Thanksgiving Weekend Recap

Thanksgiving weekend is always a little different here. Last year both of us were sick, so we stayed at home and ate the most American meal we could find in our fridge- hot dogs and baked beans.

It's strange when holiday traffic is the same traffic you face every day (frightening in it's own way- we'll write about that another entry), when Black Friday is just another Friday, and you need to work your turkey cooking schedule around your classes.

This year, we joined some friends for a traditional turkey dinner that was truly something to be thankful for. Dinner was followed by games of "heads up seven up" and "apples to apples", since the traditional football games wouldn't be on until after midnight (and even then they wouldn't be aired here).

Friday was a busy work day, Saturday was mildly restful, then on Sunday we went back to the orphanage. Rob left his guitar at home this time, but singing a capella was just as fun. We had twice as many volunteers than we expected (which was great!). When we arrived, we had a chance to do a personal interview with the director of the orphanage- learning that one of the girls from last time, an 11-year-old who had never spoken a word, started singing a few weeks ago! When we showed up, she sang for us some of the songs we had taught them last month!

The last hour of our time was a lesson in humility and servanthood. We put ourselves at the orphanage's disposal to do whatever work they needed. So a few of us ended up outside digging rocks out of a path that they hoped to one day pave. There was some grumbling about whether or not this was the best way to complete the task and some questions as to whether or not we should just give them the money to hire someone to do a professional paving job, but in the end, we learned to quietly submit ourselves to those whom we were serving. Sometimes serving others only works when it's on their terms, not ours.

All in all, a great holiday weekend (despite Rob's swine cold), but I do wish it would have ended with a Steelers victory in Baltimore.

Thanksgiving

Perhaps I (Rob) was a bit hasty (and negative) in my venting about the weather. This week has been a beautiful autumn week- cool but not cold, sunny, crisp...
So of course I got sick, Maybe I got that "Swine Cold" April was talking about. April, for her part, is in class this Thanksgiving Day, because there's no such holiday in East Asia!

So I'm trying to learn thankfulness. I'm realizing that default mode for me is to only be driven to thankfulness when I am in want. When something is lacking, I realize that I shouldn't take for granted what I do have. Even that phrase, 'take for granted' speaks a lot to me. I take for granted, that is, I assume will always be the case, that I have food, general health, friends, shelter, etc. I never envision a world where I lack these things.

True thankfulness sees even the 'givens' as gifts. Ironically, we call them "givens" and mean that we ought to have them. We are entitled to them. But the word "given" even points to the gift, and the gift points to the Giver.

So Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you are able to celebrate in a warm home, with a full plate of food, surrounded by loved ones. Good gifts all around.

The Blahs

November in our city can be a pretty nasty month, weatherly speaking. Pardon me while I vent and revel in a moment of discontent.

It's usually in early mid-October that Summer makes its hasty exit, like a social butterfly who just realized she has a better party to go to somewhere south of the equator. Summer is followed by what might be called the season of Autumn, but around here, it's less of a season and more of a short reprieve. But it's usually an enjoyable two or three weeks here. Then Winter shows up like an angry bully with something to prove.

Winter: "So you liked all that sunshine and warm weather, eh? Well let's see how long you can last without it! I can make the sun disappear for so long, you'll break out the Coppertone the next time you see a streetlamp!"
Me: *cough, cough*

Spring? Spring is as fleeting as Autumn, and it doesn't start until mid-April. Ugh. Our extended forecast calls for rain and cold. The meteorologists here have the easiest job for the next 6 months. "Weather forecast? Uh, sure. How about- mostly cloudy, 50% chance of rain, high of 45 degrees." There you have it. I have predicted the next 6 months of weather with depressing accuracy.

Rob has his seasonal cough/sniffles from the sudden change in seasons, and April wishes that humans were capable of hibernating. It's just a blah kind of day.
And the Steelers lost. To the Bengals.
Maybe tomorrow will be better :-/

Why I'm Glad, not Mad (a domestic update from Rob)

Warning- this story has a lot of background and little point, but it does give a good snapshot of the mundane aspects of our daily life.

A few weeks ago, I read an article online about 'creative uses for household items'. It suggested using old tissue boxes to hold plastic bags you intend to re-use. Since our city banned the free distribution of plastic bags at grocery stores, the stores now charge for bags, so we use cloth bags and hoard our plastic bags for later use. As a result, that frightening under-the-sink kitchen cabinet (you know what I'm talking about) is packed full of various bags, cleaners, and always a few surprises. So when I read about the great idea of storing plastic bags in old Kleenex boxes, I eagerly awaited the day when we finished off one our our boxes of tissue.

Then April got a cold. She claims she has the "Swine Cold."

This morning, when the first (and later second) box went empty, I cleared out the cabinet and stuffed plastic bags into tissue boxes. So far, I love it. But here's what made me really happy:

East Asia trash bags are frustratingly thin. In all my years here, I've never pulled a trash bag out of the can without it tearing in some way. Sometimes it rips completely open. I've taken to double-bagging in the can. During our trip to the States this past spring, we brought back some wonderfully thick trash bags, which we used up after a few months. Or so we thought...

This morning I discovered a whole new stash of unused American trash bags. I'm so happy :) Now we have a better way to get rid of all those used tissues...