This Christmas was definitely different... Instead of sharing holiday meals and special gifts with family in person, we did so over Skype! Thanks to a sweet "elf" back home named Cydney, our parents and grandparents even had a gift of their own to unwrap - Shutterfly calendars filled with pictures from the past year.
While talking with Nana and Pa, we also got to visit with our dog back home, Daisy. She was excited to hear Kenny's voice and even sat for him!
In other news, K has also begun driving! I have been so impressed with how well he's done, especially since he didn't have tons of experience driving a manual vehicle before coming here. Here, there's so much to pay attention to while you're driving... there are always swarms of motorcycles, scooters and pedestrians. Honking is a way of life here, which I am still getting used to. In America, one's horn is reserved for only certain situations... like someone pulling out right in front of you, a driver just sitting at a green light, or a dog darting out in front of your car. Here, you basically constantly honk just to say "Here, I come!"
There is also the tiny issue of driving on the opposite side of the road and sitting on the opposite side of the car... but K has done great with that too. I hope to drive here one day, but I'm in no hurry. :_
We still take rickshaws sometimes, but I have to admit that it's awfully nice to be able to strap this boy into his carseat in the backseat. For safety's sake, and because this pregnant mommy is simply running out of room in my lap!
Speaking of unique differences, I finally paid a visit to our local post office to mail a few letters back to AL. It will be interesting to see if/when they make it! Postage was less than 50 cents per letter, which is a little concerning since it costs $1.10 to mail a letter from the US to here.
The postal employees were already highly amused by my language attempts with them, but I would love to know what they were thinking when they handed me a pile of stamps for my letters and saw my totally blank look. The stamps weren't sticky... just papery.
"Do I lick it?" I asked. (Surprisingly the verb 'to lick' hasn't come up yet in our language classes...)
He responded with a blank look of his own.
So I demonstrated...
He laughed and pointed toward a desk near the door with a container of blue goo on it.
After getting glue all over my hands, the desk, my letters, and of course the stamps, I handed them back over to him... just happy to be done and hoping that they survive their journey across the ocean!
Some traditions stayed the same... like these peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies!
I missed being home to share some with Papa (they're his favorite), but it was fun to share them with friends here. I'm definitely thankful for the yummy bags of Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chunks that we hauled from Alabama... to Canada... to here! :)
We also started a new tradition... homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning!
I forgot to take a picture after the icing, but wow they were good! Definitely yummier than the canned version.
We spent Christmas morning with my parents (Christmas Eve for them) and Christmas night with Kenny's (Christmas morning for them). We missed being there, but at times like these, we are so thankful for technology.
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| {reading the Christmas story} |
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| {hauling hay with his new tractor} |
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| {checking out the pictures in the calendar we sent Granddaddy & Mimi} |
As much as he has enjoyed having some new toys to play with, books continue to be one of the biggest hits with this boy. He LOVES having new books to read with his Leapfrog Junior.
In other news, K has also begun driving! I have been so impressed with how well he's done, especially since he didn't have tons of experience driving a manual vehicle before coming here. Here, there's so much to pay attention to while you're driving... there are always swarms of motorcycles, scooters and pedestrians. Honking is a way of life here, which I am still getting used to. In America, one's horn is reserved for only certain situations... like someone pulling out right in front of you, a driver just sitting at a green light, or a dog darting out in front of your car. Here, you basically constantly honk just to say "Here, I come!"
There is also the tiny issue of driving on the opposite side of the road and sitting on the opposite side of the car... but K has done great with that too. I hope to drive here one day, but I'm in no hurry. :_
We still take rickshaws sometimes, but I have to admit that it's awfully nice to be able to strap this boy into his carseat in the backseat. For safety's sake, and because this pregnant mommy is simply running out of room in my lap!
Speaking of unique differences, I finally paid a visit to our local post office to mail a few letters back to AL. It will be interesting to see if/when they make it! Postage was less than 50 cents per letter, which is a little concerning since it costs $1.10 to mail a letter from the US to here.
"Do I lick it?" I asked. (Surprisingly the verb 'to lick' hasn't come up yet in our language classes...)
He responded with a blank look of his own.
So I demonstrated...
He laughed and pointed toward a desk near the door with a container of blue goo on it.
Did y'all get the Christmas card I sent you?
ReplyDeleteLots of love and hugs sent your way. It is a joy to read each of your posts. Always talking with Father about you and keep you all in our hearts. Pam
ReplyDelete