It's the Year of the Monkey

It's the year of the Monkey!

We are all enjoying a couple of free days. Yesterday was the beginning of the Chinese New Year.

On a whim, cameron wore a Kung Fu outfit and china-man hat with the ponytail in back to school on Wednesday when they only had a 2 hour day and suggested that all the children wear red - he ended up winning a cash prize for the best dressed boy in the school! He was so proud of himself! "I had to go up in front mom! And not just in front of my class...THE WHOLE SCHOOL!" Tyler said he led the crowd in cheering the loudest for Cameron. They were both very cute about it.

Cameron dresses up for Chinese New Year 

On New Year's eve we went as a family to see CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN and laughed our heads off. That family is so much like how the Lassiters live (only with a few less kids) it made us remember fondly our visit last month. Except for fast food and cinema, most shops are closed since Wednsday afternoon, and some will stay closed through Saturday.

When we got back from Malaysia we caught a bad cold from Loonni! She feels really bad about it! First Cameron then Jim, Kimberly, and it looks like Tyler has the strongest immune system - he was feeling a bit of the sore throat last night, but felt fine in the morning. It wiped Jim and I out for a couple of days but we're only a bit foggy headed and coughing a little today.

On the afternoon of New Years (Wed), when all of the Chinese world is preparing their family feasts and cleaning their houses (sweep out all the bad to start with a "clean slate"), I thought I'd join in the spirit and not wait 'til Valentines to put away Christmas (like I'd threatened). Cameron, Loonni and one of the boys' friends pitched in. It was a fairly painless few hours...though we have to admit, we've only opened about 1/10th of our Christmas cards. That I've told the family I'd like to do together, so we'll probably finish in time for our visit to USA in June!

My old guitar was still at Mom & Dad's! Guests coming thru on Tyler's 11th birthday brought my old 3/4 sized guitar. Thanks 2 mom and dad and the Grimes for making it such a sweet surprise!

The kids are enjoying their birthday and Christmas toys and making some real strides in their music. The 3/4 sized guitar is a big hit. As he learns various notes on the stav, I'm putting little stickers on the correct fret on the guitar. He learned his second song today. SO now he can play a duet with me and one with Cameron. They both are happy campers.

HIT IT! Ready for a New Year

Last week i told jim that since Christmas 1996 i've jump started my new years feeling like an unprepared water skier. That was the year when we adopted Cameron with three days notice, at the same time we were making decisions about where we'd move overseas to serve as missionaries - which we did only 5 months later!

Unprepared water skiier? Yes. This is how I've started the last 7 years: rushing from the campsite, where I didn't sleep well the night before, my life vest is fastened askew, I somehow have ahold of the bar, but I haven't got the skis on nor have I gotten myself centered and crouched over them. Before I know it, Someone else yells "HIT IT!!!" and I find myself getting dragged (flown) thru the year at high speed clutching the line for dear life wondering if I should keep hanging on, or give up and let go, and sink to the bottom of the river!

This year, 2004, it was wonderful, I was prepared! I had read up on waterskiing, worked out a bit before the trip, well suited life vest on, I got both of the skis on in the shallow water, I was carefully crouched, and I, KIMBERLY was the one who called out "HIT IT!"

I welcomed in a new year standing up, enjoying the rush of walking on water. I'm not afraid of falling (I know I will). Because I'm confident in the life vest, and secure in the strong line connected to the one who's powering the speed boat!

Jim's been reflective too. Ignoring the fact that there's a huge pile in the inbox...e-inbox mostly (I don't know how he juggles it all), but he's learning to take himself less seriously, and even "dropping the ball" here and there - something I've NEVER seen him do. But GOOD for him. He's the kind of capable person who manages to keep his ball in play while picking up others' dropped balls as well.

Since the 2nd, both kids are off to a new year at their "little" school across the street (little here is just under 1000 students). They are happy, healthy, still sweetly holding my hand as we walk to school together. Cameron, now in his 2nd year of Primary School is proud of knowing the ropes and come home each day with a report of how his new teacher thinks he's a good boy. Tyler with the rest of the 5th graders has been assigned a 1st grader to look after at recess time the first 2 weeks of school He's also signed up to help with the "buddy reading program" for slow younger readers afterschool.

For a few weeks Tyler (10) has been wanting to learn guitar. When I suggested that I teach him a few things before we commited him to a class, I got out the dusty guitar from under Jim's side of the bed, tuned it up, and played a simple Christmas carol to my stunned son. I relish these pre-pre-teen moments where he still thinks I'm the most excellent mom. He merely said, "You play the Guitar TOO?" (as if knowing C, D, and G chords means I "play"). It's been fun to teach him, see his enthusiasm, and feel that old sting on uncalloused fingertips. He just wants to know how long until he can play like Marty in BACK TO THE FUTURE.