The Weekend

This past weekend was a trifecta event.

Magpie turned 11 years old on Saturday...The Singer reached 3 years of age on Sunday...and we tried to do a little "Trick-or-Treating" in a community that knows nothing about the custom.

I apologize that 3 of these photos are turned on their sides.  I have made 5 attempts to correct the error...but blogger, or my photo editing program is on strike...so, I'm posting them anyway and hoping you don't break your neck trying to view them!

Below:  The Singer on his big day...he and The Bruiser were costumed as frogs.  They were not so thrilled about it.  The Singer was especially traumatized by another boy who wore an "Incredible Hulk" costume.  Come to think of it, I was sort of traumatized by the Hulk back in the day myself.

 Above:  The Bruiser shows you his dental work...while this picture shows him with the frog eyes on top of his head...most of the day he was using the aforementioned teeth to chew on the eyes, instead.

Below:  Magpie at her birthday breakfast.  She loves the raspberry/white chocolate scones that I make for special days. Since we'd had such illness, her sleepover had to be rescheduled until next week so we did a low-key breakfast and then we took a sick cat to the vet. A birthday dream for Magpie, I'm sure.  (In the photo you see our nifty plywood table top that Daddy fashioned a few years ago to accommodate the dozens of dinner guests we often have.)

Below:  Now you can return your head to the upright position and see a bit of Magpie's personality as she opens a gift from her Gramma J and Pendy...

Below:  The Singer's birthday cake...complete with trucks and fake rocks (actually chocolate candies)...thank heavens I remembered to bring some cocoa with us this year...we've got LOTS of cakes to bake!

Above:  Mrs. Wu on 4 organized a "Trick-or-Treat" event that was a BIG TREAT for the kids!  Since no one here is really familiar with the custom, we decided to visit the pre-arranged apartments (who were handing out candy Mrs. Wu provided them with)...at 2 in the afternoon...instead of some nasty evening hour.  It was most pleasant that way!

Above:  Magpie reads a birthday card.

It is a funny thing when you try to "import" a tradition like Trick-or-Treating.  Especially here in a "warm culture" (read Foreign to Familiar book for clarification on what that means)...

Here when you are doing something, everyone just joins in.  There really is no such thing as an invitation.  For instance, once some friends of ours who live across town heard about the trick-or-treating...they just showed up, for lunch at our house, and went along with their daughter.  Kids and parents from other floors just came into our apartment when they realized that there was "something" going on for Graham's birthday.  They entered, pulled up chairs to sit down in the dining room...and enjoyed the cake we served them.

In my home culture, we would never think of coming into some one's home, and especially to a party they were having, UNLESS we were invited.

But we don't live There anymore...and I have to remain flexible and fluid EVERY TIME we have something planned...the additional guests numbered nearly 10...but we did our best to be welcoming and happy with whomever showed.  It truly is a constant learning (and stretching) exercise. 

We've got a sleepover with at least 15 girls this Friday in our apartment.  I've got a dinner for 30 that night (parents and extra students from school as well as the passerby neighbor who will come, of course)...and then breakfast for all the girls before they leave the next morning.

But in the midst of all that craziness...we'll have the chance to show love to more children and their parents (and interested neighbors)...and to tell more of our story...of the miracles we have seen...so that they might hear and believe.