Ch. 28 Reproductive Physiology: It’s All About Hormones Kristin Miller Filipa Moraes Natasha Moningka. - ppt download

Thanks Kristin, Filipa, and Natasha for this awesome concept map!

Ch. 28 Reproductive Physiology: It’s All About Hormones Kristin Miller Filipa Moraes Natasha Moningka. - ppt download: Learning Goals Students will understand that successful fertilization requires a coordinated and complex interplay of reproductive hormones

Paul's post - time for Samuel to be born

Michelle came home from seeing her doctor today and told us we were
going to the hospital to meet him there. He wanted to induce the labor.

We arrived there around 3pm and sat around for a while before Michelle got a room. I tried to get the kids situated in the waiting room but eventually let them in to her room in the labor and delivery section at the hospital. Everyone was quite nice as our entourage milled about.

Phalen ended up staying in the waiting room and didn't want to be around. Kylee wanted to watch, but I said no and she stayed in an adjoining room.
Megan and Jessie had "front row" in the two seats facing Michelle's bed and Jackie wasn't there. (She was more interested in having a sleep-over and swimming with her friend Aubree.) I stood next to Michelle and pushed hard onto the base of her spine during each contraction. She said it relieved some of the pain and it really made me feel important :) Once they put the oxytocin on to her, the contractions quickly started spiking up much higher and seemed to get sort of random.

Her doctor had decided she'd have an epidural (although Michelle said she didn't want one). While she was getting that put into her, she had a contraction and said she *wanted to push* and the anesthesiologist quickly got one needle-full into the tube thing in her back. Michelle did push, and a nurse said saw the baby's head! The room went into a panic! They rushed out to get Dr. Nader and he came in with all of his stuff and everyone rushed around getting ready.

The anesthesia was barely coming on, and within the next three or four contractions Michelle pushed Samuel out. The "pushing part" was over in less than a few minutes. It was so incredible to see him come out; he looked sort of blue and was coughing a bit. They said that since he came out so fast, he didn't have time to get the junk in his lungs cleared out. He was so big and so healthy looking. I really felt like falling apart at that point, but stayed level-headed through it all (I asked for this in prayer and that prayer were clearly answered).I watched the Doctor cut the umbilical cord and then he pulled out the placenta which was pretty interesting looking, but quite gross.

I didn't faint or throw up, but I did cry some. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

As Michelle held Sam while the nurse was wiping him off, I watched and told the Doctor about how birth is such clear evidence for a God in heaven. He agreed.

Samuel Isaac Ricketts
7/24/06 7:03pm
9 pounds, 15 ounces

DNA and genetics

Within each cell in our body is a DNA molecule, which stores coded information in two long chains. The strands are two yards long, yet less than a trillionth of an inch thick. The DNA of a human stores enough information to fill 1000 books, each with 500 pages of the smallest print. The code is so sophisticated that it can routinely construct an entire adult human starting with just a single microscopic cell. DNA determines the arrangement for our 206 bones, 600 muscles, 10,000 auditory nerve fibers, 2 million optic nerve fibers, 100 billions nerve cells, and 400 feet of blood vessels and capillaries.

The capacity of DNA to store information vastly exceeds that of modern technology. The information in DNA form, specifying the design of all species of organisms that ever lived, could be held in a teaspoon, and there would still be room left over, to hold all the information in every book ever written.

Computer scientists have demonstrated conclusively that information does not and cannot arise spontaneously. Therefore, since DNA is information, the only logical and reasonable conclusion is that DNA was formed by intelligence. This engineering wonder, this intricately ordered biochemical system could never have arisen apart from divine creation. As the psalmist exclaims, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works; and my soul knows it very well."

A Great Quote on Rough Days

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)

“If I Were a Good Mom.”

“If I Were a Good Mom.” On sleepless nights it’s an endless refrain that echoes through my head to the tune of “If I Were a Rich Man.” Far be it from me to annihilate a good Fiddler on the Roof tune, but that’s what runs through my mind s I review my days.

I realized recently that I’ve yet to even make it to the finals for that “Mother of the Year Award” my own mother ever-so-sarcastically referred to during my youth. I wonder if it’s because of days like today. This afternoon, while I was working on the computer, my daughter asked if she could go play outside in her playhouse. The sky had been threatening rain all day, but the playhouse is solid with a roof and heater, so I thought nothing of letting her head out to play. Imagine my surprise when I realized I heard not only a downpour but also the laughter of a drenched preschooler as she danced on the patio and made sidewalk-chalk soup in a puddle. She was happy, but I doubt I’ll even garner a nomination for that one. A Good Mom would’ve made sure she was attired with an umbrella and boots and made sure that the hood of her raincoat covered neatly trimmed bangs.

The more I think about it, the more I realize my award will never come. Instead of getting up at five o’clock each morning to prepare a healthy feast for her to break her nightly fast, I stumble to the kitchen and pour her a bowl of trail mix and a cup of juice. The pediatrician didn’t mind when I mentioned the morning fare; after all, the juice is organic, and “peanuts and raisins are healthier than some sugar-laden cereal.” Even the dentist approved since the juice is diluted halfway with water. I can’t help but think a Good Mom would be poaching eggs from the family’s free-range hens and frying up the bacon from a prized 4-H project pig while squeezing her own orange juice.

It goes back further than solid foods though. The poor child is culturally deprived and that’s my fault too. I wasn’t raised on nursery rhymes and lullabies, so I had nothing to sing her to sleep with as an infant. All I could think of were my personal favorites: the “Star Spangled Banner” and the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Just yesterday she was building a garden made of LEGO, humming while she worked. The melody sounded familiar and as I began to listen more closely she burst into song: “And the rockets’ red glare/the bombs bursting in air/gave proof through the night/that our flag was still there!” Just not normal for a three-year-old. Shouldn’t’ she be singing Barney tunes?

