Christmas NOT...

Bah-humbug! I have to say, Christmas was anything but ordinary this year. Newly married, new baby, but same country as last year, and a complete let down. Of all my 29 years of Christmases past, this has got to be the most uneventful, and the most disappointing--except for spending precious time with Ayden, I can honestly say I don't want to repeat this Christmas. How tragic! I was peeved because Ahsan told me just Christmas eve that he had to work on Christmas day, and I had the morning planned to cook breakfast, open presents, and enjoy Christmas together. Okay, so I shouldn't be so dissapointed because Ahsan is Muslim, and he doesn't celebrate Christmas.. but holy cow, if I knew he had to work, I would have made plans for Christmas instead of chilling at home with the baby, waiting for snow to fall! Last year was a blast~and we DID celebrate it (although Ahsan didn't know about giving gifts and at the last minute went out to buy me one!) It was great because we had spent the day in our pj's, making Christmas food with a house full of foreigners, who all gathered together to create a little piece of home in Korea. Perhaps that is why I wanted to go home for a bit during the holidays--to cheer up my spirit from this crazy 2007 year, and start the next on the right foot.

I did however visit my buds Ron and Susan at their pad for awhile, with baby Ayden in tow and a little cranky attitude to serve up. They offered fresh coffee and a chocolate pretzel. Yum! Oh, and Susan's sis, Marinel, and her boyfriend Greg were there hanging out. I don't get to see them often, and they left FLI just right when I came on. Bummer! In any event, I got to hang out with them, and I took a video of our little dude with Ron and Susan. Check it out~

Christmas eve was a blast, on the upside. Just like a scene from an old 40's black and white flick, we all mistakingly believed we were heading over to our doctor's house for the eve celebrations. Boy, how wrong we were! Ahsan and I chaotically loaded the car up with a few gifts that I bought, grabbed the baby and the Christmas cake, and headed over to meet our friends, Sae-bin, and her mother, who were supposed to take us to the doctor's house. The doctor, being, the gal who looked over Ayden when he had a 2 week long Bronchiolitis stint during his second month; Sae-bin also works for her at their clinic in Palgon mountain. What a good nurse she is! Anyhoo, when we arrived at Sae-bin's house, both she and her mom were roaring to go. "Why are you coming here? We're supposed to meet the doctor at YOUR house. She's on her way NOW!" saying in half English, half Korean.

WHAT?!

Supposedly, we had made plans only a few days prior, for the doctor and her family to come to OUR house for Christmas eve. HUH? Sae-bin and I thought we were going to THEIR house for the festivities. What a blunder! The doctor said 'Next year, come to our house for dinner,' and I said, 'Sometime, we'll invite you over for Pakistan food.' Ahh, the confusion begins; that's why it's so important to understand what was said, in Korean or in English! Neither of us understood what the other person had said! lol. So we frantically made our way back home, Sae-bin and her mom in tow, back to our house to clean up and start chow (oh, God, we were SO hungry too.. and we were SOO looking forward to good Korean food, then-thinking we were eating at the doc's house.) We arrived just when the doctor emerged from her car. Quick, Sae-bin. Stall the folks so we can make a dash to clean up and cook! And was there cleaning to be had. I was just lucky I had already done a half-ass clean up just the day prior.

Needless to say, the evening went well. Sae-bin let the doctor know about our mix up, and we all rolled with laughter. 'Twas quite the funny situation!

A snapshot of the evening. We managed to cook some lamb and rice, with fruits and yogurt.. without having gone shopping too!


I'm thrilled for the New Year. I wonder how it'll go. Surprisingly, I'm positive and enthusiastic about it.. really hoping to finish this year with a BANG! Until next time...