Category Archives for Bits and Pieces

He’s handsome and he knows it.

Untitled by Project Ni Hao
A photo by Project Ni Hao on Flickr.

A couple of weeks ago, we saw a Children’s Theater production of Sleeping Beauty. This was a modern musical adaptation, with the cast renamed to reflect current pop culture (think Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney for the three fairies), and mostly current music. The storyline changed to Phillip being the shy prince’s assistant who eventually falls for and wins Sleeping Beauty’s heart; the actual prince was a pompous jerk named Prince Maximus.

Anyhoo, the Prince had his own “theme music” – the LMFAO rendition of Sexy and I Know It. However, since this was Children’s Theater, the title line was changed to Handsome and I Know It. The funniest part of the whole show was how the actor hammed it up during his scenes. This new version of the song has become a favorite refrain around here – no more so than in preparation for the annual Spring School Sing. The boy does clean up nicely!

I was taking pictures of Abbey yesterday; meanwhile, the two juniors were fighting over a bone. After a while, Abbey became fed up and scolded the two of them. She is the grand matriarch, all right.

It’s our first official frost this morning – white roof tops against a baby blue sky. Time for some hot tea…

Wherein I Begin to Wonder if the Dogs Know More Than I Give Them Credit For

Years past, we would have a big birthday party for my step-daughter around this time of year. I remember always being exasperated that the dogs would be in the midst of their spring sheds. Dog hair would be all over the place 8 minutes after I finished sweeping. Both of the dogs are Labs, and they shed a ton of hair in the spring and fall.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been wondering when they would start – but have been very happy that they haven’t; keeping the house clean is much easier without all that dog hair. By now I’ve usually swept up great piles of hair every day for days upon days. But then yesterday it dawned on me the reason they might not have started yet.

This is just this morning, as it snows outside.

Aside from a couple of days where it hit 70, and one rogue 85 degree day, it’s been pretty cold this whole year. Clearly, snow is still not out of the question. Maybe they know it’s not–weather-wise– time to shed yet?

Ack. So much for having a spring this year.

My dear, sweet boy,

I see your face everywhere.  More so last week than this, but even today an expression on the street jumps out at me and causes my heart to stop for a second.  In Chongqing, I could picture you easily as a young boy playing along the sidewalk.  Or as a young man traveling from the airport.  It’s so hard sometimes to imagine you before we met, or to see how you might change as you grow older.  The images are a bit clearer now.

Today we saw a young girl, probably about 4 years old, playing on her scooter in an alleyway in the neighborhood just north of Shamian Island, here in Guangzhou.  Her mom and possibly her younger brother sat and watched as we walked by, at first wondering probably at the oddity of two Americans and a baby walking down their alley.  But just as soon as we said hi, the mom encouraged the young girl to say hi back – us in Mandarin and her in English.  I wonder if there are alleyways such as that in Hanzhong, places where you might have played had you stayed there.

It’s comforting to see so much of you here, but it also makes me anxious to get back home to you.  Next time, we will go to China together.  I can’t imagine being here again with you, and I can’t wait until I see you tomorrow.

Love, Mommy

 

I’m in China helping a friend with her adoption of a beautiful baby girl.  We spent last week in Chongqing, and have spent the past week in Guangzhou.  We fly home tomorrow.