You're Not Christian Enough to Homeschool

Am I a Christian?

That's a question that I get asked quite a bit.  The short answer is Yes.  The long answer is a bit more complicated.

I grew up in a small, traditional Presbyterian church.  I was baptized and then years later, I was confirmed in this church.  We had BBQ's on the church lawn in the summer, went on small mission trips to help those in our immediate community, I participated in youth groups and helped teach Vacation Bible School.  It was simply- the very best experience and a huge part of why I am the person that I am today.  This church was my foundation.

When I moved away to college, I was suddenly without this strong support system.  So naturally, I looked to other churches.  My college dorm roommate participated in Campus Christian Fellowship, so I decided to tag along.  It was alright.  I then attended Sunday services at that same church and it can only be described as a "production".  This wasn't my idea of church, this was a show.  There were people dancing in the aisles with those sticks with ribbons on them, a huge band up on the stage- yeah...the stage, people screaming from their seats.  It was nuts.  And before you blast me- yes, I know that for some people, this is church.  But for me, I was not comfortable here.

Since I've moved back home, married and had a child, I have struggled to find this same sense of community that I grew up with.  Church's nowadays have become a business instead of a family and so it becomes difficult to find one where you can feel at home.  I don't need a flashy salesman on the pulpit convincing me that God is good.  I know He is- that's why I'm here.  I need a real person who talks about a real God.

A few years ago, we decided to try a Lutheran church down the street from our new house.  It was smaller in size and seemed to have a good mix of ages.  And I didn't realize it at the time, but my Dad built the large crosses that sit outside their building.  Unfortunately, just as we started attending this church, their entire parking lot was torn down, major fundraising began, an apartment building was put in next door and they hired a new Minister.  Yikes!  That's a lot of changes for a church!  So we stepped away for a bit.  I'm hoping to go back again this summer and give them an honest try.  We are still looking for our foundation after all.

Alright- so now you know my story.  Yes, I am most definitely a Christian.  My family is Christian.  However, we do not regularly attend church and we follow more of a secular curriculum.

In the homeschooling world, this makes our family just a little bit different.  Religion is a HUGE part of homeschooling.  And of course one of the main reasons that many families decide to homeschool.  So I battle the inevitable "are you a Christian?" and "how come you don't go to church?" questions on the regular.  I also receive a bit of backlash because of this.  Would you believe that I've had some families turn away from us and not pursue friendships solely based on the fact that we don't go to church every Sunday?  And several have commented that we need to have a religious based curriculum because we are, after all, homeschoolers.  So yeah- I get it.

Ah- but there's the irony of the whole thing....if you're truly a Christian, you wouldn't care that I don't attend church every Sunday.  And you certainly wouldn't dare to think I'm not Christian enough to be a part of your homeschooling world.  So alas- we are at an impasse.  For my family, how we choose to homeschool and why we choose to homeschool has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with making the right choice for our family.  Religion simply doesn't play a part in this decision because no matter if we homeschooled or our child went to public school, we would still be Christians.

I don't believe that you need to go to church every Sunday to be considered a Christian.  And to be honest with you, I've met some folks who are super duper religious and I would not consider their actions and behaviors to be that of a Christian.  Just because you call yourself one, doesn't make you one.  And doing things in "the name of Christianity" doesn't always make it the right thing.  Standing in a garage doesn't make you a car any more then standing in a church makes you a Christian.  It's about what's in your heart, not about impressing others.

So my answer to this question- "are you Christian enough to homeschool?" is Yes!  Yes, yes, yes!  I am Christian enough to understand that we should accept people the way they are, raise them up and encourage them. I am Christian enough to know that not everyone will have the same beliefs and values and that that is ok.  I am Christian enough to understand that some families will make religion the focus of their homeschooling, while others never will.  Let's support one another as we all navigate the highs and lows of homeschooling.

Are you Christian enough?

The NO Meat Challenge- Week #1

Ok, so this is pretty self explanatory.  This challenge is all about NOT eating meat.  But this post is so much better then just the challenge itself.  I'm going to provide you with a week's worth of healthy menu options that are kid and husband approved.  So for those of you that have been wanting to try going vegetarian or simply eating less meat and more veggies- you'll want to read this!  And not too worry- this first week is all about starting out slow with lots of easy to prepare foods to help get you on the right path.