If you ask my neighbors, it’s amazing enough that she can even speak at all. When she was about five months old we started working on American Sign Language (ASL). She ignored it until she was a year old, then wanted to know the signs for everything she encountered. For a full year she would only speak names of words she didn’t know the signs for and a relative informed me I was “making the child stupid.” At two years old she suddenly started speaking in full sentences but to this day continues to sign. We’re now at a vocabulary of almost two hundred signs and counting. In my book that makes her bilingual, but a neighbor recently commented, “Wow, she can talk now!” I got a blank look when I mentioned that she’d communicated with me just fine for years. I keep forgetting that a Good Mom would have forced her daughter to speak her native language rather than teaching and learning a new language with her.

The more I think on it, I’ll just pass on that “Mother of the Year Award.” At the rate things are going I’ll never even garnish an honorable mention anyway. I’ll just have to follow in my own mother’s footsteps and sacrifice the award for days of skipping school to head to the zoo, spending the afternoon snuggled in bed with a book, and—dare I say it—dancing in the rain while the sidewalk chalk melts into soup.

Facing the Homeschool Super Mom

Facing the Homeschool Super Mom
Author: Laura Bankston
I know this Mom. She homeschools her 5 children, plus she tutors several other children that are dropped off at her house. AND she's a Pastor's wife. AND she's working on fixing up the fixer-upper they just moved into. Whenever I've been in her house, it's been immaculate. Her children all have perfect manners. They all seem to be way ahead of their grade level. She's definitely gotta be a Homeschool Super Mom.

You're probably thinking of someone like this too, right? Someone that made you think, "Man, my son isn't reading as well as hers." or "My house isn't as clean as hers." Or a million other things.

And you probably discovered her when you were new to homeschooling. When you were
already feeling uncertain in your new endeavors. You were already putting high expectations on yourself. You were constantly analyzing to be sure you were doing everything right. And as a result, you tend to be a little over-sensitive about what other's are accomplishing around you without giving enough credit to yourself.

So, it's really important that you remember (as a new homeschooler or a seasoned one) these basic principles that we all so easily forget:

"The 4 Basic Principles That Conquer the 'Super-Moms' Syndrome"

Principle #1: We always see other's through glasses that make them larger than life. When I was a teenager, there was this lady in our church. Her hair and makeup was always perfect. She lived in a big, expensive home. She was very stylish and her kids were so cool. I always wanted to grow up and have that.

But I don't anymore.

I'd rather have my house that gets messy 5 minutes after it gets picked up, my hair that falls down into my eyes as I pick up my children, and my face that only gets makeup on Sunday. Why you may ask? Well, here's why. I'm happy. I love my family, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

The lady I had idolized as a teen? She still has her perfect home and impeccable style. But, she has a marriage without love and children who are stuck up adults who ignore her totally.

I had seen her through glasses that made her larger than life. In the end, she's not any bigger or greater than me. In fact, she probably wishes that she had my life!

So, if you start to think about someone else who seems to have the life you want, STOP LOOKING! Instead, sit down and make a list of 100 good things in your life--from the air you breathe, to the heat in your home, to the kisses from your child. I guarantee that you'll feel better about yourself that you ever have before.

Principle #2: Everyone has their own unique gift. Everyone has their own unique ability and we tend to notice in other's the abilities that might be our "weak" ones.

For instance, if you think you're house is always messy, you'll seem to know all these people who have perfectly neat homes.

For an example from my life, I have a son who struggles with speech and it seems like every other parent within a 100 mile radius have children with perfect diction. But you know that's not the way it is. My son might not pronounce every phonic sound correctly--yet!--but he has so many other gifts that hardly make that one seem important.

For instance, no one notices his speech. They always comment, though, how loving he is. Just running up to people and giving them hugs. And he has fun no matter what he does. Can you believe one day I actually heard myself saying, "Ryan. Stop that. Not everything is supposed to be fun." I had to step back and slap myself. Then I said, "Never mind. Mommy was wrong. Have as much fun as you can." And I learned a lesson from that.

So, forget about what the homeschooled Jones' are doing. Discover your child's unique ability and relish in it and develop it and learn from it.

Right now, at the end of your list of 100 things that you're grateful for, list 10 wonderful qualities or abilities for yourself and each of your children. Work on acknowledging, praising, and being thankful for all of your gifts. And don't forget to thank God that you got the greatest kids ever born on this earth.

Principle #3: It doesn't matter what others think. I know, it seems easier said than done. But I guarantee that if you've actually taken the time to write down your list of 100 things that you're grateful for and 10 wonderful qualities of your child, that you won't care what other people think because you will know and appreciate what you have.

And, see, it really doesn't matter what other people think.

What matters is what's important to you. Your core values. Your beliefs. Your ethics. How do you want your children to be as adults? Hey, write it down right now. 5 things you want your child to be as an adult.

Okay, I'll do it right now too for Ryan who is 6 years old--but do yours before you read mine:
A loving husband and father
An honest, ethical entrepreneur
Faithful in service to God
Kind, thoughtful, and helpful to those less fortunate
Thankful and content for what he can do and what he has
Now, I'll bet that you had similar types of things. Not, "makes $1,000,000 by age 30" or "wins he Miss America contest".

