Both of my boys started around age 3. They are very computer savvy. But, to be honest, they still love to play legos and play outside and get dirty, etc. They are both excellent readers and have good eyesight and love board games and real books. So I don't think the computer has damaged them. :D

There is a lot of "American" food here (although they call it "western" food). The grocery store had many brands I recognize and we bought mostly AMerican food...like peanut butter, cereal, ravioli, yogurt, pancake mix, etc. Also, there is a McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Dominoes, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Chilis, TGIFridays, just to name a few. And the restaurants and food courts are really diverse: Indian, Chinese, Korean, German, Bulgarian, Italian, Seafood, etc. In fact, the only thing they really do NOT have is Mexican which is a BUMMER. But the food has been so great I am sure I won't miss it. This morning on our way to our meeting we stopped at a stall and bought iced coffees...two of them for about 75 cents in USD. Yesterday we ate at a really nice restaurant for about $23 for all 4 of us with appetizers and desserts. So you can definitely eat cheap here. The best is that our internet is only $14 a month! Woo hoo! That will make up for the huge electricity bill I am anticipating. :tongue_smilie:

Thank you to all who have enquired about my health... I was feeling much better by the time I got on the plane. Still coughing but I took cough medicine so that I wouldn't draw any unwanted attention to myself. :D Since I've been here, the cough is still a little troublesome but not too bad. I can't believe it is taking this long to go away! I had one day of tummy troubles due to the delicious but spicey food here. But here is the miracle....I sleep great here. I have suffered from insomnia for years and for some reason...jet lag maybe?....I sleep fine here. Praise God! Our stuff has not arrived yet. It is due this week but we shall see. Every morning I see huge cargo ships sailing by and I pray that each one has my stuff on it. The whole thing is pretty surreal. But really cool!

I will not got to the circus because of the way they treat the animals.

I'm alive and happy! My internet is FINALLY working and I just posted all about the last week with pictures on my blog. Hop on over if you are interested. I missed chatting with you all but I am back now so let the party begin! What did I miss? :D

I am currently at the Hong Kong International Airport. I have been traveling for 35 hours and awake for 40 (I cannot seem to sleep on a plane!). We have had several interesting obstacles like planes that were three hours late causing us to miss other connections, etc, but God is faithful and we ended up in Hong Kong with plenty of time to catch our final flight to Malaysia. It has been exhilirating already! So much to look at, so much to take in. Our first official meal in Asia was here at the airport and we had sushi of course! But wow...it was so much better than what we usually get. So one more flight to go and then I plan to fall into a much-deserved slumber in my new home! I'll update my blog with pics when I wake up. ;)

Well, I am peeling a lot so that's REAL attractive. :D

We will have internet access so I will be updating you all as we go. Are you kidding? I need you all! Now that I am moving to another country, you are my only friends that I am not leaving "behind". :D

Tomorrow is our last full day in the good old USA for two years! I am going to get a good pedicure and finish packing. Then we have our going away party. Sunday morning we are going to church one last time, then to lunch with the in-laws, then off to the airport! I am so EXCITED!!! And I am even starting to feel a little healthier! Please pray for safe travels. I read that since 2000 there have been 100 plane crashes that involved fatalities! And 51% of planes crash during landing! Why am I torturing myself with these statistics? I have no idea. :tongue_smilie:

I actually feel half-way human today. Still coughing a lot but my eye is no longer swollen. WOO HOO! So I may finally be on the mend. And the kids and hubby are still feeling well so that's good. Thank you all so much for your prayers!!! Only two days to go!

I gotta hand it to her...she is handling it with a stiff upper lip. We are having a going away party on Saturday at her house (I hope I am up to it). I know she is sad...so am I. It is really weird to be sad and happy at the same time, ya know?

OK, so no swine flu...that's good. But I have a raging case of bacterial conjunctivitis (typical "pink eye" is usually viral). Basically I have a sinus infection that has moved into my eye as well. I have lots of meds to take and I feel like crap but hopefully I am on the mend. I have two days to get better. The good news? Still no fever, so hopefully I will "pass inspection" at the airports. :tongue_smilie: I know this sounds lame and whiney but we have been so looking forward to this "moment" and now it is just ....well... poopy (as my ds said).

