Happy New Year!

I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year!

Happy Christmas!

I want to wish everyone a happy Christmas. I pray your day is as wonderful as mine has been!

圣诞快乐，新年快乐！

Plus and Minus

Minus... I have been horribly tired the last few days. I do not enjoy those times that seem to creep up on me and then overwhelm me. There is much to do that will not wait until my body determines to remain awake. Will this continue in the remaining 9 weeks? Ugh!

Plus... Lt is home. He has been home a few days but I have been too tired to write. I am almost ashamed to say even Lt has been neglected. He claims he understands. I give him all the attentions a sleeping woman is able!

My energy is returning slowly but who is to know when it will leave me again?

Getting there!

Only a couple of days until 30 weeks is achieved! Yay!

Am I supposed to be this tired? I am able to nap on a moments notice. In truth, it is not as much I am able to as it is I find myself napping in spite of myself. Retiring early in the evening only helps me rise earlier.

I feel as a cow. I look to be one when I rise from a chair. I waddle as a duck. Anything that resembles grace has vanished from me. I love Little One but I will be relieved when he no longer has so much effect on my body.

Mother has suggested she come until Lt returns. If he returns soon enough she will return home to return one week before the due date. If his return is too late she will stay. At this moment I do not care who is here. I care only that someone is here. It will require speaking to Lt of this first.

A Christmas List

I saw this at Taingamala. I enjoy these when they cause me to consider my answers!

When do you start decorating for Christmas?

I begin following Thanksgiving. It is when Mother Bing always began hers so it seems it has become my habit as well.

Christmas attire, casual or dressy?

Lt and I prefer casual but that is not to say slovenly. We are neat and presentable all day. Lt even shaves (this is mostly because I will not kiss a cactus when possible).

Best gift you ever received?

How does one place a gift as best? But if I were to say which is most precious it would be a gift received from a three year old adopted niece. It was my first Christmas in America. I was with the Bing family feeling very awkward as I was an unexpected. My best friend in life practically dragged me there.  As gifts were opened it was obvious to Emma I did not have gifts. With no  urging she quietly hid herself where she re-wrapped (as best a four year old can) her brand new princess tiara set which, as her mother told me, she had pleaded for. When she returned she approached me and said she did not wish me to have no gift so she was giving me one.

I dearly love all of the Bing family. Emma is special above them all. She sacrificed her best so that I would not be sad. We played princess for hours.

Worst gift you ever received?

I am unable to determine a worst gift. All gifts I have been given were given with affection. Some may not be useful outside showing me they at the least fond of me.

Snow, love or hate?

I love to go see it. I love to go play in it. I do not wish to live in it. I do not wish to work in it.

Favorite Christmas song? Least favorite?

My favorite song and rendition…O Holy Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjsTx0RLrLM

Least Favorite is perhaps not a Christmas song but it is only performed at Christmas time: Santa Baby.

Best Christmas movie? Worst?

It’s a Wonderful Life is my favorite.  The worst? Jingle All the Way

Christmas tree, real or fake?

Is it fake if someone brings a tree to your home and decorates it for you?

Do you have a favorite ornament?

So far, it is our ornament from last year, our first Christmas together.

Family traditions?

Lt and I have none yet. This is only our second Christmas together. The only things I have repeated for my few past Christmases was being at Mother Bing’s house and doing what they did.

The easiest and hardest people to buy gifts for?

Mother is easiest to buy for. I know her tastes. My brother is the most difficult. Not because he is difficult but his wife. I must purchase things for him based upon what she thinks appropriate or I am spoken of as a thoughtless sister. ( I would buy him a new wife if it were possible)

Do you open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas?

Last year we opened a gift at Christmas Eve. The remainder was opened Christmas morning. The largest gift was Lt bringing my friend from America to visit. She arrived that morning. (I wonder of his repeating that gift this year  lol)

Clear or colored lights?

There are clear lights on my tree this year. I had colored lights last year. I believe I prefer the clear lights.

Travel or stay home?

I will remain home. Possibly alone. Who knows when the navy will bring them home?

Themed or homey decorations?