Focus on developing and rearing your child to have those 5 qualities, and I'll guarantee that the fact that Mrs. Smith's daughter who is 2 years younger than yours is reading book three times as difficult. Geez, that's a real life skill. You see what I'm getting at?

Principle #4: When you say "yes" to one thing, you are always saying "no" to something else. Have you ever heard that before? I heard that from an owner of a successful multi-million dollar business. That was the simple rule that he used to prioritize his life. When he sat at his desk with phone messages to return, he would literally think, "If I say 'yes' to calling this person, what will I be saying 'no' to?" When someone would asked to do something, he was able to say "no", knowing that if he said "yes" to that project, that he would be saying "no" to extra time with his family.

This principle applies to everyone whether they are conscious of it or not.

Mrs. Smith who is working so hard to have her child advanced in reading is saying "no" to some other educational area. Or, Suzie Homeschool Super Mom up the street who has her immaculate home is saying "no" to time with her kids or family or something else.

The same applies to me. I've said "yes" to this homeschool site, so I've had to say "no" to things like having a perfectly neat house, laundry always done and put away, and a 5 course home-cooked meal on the table by 5:00 every night.

Only say "yes" to the things that are important to you.
(See, you don't know it, but I've been gone for 20 minutes. My daughter came downstairs crying, and I stopped to take care of her. And I've also acquired a set of ear muffs made from pipecleaners and pom-poms.)
So, as I was saying, say "yes" ONLY to the things that are most important to you. And know ahead of time what you'll be saying "no" to before you say "yes"!

Principle #5: Take advantage of every possible tool. That's right. I don't lift a finger (well, hardly a finger) to clean my home as I have cleaner's come twice a week to take care of that responsibility for me. And to solve my meal preparation dilemma? I purchase items that can be thrown in the oven and get side dishes that are quick and easy.

You can do similar things. I have a homeschooling friend who takes one day a month and cooks all day to makes meals for 30 days that she freezes and uses one at a time. And I thought she cooked from scratch every night!

Having difficulties organizing? Don't fight it. Buy something that organizes your stuff or forget it. It really isn't that important to waste time stressing over!

Use all the tools you can, and leave everything else to collect dust.

So whatever happened to that super mom?

Hopefully by now you've done the exercises or at least skimmed enough here and there to know that there is no super mom except the unrealistic giant you've created in your mind. Instead, you should have a full, realistic view of the gifts and treasures that you possess and a new appreciation for all you get done and how you can enjoy doing what you do a little more! If you've done that, than I wasn't wrong in saying "yes" to this project!

Release your worries and enjoy life!

Laura Bankston is author of Internationally selling Cooking with Kids Curriculum: “Homeschool Cooking in a Box” and the “Homeschool Cookbook”. She currently home schools her three children, maintains home school support websites, and manages their family-owned service business. For information on her curriculum and free home school support services, please visit http://www.homeschoolcookbook.com

The newest picture of Miss Lauren Lulu.

The Pledge of Allegiance - - Unconstitutional?

The Pledge of Allegiance, a time honored American tradition, has yet again, been ruled as UNconstitutional, this time by U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton. This is the second time the Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow, has brought this issue before the court. He has been trying for five years to remove the pledge from public classrooms.
What is it that bothers you, you intolerable prig? Is it the part about declaring allegiance with the United States? Maybe it is the part about liberty and justice for all? Perhaps it's the part about God? What you must understand is that The United States was founded by people who just happened to consider it "one nation, under God". In 1954 these very words were added to distinguish the US way of life from that of the atheist communist regime of the USSR. As much as you may dislike it, you can't rewrite history. You don't believe in God. That's fine. Stop trying to shove your lack of beliefs down my throat.
The last time I checked, it was NOT mandatory for school children to actually say The Pledge of Allegiance. It would be perfectly acceptable to stand silently. I am not sure what part of that is unconstitutional. Isn't outlawing it violating the First Amendment protection over abridging the freedom of speech?

The First Amendment states;

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

It seems to me that only the Senate and House of Representatives are restricted from making laws respecting religion, freedom of speech, and the right to peaceably assemble. It would stand to reason then that anyone else, including the venerable Lawrence Karlton, would have the right and duty to make rulings over these things. I am sure that Mr. Newdow would approve of outlawing all forms of civic traditions. Let's outlaw Independence Day, it actually has the audacity to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Hey Michael! The Declaration of Independence is pretty unconstitutional.

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Very UNconstitutional! It talks about God a lot. I think we should outlaw it.
What about American money? It says right on each and every one, "IN GOD WE TRUST". We must outlaw American money, it's unconstitutional.
Oh, and while we're at it, let's outlaw any form of religion that talks about God. It might offend someone who's an atheist. From now on all religions should base their doctrine on the principles of Humanism; The philosophy that advocates human rather than religious values, whatever FEELS right. Like the Universal Life Church, where our friend Michael Newdow filled out an online form, and instantly became an ordained minister. You can too.
It is only proper that everyone gets to do what they feel is right. I feel that I should be able to have a large screen TV, a new car and a big fat diamond ring, it FEELS right. Some people feel that they should be able to smoke pot whenever they want. Some feel like killing their unborn children. To hell with civic duty and moral values. They are apparently unconstitutional.
It's a downward spiral. Once the trend is set in motion, where will it stop?

If a school would like to begin the day with a moment of silent meditation, would fundamentalists butt-in saying that meditation is an Eastern religious practice and should be outlawed?

I propose a NEW pledge - -
I pledge allegiance to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...and to the kingdom...for which Christ stands...all nations under God, Invincible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it Michael.

FLYing with Homeschooling Families!

