But it was created by a group called "Second Amendment Rights" and is being circulated by all my pro-gun friends. They seem to take great pride in this pic.

Now I admit that over the last few years I have become less and less in favor of gun ownership. I am not ready to throw out the second amendment but I have serious concerns. But I have loads of family and friends who are very pro-gun and I respect their right to their opinion. But A friend posted this on FB today and when I saw it, something inside me instantly recoiled in horror. I get the "thought" behind it... That females should know how to protect themselves. But there is just something about this photo that shocked me. So, how about you? What is your first impression of it? Maybe I am just getting soft and too easily shocked?

We have always spayed our cats (we always have females) but the cats we had before were older. This one is 10 weeks old and I am getting conflicting advice on the best time to spay her. The vet here says at least 16 weeks but the ASPCA website says now is OK. Thoughts?

Well, I am pretty convinced to keep her indoors... Which is ok with me since it is the only way I know anyways! She is so sweet. I would hate it if something happened to her. We named her Serena because we are HUGE tennis fans. :) We are all in the throes of kitten love and this is going to be one spoiled cat!

I work full-time as a principal at a Christian school. My evenings are homework, tennis lessons, piano lessons, and all the other stuff that comes with being a parent. :)

The best book I have read lately: http://www.amazon.com/Geography-Bliss-Grumps-Search-Happiest/dp/044669889X Even my 15yo ds loved it!! And anything by Sarah Addison Allen.

If you do it through a university that has a brick and mortar presence, then possibly. Many universities offer online degrees now including doctorates. But I suppose it depends on what type of science? I would think that someone wanting a doctorate in biology or something similar would want hands-on experience, right?

Started Reading: The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (American author, DD class 600) Still Reading: Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams (American author, DD class 300) The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters by Albert Mohler (American author, DD class 300) The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200) Finished: 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)

Really? We have never adopted a kitten this young before. In the past, we had shelter kitties that were 6 months or older and already spayed. Today the vet told me that he would spay our new kitty when she is 4 months old. I didn't know it was recommended for younger than that.

I actually prefer indoor cats because I don't want to worry about what might happen to her while she is out. I just don't know how I am going to keep this one indoors in our current living situation. All of our doors and windows literally hang wide open with no screens all day long for the breeze. Otherwise the heat is intolerable. I will definitely keep up with her vaccines, etc. We are meticulous about those things. We live in the city so no coyotes or anything like that. But there are lots of stray dogs here. Now I'm going to worry. :(

Ok, sorry if this sounds silly but... How does the outdoor thing work? Do you just open the door and let them come and go as they please? Do they "ask" to go out, like dogs do? Do they come back when you call (I have a hard time picturing this in a cat!), what if it is time for bed and you need to lock up and they aren't back yet? I've heard they know how to get back to their home but since I have never done this with a cat, I'm not sure how it works out in real life.

Yep. My oldest went to school for the first time in grade 6. It was a lot of little things. Like remembering to raise his hand before he spoke, asking permission to go to the bathroom, remembering due dates, following specific instructions for formatting assignments, not losing papers and pencils and his backpack, etc. Four years later he does much better but not great.

We got a new kitty today. She is about 10 weeks old. She is a stray, born to a stray. My friend found the mother stray after she was already pregnant. The kitten has been a combo indoor/outdoor cat for the 10 weeks it has been alive. We have owned several cats but they have always been indoor only cats. What are the pros and cons of indoor vs. outdoor cats? She received her first vax today as well as a dewormer shot. She will be spayed as soon as she is old enough. It will be tough to keep her indoors only since it is so hot here and we always have our windows and doors open (no screens here!). But I worry that being an outdoor cat, she might get ticks or fleas, etc. Thoughts?

I miss... Target A good steak Mexican food

My avatar is me and dh. The pic is from about a month ago. It is the first time I have changed my avatar in YEARS!!! My other one was so old it was embarrassing.

Not that I remember.

Black Swan was absolutely horrid. I have seen many bad movies in my years but this is the most recent example of a movie I hated so much I actually considered asking for my money back. Anything with Keanu Reeves. He is the worst actor in Hollywood.

Started Reading: The Infernal Devices #3: The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800) Still Reading: Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams (American author, DD class 300) The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters by Albert Mohler (American author, DD class 300) The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200) Finished: 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)

When we adopted from Korea the agency actually flew the baby to us. We did not have to travel. The first time we held him was in Detroit Metro Airport. :)

http://www.reasons.org/about/who-we-are/hugh-ross This is the OE answer to Ken Ham's organization. Hugh Ross has written good books on the topic. While I am YE in my views, I do not believe OE is heresy and I believe those that do are turning a rib issue into a spine issue.

I am very sorry about your sister and I am not addressing you directly ... More of the "let's all have a giggle about cancer" mentality. And I can honestly say that no stupid post about what color bra one is wearing... Or my "favorite"... The fake pregnancy announcement meme ... has EVER made me think, "Wow, I should do a breast exam right now!" But watching my friend die? Yeah, that got my attention in a really big way. I'm sorry, those who want to support that method of "awareness" can think what they like but I will not stop deleting those posts, blocking those people, and pointing out that trivializing a deadly disease that leaves young children motherless is cruel and wrong.

Love love love this post. Thank you for saying what I could not put in words. I am so glad someone said it!!!

Wow. Reading all of this makes me so grateful for the adoption agency we used with our ds. We received EXTENSIVE education on RAD (so much that it almost scared us out of adopting). Our process was thorough almost to an extreme. They were very adamant about wanting to know your reasons for adopting, etc. The interviews were many and intense. Every T was crossed and every I dotted. At no point was there even a hint of shady behavior. While I have heard adoption AND orphan care promoted in churches before, it has NEVER been as a method for gaining converts. That is horrifying.

Thank you Audrey. I admit that I am a bit raw about it all right now. A few years ago my friend died at age 29 from skin cancer just 5 weeks after giving birth to her first child. Her son will never know his mother. Now another friend is battling for her life and she has a young child who needs her. And her poor husband... He walks around looking absolutely shell-shocked. I think there are a lot of effective ways to promote self-exams and help cancer patients without trivializing this deadly disease. If it takes something funny to get your attention... Well, that is your own issue. You want something to get your attention? How about if I take a picture of my friend.... My bald, emaciated, breast-less friend, as she hovers over her toilet vomiting for the tenth time today and post it on FB? Maybe that would "raise awareness"? Because THAT is what cancer really looks like. You want to share something on FB that will remind a women to do a self-exam? Share this: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/husband-photos-wife-breast-cancer-battle-article-1.1315041

I got 33. It is interesting though, I have always been quite good at "reading" people but I really dislike group projects.