Below is a full week's worth of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and even some yummy extras.  This meal plan is straight from my very own monthly menu planner.  So rest assured, we really do eat this way!

And since I'm a Mom on a budget- not only are these dishes easy to prepare but they won't cost you an arm and a leg either.  Who wouldn't love that!?!  Let me also warn you that this menu plan will require some time in the kitchen.  This is not a heat and serve meal plan but rather good, healthy, homemade food.  With this weekly plan you will be eating NO meat, limited animal products, very few processed foods and hopefully you will try to buy organic whenever possible.  Let's get started!

Sunday

B:  Pancakes, fresh fruit, coffee/orange juice

L:  Black Bean Taquitos, raw veggie sticks, *iced green tea w/lemon or Kombucha

D:  Broccoli & Cheddar Soup, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Home popped popcorn, fresh berries

Monday

B:  Leftover pancakes, fresh fruit, coffee/orange juice

L:  Pasta w/butter & Parmesan, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon 

D:  Quinoa w/Black Beans, Corn & Cilantro, lemon water or milk

Snack: Fruit & Yogurt Parfait, Green Smoothies

Tuesday

B:  Granola-either homemade or boxed organic, Yogurt Berry Smoothie

L:  **Veggie Sandwich, Late July brand chips, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Lentil Chili, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Apples & bananas w/peanut butter

Wednesday

B:  Oatmeal with berries, coffee/orange juice

L:  Leftovers w/raw bell pepper or carrot sticks, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Veggie Fajitas w/side of refried beans, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Green Smoothies, fresh fruit

Thursday

B:  Toast w/either sliced banana or avocado, coffee/orange juice

L:  Bean & Cheese Burritos, raw bell pepper or carrot sticks, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Garlic & Parmesan Orzo, Green Salad, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Fruit & Yogurt Parfait, cucumber & tomato slices

Friday

B:  Yogurt topped w/small handful of granola & fresh fruit, coffee/orange juice

L:  Veggie Sandwich, Late July chips, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Leftovers, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Green Smoothie, fresh fruit

Saturday

B: Granola, Yogurt Berry Smoothies

L:  Quesadillas topped w/sliced avocado, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon or Kombucha

D:  Make your own Veggie Pizzas, lemon water/milk

Snack: Home popped popcorn, fresh berries

Shopping List for family of 4:

Flour

Sugar

Eggs

Yeast

Milk

Coffee

1/2 to 1 gallon orange juice

4-8 bottles Kombucha

4- 15 oz cans black beans

2- 32 oz can vegetarian refried beans

1 jar salsa

24 pk tortillas

lemons

1 bunch celery

6 cucumbers

2 tomatoes

2 avocados

1 head lettuce

4 heads garlic

2 lb carrots

1 red onion

4 white/yellow onions

2 bunches kale

8 bell peppers

Bananas

Apples

Fresh fruit misc- kiwi, melon, pineapples, peaches, pears etc

2 pk strawberries

2 pk raspberries

1 pk blueberries

1 pk blackberries

1 bag frozen corn

1 bag frozen berries

2 bags frozen broccoli

1 box orzo

1 box pasta of choice

1 package lentils

1 package quinoa

1 lb cheddar cheese

1 container Parmesan cheese

1 can pineapple *for pizza if desired

1 can olives

2 loaves Dave's Killer Bread

2 small bags Late July chips

2 containers sour cream

4 large containers plain or vanilla yogurt

1 box Cascadian Farm Granola

1 container oatmeal

Popcorn for popping

Coconut oil/butter

Maple syrup- the real stuff!

And finally- a few tips for you.

• Twice per week set aside some time to wash, dice and prep your fruit and veggies.  You may have noticed that you'll be eating a LOT of them.  So do yourself a favor and make them easy to grab and go!  I like to slice & dice on Mondays and again on Thursdays and then store in glass containers in my fridge.
• Make extra pancakes and stick them in the freezer.  This way you'll have plenty for another morning.
• Keep a large pitcher of filtered lemon water in your fridge.  This will save you tons of time!
• Split one bottle of Kombucha between 2 people.  Kombucha is expensive stuff, so this will save you a little money!
• Make a double batch of smoothies and store in mason jars in your fridge.  Then the next day, just grab, shake & go!
• Any juice is served in small juice glasses to help control portion sizes.
• Half of your plate should be fruit and veggies.  With 1/4 being the main dish (usually meat) and the remaining 1/4 being carbs.  With this plan, half your plate is fruit and veggies and the other half is the main dish.
• If you're still hungry, eat more fruits and veggies.
• Write your meal plan down and keep it on your fridge.  That way you know what you are making each day and can easily stick to the plan.