Are YOU living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) like Franny in the pink sweats? Do you feel overwhelmed, overextended, and overdrawn? Hopeless and you don't know where to start? Don't worry friend, we've been there, too.

Step through the door and follow FlyLady as she weaves her way through housecleaning and organizing tips with homespun humor, daily musings about life and love, the Sidetracked Home Executives (SHE™) system, and anything else that is on her mind.

Okay, This is the commencement of the NEW plan.
I am officially a FLYgirl.

FLYing with Homeschooling Families
And - here's the homepage - FLYlady.net

You're not gonna believe this!

DUBAI (Reuters) - The Gulf emirate of Dubai will build a city of life-size replicas of seven wonders of the world at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion to house offices, shops and flats, a developer said Saturday.

The Falcon City of Wonders is the latest of a host of ambitious construction projects in the booming trade hub, which is part of the United Arab Emirates.

Three buildings will be modeled on structures that were part of the original list of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" -- the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Others will be replicas of more modern wonders -- the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Great Wall of China, a statement said.

The structures will house apartments, office space, hotels and shopping malls.

The project is led by the Falcon City of Wonders Company, owned by local businessman Salem al Moosa, a spokesman said. It is part of the multi-billion-dollar Dubailand development, a government-run project to help promote tourism.

There were no details on who would build Falcon City, when construction would begin or how long it would take to finish.

The spokesman said the estimated cost was 5.5 billion dirhams.

UAE property firm Benaa has been contracted to build a 6.5 billion dirham Golf City inside Dubailand, a large sprawl of desert next to Dubai on the Gulf coast.

I know! I wouldn't have believed it myself, but there it was. . . on Reuters Oddly enough

A great story from the Jewish Talmud. . .

Once, a Jew became impoverished and was forced to sell his plowing heifer to a heathen. The heathen used her to plow for six days, and when the Sabbath arrived he took her out to plow as well, just as he had done on every other day. But on this day, the heifer seemed possessed. She struggled under the yoke, and refused to move. The owner kicked her and hit her, but the heifer would not budge from the spot.

The heathen went back and told the Jew, "take your heifer back; perhaps there is something wrong with her. As much as I strike her, she will not move." The Jew understood that the heifer was accustomed to resting on the Sabbath. He bent down and whispered into the animal's ear, "Heifer, heifer, I know that when you belonged to me, you would plow during the six work days, and rest on the Sabbath. But alas! I have had to sell you, and now this one possesses you. He does not recognize the sanctity of this day. Please go and plow for him."

The heifer began to plow immediately. The buyer stood spellbound at this sight, and when he sufficiently recovered from his shock he grabbed hold of the Jew and demanded "I asked you to take her back. Now I won't let you go from here, until you tell me what it is that you did in her ear! I struggled with her and hit her, and she wouldn't stand!

The Jew began to calm and appease him. "I did no magic or spell," he explained. "I just told her that she must come to terms with the fact that she must now work on the Sabbath... "

The man stood thunderstruck. Trembling with awe, he whispered "If this cow, who cannot speak and has no understanding, recognizes its Creator....what of me, whom that same Creator made in His own image, and bestowed with intelligence?! Should I not become aquainted with Him?"

That man embraced the G-d of Israel, and eventually became a great and respected scholar.

From The Temple Institute a wonderful sight full of information about Jewish tradition, religion, and most importantly their longing for a Temple

Amazing, how history repeats itself, coincidence? Maybe, but it sure does make you think. . .

On August 14th, our Jewish friends observed Tish’ah b’Av ("The Ninth Day of Av"). This is a special day of mourning, since on this day four tragedies occurred:

1. On this day the First Temple, built by Solomon, was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Babylonian captivity began;
2. On this day the Second Temple, the one expanded by Herod and the one which was standing during Christ’s ministry, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D., precisely as Jesus predicted (Luke 19:43, 44);
3. On this day Betar, the last fortress to hold out against the Romans in the Bar Kochba revolt, fell in 135 A.D.; and,
4. Jewish tradition also regards this date as the date the Children of Israel were prohibited from entering the Promised Land (Num 14:34).

It is a strange coincidence of history that both Nebuchadnezzar in his day and the Romans in theirs destroyed the respective temples on the same date on the Jewish calendar. And, as the rabbis remind us, "Coincidence is not a kosher word." . . . . this article continues here->A Prophetic Holiday:
Tish’ah b’Av

The more I look at it, the more saddened I become.
The United States of America can supply resources to save trapped submarine sailors, tsunami victims, earthquake victims, war torn countries, instantly supplying resources to help countries a half a world away. . . and yet our own people lay waiting for days on end.
WHY?

Top News Article | Reuters.com

Eye Of The Storm

The desperate call of a leader for his people. . . that has gone largely unanswered.

The MP3 interview with the Mayor of New Orleans

To hear this man cry for the citizens of his town, because his pleas for help are being ignored, is simply heartbreaking.

There has never before been a time when I have been ashamed to be an American. Today might see that change.

How is it that the WEATHERMAN knew this storm was coming, yet none of the government resources to aid in the recovery efforts were poised and waiting?

It has been FOUR days! All that the US government can supply is a couple of dozen trucks of food and water? We're talking BASIC human needs! There are 10's of thousands of people stuck down there.

Even the buzzards will circle over a dying animal. . . are we that blind and stupid, that we can't see a city full of people dying and flock to the area? Or are we just circling overhead waiting for them to die?

