My son took it today (we are 12 hours ahead of the US). He thought the reading and writing were easy but the math was harder than the practice test. Of course, math isn't his favorite subject either. But he (and I) are glad this first run is over. Now we have a year to study before his junior year !

Evangel Baptist in Taylor, Michigan. It is isn't exactly close to you but it is exactly as you describe and it is a thriving church. We miss it a lot.

Yes! Exactly! Neal is a DOOFUS. He talks like he is drunk or something and he looks slovenly.

I thought all the same exact things. All along Mulan has been in love with Phillip so to now switch it to Beauty would be a ridiculously PC thing to do. If it had been going all along, fine. But to throw it in like some kind of "gotcha" is silly. Neal bugs the living daylights out of me so I do not want him and Emma to get together again. And I have to say that I have never liked Henry. That kid irritates me. But Hook...yum.

Think of all the awesome stories you will have to tell!

I REALLY REALLY need to file an N600-K for my dd's citizenship or we won't get to go home next summer AGAIN. This has got to stop.

Doe she respond to bribery? I'm not actually kidding. It sounds terrible but it saved me from a disastrous relationship. I was older, though. I was 18yo and dating this horrible loser of a guy, I think mostly to aggravate my parents. Then I decided I was going to move in with him and we were going to get married. The more my mother tried to talk me out of it the more I dug in. Then she got smart. I needed a car really badly at that time for school and work so she made me a deal. If I break up with the guy she would buy me a car. It worked.

The Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore. Oh. My. Goodness. Really...it should be illegal to ruin a book that much.

All the time. And videos too. :) I love sharing them with family back home who are not getting to watch my kids grow up. My mother loves them especially.

My favorite perfume for years was Gio by Armani. They got rid of it and started making Gio Aqua which is totally different. I miss Gio. It was my signature scent.

My oldest ds is a notoriously bad speller. We were watching the spelling bee on TV a few years ago and we were laughing about how he will never be on that competition. He said with mock indignance, "Hey! I can spell!" I said, "OK. Then spell GIRAFFE." He said "G, E, R... I mean J, I, R... Oh, wait. I forgot the H." Dh and I were laughing so hard! So that is a family joke now. Whenever someone is spelling something we say "oh, wait. I forgot the H!"

Very interesting. It seems like more people actual prefer cool, gray weather than hot, sunny weather! Oh and I forgot the smell...I love the SMELL of sunshine. :thumbup1:

Wow, that is so interesting that some of you have the opposite problem and actually prefer the cloudy, rainy days! I have always wondered when people speak of places like the PNW as such a wonderful place because it seems like my worst nightmare in terms of lack of sunlight. I never want to move back to Michigan in large part because of the gray skies. I want to be where the sun shines all the time. :) I wonder if they have those special lights here?

I've always considered myself somewhat moody. Then several years ago I began to see a trend and I noticed that my mood was greatly affected by the weather, especially sunlight. Detroit is a brutal place to grow up in that situation as the number of sunny days is low. Even living in Malaysia where it is always hot, the rainy season makes me really moody because it goes on for weeks and it is gray and pouring rain for hours and hours at a time. We are in the rainy season right now and I swear the sun had not been out in two weeks at least. Then today it just appeared. It was glorious. My mood instantly soared. But that just made me realize how easily and profoundly the lack of sunshine affects me. It is not clinical depression by any means but there is a noticeable difference. I've even noticed that spending too much time in my office where lights are dim makes me cranky. But if I walk outside and it is sunny I am instantly in a good mood. Is this fairly normal? Anyone else affected this way? I have to admit that I don't like my moods being so easily manipulated!

I need a South American author to complete my author-from-every-continent challenge. Any suggestions?

