We have two boys and they are 6 years apart. It has been very difficult for the two of them as they have nothing in common. I hope later in life that will change?

UPDATE ON #102 and 108 So we got a call today from the adoption liason. There is a young girl about to give birth to a baby girl (Due Feb 16) and she is FRIENDS with the girl we adopted Natalie from. She wants us to adopt her baby too. OK, Natalie is only 1 year old and we have said she is our last. I am 40yo. We should not adopt this baby. We know that. So then why are both dh and I sad?

I used 3 beans and a PINT of vodka and it is VERY dark after only 3 weeks!

Thank you all so much for your input. This is about a real couple with one 5yo child and they are not having any more, the wife doesn't work, has never tried homeschooling but just doesn't want to do it. The husband feels VERY strongly that it should be done. The wife is talking to me about it asking my advice. It's very difficult to be unbiased since I think homeschooling is awesome and cannot see a reason for her to not at least TRY. ???

I remember when I was young and the little boy down the street pulled his pants down and showed me and my friend his pen*s. THAT I think is fairly normal "sexual exploration". But oral sex? I think not. A child would not know to attempt that unless they had seen it somewhere else. That teacher should be fired and I would have someone investigating the parents of the children involved.

Unfortunately, no.

No party line for me but my parents still had a rotary phone back in the 90's. :lol: No car seat or seat belts...just the safety arm. My mom kicked us all outside in the morning and we did not come back until the street lights were on (except for lunch). I got my first CD player at age 20, my first cell phone at 27, my first computer at 25. But no internet til 27. I remember when cable tv came to our neighborhood. I was 12. We got a microwave when I was about 16 I think but it was HUGE and made all kinds of noise! I am SURE I have some kind of radioactive poisoning from that! :lol:

you did NOT want to? There are lots of threads here that ask about how to handle it when you want to homeschool your children but your dh is less than supportive. But what if it were the other way around? What if your dh felt VERY strongly that your children should be homeschooled but you (for whatever reason) really didn't want to? Let's say you are a SAHM or could afford to be one. You don't have any major health issues standing in your way. Your kids don't have any major health challenges that would make it extra difficult. You just don't want to. Would you do it to please your dh or would you tell him forget it and put them in public school?

Easy peasy...if you have not used it in the last year you aren't going to use it...get rid of it. Give it away. That's my philosophy!

i can't even use the wi-fi or 3G because it won't work in Malaysia but I still LOVE LOVE LOVE my kindle. :D

I might be considered relationally lazy but honestly I'm not. There are just so many hours in a day, you know? I work, homeschool, go to grad school, take care of my family, go to church, etc. etc.etc. I just don't have much time to chat on the phone or go shopping with friends. I love to do it when we each have time but it just doesn't happen often. Luckily my friends are the same way and are totally OK with it. We may go a couple of months without talking but then one of us just picks up the phone and it's like not a moment has passed...we just pick up right where we left off. I appreciate low-maintenance, low-pressure friends. I had one friend who would spend the first 15 minutes of every conversation giving me a guilt trip about why haven't I called, where have I been, etc etc etc. It's not like I intentionally avoided talking to her I am just up to my eyeballs in LIFE. I don't put any expectations on my friends to call or see me and they don't put any on me and when we do call or see each other it is great every time because we both appreciate that the other one is busy and getting to hang out is a treat for us.

I began buying my own clothes and paying for my extras (like going to the movies with friends, etc) when I got my first job at 15yo. I never had to buy my own toilet paper though, that seems a bit extreme. I think taking the kids shopping each season and telling them they have a certain amount to spend on clothes and helping them learn to be judicious in their selections is a good idea when they are old enough to "get it". My kids don't have their "own" shampoo or bubble bath, etc. It belongs to everyone in the family and we all share it.

thanks!

My ds won't beheading off to college for a few more years but we are already starting to plan. My first question is how "low" does a family's income have to be to qualify for grants or needs based scholarships "on average"...I realize it may be different for different colleges but can you give me a ballpark figure? We are a family of 5 if that helps.