Where is the protection that the government has sworn to supply? Where is the leadership of "homeland security" that we take on their word to provide HOMELAND SECURITY?
Perhaps they are waiting for the dying to be dead. Maybe they are waiting, like buzzards, circling overhead in their dazzling clean suits, in their protected dry airplanes, drinking their clean cold water. The people of their country below them, wait sweltering and dying in the filth and decay of their negligence.

In the beginning. . . In the creation story in Genesis, you'll notice that there is only one thing that God said was not good; Adam was alone. Even though Adam had gone through all the animals and given each one a name and even though there were plenty of choices, there was not one suitable as a companion for Adam. You'll notice at this part of the story God had to put Adam into a deep sleep. I always wonder if this was because Adam was too impatient to wait for God to finish His work. When it was time for the big moment, God woke Adam up, and Eve was in the garden with him. At last he had a companion, a partner; Adam's heart was love struck. He must have been doing flips and cheering when shewalked across the garden towards him.

All of us start out with a heart that is ready to be love struck, willing to love and accept love in return. It is soft and strong, all at the same time. We are designed to be attached firmly to others, to stick like glue to the partner that God has prepared for us. We're built that way. God said "it is not good for the man to be alone". If it wasn't good for Adam to be alone in a perfect garden, then it certainly can't be good for us to be alone in this fallen world. He meant for us to have someone that we can "stick" with, someone who will stand beside us through all of life's ups and downs, and be our strength when we have none left. Without a strong bond, we would never be able support and encourage each other, even when things get ugly. So, our hearts are meant to "stick" for a lifetime. One man "stuck"to one woman. Like Adam and Eve, in it for the long haul, even when things got ugly after that forbidden fruit incident.

Naturally, God knows that sometimes tragic events in our lives can leave us without a companion, so He gave us a heart that could survive getting “unstuck”. As anyone who has lost a loved one or lived through a break-up can tell you, it is not an easy thing to live through. It was never meant to be easy, but it is possible. (It's a lot like having your heart operated on with a chain saw.) Given time, the wounds will heal, and you'll have a heart that can bond again. You'll always carry a scar from the experience, and your heart may never again have the quite same "stick", but you can get close. I can't say I would blame you if you would prefer not having your heart operated on by a large garden tool. It is an awful thought, and anyone who has suffered through the pain of a broken relationship can tell you how awful it feels. With so many relationships breaking up and so many marriages ending in divorce, it seems that just about everyone has either been through it themselves, or has known someone who has. It might seem unthinkable for a person to actually want to repeatedly put themselves through that, but in our society we do it all thetime. We even encourage our teenagers to do it.

It's called dating.

Take a look around. There aren't too many people who grew-up and got married to their "first love". But how many of those same people do you think could tell you the full story of their "first love" with a twinkle in their eye and a sigh in their voice? Obviously their "first love" wasn't the type of person that they wanted to grow-up and marry. So why are they still so fond of those memories? Do you think that just maybe, a part of them is still bonded to that person from long ago?
What is it about that first bond that is so special and so strong?

You know those little stick-on name tags that kids sometimes get on their first day of kindergarten? It is marked with the one thing that they can truly call their very own. The first time they stick it to their shirt, it sticks like crazy, but every time they peel it off, it loses a little bit of its stickiness. It collects fuzz and gets curled up on the corners; by the end of the day it's looking pretty beat up, and there's hardly any “stick” left in it at all. That's similar to what happens to a human heart. If you “unstick” it too many times, pretty soon itfeels beat up and there's hardly any "sticky" left at all.

How many of your dating experiences will end in a wrinkly beat-up name-tag-heart?
How many will end with a chain-saw-heart-operation?

God is preparing someone for you, and preparing you for them. Don't worry. He'll wake you up when it's time.

I love this story. . .


WHERE DRAGONS DWELL
by Ruggles Fishweir

copyright (c) 1996, Ruggles Fishweir ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

"Tell us a story Grandfather," The youngest grandchild, Alfred, begged.

"Yes, please!" the others chimed in, their eyes pleading in a manner no Grandfather could resist.

"What am I going to do with you children?" Grandfather answered.
He clenched a pipe in his jagged teeth; the smoke making ghostly shapes around his head. "Okay then, but only if you promise to go directly to bed afterwards."

"We promise!" they answered in unison. The grandchildren crossed their hearts with their tiny fingers as if to seal the promise with the gesture. Then they gathered around on the floor. The youngest hoping to sit closest to Grandfather. Every eye was fixed on Grandfather as he began the tale...
"A long time ago..."

"How long ago, Grandfather?" Alfred asked. Alf was curious and prone to
questions and he hadn't filled his quota for the day yet. Alf would try to get
in as many as possible before bed time.

"As I recall, it was about a hundred years ago," Grandfather began again. "The world was younger back then. Times were hard. There wasn't as much food as there is now, and there were many dragons in those days." With the mention of Dragons, Grandfather knew that he had a captive audience. The kids loved tales of knights and dragons and other such stuff. Grandfather did too.

"There was an old woman who lived near the forest. Her husband had died,
leaving her with twelve children. The woman foraged and did everything else she could to provide for her children, but alas, she could not take care of them all. With a heavy heart she tought of what she must do. Late one night she carried a large basket into the woods and began her journey."

"What was in the basket?" Alfred asked. He had resisted asking questions as
long as he could. Grandfather looked at him patiently and paused long enough to refill the pipe. Soon the sickly sweet smell of tobacco filled the room. The children waited for Grandfather to continue the tale. He took a deep breath and resumed.