Adjective: (of a place or surroundings) pleasantly comfortable and cozy. I believe I prefer this. I do not wish for people that visit me to be afraid of touching or moving about.

You are invited to complete this list too and link up at Jane's Blog

ಠ_ಠ

Yesterday, a sailor complained loudly when I wished him a Merry Christmas. To say it simply, I was... stunned. I simply wished him a happy season yet I am spoken to as if I had sworn at or said bad names to him.

I know of the "reason for the season." It is a new thought of why Christmas is celebrated for me. But without the birth of the Christ, what is the purpose of celebrating it? If one does not believe the Christ has been born why do they insist on participating in the holiday?

Obviously it is not celebrated now as it once was by the majority. After all, what birthday did you celebrate last that you bought a gift for everyone but the one whose birthday it was? Do not misunderstand my thoughts. I know giving a gift is an expression of love and affection. It is not this I question.

I question why do those that do not believe insist that those who do believe change their celebration? I have not heard Jewish people insist it be called a Hanukkah tree and no one objects when I say Happy Hanukkah. I have not heard anyone insist it be called a Kwanzaa tree or object if I tell them Happy Kwanzaa. It is only those who claim no belief in the Christ that insist the traditional greetings and icons of Christmas be adapted to them.

Also I note they do not insist any other religious celebration be adapted to them. It is still called a menorah rather than a holiday candle stick. Yet they insist the Christmas Tree be called a Holiday Tree and we should wish "Happy Holidays." New Year is not a holiday. It is only a day given since employers do not wish many suffering people in their offices on January 1st.

I pray that sailor is blessed during this time in spite of his objection to Christmas. I also pity him. How sad to feel such anger at a time that is meant to remember love.

Chinese noodles?

I found myself very bored today so I began reading old blogs I have written. One entry was particularly entertaining but also introduced another duality of my life.

It seems humorous to me that at times people find it necessary to identify the nationality of food. In one of my old posts I spoke of Lt being sick. My good friend suggested I feed him Chinese noodles...... O_o ......

Chinese?... noodles? Wouldn't any noodle I prepare be a Chinese noodle? If a Chinese person prepares any food, does that not make it Chinese food? :-)

I believe that when someone speaks of food a natural thing is to think of what one knows of. I am of Chinese family so it is natural I would think of those noodles I know. I would not think of macaroni noodles. I do not even understand macaroni noodles. What is one to do with them? I have tried macaroni salad and am not fond of it. At the least the version I attempted to eat. Macaroni and cheese is acceptable I suppose. But not that detestable mess from a box! Even Lt says proper macaroni and cheese is from the oven!

I am of Chinese family but there are things I must speak of as being Chinese while making no sense to me. I am unable to ask simply for noodles. Even in China I must be specific since there are many kinds of noodles. But if I am among other Americans and I desire cho mein I must ask for Chinese noodles.

The duality then is while I am honored and proud to be an American citizen, my thinking remains Chinese. When someone is speaking of what is common to them, I often find my thoughts of it to be quite different from the intended idea.

I almost envy my son. He will not have these conflicting ideas running about in his head. He will know of his Chinese heritage but he will be a natural born American. If you ask him for Chinese noodles he will not need to wonder which kind.

My Lazy Tree

Here is my tree. I am pleased with it. So beautiful and I was required to lift not even a finger! It would be easy to become spoiled in this way but I have decided to study this tree closely and commit the designer's methods to my memory. In this way I may be able to create something as beautiful as she.

I will begin buying the necessary ornaments since very few on this tree are mine. I have searched stores for them and found several. The Noel Christmas store has beautiful glass ornaments but there are several more stores to shop! Lt is sure to think me crazy for buying ornaments all year!

The most convenient thing of having a tree decorated for you is there is no need to dispose of the tree. The woman who designed and assembled it will remove it for me. Unfortunately, the majority of the ornaments also belong to her and will leave with the tree. There are some I wish to have but have not found like ornaments in any store as yet. I suppose convenience has a price.

At the least, my tree is beautiful this year and there is a chance I will share it with Lt.