedryl, but he still had hives and trouble breathing and to go to hospital. If I hadn't seen it as soon as it started (took the Meds, went right up and got in the shower) it might have been a lot more serious!

I don't think it's very MA- I get grossed out by game of thrones and watch Walking Dead through my fingers, and haven't had a moment like that with house of cards. Dh and I love it!

I'm in VA, and really, I thought we'd just get rain. But- it's snowing!! Cross your fingers dh can't go to work, I'm heading to the Korean spa, baby! Wooohooo!

My Ds (9th) would like to do a shakespeare unit to round his English this year. I can get annotated versions of the plays he is interested in and we read and discuss, but I am wondering if something like this already exists? Not a full year program, though if it isn't too expensive, that would work and we could just use the bits we want. Specifically he is interested in Julius Caesar, King Lear, Hamlet, Henry, but other plays (except please not Romeo and Juliet!) are fine if the study at leasts includes one or two of his interests.

Hopefully you can get some more time with Meds! My lab is also 12, been on rymadyl for 4 years now, and Tramadol when she gets bad, and has dementia, and a tumor in her anus that can't be removed, and arthritis...shes a hot mess. Some days, due to the dementia, she is really bad, and I think "it's time, we have to let her go". Then she has several good days, she will even play sometimes still, and I think "well, good thing we didn't do it last week". Some days she won't eat. Some days she is herself. I wish they had a timer that told you when it was the right time. I don't want her to suffer. I just don't know when it's really "enough". It's very, very hard. Do the best you can, it's all you can do.

Oh my goodness, that is so sweet! His description, god bless him, that is just adorable.

If it makes you feel better, I understand the issues around moving so much. Dh is military- we move a lot. And I hear "we don't have enough of a history to treat xyz" and then I hear "with a history of xyz, why haven't you done abc?" pretty regularly. We are either too new to address some issues, or remiss for not addressing them, I literally feel I can't win some days. Of course no one listens to me, the mother, or god forbid, my son, the patient. It is very hard.

I have no advice, just wanted to send you a hug and tell you you aren't alone. I have two special needs kids, a variety of diagnoses, and whoever said it's like a three legged race where you drag the other person- SPOTON! Ps didn't work, they just shuffled my oldest on down the line. Hs is better, I know that, but it's literally painful some days. Some days I just want the home schooled kids who learn easily, find joy in learning, are advanced, or even on grade level. Or I want the ps to deal with them. But that isn't the hand life dealt me, I guess. I hope you get answers, and I hope your son, and mine, succeed against the odds someday. Until then, keep swimming, I'll be right beside you!

(did I figure out how to quote? Go me!) It's mostly one side of the family, but I've had old friends make snide remarks, too. About literally nothing- I'm not bragging, I'm not judging, I'm just going about my day, you know? But any mention of homeschooling brings it up with some people! Most vividly I remember posting a quick picture about 3 years ago of the kids in the park nearby, doing schoolwork- a rare 60s fall day in October. A relative instantly posted the kids would never survive in the real world (they were probably 8 and 12 or so at the time?) like ps kids,Ps kids go outside too, etc etc.my caption was just "great day for school in the park!" or something! There have been other things, too- it just isn't worth it to mention it at all. To say nothing of reposting an articlemor something I might agree with- that would start ww3! I never, ever post anything political, either. Just not worth it with certain members of the family. Consider yourself lucky! I could hide them or filter my FB, but instead I just keep it pretty bland.

A long time ago, the kids were like 6 and 9 or so, and had well child checkups, back to back, so they were in there together with the dr. He asked about school, and when they replied they were home schooled, he asked what they were learning, and they went ON and ON about learning to laundry. Like for 5 minutes, I swear. We had just that day had a "laundry lesson" because I figured it was time they could help out more at home- and that's what stuck in the days lessons. Laundry. So if you ask Dr. Whateverhisnamewas, my kids homeschool to do laundry.

I hear ya on the FB thing. I never, EVER post anything home school related, even "what a nice day, schoolwork done and dinners on!" because it never fails, someone takes it as a personal attack on their ps kids. Why do they do that?! It's pretty sad really, whole slices of relatives know zilch about the kids interests and abilities, because it just isn't worth saying a single thing- they view it as attacking them and ps. And I'm pretty pro ps, just not for my kids, right now.

I'm so sorry. I'm glad you have family to help you, and that he is peaceful. It's just so young! You and your family will be in my thoughts.

My niece is a Hel-AY-na, Helena. So that is what I think, but I consider either correct. Plus, it's a name, so annoying goes, IMO.

My second was,but as my first was breech, I found this a vast improvement, lol. First was also very large, and second was 5 weeks early, so the 3 pound plus weight difference helped a lot. I did have lots of back pain, but actual delivery was a breeze- I am sure that was due to size though. His weird little scrunched, red, hairy face came poking out and that was the first anyone knew about it, that he was posterior. So I guess my advice is have a very small baby, and it won't matter. Not real helpful, am I?