"The old woman came to a small cottage near the edge of the forest. She gently set the basket down and looked inside. Then she gave the baby a good-bye kiss, knocked on the door of the cottage and ran away into the night. The woman knew she had too many children, and the people who lived in the cottage had none. They had tried time and again to have children, but their lives were empty because they were barren. The old woman did not know that the people had left the cottage and moved far away. The child lay in the basket all warm in his blanket, not making a sound.
Sometime later, the child grew hungry and needed to have his garment changed (as babies often do). The pitiful cry filled the night air. Nearby, wolves heard the cry and wondered whether or not the child was alone. If other humans weren't around, the babe would be a tasty morsel and the wolves would eat him up!" The worried look on the children's faces told Grandfather that his story was indeed having its intended effect. He looked into each of their wide eyes in turn, then continued...

"The wolves could hear the baby crying and they could smell him too. They
stalked over to the cottage. They waited to see if anyone would respond to the baby's cry, but after a time they decided that the child was alone and the
leader of the pack sent a scout to retrieve the basket. The wolf grabbed the
basket in his sharp teeth. Slobbering as he drug the basket off, the wolf
joined the pack in a clearing in the woods."

"I get the first bite!" the pack leader snarled.

"Save some for us, he's little and bony," the others suggested.

"If there's any leftovers, you'll get your share." The wolf grabbed the blanket
with his teeth and lifted the babe out of the basket. He salivated at the
thought of fresh meat; especially human meat. The others circled nearby waiting for him to toss any uneaten portion their way. If they were lucky they might get a small sample of the tender flesh. The babe was crying louder now as if he knew what was about to happen.

"With a mighty roar, a dragon swooped down scattering the wolves in all
directions. They were not about to compete with the beast for the small child, so they ran off into the forest with their tails between their legs. Then the dragon gently picked the child up in his claws and flew away."

"What did the dragon do to the baby?" Alfred asked with a worried look on his face.

"He ate him all up!" Grandfather said.

"Ohhhhh!" exclaimed Alfred. The worried look turned to sadness.

"I'm just teasing you," Grandfather explained.
He couldn't help grinning at the effect the story was having thus far. Alfred
sighed with relief when he learned that the child had not been eaten.

"The dragon, feeling pity for the poor child, took him to an ancient castle.
Even the dark, musty castle was better than the elements outside. Gofraidh, an old wizard, lived in the castle. He agreed to raise the babe as his own."

"What shall I name the child?" Gofraidh asked the dragon.

"Don't ask me, you're the wizard," snorted the dragon.

"I thought that since you were the one who found him, you might want to give him a name."

"The only names I know are dragon names. Faolan means 'little wolf' since I
saved him from the wolves and he is little..."

Fair enough, his name shall be Faolan," Gofraidh declared with a majestic
gesture of his robed arm. "Today a little wolf has come into our lives, let us celebrate!" The wine flowed freely that night in the castle. Dragon and wizard celebrated until the wee hours. The child brough joy into their midst. Now they had something to do, and someone to look after."

"Time goes by much too quickly for young dragons and little boys. Faolan grew to be strong and wise. Gofraidh the wizard tried to teach the boy magic, but Faolan was a bad apprentice. At last, Gofraidh sent the boy (who had somehow grown into a young man) off to find his fortune.
Armed with an enchanted sword, Faolan ventured off into the unknown. The dragon kept an eye on him secretly. They had become the best of friends through the years."

Alfred yawned and rubbed his eyes. "If you're sleepy we can finish the story
tomorrow," Grandfather offered.

"No, I'm not sleepy," Alfred lied.

"We aren't either," said the others.

"Well, Faolan wandered far and wide. For a time he got a job feeding pigs, but
soon he grew restless and knew that there must be something more exciting he could do with his life. One fine day when he had gotten cleaned up after
feeding the pigs, Faolan went into town. The village was alive with the sounds and smells that only a village can provide; fresh baked bread, roasting ham, and other delicious smells. Music filled the air. It was indeed a fine afternoon. The village sounds were interrupted by a woman screaming...

"Help me please!" the woman cried. She was holding a mangled sheep.

"What is troubling you?" another asked.

"Me thinks it was a dragon," the woman declared.

"DRAGON!" the crowd screamed.

"Over here, Quick!" a little boy called. The boy was pointing off into the
forest. The mob looked and saw a dragon. The dragon thought it was hiding
behind a tree, but it's tail was there for all to see. Then the bravest of the
men gathered up some rope, and their courage and went after the beast. Somehow, the first rope succeeded in finding its way around the dragon's neck. The dragon was taken by surprise. Other ropes lassoed the tail and legs, and the monster was held fast. The dragon roared and the men wondered what to do next.

"Does anyone have a sword?"

"I do!" Faolan offered. He stepped forward holding the enchanted sword above his head.

Then he...

"Cut the dragon free?" Alfred suggested. Alf seemed to be quite fond of the
dragon in the story. Grandfather looked at the grandchildren again. He paused for effect and then continued...

"Faolan swung the sword with all his might. The men holding the ropes closed their eyes. There was a meaty crunch and it was over...the dragon lay dead. The crowd cheered and began to dance and celebrate."

"What reward do you wish for your services?" the Mayor of the village asked.
"If it is within my power, no request of yours will be denied."

Faolan looked puzzled for a moment and then responded, "May I have 20 gold coins and a horse and cart with which to take the dragon corpse home to add to my collection of trophies?"

"Your wish is granted, said the Mayor. He was relieved that Faolan hadn't asked for more. The villagers took up a collection and brought forth the horse and cart. Several of the strongest men strained to put the dead dragon onto the cart and then covered it with an old tarp. The villagers continued their feasting long after Faolan was gone. Once outside the village proper, the tarp began to move ever so slightly in the back of the cart.

