Typically they want money. Otherwise why would my SIL send me an invitation to my nephew's graduation party in Michigan when I live in Malaysia? :glare:

Mandatory. Just like math and reading. They do like it but they do not love it. Either way they are still doing it just as they do their math and reading. If they didn't like it at all it would be a shame but their tastes are not being consulted... they are being developed. I will appreciate it for them until they are old enough to appreciate it themselves.

I am not sure but I will look into it. Last I checked there were less than 20 people killed but most of them were children... orphans. It was an "illegal"... meaning not registered orphange. It was set up by local people. That is pretty common here. My heart just breaks for those poor children...

:iagree: :iagree: And I would like to point out that SOME of us do not work because we want a boat or new cars. SOME of us work because we WANT to, because we DO find our work fulfilling, because what I do DOES make a difference and because my children see that and are proud of me. I don't own a boat or a new car. In fact, we only have one car and it is 8 years old. My children are VERY well cared for, happy, healthy and have two parents who LOVE what they do on a daily basis. So I do not think having/adopting children was a mistake just because I work outside the home and the idea that because I find my work fulfilling necessarily means I find it MORE fulfilling than raising children is a false dilemma. There are more than just those two options. You CAN love being a mom AND love your career too. And you CAN do both well. It might not work for everyone but it works for us.

This week I am reading "The World is Flat".

I am about 5 hours from the landslide so I am fine. But it was very, very sad news here.

My dh with ADD is easy-going, laid back...doesn't get too upset over anything. He flies by the seat of his pants...very spontaneous and fun-loving, doesn't worry too much about anything, etc. I call him "Johnny-Make-Friend" because EVERYONE loves him.

He doesn't. All of mankind benefits from the general blessings of God.

I once read this statement and it stuck with me: If we TRULY comprehended who God is... His holiness, His righteousness... who He really is... we would be a lot more careful with how we use His name. And I totally agree. We can get into semantics and theological discussions and break down the Hebrew words if you want but in reality we should be very respectful with ANY use of His Holy Name.

We do the SAME thing! :lol::lol::lol: Even my ds-13 who has major ADHD will tease himself by saying "squirrel!" in the middle of a conversation!

“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.†~Ernest Hemingway But then we all know Hemingway had issues. :tongue_smilie: Yes, in general I am happy. I have no reason not to be.I have so many amazing blessings in my earthly life and a heavenly future to look forward to. But I am also moody and brooding by nature which could be mistaken for being unhappy. But really, I just think too much.

well this is how I do it: take 1 onion and cut in into fourths put it in the bottom of the crockpot put the pork on top of it in a bowl combine one bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce and one can of cranberries (whole not the jelly) Pour it over the pork cook on low for about 8 hours shred pork with a fork and serve on buns DE-LISH!!

:lol::lol::lol: I need a shirt like that for him! Hilarious.

:lol::lol::lol: I KNOW EXACTLY what you mean. :tongue_smilie: My dh has gone through several hyper-focus phases in our marriage. He will find a topic and spend all his time and energy (and often money) on it. Then one day... he just... stops. Then he goes on to something new. Cigars, computers, wood-working, weight-training, motorcycles (that one almost killed him)... I could go on and on. The unfinished projects, books, conversations... I try not to nag but if I go somewhere for a few hours I always call to make sure he feeds the kids. If I didn't he would not remember to do it until they complained. When he is "in between" obsessions he is forlorn. So I am not sure which is worse. I guess when he is obsessed he is at least happy... he just forgets I exist. He really doesn't mean to do any of it... it's just who he is. I get it but it is just so darn hard sometimes.

I know there have been threads on here about adults that struggle with ADD. But are any of you married to one of those adults? I am. My dh is classic ADD. He has been on and off meds most of his life. He is currently not on them because of the...ahem... "adverse" side effects. I know how hard it is to have ADD because I've watched him for 15 years and and my oldest ds has it too. But is it ok if I whine for a moment about how hard it is to be married to someone with ADD? Especially if you are the polar opposite? I am type A, super-organized, goal-oriented, etc, etc. I try really really really hard but some days I just want to scream. Like when I ask him to go outside and turn the steaks over on the grill and the next thing I know they are burning because he DID go outside but got distracted by something he saw in the garage and forgot about the steaks. Or like when he says he is going to 7-11 to get milk and he is gone for two hours because he got distracted...and forgot the milk. He is a wonderful man. He tries. I try. We do our best to cope with our differences. And I feel like I am not even allowed to get frustrated by it because he has a "condition" and "can't help it" so if I complain then I am being "insensitive". But it is HARD, ya know? OK, pity party is over. :o

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

That is absolutely fascinating!!! Any good book suggestions?

:iagree:

An iPad 2 with hot pink cover (of course). I am so excited! My dh's stock just went way, WAY up. :D

We have a Nerf arsenal and we all play! It is great fun. :D Enjoy.

:iagree: and I WAS in your daughter's situation. My mom had me before she met my dad. They married when I was a baby and he adopted me. I met my bio father once when I was 16yo. I wanted to get to know him, build a relationship, etc. He was married and had two young children. When his wife found out that I wanted more of a relationship with my bio dad and my half siblings she FREAKED OUT. It got very ugly. Rather than push the issue and make it uglier, I walked away. I realized that I already had a dad and siblings and a great family. He was not my dad. Anybody can donate sperm. He wasn't the one who hugged me when I cried or helped me when I was hurt or taught me to ride a bike. He was just some guy that got my mom pregnant. Big deal. I hope your daughter can get through this emotionally. It has made me stronger to realize that shared DNA means next to nothing when it comes to who loves you. :grouphug::grouphug:

Ok, this makes a lot of sense and is fascinating to me....

So obviously the white vs. black thing has a long, terrible history in America. I have done some limited studies of the slave trade. I know that the slaves in America were considered not as human as a white because of their black skin. What I found interesting was working in an inner city Detroit high school and watching the lighter skinned black students discriminate against the darker skinned black students. Now I am on the other side of the world and it continues: When the adoption agency called to give us the news about our baby, I asked her ethnicity and the agent said "She's Indian. But she's light skinned so it's ok." ??? The chinese here are hyper-vigilant about their light skin. They always carry umbrellas to block the sun. They very rarely let their children play outside because they don't want them getting "dark". Every mall or grocery store you go to has "skin-whitening" products or businesses that promise to make your skin lighter. The light-skinned Indians are "better" than the dark-skinned ones. The list goes on and on. So I guess my question is: why "white"? How did it happen, anthropologically speaking, that white skin became "better" than dark skin to the point that we discriminate against dark skin, and those who are dark go to drastic measures to be light? And, conversely, why do so many white people sunbathe, go to tanning beds, get spray tans, etc? This skin color thing has me :001_huh:

I agree with Singapore. We are going there next month. Great place!

I don't appreciate you all lusting after my next husband! :D