Change back from Christmas
The girls and I just finished our nightly walk through the neighborhood. It has evolved considerably during the past three and a half years. At this point, Ping walks on my left holding my hand. Cici walks on my right with her hand firmly in the crook of my arm. We have interesting discussions and the girls are never without an opinion, even when we talk about the law firm and its business. It is your decision, they say, but this is what we think.
As we walked tonight Cici also said something that surprised me. It didn't feel like a festival this year, she said, because we didn't put up the Christmas tree. I thought you didn't really care about have a tree, I said, remembering how she showed a complete lack of interest the first year the girls were here. I missed the Christmas tree, Papa, and I think we should put one up every year from now on.
Cici has changed in so many ways as she has matured into a young lady. Today I sent her a text message asking if I needed to come to the mall to pay for her makeup, because I knew she was shopping for makeup with one of her girl friends. No, Mama will come and take care of it, she replied. But thank you for asking. How incredibly polite and proper she has become, I thought.
Then tonight when she returned from shopping she came to me with $40. This is left from the $100 you gave me for Christmas, she said. I had put it in one of the Chinese New Year red envelopes in the way that Chinese parents give cash gifts to their children for the New Year and she had gone shopping with it. No, Sweetie, I said. That was a gift for you, so you should keep it. I will keep $20 for my school lunches, she said, but you keep the rest. Mama paid for some of my makeup with her credit card.
How many teenagers would do this, I wondered. She is so unselfish and so appreciative.
After we finished walking, Ping and Cici did something that has become a new habit for them, and it is totally out of character for Cici. They went for a jog. Cici has always hated physical exercise, but suddenly she seems to enjoy it. She also seems to look forward to our walks each evening.
My little girl has grown up right before my eyes. She monitors my blood pressure and my eating habits, and doesn't hesitate to call me down if I stray from what is good for me. If she and Ping aren't home when I arrive, she comes to sit with me in our home office when they get home, and she talks with me to make sure everything is okay. We are going to miss her when she goes off to college, I keep telling Ping, who is still in denial about it. Just wait and see, I say. It is going to hit you hard one day when you look around and she is gone. Thank goodness she isn't going very far from home.
As we walked tonight Cici also said something that surprised me. It didn't feel like a festival this year, she said, because we didn't put up the Christmas tree. I thought you didn't really care about have a tree, I said, remembering how she showed a complete lack of interest the first year the girls were here. I missed the Christmas tree, Papa, and I think we should put one up every year from now on.
Cici has changed in so many ways as she has matured into a young lady. Today I sent her a text message asking if I needed to come to the mall to pay for her makeup, because I knew she was shopping for makeup with one of her girl friends. No, Mama will come and take care of it, she replied. But thank you for asking. How incredibly polite and proper she has become, I thought.
Then tonight when she returned from shopping she came to me with $40. This is left from the $100 you gave me for Christmas, she said. I had put it in one of the Chinese New Year red envelopes in the way that Chinese parents give cash gifts to their children for the New Year and she had gone shopping with it. No, Sweetie, I said. That was a gift for you, so you should keep it. I will keep $20 for my school lunches, she said, but you keep the rest. Mama paid for some of my makeup with her credit card.
How many teenagers would do this, I wondered. She is so unselfish and so appreciative.
After we finished walking, Ping and Cici did something that has become a new habit for them, and it is totally out of character for Cici. They went for a jog. Cici has always hated physical exercise, but suddenly she seems to enjoy it. She also seems to look forward to our walks each evening.
My little girl has grown up right before my eyes. She monitors my blood pressure and my eating habits, and doesn't hesitate to call me down if I stray from what is good for me. If she and Ping aren't home when I arrive, she comes to sit with me in our home office when they get home, and she talks with me to make sure everything is okay. We are going to miss her when she goes off to college, I keep telling Ping, who is still in denial about it. Just wait and see, I say. It is going to hit you hard one day when you look around and she is gone. Thank goodness she isn't going very far from home.
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