KingM, being in the medical field I have seen copperhead bites and even had a 2 year old patient almost die from one. So yeah, I have an issue with snakes but I wouldn't call it a phobia. Here is a picture I found of a copperhead bite, you tell me if this is no big deal to you. Because, it seems like a big deal to me.

What is a referral? We do utilize them now and them, but is this something I don't know about?

That is so sad. I don't think I could welcome her into my home anymore. What she did is not okay. I wouldn't stay friends with anyone who molested a child and killing one is no better in my eyes.

Any update?

I wholeheartedly agree. If it is a snake, it dies. Period. We have cats to get rid of rats.

Thank you. I know people who do jump into things like this willy-nilly, just because they think it would be cool. For me...well, I am like "we MUST be crazy" but I have never denied being a little off center any how. :D

Thank you very much. I think every new situation comes with it's challenges, even a new baby born into a family. We continue to pray over this. I will keep you updated. I would appreciate it, than you.

Strider: We have been the parents at a children's home and had 8 troubled children along with our four. So, we have cooked for the masses, shared our love and time, and our children have seen first hand that sometimes love and compassion go a long ways. This is not something I would jump into willy-nilly just because it sounded like a cool idea. I know good and well there would be many adjustments to be made and would take a while to get it all straight. Do I think it would come without emotional issues and maybe more? Absolutely not. Do I think we could handle it with our support system, prayer, patience, and love? Absolutely. We will continue to pray about this until our social worker can talk with us at length about it. Thank you everyone for you prayers. Regardless of if we adopt *these* children or not, we plant to keep growing our family through foster/adopt. Just because my womb is a barren land does not mean my heart or home will be. I know I was meant to have MANY children, I just think God meant for me to go about it a different way than most. Also, we are in the market for a new vehicle. If it came to pass that these children would be coming here, we would just purchase something big enough.

Yes, we have discussed adoption out of birth order. As a matter of fact, this is the reason we changed agencies. Our old agency that did DS adoption is against adoption out f birth order, but our new agency believes all children deserve a home where the family is willing to work through obstacles with love. It is sad that 2 children were without a family for two years because our agency was against it. They were adopted by the time we got our new agency, but it was almost two years. They are healthy as far as their age appropriate examinations have proven. But thank you, these are excellent points.

We are considering the adoption of a sibling group. This group is quite large, and would more than double our family size. However, we are prayerfully considering submitting our home study for placement of this group (the children range from age infant to 8). Their parents were killed, and they have no family. I would just go forward with it, but DH is totally wigged about that many kids at once. He says he feels a pull toward them, but never imagined having THAT many kids. This is on top of another adoption we are working on (our son's bio sibling). I want to pray that God's will is done, and that if we are supposed to have these beautiful kiddos that God will speak to my husband and have him come forward for it. I do not ask for outside prayer often, but right now I would appreciate some prayer warriors. :grouphug: Thank you.

Just got married last month...rather young, 25 This is a member of DH family, whom DH insists on having around. DH won't defend HS, he just says "well, I guess there are pros and cons to everything". Then, this guy waits to corner me. LOL It is all okay now. I don't really care what he says. I imagine he has seen some homeschooling gone bad situation and is judging on those. He is truly ignorant to the truth and nothing I am going to say can change that. So, if he brings it up again I will just laugh, change the subject, and move on.

Looks good. Looks like a lot of work. LOL

Thank you Jesus. Let's keep praying!

That is pretty freaky. I would do what I can to increase your protection while you are out, mace, phone, maybe a gun, etc. You said you run with your dog, can you put him in protection training? They can easily be taught to protect on demand.

That is very cute!

I will be praying tonight and in the morning.

I agree. What is done is done, and we would just do the best we could.

I am with you, I wanna go visit!

LOL, nope. I haven't gotten that argument yet. Geez, I can't wait. Now I'll be prepared.

Very good suggestions. I did everything I could to praise public school and emphasize that this is what *we* feel is best. He (yes, a male) continued to spout off about Rhodes Scholars not being homeschooled and this stuff about homeschoolers being social mis-fits and so on. He said he think *I* have great children, but they are the exception, not the rule. I just think there is no changing his opinion. Since he is a PS teacher, he definitely feels it is a personal attack to HS my children. He claims he has read Gatto's work (I offered to let him borrow mine) but I absolutely don't believe him.

OMG! I love you right now! I am going to have to slip that in at some point because I *know* this will come up again!

Oh yes, exact wording. I went on to site that they were obviously uneducated on the subject of homeschooling and they went on to recite to me all their "education" from college in child development and so forth.

By the way, this is a public school teacher.

That is what I finally did. I just said we would just have to agree to disagree. It just makes me so mad when someone keeps coming at you with uneducated stereotypical babble about how it is sheltering and keeping them from being able to function in the real world.

I need real responses to respond to someone who thinks HS is absolutely ignorant. Do you have a great response to shut people up? The ones who think being in a PS 8 hours a day is VITAL for a child's development?