Friday, January 31, 2014

Happy Chinese New Year!

Last night, Oliver persuaded me to take him downtown to Chinatown to the Midnight Temple Ceremony at Chuan Thien Hau Temple. We were probably two of perhaps ten non-Asians there, and while I didn't utter a word to anyone other than Oliver it was probably one of the greatest two hours of people watching in my own city that I've ever experienced. We ate delicious Chinese rice and shrimp soup handed to us in big styrofoam bowls. We lit incense sticks and carried them into the temple. We looked at the hundreds of offerings -- oranges and gifts and little packages and bags of candies. We watched a terrific Chinese Dragon Dance, and at the end stood on the stairs as literally 500,000 firecrackers were set off, our hands clapped over our ears for what seemed like at least ten minutes of deafening explosions. I had a wonderful time but believe I should get a Mother of the Year award for doing so, especially since we drove home at 12:30 in the morning.














14 comments:

  1. Yep. Mother of the Year. And a year's worth of good fortune, too.
    Dang, you're pretty.

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  2. Oliver is a surprise every minute. I love how he is interested in so many things. That boy is special, indeed.

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  3. Not just Mother of the Year, but Teacher of the Year, as well. Homeschooling seems to agree with Oliver - he's leading the way into educational opportunities that he couldn't get in the "old school" format. Well done, both of you!

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  4. if only i could have gone with. xoxox

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  5. I love best if all that Oliver wanted to go and that you got to share that extraordinary learning experience with him. As Karen says, Teacher of the Year.

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  6. I will echo what others have said. First, I love that Oliver has an interest in learning and exploring - it is really something to observe. And you, to say yes to his interests. That IS mother of the year material, and we all know it.

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  7. I love the way your new school mode is working out for Oliver and for you. You are a great mom, Elizabeth! x0 N2

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  8. CNY is such a big deal over there. Huge holiday. Now that I am back in manufacturing again, it is always amazing how much more of an event it is in China than Christmas. Not amazing, just culturally defining. It is their holiday when they take a ton of time off and such, just like we do around our Christmas to New Year period. Factory work shuts down, etc. Sadly, because of that, I've never been over there during any celebrations to see how it's done for real. Not sure if Columbus even has a Chinatown. It might. Maybe one block or something.

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  9. Wow! I have never been to our Chinatown here in Portland on the Lunar New Year either. It looks so beautiful, so colorful and fun. Oliver is expanding all of our horizons. (And you have been Mother of the Year for eons in my book.)

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  10. You've inspired me to do this next year! Great photos -- I love this! Hurray for you and Oliver!

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  11. I wish we had that kind of diversity in our tiny Texas town. Lucky ducks!

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  12. I am so jealous I can't be Mother of the Year for going to Chinatown. It's one of my favorite L.A. places. Good job.

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  13. Mother-of-the-year indeed! And what a great opportunity for multicultural education and enjoying your community. :)

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