[Do you currently homeschool?]

I homeschool all of my children who are school age and we utilize a co-op for extracurricular classes.

[Study in Preterm infant brain development]

Yes, EI comes into your home and is heavily encouraged by the NICU nurses and neonatologists. My preemies are foster children so when I took them home from the NICU, they already had an EI evaluation appointment scheduled. 

[Strange signs on the side of the road.]

Well... probably not what I would do but did you pray for their marriage? :p 

[Book a Week 2017 - BW3: Author Oulipo Mashup]

I just finished Ben Winters' Bedbugs which I thought was great. The story kept me riveted and I stayed up way too late reading it. I also finished the first book in Wings Of Fire which is a children's series about 5 dragonets (baby dragons!) who are trying to end a dragon war. It's my eldest daughter's favorite series right now so I promised her I'd read it. I also pored over Shaun Tan's The Singing Bones yesterday which was awesome and made me want to read more fairy tales in depth.

 

I've read 9 books in 2017 so far and have reached the end of my library pile at home so I'm hoping the husband has another one with him when he comes home. 

[On Friday our adoption was finalized!]

Congrats!

[More baby prayers needed]

Congrats! He's adorable! 

[Have you had to give up on a significant dream of your own?]

I do wish I had gotten a college degree. The practical side of me wonders why though because I have always wanted to stay home with my children and intend to do so until the last child is launched from the nest. Then I'll go back to school. But sometimes it sneaks up on me and bothers me that I don't already have a degree even though it would be sitting on a shelf gathering dust.

[Book a Week 2017 - BW1: Welcome to an adventurous prime reading new year!]

HI ladies! Hoping to be a little more active again this year... I'm reading the latest Anita Blake book, Crimson Death. 

[Anyone else get the $10 gift card from]

I got one! I'm not sure if I need more literature guides or if I want Latina Christiana more than the lit guides. I didn't know that it expired, I'll have to buy sooner than planned. 

[If a HS group's motto is the "train up a child" quote]

Looks like you already have your answer but you could always drop a few things and see... "Pearls... blanket training... Tripp... beating your child with plumbing line? Okay, I'm outta here!"  :laugh:

[JAWM No Winter Break]

We rarely take the winter break either. We did this year and I'm slightly regretting it! 

[Book a Week 2016 - BW52 - 2016 it's a wrap!]

I didn't make my book goal this year but seeing that we introduced newborn twins this year, I'm going to be happy with the 75 that I did finish. I meant to get to 100 but such is life! Currently almost through with book 76, Lori Wick's Pretense. Not my typical style but a girlfriend of mine said she loooooved it and wanted me to read it so I borrowed her copy. I'm also reading Wendy Pope's Wait And See. 

[Hair product help]

Another vote for argan oil. I love the Orlando Pita argan oil conditioner too.

[Dollie and me outfits?]

My girls trade doll clothes all of the time and often BItty Baby is found wearing 18" doll clothing.

[UPDATE post 118 Help me make hospital and NICU as good as possible]

Praying for him and for you. The NICU journey is so very difficult.

[If you've had a natural birth. ..]

I've had 4 vaginal births. I had an epidural late in the labor with one because the midwife thought it would bring my blood pressure down (it did not). I refused to ever use any drugs after that and had 3 drug free births. By the time I was asking for an epidural with them, and yes, I asked for one with every single child... I was ready to push. I remember telling them, "Give me the epidural! NO, no, don't really... BUT I WANT THE DRUGS!"  My husband was there to be like, "No, she really doesn't want it... it's time to push." All of the babies were earth side within 40 minutes of asking for the drugs.

[Book a Week 2016 - BW50: Best of 2016]

I finished This House Is Haunted and a cheesy chick lit Three Girls and A Baby. I really enjoyed This House Is Haunted! I'll have to check out some of John Boyne's other work. 

[Do you have a hard time putting an interesting novel down?]

Um, yes. I try to limit it to after the kids are in bed but there is never, ever a day that I go without picking up a book before I fall asleep. 

[Book a Week 2016 - BW44: November Notions]

Happy birthday, Kathy! 

 

Rose, that is terrible. I hope there's a way to resolve the situation.

 

Sadie, I missed what is going on but I'll lift your daughter up in prayer.

 

I got The Vampire In New York in the mail from our lovely Stacia and it's been sitting on my nightstand as I read some of the Roald Dahl Ghost Stories. Not much reading got done this week as the twins were sick and took most of my energy. 

[This is going to be the best World Series in a long time!]

I don't even regularly watch baseball but I am thrilled! I was raised to sing Take Me Out To The Ballgame as root, root, root for the Cubbies. ;) 

[Book a Week 2016 - BW42: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley]

Mumto2, They are doing some Hallmark movies about Aurora but the mainstream TV show is going to be based off of Midnight Crossroad. I want to say NBC is airing it?

 

I am waiting for some Shirley Jackson too. Hopefully the library will text my husband soon saying that it is in.

 

Jane, I love the photos! Looks like you had a wonderful time.

 

Oh man, I hope my kids are theatre kids. I loved being part of the theatre with a passion when I was a child and I'll admit, I felt more than one twinge of envy when I went to see Hamilton in Chicago a few weeks ago. I wanted to be the one on the stage, darnit! Ah, if only I had time to actually be a part of the theatre world again! I will have to settle for watching and hoping that my kids will want to be a part of it too.

[Anyone familiar with foster care system who could help me figure out a situation? UPDATED with a new question]

Generally a person cannot be licensed for a particular child unless they are relatives. However, if the person feels led to be licensed anyway there would be a possibility of her being placed with them. Most of the time they will not cross state lines for fostering unless there is a strong possibility of termination of parental rights.

 

As for fostering with many children, it depends on the state. Where I live, you need to have 40 square feet per child in a bedroom. You can only have same sex children in a bedroom if they are over the age of 5. You're allowed six children total (biological, foster, and adopted all are included in this count) who are under the age of 17 without a waiver. With a waiver, you can have 8 under the age of 17 if you have the room in your home and your vehicle. 

[Book a Week 2016 - BW42: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley]

I read All The Little Liars by Charlaine Harris this week. It was the newest Aurora Teagarden mystery and while I wanted to love it, it was pretty obvious she was trying to push out some new books because she has another TV series based on one of her series coming out. I gave it three stars because I still like the character and have hopes that Harris will put out some better books.

[Book a Week 2016 - BW41: my first stephen king novel]

Stacia, that sounds right up my alley.

[Book a Week 2016 - BW41: my first stephen king novel]

I don't remember if it was Carrie or Salem's Lot that was my first Stephen King. Both were read one after another. I'm cracking up, Stacia, I'm pretty sure I've said almost the exact thing about how long he describes every single darn thing. Then goes back to repeat it all. A few times. 

 

Amy, I'm certain you're right about Christopher Pike! But oh man, I loved him at the time. 

 

I finished PenPal by Dathan Auerbach. It was a little disjointed but all in all, I did enjoy it. There were a few parts that sent chills down my spine.