Believe me, I've thought about it! I have had NO fever whatsoever through any of this and my kids had the stomach flu last week which is why I think I caught it. I hope. :tongue_smilie: I am going to the doctor in a few minutes though because this morning I woke up with my right eye completely swollen shut and my eyelashes glued together. Pink eye? Are you KIDDING me? AHHHHHH!!!!! Apparently I CAN get worse...sigh... I have never had pink eye before and have not been around anyone who has it so I don't know how I caught it but I am seriously OVER all this illness. I can feel drainage running down the back of my throat and it is making me sick to my stomach. I am going to the doctor and demanding a ginormous injection of some kind of antibiotic (and asking him about swine flu).

You are not a downer at all...this sounds like very wise advice

Yes he is doing better. It is still a little tight but tolerable. You are right ... there is no going back now!:D

The devil must REALLY be mad at me right now. In the last 2 weeks I have had: - dental work on 4 teeth that left me in severe pain for days - the WORST "Aunt Flo" visit in recorded history - a sunburn that almost sent me to the hospital - a respiratory infection that has had me up all night coughing for the last 4 nights - and to top it off....last night I got the stomach flu so I was up all night puking (and still coughing) I feel like I have been run over by a truck. I am so weak right now and I still have to make sure all the final details for the big move are in place. Please pray for healing as there are certain countries like Hong Kong (which is oneof our stops) that won't let you in the country if you show flu symptoms. Also, please pray that my husband and two boys do not catch all the various sicknesses I seem to have right now. :sad:

Just bumping this to remind you all. One small change though...instead of burgers and hot do gs we've decided to do tons of pasta, salad, bread, etc. So if you want to bring something you can bring a dessert but it is NOT necessary. PM me for the address! Those of you who have already repsonded...we'll see you there!!!!!!!

So yesterday we moved out of our home! All of our stuff is gone...shipped or stored. We spent last night at my brother's house and today we leave for our trip down south to visit friends before we move. It was SO WEIRD looking at the empty home...the echoing foot steps...the memories of laughter. We enjoyed this home a lot. I don't feel sad because I know it is just bricks and drywall...my memories and my family come with me. My oldest son said "How can I be so excited to move to Malaysia and still be sad to leave this home?" He felt like it was an either/or type of thing. I told him that loving one thing does NOT require hating another. You CAN love both. You can like Malaysia AND Michigan AND North Carolina AND.... I really hope that my boys learn that lesson about life. We have so many choices. I don't want them to lead an either/or kind of life...I want them to have a both/and life. Achieving balance, taking chances, stepping outside the box. this is so exciting :D

Ummm, definitely. The last 24 hours have been really tough. Since yesterday morning: - dental work on 4 teeth (still painful) - then went to work with my face numb - then spent 5 hours packing and cleaning - then slept on an uncomfortable air mattress in my brother's basement while my 5yo cried because he is so out of his element and wiped out from the change and excitement that he could not sleep! - got up after about 5 hours of sleep and came to work for my last day -after work we are driving 10 hours to Georgia :tongue_smilie: So I am EXHAUSTED. But it will be nice to see my friend in Georgia and then we go to NC to see more friends before we move so things are looking up. :D

I think it portrays homeschoolers in a pretty positive light and the rest is neutral. Probably the only thing that MIGHT offend someone is "they never leave their dwelling" but truthfully, I DO like to stay home a lot! :D And their kids are excelling, spelling champions, we DO build our own computers and we DON'T eat at Hooters, etc. etc. I thought it was really cute!

I know! :D The one about "Cletus take the Reel" sung to "Jesus Take the Wheel" will make you wet yourself! :lol:

You have to see this video. I was rolling.... :lol:

bumpity bumpity :D

Wow, sounds really interesting!

Actually, I've read Outliers and The Tipping Point but not Blink. However, my best friend says Blink is fabulous so it is on my list!