Mash and a hug

If you were wondering what Annabel learned at school yesterday she will be glad to tell you she played all day.

I asked this afternoon if she had played again today.

No, she had to do some mash (not sure if she was working in the cafeteria or doing math), then she watched somebody do something, then she watched somebody else doing something else, and then she did something.

The school is doing "benchmark" tests, which I think determines who needs additional assistance to pass the final TAKS tests later this year. But thankfully Annabel is exempt from taking these tests, so she has been doing other things.

She shocked me Monday afternoon when she came running from the house as I pulled into the driveway after work.

Her first question was if we were going to ride bikes. Sure, I had promised the day before.

When she received the answer she was hoping for, she grabbed me and hugged me around the waist. A FIRST!

She actually did it again tonight.

She still covers her head and refuses to let me kiss her good night, so I have just started hugging her through the comforter and kissing through it.

I meant to take time yesterday and jot down all of the questions that I was asked before they could leave for school. I know one thing that was bugging Grace was the meaning of "stale".

Since Annabel discovered donuts, I bought a dozen donuts to have this week. Yesterday Grace wanted to know if she could have a donut for breakfast. I told that I thought they were stale. So she wants to know what is stale. Before I can answer that question Annabel has a few questions and trying to come up with a definition for stale kept getting pushed back so the question kept coming. Sometimes by the time I get to work I am just tired!

We have a book club at work and for the month of January I suggested we read something by a Chinese author in honor of Chinese New Year's. The leader of the group suggested that we read Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club. I tried to find a different book because it has been difficult for me to read anything by Amy Tan as she was Jana's favorite author. But after trying a lot of other books, by a lot of other Chinese women, their stories were all so difficult and so sad, that I agreed to go with Joy Luck Club. Not that it is not sad and difficult! It tells the story of 4 Chinese mothers and their 4 daughters who were born in the US.

But it has made me really think about being the mother of Chinese daughters.

Every one of those mothers instilled ancient Chinese wisdom into their daughters. I feel like the only wisdom I have imparted is to wash your hands! Of course every one of the daughters rebels against what their mothers teach, which also worried me.

These women had long histories to share, recipes to teach, and a passion to drive their children to achieve their best. I don't know. I just worry that I can do the kind of job that a Chinese mother would. I know that they would insist that Annabel continue with Chinese school. I met a lot of mothers whose children were not only in Chinese school, but music lessons, math clubs, chess clubs, and that it was expected that they would participate and succeed in all. Somehow I think my daughters need a chance to play, to bond, to visit, ride bikes, and be kids. I think I am right, but it does worry me.