Thursday, December 18, 2008

When a Good Day Turns Bad

Yesterday was a really great day. I got a nice-sized order, work was really good and we ate at a nice little Italian cafe that was fairly priced. Even traffic wasn't too shabby with the fog and all after work. I got home in about 26 minutes. All in all a good day.

After a 20 minute cat nap I reluctantly got up to get ready for youth group. James almost had to make me. I was just so tired for some reason. James grabs his basketball, the bibles and I get dressed in workout clothes to pump myself up for a run after youth group. We get out of the car with my purse, the basketball, the bibles and James grabs his wallet and phone. Right as I walk in I get hit hard in the head by a basketball, and that proceeds to give me a throbbing headache for the rest of the night. But Trevor actually apologized and asked if I was okay, so I thought it was a mini victory.

10 minutes later James realizes he accidentally sat his phone and wallet down on the table when we first walked in, and it is now missing. So Pastor Dan made an announcement that nobody was leaving until the wallet and phone showed up, but 4 boys had already left by then. James' wallet was found by another church member on the street with the cash gone, but everything else still in tact. The phone is still yet to be found. Two of the boys promised they'd get the phone back and told us not to worry about it. As of now I still remain skeptical as James remains hopeful. (Is that sad..)

As all of this was going on two of my girls were tugging on one of their shoes back and forth and the other girl let go. Of course they both wanted me to sit between them so my nose gets slammed by her crocs. At this point I am ready to just go home. The kids are being so rowdy, Pastor Dan presents a "nick" (affectionately described by J, the aforementioned kid from "Ya'll went to Zuma's?") of pot found in the hallway, and James has locked his phone and disconnected it. I never ran last night.

So this is how a good day turns bad.

HOWEVER: We did get to do our candlelight service with the kids and a short message from John, which was the redeeming factor of the night. We're still taking them out to the Galleria to iceskate and play broomball Saturday night. If you're out and about in that area around this time, please beware.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Meet Mark & Nickie

My wonderful parents whom we affectionately refer to as "Mark" and "Nickie" (real names have been used) are the best. First they let us call them Mark and Nickie, usually when we're teasing them or making fun of a comment or gesture they've just made, second they're AWESOME parents who have worked hard to get us where we are now and third, not to limit their awesome-ness with only three points, they shamelessly guilt trip us when we don't call them at least twice a day (which I have kept up for the most part) and then act like it's not a big deal when I call and say "I'm calling so you won't freak out when you don't hear from me today". Usually Nickie will respond with, "Oh. I don't care if you don't call..." They're just such cute little characters. My mom is perhaps the sassiest 51-year-old you will EVER meet. Sassy is sometimes referred to as a bad thing, but she's so darn cute when she gets all snappy. My dad used to talk to our dog Spot, "Oh! Good morning, Spot! You need to pee?" And he'll randomly yell things throughout the house (disclaimer: dad is not crazy). Maybe you have to be there...

What inspired this post was the phone conversation I just had with my dad about a recent Christmas purchase I've made for them. I called to let them know to be sure to look out for the Amazon package which will contain the digital camera I've purchased as their present (which they asked for - that's how we roll in the Chang household. Buy your own presents, wrap them yourself and stick them under the tree).

Well then Mark proceeds to whisper in the phone (all in Chinese, but I'll spare you the butchered ping yin since I've not been a product of the Evergreen Chinese School of Houston or other "formal" schooling), "Hey, buy your mom that hair clamp thing that your sisters have.

Me: What hair clamp thing? Mom's hair is too short.
Mark: You know, the one that your sisters use. She keeps saying she wants one...
Me: Ohhh, the Chi?
Mark: Yea, sure. (voice getting quieter) I know she wants one. She keeps talking about it.
Me: (chuckle) ha, okay okay.
Mark: Be sure to send it to the restaurant, okay? Okay? Don't forget...

And I just thought it was so cute! This is probably a normal occurence in every other household (parents sneakily getting each other surprise gifts), but it's just extra cute to me when my dad tries to do it. Here's some more pictures just cause. And one day when they finally learn how to efficiently use the computer Nickie will kill me for posting these pictures of her in her pj's celebrating her birthday this year and for posting her age.






Monday, December 1, 2008

I'm a window shoppaaa

If only that were the case...
So my family (my mom, 2 sisters, and their bf's who aren't considered "family", but eh..) and I braved the crowds at North Park mall in Dallas Friday morning on my way back to Houston. This place was craaaazy. We walked past Bebe (which I've never been a HUGE fan of), and the line was INSANE. It was snaking through the store occupied by women salivating over their soon-to-be purchases. And I walked by several times - the line was neverending at all times. So after shopping ALL day - literally - and running into Miss Tina Lin (woo hoo!) I was pooped. I didn't even get to go through half of the stores in the mall let alone the whole thing. Every year (or month, depending on my shopping itches) I'm torn between buying and not buying. A lot of the times I just feel guilty about it, but I am the person who will sacrifice kitchen devices, home decorations and possibly food to shop. So doesn't that justify me spending a little more money on clothes/accessories/shoes since I am willing to cut back on the other things? (Sure, Jen).

Well one of the very first sermons I remember Pastor Smith preaching about was regarding Christmas and Madison Ave. techniques. He said that we'll notice the church will never have too many "holiday decor" and Christmas trees and whatnot, because that's not what celebrating Christmas is all about. He even said his kids have never gotten a present on Christmas Day, because it's not their birthday. And when it was their birthday, they would receive the appropriate gifts. I noticed plenty of people were tweeting "No buying day". Not sure what that meant, except maybe they were protesting the consumerist society that America has become (myself included).

Well maybe this will help explain some of it. Shopping has always been a bonding type of thing for my family. When my parents worked a lot, they'd take us on a shopping trip to Dallas (why not WF you ask? you can see our mall from end to end when you enter from any one entrance). And I've come to discover that my parents show their love and receive their love in the form of gifts (and some quality time). Not that my parents spoiled us rotten when we were kids, and not that they will only think we love them when we buy them gifts, but that's just how they showed their love to us. When my mom can take all three of us shopping she sees that as spending quality time with us, AND she LOVES shopping with us. She doesn't necessarily like shopping alone. Only when she shops with us. So I guess none of this justifies my overspending at times or my lack of control when I shop at times, but this year I don't feel bad for shopping and buying. I feel like I spent good quality time with the fam, my mommy was very happy (which she repeatedly told me throughout the day) and I think she really appreciated it.

What are your thoughts on shopping for the holidays?