Congrats!  You've now made it one full week without any meat!  And I bet you've probably added in lots more fruits and veggies then what you're used to eating.  Are you feeling better?  Getting more rest?  Have more energy?  I would love to hear your feedback after your first week on this No Meat Challenge and stay tuned for week #2!

*To make the iced green tea with lemon, simply brew a large pot of green tea.  Allow to cool, pour into a glass pitcher and squeeze in fresh lemons.  Store in the fridge.

**To make Veggie Sandwiches, add sliced veggies, cheese, onion, mayo, mustard etc to slices of Dave's Killer bread.  I like to use cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, lettuce and provolone cheese to mine.

Click here to read more about how I menu plan.

Get Rid of the Stuff!

I don't like a lot of stuff.  There- I said it.  Nothing bothers me more than having my house full of miscellaneous things.  Especially if I don't use or won't use or it holds no value or meaning to me.  Yeah- no thanks.

What you might not know is that I have a fairly small house.  Roughly 1400 square feet of living space and I'm pretty sure the garage is included in that estimate.  Now, I fully realize that living space is all relative.  Those of you in Manhattan would probably kill for 1400 square feet while some of you in the country have master bedrooms the size of my entire house.  I get it, really I do.  But for me- this is small.  Would you believe we actually recently downsized from a 2100 square foot house to our current one and that I did that on purpose!?!  Crazy right?  But there's a method to my madness and that was that I wanted to get rid of all the stuff.  When you have a bigger house, you tend to fill the bigger house.  I wanted to simplify and reduce our volume.  There was simply no need for all that stuff we had accumulated!

So today- I want to share with you how to downsize.  Get out your comfy clothes because it's going to be hard work!  Please allow yourself plenty of time to do this right.  You don't want to throw away anything of value or get careless and toss the sentimental items.  So here goes...

1. Start by focusing on one room at a time.  I suggest beginning with the main living room and then moving on to the next busiest and most trafficked room.  Don't overwhelm yourself by working in several rooms at once.
2. Get 4 big boxes or large bags.  Label them- Keep, Trash, Sell and Donate.  Then simply file things away in the appropriate category.  Tip- I always use plastic trash bags for the trash items but for the keep items, I make sure to use boxes.  Trust me on this.
3. For the items that you will be throwing away, make sure that once you have filled up the trash bag, that you toss it immediately.  Do NOT keep it laying around your house.  Get rid of it asap!
4. With the items that you are keeping, designate an area in your house where you can place these boxes and come back to them later.  If you are moving, label the boxes & tape them up.  If you are not, simply stack them neatly and be prepared to revisit them later.
5. The donation items are pretty easy.  As you fill up the bag or box, either place it in your car for donation drop off or call and have them pick it up.  Oh yeah- did you know that many local thrift shops and non profits will actually come to your doorstep and pick up your donations!  Seriously- I have several of these in my contacts list and call them several times throughout the year.  Now that's awesome!  
6. And finally, for the sell items- you will need to decide how you are going to sell them.  For larger, bulkier items I suggest Craigslist.  Things I have sold on Craigslist include strollers and other big baby items, bikes, pet cages, a trampoline and furniture.  For shoes and clothing- your best bet is Ebay.  Just make sure it's brand name and in good condition.  And for random household items and other things, do a garage sale or even an online garage sale.  For items that don't sell- donate them immediately.  If your goal is to get rid of things, don't hold on to them in the hopes you can one day sell it.  Just get rid of it.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each room in your house.  This process, if done right- will take at least one month.  At least.

When you are done, you will only be left with the keep boxes.  If you have time, go through these again.  Now that you've successfully gotten rid of so much stuff, I have a feeling that you'll be much more critical of what's in your keep pile.  Then organize it.

