On our honeymoon at a Bed and Breakfast on the Oregon coast, I gave Scott a backrub complete with warm towels and smelly lotions. One day into our marriage, and he was thinking, "This is what my life is going to be like from now on. Aaahhhh!"
Fast forward fourteen years and we're spending our anniversary taking pictures of our sixth child because we think it's funny that he looks drunk. We're telling everyone at the restaurant, "Yeah, we're not letting THIS guy drive home tonight! Heh heh!" At least Scott hasn't lost his sense of humor, even if his last warm-towel massage was fourteen years ago.
We actually celebrated twice this year. Monday, my good friend Jennifer of the wise and witty Wordseed blog, called and said, "Happy anniversary! Can I watch your kids for you while you go out?" I said, "It's not my anniversary, but yes. You can!" Does that make me a bad friend? Jennifer came over and the kids had a ball cleaning the kitchen while Scott and I tried a new Indian place. Araceli sneaked in a call to us while we were away, begging us not to come home. She said, "Go to Jennifer's house!" The kicker is, it was Jennifer and Jeff's anniversary that day! Their kids were away for a couple of days and I guess it got too quiet! Thank you so much, Jennifer! Your call could not have come at a better time.
On our real anniversary, Ryan and Jennie invited our kids to stay over so we could go to Park City overnight. As it turned out, the blizzard-like conditions made it seem foolish to drive up Parley's that night, so we dined local, at Oakridge. That's where Ptolemy begged all the fruit syrup off my cheesecake and got a little giddy. After dinner, we picked up Xanthe, who was petrified about the idea of a sleepover, and watched a movie in Scott's new home theatre. It was the first time I had been officially invited to an event in The Venue of the Century. I was impressed.
The next morning we chose Barnes and Noble for "breakfast." Xanthe got a breakfast sandwich and an almond roca steamer with whip. The guy who made her drink said she was the cutest girl he'd seem all day. The girl working at the Barnes and Noble Starbucks, on the other hand, was not my favorite. I mention this for my friends who have Chinese children and therefore know what this can be like. She asked me the usual adoption questions, the ones I am comfortable fielding. "Is she yours?" "Yes, she is!" "Is she adopted?" "Yes, we loved her so much we went all the way to China to bring her home." But then this vapid, clueless, nauseating girl launched into some show she saw on Dateline, like she was the country's foremost expert on China, telling me that women are buying ultrasound machines illegally and having abortions based on gender, and how the ratio of men to women in China is now 5 to 1. Clearly, this is a girl who probably couldn't find China on a map.Willing her to stop talking, I nodded and said ironically, "Wow. Okay." You know, I think she understood. I walked away glad I didn't engage this simpleton in front of Xanthe, but next time, I will interrupt the person and say, "Excuse me, but I'm sure this isn't the kind of thing my daughter is interested in hearing right now." Think, people, think!
Aside from the unfortunate barista incident, we had a wonderful morning with our two little cherubs. Happy Anniversary again, Scott!
5 comments:
I'm so glad you guys were able to get away. If truth be told, I think we got the better end of the trade. The kids loved the movie and playing after the show. Thanks for including us in your special day. We'll swap anytime! :)
Happy Anniversary. See you tomorrow.
You have come to the conclusion that I also use: to cut the conversation off- even if it 'seems' friendly.
There is a man who lives locally for me, who has a very global presence in the Chinese adoption community who is convinced that Pearl's orphanage trafficks children. He writes about it all the time on his blog and has included the name of her orphanage several times. This info incites the members of our orphanage yahoo group- but worse for me that I have to run into him at the grocery store or the local pool in the summer.
I expect him to honor my kids, but I think that the fact that Pearl was adopted as an older child as well as from this particular part of China- he can't seem to keep the conversation away from it. Especially because Pearl's founding place is in the area that he believes his data shows trafficking. Unfortunately, his data also begins the year after Pearl was found.
Anyway, I have found that from the ditzy barista to an educated Chinese adoptive parent- all need to be cut off if my kids are present. That's my rule and I'm sticking to it!
Love
Kim
It's always amazing to me how people will talk in front of children like they're not even there or can't understand. Hello! Children are people with feelings too!
Anyway, happy anniversary. I'm glad you got spoiled. You definitely deserve it!
Ha ha ha! I didn't know Ari had called you; shows you how attentive I was! I was glad I came over. It was like a fun intermission between our own lunch date (with Samuel!) and late-night movie anniversary celebration.
Pt looks adorable. He comes from good stock.
How did this happen? How have we been married this long? Surely we were just eating potato chips and sticking together during horrid PE classes yesterday? Well I guess that means you married the righ guy when it goes by like lightning! So glad you guys did something fun!
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