"You can come out now," Faolan said to the dragon.

"Twas hot beneath that foul tarp," the dragon protested. "And next time don't hit me so bloody hard with the sword."

Alfred had a look of confusion on his face. "I thought you said the dragon was
dead?" he asked Grandfather.

"Remember I said that the sword was enchanted," Grandfather offered. He could tell that Alfred still didn't understand. "Faolan and the dragon were in
cahoots."

"What's a koot?" Alfred wondered.

"No, in cahoots means that they were working together," Grandfather began. "The magic sword didn't really kill the dragon, but everyone thought he was dead." He could see the grandchildren's eyes light up as they finally understood. "No more feeding pigs for Faolon; he was a dragon slayer from that time forward. They traveled far and wide. The dragon would have a lamb chop or the occasional fresh pig. Then Faolon would rid the town of the pesky dragon. This went on for years without anyone realizing that the same
dragon had been "killed" many times. Faolan was beginning to enjoy his new
found fame and fortune when it happened...

In a sleepy hamlet near a brook, Faolan met a lovely damsel. Her hair was dark and her eyes burned their way deep into his heart. Just as he was about to ask the girl her name, the dragon came roaring out of the forest.
The girl screamed and fainted. When she came to, the dragon lay dead at her
feet.

"You killed him!" she exclaimed. "He was such a fine magnificent beast, and you killed him."

"I rescued you," Faolan offered. "You were so afraid that you fainted."

"I screamed because he frightened me," the girl continued.
"For all we know he could have been friendly. Now he is dead. There are so few dragons left in the world," she trudged off. Faolan tried to follow but she would not allow it. Outside the hamlet, Faolan pulled the cart over beside the path and began to talk to the dragon.

"What can I do? I have fallen in love with a woman and I don't even know her
name."

"Maybe we should visit the wizard Gofraidh. I don't know nothing about women kind," the dragon said. "Gofraidh is old and wise. Perhaps he can cast a spell." The cart squeaked and groaned its way to the castle. It had been years since their last visit.

"Faolan, you have returned. You must tell me of all your adventures." Gofraidh was glad to see the young man and the dragon. "First you must eat and rest, and then we can hear of your journeys." After breakfast the next day, they explained all their adventures to the old wizard.

"I don't even know her name, yet she thinks I am dreadful," Faolan continued. "If I tell her that I didn't really kill any dragons, she will think I am a thief and a liar-- but if I don't tell her something, then I can never see her again..."

"Can you cast a spell on her to make her fall in love with Faolan?" the dragon
asked.

"No, I could make her THINK that she is in love; but the love itself would not
be genuine-- she would not love you in her heart," Gofraidh explained.

"What should I do then?" Faolan moaned.

"Tell her the truth. If she stays, then you may yet win her love. If she leaves..."

"Bring her here then," begged Faolan. Gofraidh lifted both hands above his head and spoke an incantation. The air crackled with electricity as a strange blue light flowed from his finger tips. Then magically the girl appeared.

"Where am I?" the damsel asked as she dropped the book she had been reading. She glanced around the room and then gave a weak smile. The castle was damp and the torches didn't offer much light.

"My name is Faolan. You have been summoned by the wizard Gofraidh. I asked him to bring you here so we could talk," Faolan began.

"I am Elva," she began. "Oh, I remember you...you're the one that slew the poor dragon!" Faolan felt as though there was no hope, then he gathered what little courage he had left, and tried to explain...

"You see, I have never killed a dragon in my life."

"If you did not kill the dragon, then where is he?" Elva asked. Everyone looked around the room, but they could see neither tooth nor claw. The silence was broken by what sounded like a mouse. Then the sound of a heavy tail dragging along the stones as the dragon crawled back into the room.

"I am always afraid that magic stuff might harm some innocent dragon," the
dragon hissed. His mouth was drawn up in a toothy smile. Then they did their
best to explain the situation.

"Above all else, I love you. Even before I knew your name, my heart was taken
prisoner," Faolan crooned. He gazed deeply into Elva's dark eyes. If only she
could love him too.

"Then what happened, Grandfather?" Alfred asked. He looked as though he was afraid there would be mushy stuff. "Did they live happily ever after?"

"Indeed their love for each other grew and they got married in the castle,"
Grandfather answered. "They spent many years living happily with the dragon and the wizard."

"THE END!" Alfred offered.

"No it was just the beginning," Grandfather continued.
"Soon the wizard, who was far older than anyone knew, became sick and was sure that he was about to die. He called everyone together to prepare them for his eventual departure. The sadness that day was beyond compare.

"I have saved up much of my power so that one day I could do some great deed to benefit man and beast. I feel that this is only fitting for a wizard to somehow return something to this world," Gofraidh began. "As you know, dragons are few. The days of man and dragon are coming to an end. Should dragons cease to exist, then this world would be a desolate place. I will send the dragons to a place where they can live forever without the threat of extinction.' and that is exactly what he did."

"What happened to Faolan and Elva?" Alfred asked.

"Faolan and Elva lived among the dragons. They raised their children to love
and respect both man and beast. They lived happily and died at a ripe old age," said Grandfather.

"And the dragon, did he live happily too?" Alfred asked.

"You already know that part of the story," Grandfather teased. "That's how we came to live here. The time for stories is over. Now kindly get your tails off to bed." Grandfather ordered. Then he lit his pipe with his dragon breath and watched as the little dragons marched off to bed, dragging their tails behind them.