Break down your keep pile into things that you will either put away somewhere hidden, like a closet, picture album or filing cabinet.  For the things you will be putting away- spend some time getting this all organized.  If you need file folders for paperwork, go buy it!  If you need picture albums for all those family photos- then by all means, get it done.  And then start another pile for those items that you want to put out on display.  Seems easy enough, right?

Now, for things you want to put on display, work on finding the right place for it in your home.  Sometimes it starts with just a framed photo or two, or perhaps a green dog made out of jade that once belonged to your husband's grandpa (yeah, we have one those!) or maybe it's a basket collection or pile of precious moments figurines.  Whatever it is- if it's important enough to display, then you need to take the time to find the right spot for it.  Many times, you may need to invest in shelves or display cabinets or switch out frames so it matches with your existing decor.  And don't feel that you need to rush out and do all of this immediately.  Take your time- because these items are what will eventually make up the fabric of your home.  These memories and sentimental items are what truly makes a house a home.  So take the time to do it right.

Well there you have it.  Sounds exhausting right?  But follow the steps, keep at it and you'll be amazed with the results.  Oh and don't forget to allow yourself just a little bit of mess.  For me, it's the coat closet under the stairs.  That's where I keep my miscellaneous wedding keepsakes, wrapping paper, gift bags, old photos and vintage video games.  Oh and coats- yeah, there's some coats in there too.

Packing Lunch

One of my duties as a Traditional Wife is to pack my husband's lunch each day for work.  And if I don't pack it- he won't eat.  So you best believe that I make sure he has a lunch each day.

He has a few requirements that need to be met from his lunch.  Most importantly, is something that he can eat easily.  It can't be messy, can't require a fork or spoon and he would prefer it to be something he can hold in one hand while multi tasking with the other hand.  Since he doesn't typically stop and take a lunch break, he needs to be able to eat it on the go.  Usually while he's in his work van driving to his next job.  So that also means, it can't be something that needs to be heated up in order to eat.

The other issue we battle is our diet.  If you follow my blog at all, you know that we eat a pretty clean diet.  Mainly organic and non GMO, there's pretty much NO processed foods in our house.  So yeah, this can make packing a lunch just a little tricky.  As a result of our diet, we simply can't stop at most fast food places because they make us sick.  Every so often we do splurge and unfortunately, if the husband has been at work for 18 hours and already burned through his lunch 10 hours previously- he will have to stop at the drive thru.  But we try to limit this as much as possible.

Alright- so we've discussed the restrictions.  It must be easy to eat, can't require a microwave, organic, non GMO and of course it must satisfy my picky husband.  So let's talk about what I do pack.  Yay!  This is the fun part!

I always start with the fresh foods.  This means fruit and veggies.  The husband is a big fan of Fuji apples that I cut into slices, grapes pulled off the vine and ready to eat, orange slices, carrots that I've cut into sticks or celery with peanut butter- all organic of course.  I do everything I can to make it easier for the husband to simply grab and go.  I will also make a smoothie or if I don't have time to blend away, I will send him with a Kombucha.

Grape Chia- the husband's favorite!

.

My advice- load up on the fresh stuff first.  And with my boys, when in doubt- pack them more!  Both the husband and the kiddo LOVE their fruit and veggies.  In fact, they both usually eat it first!

Pizza for lunch!

Now- because my husband is a picky eater, I can't pack foods that are "different".  So the main portion of the lunch consists of things that are pretty standard.  Sandwiches, pizza, sometimes hot dogs or cheese and crackers.  But really- it's all pretty tame.  However- I do make sure that I'm buying REAL foods.  For example, when I make him a roast beef sandwich, I buy organic deli meat.  Add in GMO free cheddar and organic sandwich bread and you have a MUCH better alternative for your favorite sandwich!  Even pizza has had a makeover.  I either make it from scratch or buy organic frozen pizza that I've heated up in the oven, then cut up and wrapped in foil.