Started Reading: Nothing new because I just started two books over the weekend. But when I finish one of them I will be done with the Dewey decimal challenge!! Still Reading: Stealing Rembrandts: The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists by Anthony Amore (American Author, DD class 700) The Gospel's Power and Message by Paul Washer (American author, DD class 200) Finished: 43. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Persuasive Writing by Gerald Graff (American author, DD class 400) 42. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (American author, DD class 800) 41. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley (Canadian author, DD class 800) 40. Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 200) 39. When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper (American author, DD class 200) 38. Inferno by Dan Brown (American author, DD class 800) 37. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo (American author, DD class 800) 36. The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200) 35. Sandstorm by James Rollins (American author, DD class 800) 34. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Mexican Author, DD class 800) 33. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost (Dutch Author, DD class 900) 32. Bill Bryson's African Diary by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 31. The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer (American author, DD class 800) 30. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (American author, DD class 800) 29.The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (American author, DD class 800) 28. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (American authors, DD class 800) 27. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 26. The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 25. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopian author, DD class 800) 24. Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams (American author, DD class 300) 23.The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (American author, DD class 600) 22. The Infernal Devices #3: The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 21. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (American author, DD class 800) 20. Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill (British author, DD class 200) 19. The Infernal Devices #2: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 18. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 17. God's Big Picture: Tracing the Story-Line of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts (British author, DD class 200) 16.The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley (Canadian Author, DD Class 800) 15.The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 900) 14. Prodigy by Marie Lu (Chinese author, DD class 800) 13. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (American author, DD class 900) 12. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (American author, DD class 500) 11. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (American Author, DD class 600) 10. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (American author, DD class 200) 9. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (American author, DD class 300) 8. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (American author, DD class 100) 7. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 6. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 5. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 4. The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies (Canadian author, DD class 600) 3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Australian author, DD class 800) 2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (English author, DD class 800) 1. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch (German author, DD class 800)

Around 10yo. I was never a huge toy person though. I always had my nose in a book. :)

I fell off the wagon for a few weeks as I was swamped with my grad school class. But I finished one this week. Woo hoo! Started Reading: Stealing Rembrandts: The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists by Anthony Amore (American Author, DD class 700) The Gospel's Power and Message by Paul Washer (American author, DD class 200) Still Reading: Finished: 42. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (American author, DD class 800) 41. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley (Canadian author, DD class 800) 40. Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 200) 39. When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper (American author, DD class 200) 38. Inferno by Dan Brown (American author, DD class 800) 37. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo (American author, DD class 800) 36. The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200) 35. Sandstorm by James Rollins (American author, DD class 800) 34. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Mexican Author, DD class 800) 33. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost (Dutch Author, DD class 900) 32. Bill Bryson's African Diary by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 31. The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer (American author, DD class 800) 30. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (American author, DD class 800) 29.The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (American author, DD class 800) 28. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (American authors, DD class 800) 27. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900) 26. The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 25. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopian author, DD class 800) 24. Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams (American author, DD class 300) 23.The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (American author, DD class 600) 22. The Infernal Devices #3: The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 21. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (American author, DD class 800) 20. Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill (British author, DD class 200) 19. The Infernal Devices #2: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 18. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) 17. God's Big Picture: Tracing the Story-Line of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts (British author, DD class 200) 16.The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley (Canadian Author, DD Class 800) 15.The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 900) 14. Prodigy by Marie Lu (Chinese author, DD class 800) 13. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (American author, DD class 900) 12. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (American author, DD class 500) 11. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (American Author, DD class 600) 10. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (American author, DD class 200) 9. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (American author, DD class 300) 8. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (American author, DD class 100) 7. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800) 6. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 5. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800) 4. The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies (Canadian author, DD class 600) 3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Australian author, DD class 800) 2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (English author, DD class 800) 1. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch (German author, DD class 800)

Yes if I am still the one supporting him. He might legally be an adult at 18yo but until he is supporting himself, I expect him to abide by our family's values. If he decides to live by a different set of values when he is older, that is his decision but until he is truly a self-supporting adult, he will need to honor our boundaries.

I would not allow my child to go to a mixed-gender trip without chaperones for a multitude of reasons.

I give Miley Cyrus two years before her career implodes and she is in rehab.

I prefer "Oh Captain my Captain." :)

How exciting!!! Have a safe trip and welcome to the crazy world of expat living. P.s. I am impressed. I have never known anyone that owned 24 suitcases!!

ACK! I have no idea. The "big" present is a vacation to Singapore (we leave Jan. 3). We will go to Universal Studios there and Singapore Zoo and several other places. I want to get them all some small things to unwrap but the two boys are hard to buy for. Maybe credit for STEAM so they can buy some videogames they like. My dd is easy...puzzles, baby dolls...anything makes her happy.

This is me exactly (minus the farming). Irish ancestry that I rarely ever think about. But both of my parents are from Alabama which figures heavily into who I am. Ultimately I am American. I have never heard an American refer to themselves as English. Well, I do have a friend who actually is English (as in born and raised in England) but married and American and has US Citizenship. She calls herself English. Is that what you mean?