Well I just moved far far far away from them. :D Now I have very thick skin so when they make comments I just smile sweetly and comment right back. For instance, dh was married once before me. He was raised catholic but was not a practicing catholic at the time (and is no longer catholic now). My FIL was insistent that we wait to get married until my dh went through the annulment process for his first marriage. He confronted me over it telling me our marriage would not be recognized by the catholic church if we did not get his first marriage annuled. My response? I smiled swetly and said "I'm not all that concerned about what the catholic church does and does not recognize." And then I walked away. That is pretty much how I handle all conversations with my in-laws. ;) The key is having the confrontation without being confrontational IYKWIM.

I just finsihed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and I am now reading "Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion" in preparation for my paper on the emergent church.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-parenting-book-sparks-outrage,18858/?utm_medium=promobar&utm_campaign=recirculation :lol::lol::lol:snort:lol::lol::lol:

Well, I have to ask her the name of the particular things she uses for the curry spice. We bought it at the market and they did not speak english. :tongue_smilie: What I do know.... 5 cloves of garlic half an onion a big chunk of ginger throw those in the blender until smooth put some oil in a deep pan (I used a wok) pour in the mixture and stir it around until it starts to brown then add chunks of chicken (I used 4 boneless chicken breasts cut into chunks) add in a few tomatoes cut into wedges (I think there were about 3 or 4) add in a few potatoes that are peeled and cut into chunks (3 or 4) mix it all up in a bowl mix chili powder (some special indian kind...I'll get the name) and curry seasoning (ditto) and about 2 cups of hot water pour this over the chicken, etc. then let the whole thing cook until the chicken and potatoes are done (maybe 20 minutes?) Sorry. She doesn't read or write so I don't actually have a written recipe and I am trying to type this from memory. I will check with her to make sure this is correct. :D

I don't know. But next she is going to show me how to make curry mee!!

Today we fedex the envelope that has all of our documentation for the appeal for Natalie's immigration. If you didn't see a previous thread, our initial application was denied. If this appeal does not go through then this summer she will NOT get to visit the United States which means my mom and the rest of both of our families will not get to see her AND there is a good chance that none of us will go to the U.S. as we don't want to go and leave her behind. sigh Please pray that I did everything the way the USCIS wanted it... that they approve it... and that we can go home for a visit this summer. I know it isn't life or death but by then she will be 1.5 years old. Imagine your child having your grandbaby and you not getting to see her for two and a half years (which is how long it will be if this appeal doesn't go through).

My ahma taught me how to do it the traditional Indian style. :D And let me tell ya, she is a slave-driver when giving cooking lessons! "No, must cut like this lah..." It turned out perfectly and I was so excited as my ethnic cooking experience goes about as far as tacos. Yeah me! :tongue_smilie: OK, sorry for the interruption.... :lol:

Yep. My oldest ds looks like a CHIA PET if we let it go longer than 2 weeks without a cut. He will never get to have the surfer boy haircut which, to be honest, is just fine with me. I like a clean cut boy. :D

Reputable adoption agency with people you can see in person. We have adopted internationally twice (I have two friends that went through failed domestic adoptions and I refused to risk it so we chose international). Choosing which country is VERY important as some have better programs than others.

You are all very welcome. Obviously I am biased but I LOVE living overseas. Sure it has its moments... the post office being one of them! But so does the U.S. I love so many things about Malaysia but there are also really, really good schools all over the place! And once you get "in" the international school loop, the possibilities are endless. We are waffling right now between staying in Malaysia which we love or trying a new country for the adventure of it. I can get a job in a snap. So if this can benefit some of you too, all the better! :D

You know what? You don't have to make excuses for your housekeeper. If you have one, ENJOY HER!!!! ;) I do and I don't have physical limitations and I don't feel the least bit ashamed of having one. :D