Occasionally I will pack chips.  However, even the chips have seen a face lift in the last couple years.  Where once we used to be huge fans of Cheetos, ah yes...Cheetos....now I buy Late July brand organic chips.  Folks, can I just tell you how amaze-balls these chips are!?!  SO good!  But what is not so good is the price!  Eek!  And just in case you're interested, Late July also has other yummy organic snack foods- perfect for lunches!  I've also been known to put air popped popcorn (that I popped at home) in his lunch or even some of the kiddo's favorite Annie's Cheddar Bunnies in there.  This is about as processed as it gets.

The husband uses this adorable robot lunch bag
from Pack It

And what would a lunch be without something sweet?  I almost always have a home baked goodie to add.  This week it's super large chocolate chip cookies.  Last week it was pumpkin bread that I took out of the freezer.

Finally- what would a home packed lunch be without a super cute lunch bag?  Oh be still my little OCD heart!  How I do love bags, totes, boxes and anything used to organize!  For the husband's lunch, I use this lunch bag from Pack It.  Since he doesn't have a refrigerator and his lunch stays in his work van all day- I need to make sure it stays cold all day long.  Even in 100 degree weather!  So I found these
bags at my local Marshall's discount store.  But I know that Target also carries them and of course you can check online.  Not only are they super cute but they have freezable gel lining that keeps the husband's lunch cool all day!

Well....we've reached the end.  Have you been inspired to make some healthier changes to your packed lunch?  Or perhaps even been inspired to start packing a lunch?  My advice is to keep in mind your restrictions and then work on finding healthier alternatives.  It can be done- good luck to you!

Look for these brands when shopping!

20 Things I Want my Son to Learn

1. Master a few dishes and you'll look like a rock star in the kitchen.  Ladies will be super impressed.
2. Exercise patience with everyone in every thing you do.  A wise man is a patient man.
3. Be kind.  You never know what someone is going through.  Choose kindness over being right every time.
4. Listen.  Simply shut your mouth and really listen to others.
5. Team sports are great learning tools.  Don't be afraid to fail.  Take pride in winning.
6. Be strong in your manhood and proud to be who you are.  A strong man has value even if society is telling you they don't.  It's ok to be a strong leader.
7. Learn to use the dishwasher, washing machine, iron and vacuum.
8. Take pride in your appearance.  No one wants to hug a smelly man.
9. Private parts are just that- private.  No sexting or inappropriate clothing.  Keep those parts private!
10. Manners will get you everywhere.  Hold the door for ladies, allow people to go ahead of you, say "please" and "thank you".
11. Aim when you pee.  Someone has to clean that up you know.
12. Don't be afraid to be different and just a little weird.  We are all weird & that's what makes us unique.  Embrace it.
13. Women love flowers- especially if there's no reason behind them.
14. Laugh.  Often.  See the humor and happiness in life.
15. Marry your best friend.  Looks fade, people get fat but if you marry someone who you love to be around- you'll never have any problems.  Marriage is a forever deal.
16. When in doubt- ask.
17. Remember where you came from and don't loose sight of where you're going.  A strong foundation will serve you well.
18. Decide to learn from life instead of fight it.  There are lessons everywhere.
19. The only hero you need is your Dad.
20. Call your Mom- often.  She loves you more then you will ever know.

Mommy Said Fuck

Oh.  My.  Word.

I just said the "F" word in front of my kid.  Not to my kid but in front of him.  I'm pretty sure that's the first time he's ever heard Mommy say Fuck.  Oh yeah- folks, sometimes I swear.  Not a lot and usually not around my child or any children for that matter.  But hey- we are adults here and sometimes you said a bad word.  But I have never, as in NEVER EVER said the "F" word around the kiddo.  To be honest, I'm really not a big fan of that word at all.  It's just so harsh and unnecessary.  I'm also a big believer that the words we use reflect upon who we are just as I believe that our actions reflect upon us as well.  And some words, just shouldn't be said.

With that being said, I totally just said a super bad word in front of my kid. 

Let's backup so I can explain how this not so nice word came out of my mouth.

For awhile now, our garbage man has been hassling the husband about getting one of the garbage company's trash cans.  He's doing this because with a personal trash can, he has to get out of his truck and can't use the super easy lift.  Result- it makes more work for him.  However, where we live, you are allowed to have a personal trash can so I see no reason to replace what we have AND pay a higher monthly rate to do so.

