My oldest ds grew out of it around age 10 I think. But they never grow COMPLETELY out of it...my dh still thinks it's funny! But the obsession with it wears off.

Isn't that the truth. You know, I was cleaning out the car the other day and we took out our daughter's car seat and underneath it were some old french fries that had fallen down there. I wondered "How long has THAT been there?" and then I wondered "Why isn't moldy?" How can something sit under a car seat in blistering tropical heat for weeks or months and NOT rot? And that's what I am eating? Gross. :tongue_smilie:

uh, yup. That definitely describes what my bodyhas been doing the last two days. My two boys have been feeling icky too. Funny, I can eat a whole plate of chicken sambal that is so spicy it tastes like it is seasoned with lava and I am fine, but one Big Mac and I am down for the count!

I was raised on processed foods. You know, boxed macaroni and cheese, boxed cereal, canned this and boxed that and frozen whatever. My mom didn't cook from scratch all that much. Since I have been here I don't eat very much boxed/canned/processed food at all. It is not only very expensive but there is so much good food cooked from scratch everywhere you go. Now don't get me wrong...I am not saying that it is all necessarily "healthy" food because goodness knows it has lots of fats and oils, etc. :tongue_smilie: But just not "processed" .... no canned food, no boxed food, etc. Well the last two or three times that I DID eat more processed foods...like I went to McDonalds two days ago... I have felt very ill. My stomach is upset and I just feel yucky in general. It usually lasts a day or two. Do you think it is possible that my body no longer "likes" processed foods with lots of additives and preservatives (even though I ate plenty of them until about two years ago)? Or is it something else?

Absolutely... I think of Mark 8:36... For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? I apply this to our family life... what will it profit my family if my children are awesome at Latin or Geography or whatever if we let our hearts and relationships with each other fall by the wayside? I would keep up with Math and let them read a lot. And I would spend the rest of the time on building and rebuilding relationships. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

Nakia I had to laugh because this is EXACTLY the same scenario we went through... dh and I signed up to teach sunday school... 4 year olds! He was amazing! I was MISERABLE. I eventually went with what I am good at. God has blessed us each with certain giftings and you need to find yours. Your dh has found his. You don't have to be side by side. For all you knnow maybe you will start a new trend! :D Maybe there are several couples serving together where one spouse would love to try something new but are afraid to be the first ones. I truly do not believe God wants us to force ourselves to work in an area that is not our spiritual gifting especially if others are there to do the work and your true gifts could be used elsewhere. And your girls see you every day plus their daddy will still be there. No worries! :grouphug:

It's a very good book and you can actually read it online for free: http://www.jakecolsen.com/contents.html I would also HIGHLY recommend "Why We Love the Church" by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. I just finished it and it directly addresses the issues you have mentioned.

I HAVE THE BEST SONG FOR ALL YOU 80s GIRLS!!!!!!!

Aqua Net in the white can... I miss the 80s. :)

My daughter is 1yo. We have not had her ears pierced. We will wait until she is old enough to want it for herself and she is old enough to care for them. Also, ear piercing hurts and I just can't see putting her through pain for no real reason. I don't find it "morally reprehensible" or anything :tongue_smilie: ... it's just not for us.

Last year a colleague had a 40th birthday party and it was an 80s theme so we all dresed up like the 80s. Here I am in the best 80s outfit I could come up with on an island in themiddle of the Indian ocean. :tongue_smilie:

We do this too and it really works well for us. It forces us to think about what we want to say instead of flying off the handle. Some of the sweetest conversations I have ever had with my dh have been via email.

Yeah, that would bug me only because she KNEW how you felt about the book and the Pearl's. I see it as trying to subversively influence your daughter. I would return the book to her.

Well we have a HS english position open. :D I would love to meet you too!

Nope. I would do the same thing. We had to leave our two cats behind with my brother in the U.S. when we moved here. About a month after we arrived we got two new kittens. I just NEEDED them around. :D

Awww, thank you. You are all so sweet. It was an interesting experience watching how they set the whole thing up...the different "takes"... how they took our various interviews and cut and spliced them to fit each other. And those lights are HOT! I will definitely have more compassion for ANYONE being interviewed on camera from now on because it was pretty intimidating!

Oh for SURE! And maybe some Chicago???? :tongue_smilie:

This week it is Unchristian and finishing up Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church.

:iagree:

It's funny because if you knew me IRL you would be able to tell that my voice sounds like I have a sock stuffed down my throat...and that is exactly what it felt like! As soon as they flicked the cameras on my throat went dry, I started sweating and my hands were shaking. I do public speaking all the time and I never get nervous but man, something about that camera made me almost pee my pants! :lol:

Overwhelmed and exhausted from being told all the ways in which my attempts at compassion are failures. I am moving on to happier pastures... :tongue_smilie:

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A few months ago some video/tv producer type people came out to do a series of commercials and promos for our school and I had to speak in front of a camera with all the lights blazing down on me. I was SO NERVOUS. I was sweating profusely and trying not to stutter. At any rate, the first of the commercials is done and I am in it and I don't sound like a total idiot!!! :D They did such a great job and I am so proud of my school:

You are so right. The first year was a blur of activity. Now half-way through my second year I am starting to really "see" things around me and it is challenging me in so many ways and it is difficult and exciting and heart-breaking and exhilirating all at the same time. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world and I know that I will grow and be a better person because of what I am learning here.

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