I used to tell my kids "mommys ears are full". I always thought they would talk to each other, and they do, but more often they both talk at the same time to ME!!

Thinking positive thoughts for you here- if I knew how to smiley I'd send a hug.

If you don't have a fever, it's probably ok to wait, but I'd bet money it's pneumonia. My kids are somehow susceptible to it, and they get the same pain, not really even trouble breathing, but the pain is a dead giveaway. Make sure you really DO go on Wednesday and let them listen to your lungs, please! My oldest landed in the hospital for nearly a week from it this summer. Normally some antibiotics and a follow up X-ray are all that are needed, but his was actually really bad by the time we got him in, and he was hospitalized, which is no fun for anyone. I hope I'm wrong though, and it's nothing but sore coughing muscles.

Ds11- dance, 6 days a week. Since it's only 2-3 hours at most, this doesn't feel like so much. He recently switched from gymnastics and practices were 4-6 hours long- he's actually bored now, lol. Ds14- plays sax and flute in 2 bands, they meet once a week.Swam competitively until last year, but not bored, lol. That's it! Both kids specialized pretty quickly, and our time for other activities (and funds!) was just not there. between swim practice and gym practice 4-5 nights a week, and meets on weekends, there was no time for any other activities from age 6 on, really. This is our first year without swim and gym, but dance is about as busy. Older Ds will need some sort of physical activity, but he's had health issues this year (just had surgery) so we will think about that later.

I haven't read any articles, or looked at any bathrooms. From reading comments, I guess the tracks through the house are...uh...yuck. Don't wanna think on that. Going by what you said, photos only, no bathroom, no comment knowledge- no, I can't see the house as worthy of taking kids away. It's messy, but...not unsafe. Messy, or even dirty, isn't unloving. Taking kids in that situation seems far, far worse than teaching some young couple to clean house. I skimmed comments and saw drugs, etc, so yeah, take the kids. But those photos alone? No.

Can you try to rent by contacting churches with large family friendly theology, ie Catholic churches, independent baptist (I'm trying not to be offensive, but quiver full type theology), etc. Maybe contact the pastor, hang up a wanted sign in the lobby of a few? I'm sorry, that stinks. We rent due to frequent moves, and it's so stressful. I hate the "judged" feeling!

The alphabet song! I never taught it to my kids, just phonics, and both of them had an unpleasant spot at age 7-8 when friends were singing it and they didn't know it. Oddly, they both knew alphabetical order, minus the sing song, but not the tune or song. I can't just "say" the alphabet, I must sing it, but they can. You'd think after it happened to ky oldest I would have ensured my youngest knew the tune, but nope- caught put at the playground as the new kid who didn't know the alphabet song in second grade. I'm a terrible mother.

I know two couples whose marriage ended from adultery, and in both cases the adulterous relationship didn't last. In one, the wife had an affair, left, married the guy, cheated on him, second divorce, lives with affair guy number 2. Very sad for the children, who keep getting new siblings and stepparents and then losing them- a mess. In the other, the husband cheated, married the mistress, she cheated, second divorce, don't know what happened to her but he is single and regrets the whole thing. His first wife is happily remarried and glad to be shut of him. I'm frankly surprised so many affairs go on to happy relationships as evidenced by this thread! I wouldn't expect that, as the experiences I've seen the inability to be faithful doesn't just go away, it affects the new relationships, too. But maybe because that's all I've witnessed?

Well, I imagine I'll be a "skinny old woman", since I was a skinny child, teen and adult. I'm 5'7" and 108 pounds, and yes, I'd look better with another 20 pounds or so. But it isn't happening without forcing myself to eat things I don't want to, tracking every calorie, and basically making my life revolve around food. Ive tried it, with a nutritionist, and its no way to live. It's just not worth it to look better so society can be happy not to look at my gross, skinny and soon to be old self. But as long as I shuffle along in sweatshirts with kittens on them and get a perm and blue rinse in my hair, I suppose no one can accuse me of "trying too hard", eh? God forbid I wear anything trendy? Seriously, do you not get how bizarre and offensive your statement is?

We had to get a referral too, and also they said for Ds to be off all allergy Meds for two weeks prior- he goes next month and he is going to be sooo miserable that two weeks. And of course, I am going to be more miserable from dealing with him! We've tried random elimination diets, etc over the years, but never any real change in his symptoms. Finally going for real allergy testing is a relief, I had to get off the "maybe it's ----" wheel. I can't figure it out, I guess that is what an allergist is for! He is also having sinus surgery next week, but the constant sinus infections are a result of the allergies, so that won't be a fix if we don't tackle the allergies too. I'm so sick and tired of my poor kid being so sick and tired! Heres hoping we both get some answers!