So....three weeks ago our garbage man took it upon himself to throw away the lid to our personal trash can.  Thus forcing us to replace it.  OOOHHH...you sneaky person you.  But it doesn't end there- he then lied about doing so and then lied again to cover it up.  If there's one thing I can't stand it's people who lie.  Finally, two weeks ago- he admitted to lying and was reprimanded by the company.

So folks- I'm all about forgiveness and letting things go- not living in stress and anxiety etc.  So in an effort to do just that- I called and arranged for them to remove the rest of my personal trash can on our next pickup day and then bring us one of their trash cans.

That was 3 weeks ago.  THREE WEEKS.

In that time, I have been battling incompetence at every single turn.  Since I work in customer service, I have been more then understanding and patient and yet- three weeks later I am still without a new trash can and up until just 3 days ago, they had still failed to remove the bottom half of my unusable personal trash can. Gah.  I'm trying to live without stress here people and this is NOT helping me!  So today- Monday, for the 3rd Monday in a row, I was promised a call back from a manager.  When lunchtime rolled around, I realized that yet again- I would not be getting that promised phone call.  So I called up and after being transferred 3 times was finally connected a supervisor.  She promised to look into the issue and call me back.

Folks- here's what I'm asking for- a trash can to be delivered and a credit on my account equal to the 3 weeks I've spent dealing with this crap.  Seems fair to me, right?

Here's what the supervisor offered me- a trash can delivered (yeah right!) by Friday, which is in 5 days.  What am I supposed to do with my trash in the meantime?!?  And a $10 credit.  Seriously?!?  $10!

And that folks, that's when this Mommy lost her shit.

It was not pretty.  I was done being nice.  I was fresh out of patience.  And I ended the call with "I am fucking pissed and $10 is not acceptable."  Sigh....deep breath.

So yes- Mommy said Fuck.

And to be honest, I would probably do so again in this situation.  There comes a time, when your children will see you as real people.  People who get angry, people who are sad and people who say Fuck.  I was hoping that I could prolong that until the kiddo was a little bit older- but alas, the time has come.  Mommy is a real person, full of mistakes and imperfections.  Sorry kid- now you know.

Regrets

Do I regret being a housewife?  A Mother?  Do I regret staying home?

Umm...no.  The answer is no, I do not regret any of my choices.

I don't believe in having regrets.  They are simply not a part of my vocabulary.  If I ever feel like I'm doing something that I may regret later or wish I had done differently, then I simply change it.  This way I don't have to look back upon those choices with regret.  Seems easy enough right?

Years ago, when the kiddo was about a year old, I found myself stuck.  I had just started working this fabulous job- good pay, nice corner office with a window, travel....you get the picture.  And yet, every single day I would look out my 13th floor office window at the people down below and wish I was out there.  With my child.  Instead of being stuck in there.

So you know what I did....I quit.

Easy as that.  If something is not working in your life, change it.

Pretty crazy idea huh?  But the reality is this- you have one life to live.  So live it.  The way you want to live it and don't waste it looking back wishing you had done something differently.

Yes- quitting my job was a major step.  Of course I was anxious about this choice but I knew that I couldn't continue to struggle day in and day out.  I couldn't keep dragging my behind out of bed at 4am, not seeing my baby until 3pm every day.  I wanted to be home, playing outside in the sandbox, going for walks, taking the kiddo to story time at the library- I wanted this.  And for me, it was worth making some drastic changes so that my husband and I could afford this life change.

I won't say that we haven't struggled.  But what I will tell you is that by simply making this one choice, by following my heart instead of my head- it has led us to make many other life choices.  I probably wouldn't have become so obsessed with eating healthy.  We probably would have continued eating meat because I wouldn't have taken the time away from my child to worry about this.  And we definitely would NOT have even considered homeschooling.  Homeschooling with 2 working parents- yeah...I wouldn't have even thought that possible.  And yes, I know many of you do- so Kuddos!  But I'm simply not sure if this would have been something I could see myself doing.

It's strange how by making just one choice, it's led me to the life I'm currently living.  I'm happy.  And I don't for one minute wish that I had stayed in that high rise surrounded by my fellow employees, talking about our children and showing their pictures.  I see my child, in person.  Every day, all day.  Not in a photograph.  And you can't put a price on that.

So no- I don't have any regrets.  Do you?