THE END
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I love this article if for no other reason than those of us who are bible thumpers- er. . . I mean bible readers. . . believe that Noah was the only male progenitor of the current living people, while there were 4 other unrelated(except by marriage) women who joined him on the ark. Naturally the "genetic Adam"(Noah) and the "genetic Eve"(the actual Eve of Genesis?) should be separated by many generations.

DNA kisses, tells on our ancestors
BY FAYE FLAM
How did ancient hunters, farmers and nomads conduct their sex lives? Did they pair up or just hook up? Some of what they didn't write in their memoirs they passed down in their DNA.

And now science has the tools to read it. By analyzing DNA from
people living today, scientists have found evidence of sexual exploits between explorers and native women, conquerors and conquered peoples, powerful men with multiple partners. DNA can even tell us something about mating patterns going back over the 200,000-some-odd years modern humans existed.

To do this so-called molecular archaeology, scientists count on noncoding DNA, which can accumulate harmless mutations, or copying errors, in its four-letter code. Comparing your pattern of spelling errors with those of someone else can reveal how closely you're related.

Particularly telling are the bits of DNA found exclusively in men or women. For men that's the Y chromosome, which is passed from father to son through the eons. In tracing the genetic heritage of Polynesians, scientists found a link to Asians but a few distinctly European-looking Y chromosomes cropped up, apparently left by randy or lonely explorers.

Further study showed many seemingly unrelated men carry almost identical Y chromosomes, possibly disseminated by a powerful and/or prolific male ancestor. Several years ago, scientists from Oxford University found that 16 million men of Mongolian descent share a nearly identical Y chromosome, which they speculate might have been handed down from 12th-century warrior Genghis Khan - a man legendary for following his martial conquests with sexual ones.

These are extreme cases, but over time, apparently, some men had all the luck - and all the children.

That conclusion came from comparing the Y chromosome with its female counterpart - called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA, which is passed down in eggs and therefore follows through female lines. In the 1980s, mtDNA made a big splash when scientists used it to trace humanity's origin back to Africa and found our most recent common female ancestor, "Eve."

Mitochondrial DNA accumulates spelling errors at a slow but steady rate, and by collecting samples from hundreds of people, scientists figured out how many years it must have taken for today's array of spellings to have diverged from that of a common ancestor - Eve. She apparently lived 170,000 to 200,000 years ago.

Scientists realized they could find Adam using the Y chromosome. But when they calculated how long ago he lived, they got a surprise - Adam showed up 100,000 years after Eve.

That might seem to cause a problem for the birth of humanity, but unlike the biblical first couple, the genetic versions of Adam and Eve were simply our most recent common ancestors. Other people lived around the same time as Eve, so she probably had her choice of husbands. But whomever she chose, his Y chromosome didn't survive to the present day.
His Y and those of his contemporaries were all eclipsed by Adam's Y.

The universal Adam's Y chromosome may have taken generations to dominate humanity, but he and his male descendants couldn't have done it with strict monogamy, said Michael Hammer, a population geneticist from the University of Arizona.

"It could be the Clint Eastwood effect," Hammer said, referring to the actor's having sired children with a series of women. Or men might have beaten each other up to get access to multiple females - the way gorillas and elephant seals do. Or maybe women just tended to flock to the same few men, as peahens do to the most spectacularly plumed peacocks.

Some of this comes down to a simple biological difference between men and women. "Every time a man has sex, he makes enough sperm to fertilize every woman in Europe," said Steve Jones, a geneticist and author of "Y: The Descent of Men."

"It's unlikely a man would ever do that," he said. But to explain the 100,000-year mismatch between Adam and Eve, all those shared Y chromosomes and other oddities left in our DNA, "it's pretty clear there were some Lotharios out there.

Well to start off this random topic spot, I will introduce the subject of homeschooling and distance learning.
My husband and I homeschool all five of our children.
Homeschooling was not an educational choice that we had ever really planned for our children. Given the situation that we found ourselves presented with, we simply saw it as our only viable option.
Our school district is not alone in the US policy of educational sub-standards. It seems that whenever a good idea for improving this current situation is proposed, "the powers that be" step in and make it worse. Our elementary school is only 2 years old, and is so overcrowded that they are forced to increase the class sizes beyond the teachers ability to effectively teach, let alone control. Our nation's teachers are grossly under-paid, and ridiculously over-stretched. They have been reduced to nothing more than baby-sitters who would enjoy an opportunity to educate our children, although we as parents have rendered them virtually incapable of controlling our obnoxiously spoiled, weapon toting children. The attitude and behavior of most of the students that I have come into contact with is akin to something that you would find straight off the pages of"Lord of the Flies". Could we collectively stop blaming the teachers and the administrators and start looking towards our own responsibility in the situation?
On the bright side, our local high school gives a proficiency test to graduating seniors to be sure that they are ready to graduate. The down side is that this proficiency exam at a 7th grade level. If a high school senior must pass a 7th grade proficiency exam in order to graduate, what was the point of the additional 5 years of schooling? Could we not have simply tested them in the 7th grade? I am unclear.
Our decision was to leave the utterly ruined public education system behind.
Our first homeschooling student was going into 8th grade before we brought her home to learn. We then pulled our two 6th graders a year later, and finally our 5th grader and 2nd grader.
We enjoy a much more peaceful home and family now. We enjoy parenting a great deal more than we ever thought possible. Our children will have a richer educational experience than most public schools can afford them, and we like the freedom that we are now allowed to have. They will more than likely go to college at a standard campus, but the opportunity to educate them up to that point is amazing. I can't begin to list all of the benefits of learning in an environment that caters specifically to each student's strengths and weaknesses. I only wish that we had started sooner.