I wish!! I would LOVE to have you here. :D

Well, I am not entirely sure but our elementary computer teacher IS leaving and she also handles all our powerschool issues. Plus, we have just expanded to include the ability to get a high school diploma from our school completely online so there may be computer tech openings with that too. If you work here you can homeschool your kids (I homeschool my oldest). There are lots of people in Penang homeschooling! Send me the resume and I will forward it to our director: hfischer@dalat.org

I have read two books lately that really spoke to me so I thought I would share in case anyone is interested in something good to read... What God Really Thinks About Women by Sharon Jaynes Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt Happy reading!

Well it must be an NC thing....:D We LOVED our church in NC very much and we miss it terribly.

While I am sure that people do die trying to illegally cross the border... many, many more cross illegally without issue, live in the U.S. illegally, use U.S. resources illegally, etc. I am trying to bring my daughter in LEGALLY and I get turned down? I feel sympathy for those embroiled in a LEGAL immigration process...who try to follow the rules...and still get turned down. But then again, I can see how this process would make one WANT to attempt to come here illegally as it seems much easier. I could have just gotten a visitor's visa for her, brought her to the U.S. and then just stayed. But I didn't. I am doing things legally. As for me getting a baby in snap...it has not been quite THAT easy. It has been piles and piles of paperwork, court dates, trips to the embassy, and LOTS of money and still more to pay. All to give a baby a home. And then they put out commericals about 17 million orphans in the world? Well this is one reason that is still a problem.

Welcome back!

Congrats!!!!!

It's a Wonderful Life!!!

Yes there are rules in place to protect the children. It is just frustrating because we did everything according to what they wanted and they still denied based on a lot of silly things (like the wording of a sentence in the home study to name one). We are appealing. If they deny the appeal you can bet I will contact my congressman. Thank you for the suggestion!

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

CONGRATS!

dh- ipod touch me- ipod touch (we like to have our own-lol) ds(12)- ipod touch, clothes, xbox game, nerf gun, bible ds (6)- nintendo ds game, xbox game, nerf gun, clothes, soccer ball, bible dd(1)- toys! :)

thank you!!! I am truly blessed beyond measure.

awwww....cute. Congrats!

You would think but no. Eventually they will let her but it has to be after 2 years of us having legal custody which would be jan of 2012, before we can apply so we are looking at july of 2012 if we are lucky before we can take her to the U.S. even for a visit. :confused:

:iagree:

Well we are going to appeal and see what happens. Worst case scenario is we wait another year and then apply under a different process where she can't be denied. The problem is that she cannot even come to the U.S. for a VISIT because now that we have applied for immigrant status and been denied, any application for a visitor's visa will be denied on the basis of we are just trying to get her into the country to keep her there. So my mom will not get to see her for another 1. 5 years at minimum! And to answer your other question..we CAN'T move back until she is approved so it is a good thing we were planning on staying anyways. :glare:

I have just a few people that I am very close with then a large circle of social acquaintances. I like it that way. :D

Ok, normally I stay away form this topic because, to be honest, I don't know enough to sound educated on it. HOWEVER We recently applied for immigrant status for the baby girl we adopted here (our adoption is final on the Malaysian end). We took in stacks and stacks of documentation about everything you could think of. We were fingerprinted at the embassy. We were interviewed by government agents. We crossed every T. We dotted every i. And we received a letter from the United States Customs and Immigration Services that our application for immigrant status for our adopted daughter has been denied. And yet thousands and thousands of illegal immigrants waltz across the border every day....no problem. I try to follow the rules and do things the right way and get denied. Hmmm....maybe if I brought her in illegally it would be easier... :glare:

I had a beautiful cinderella wedding with all the trimmings. It was perfect! My dress was amazing, the service was by candelight, the banquet hall, everything was all I ever dreamed of. But I was careful about WHAT we spent the money on. I saw an episode on Oprah shortly before our wedding about money and weddings. They interviewed people COMING OUT OF THE RECEPTION and asked the specific questions (what color were the bridesmaids dresses? what did the table centerpieces look like? etc) The guests could not remember ANYTHING except the FOOD, the BOOZE and the ENTERTAINMENT. Everything else? Totally forgotten. So we made sure we had the best DJ and spent more of our money on food and the bar and we went much cheaper on centerpieces and flowers and what-not.

I sort of felt like I am this "professional" and I should have acted more respectable.:tongue_smilie: But no way! The first little child, in her dirty hijab and tattered clothes, that took my hand, clasped it in both of her hands, kissed it softly and pressed it to her forehead while bowing...IT WAS ALL OVER....mascara was streaming down my face. I was an emotional wreck the rest of the day. In fact, I am getting all teary-eyed writing about it right now.

That was amazing and everything I would have said if I had a fraction of your eloquence.

I have a cookbook that I have used a couple of times but I cook just like my mom...a pinch of this, some of that...nothing is written down so one people ask me for recipes I am the one who is stumped as I have no idea how to explain it to them. And my dh says I am the queen of knowing how to look in a pantry, grab some random things and make dinner out of it. :) Of course, my dh also LOVES casseroles of any kind so how can I go wrong? :D

I have to give the credit to the teachers and students as they really did all the work. And I have to say they learned more through this experience than they would have on any regular class day. They left school that day changed... thankful for the blessings in their lives and motivated to help others less fortunate...a amore important lesson than they could get in a math class. :001_smile:

Ok, don't laugh, but I have the strangest urge to NOT wash the back of my hand after all those precious kisses.