Christmas will be celebrated on Christmas!

Just when I thought I could get away with celebrating Christmas when Tommy comes for Chinese New Years, the teacher puts a Christmas tree outside of the classroom door! Oh no! I guess I better finish my Christmas shopping on time....and how do I explain Santa Claus this year when none of Gavin's friends celebrate Christmas.

Boys have adjusted well

It is amazing to me how kids just live in the moment - enjoying whatever is available. They are doing great in China, and are so happy. I presented the boys with the choice option of living in Salt Lake City or Los Angeles after this year is up, and Sam told me that he wants to stay in China.

Do we really have the best government??

People ask me all the time how I could live in a communistic country. I read articles like this one where the Senate just voted to give itself powers to arrest someone as a suspected terrorist and hold them indefinetly without a trial, and I realize that there is no difference between us and a communistic country....and it passed 63 to 7 (where were the other 30 senators that were absent??)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/29/senate-votes-to-let-military-detain-americans-indefinitely_n_1119473.html

If they are passing legislation like this it is because they feel they need it, and intend to use it.

Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin

Price of things

I paid $1 for the veggies and $4 for the fruit. Other things like electronics are the same or more than in the U.S. Housing is the equivalent of prices you'd pay in Los Angeles. Anything involving lots of labor is super cheap....Nanny is $1.50 per hour - teachers with at least a bachelor's degree range from $2 per hour.

We have a Christmas tree!

We bought a Christmas tree - it came in a box with all of the fixings.....so fun for the boys and so easy for me!

Sam didn't get to participate much because Gavin made him stand guard over the decorations so that Jack wouldn't poach them. I tried to make up for it by letting Sam put the star on the top of the tree.

3 Boys, 3 Different Reactions to Seeing Tommy

It had been almost 3 months since the boys had seen Tommy. I didn't tell them that he was coming. Instead, I snuck Tommy into the house while the boys were asleep. The boys went to school as usual, but we picked them up before nap time. Tommy was waiting for them in the courtyard of the school.

First, I nabbed Sam from class. He had a very, very odd reaction. He started talking with Tommy about a toy that he had in his had as if he were in the middle of a very long conversation. Then he paused and reached up to Tommy so that he could caress Tommy's face and put his face between Tommy's shoulder and neck.

Gavin's reaction was more of what I had expected. He jumped into Tommy's arms and with an expression of pure delight simply said, "Dad, I missed you!"

Next was baby Jack. He had been sleeping. When he woke up, Tommy and I went into the room. When Tommy reached to get him out of the port-0-crib, Jack flopped right back down into bed. I picked Jack up and gave him to Tommy, and he didn't want to be with him, and reached out for me. Don't worry, next Tommy cracked open the presents and easily won Jack back.

First Haircuts

We took the boys to get their first hair cut in China. I paid double because I didn't want to walk across the street. So each haircut was $1.5 instead of .75.

BTW, we are sparing Jack a hair cut until Spring. It is just too cold, and I am enjoying the curls!