Happy New Year!
Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year. The Year is 4703 on the Lunar Calendar and it is the Year of the Rooster. This is the biggest holiday on the Chinese calendar, so we make sure we recognize it in our household.
Tonight we had Chinese food for dinner. After traveling in China, I am always a little torn on the local Chinese food. Most people in town wouldn't care for authentic Chinese, so all the local places cater to American tastes. There is one authentic place in Pleasanton, but I was too tired to drive across town, so we ordered from our favorite "suburban" place. It was SO good. I think this is the first time we had Chinese food since getting home in November. The girls wolfed down their chow mein, and La Nina used trainer chop sticks for the first time. Maggie used her hands, but we assured La Nina it was ok because she was only one.
After dinner, we handed out the red envelops. The Chinese tradition is that adults give children and unmarried people "lucky" money in red envelops to symbolize prosperity and the sharing of good fortune in the coming year. I know Maggie didn't get it, but La Nina knew that money went in the piggy bank. This is a step up from last year when La Nina ran through the house with $1 in each hand.
While I drove to pickup the Chinese food for our family celebration, I wondered what the girls birth parents were doing to celebrate the holiday. I know in China this is a holiday of reunion, so I can reasonably assume the birth families gathered with the paternal side of the family if it was possible. The families most likely gathered for a meal. Perhaps there were traditional tangerines or maybe candied fruits left as an offering to the kitchen god. Were there red envelops? Whole Chickens? Whole Fish? Round pastries representing wholeness? The holiday lasts 2 weeks in China. Will they be celebrating the whole time? Just a dinner? Will they go to a parade? What are their holiday traditions?
It made me a little sad to know that maybe they were thinking of my girls today. I wish I could tell them how much we love our girls. I wish I could tell them our girls are doing well and getting big. I wish I could tell them thank you for their courage. I wish there was some way for me to let them know I think of them often.
So, on this New Year's Day, I hope somehow, some way, the universe can carry my New Year's wishes to 4 people who gave me so much and to whom I am able to give so little.
Tonight we had Chinese food for dinner. After traveling in China, I am always a little torn on the local Chinese food. Most people in town wouldn't care for authentic Chinese, so all the local places cater to American tastes. There is one authentic place in Pleasanton, but I was too tired to drive across town, so we ordered from our favorite "suburban" place. It was SO good. I think this is the first time we had Chinese food since getting home in November. The girls wolfed down their chow mein, and La Nina used trainer chop sticks for the first time. Maggie used her hands, but we assured La Nina it was ok because she was only one.
After dinner, we handed out the red envelops. The Chinese tradition is that adults give children and unmarried people "lucky" money in red envelops to symbolize prosperity and the sharing of good fortune in the coming year. I know Maggie didn't get it, but La Nina knew that money went in the piggy bank. This is a step up from last year when La Nina ran through the house with $1 in each hand.
While I drove to pickup the Chinese food for our family celebration, I wondered what the girls birth parents were doing to celebrate the holiday. I know in China this is a holiday of reunion, so I can reasonably assume the birth families gathered with the paternal side of the family if it was possible. The families most likely gathered for a meal. Perhaps there were traditional tangerines or maybe candied fruits left as an offering to the kitchen god. Were there red envelops? Whole Chickens? Whole Fish? Round pastries representing wholeness? The holiday lasts 2 weeks in China. Will they be celebrating the whole time? Just a dinner? Will they go to a parade? What are their holiday traditions?
It made me a little sad to know that maybe they were thinking of my girls today. I wish I could tell them how much we love our girls. I wish I could tell them our girls are doing well and getting big. I wish I could tell them thank you for their courage. I wish there was some way for me to let them know I think of them often.
So, on this New Year's Day, I hope somehow, some way, the universe can carry my New Year's wishes to 4 people who gave me so much and to whom I am able to give so little.
posted by One Lucky Mom @ 8:50 PM
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