Molly turned 9 on December 29th. She celebrated with a sleepover party with 6 other friends from school. On Sunday the 28th, the friends arrived around 1 pm. Craig, Maya and mom escorted the 7 girls to our train stop and downtown to the DGI Byen Swim Center. This place is amazing with a play pool surrounded by a circular lap pool and a separate area for diving - with 6 different levels and springboards. Another room as 2 separate hot water pools. They didn't allow pictures inside, due to some rule they couldn't explain. Go figure. So we have a picture outside.
After a train ride home, the girls chowed on pizza, opened presents, then played team pictionary, treasure hunt and white elephant. After home made chocolate cake and ice cream they set up the living room for the sleeping portion. They watched Home Alone 3. Some girls fell asleep around 11 and others stayed up until 1 and later. Molly had a bad cough and threw up her dinner in her parent's bed at midnight. She spent the rest of the night in the guest bed with dad.
The next morning Molly was fine and the girls continued to play, watch Mamma Mia, eat waffles and pack up for a pick-up at 10 am. The rest of the day, her real birthday was spent hanging out around the house while mom cleaned and did laundry, preparing for the Switzerland trip and dad was at work.
Molly is a brilliant, generous and thoughtful young lady who loves to do handstands around the house, over and over, all day long. She likes to read Judy Moody and Amber Brown, plays Webkinz and Club Penguin on the computer, loves gymnastics, dance, soccer, softball and swimming. She loves being busy and would rather go out than stay in. Her favorite foods are pasta and pizza and any kind of fruit except bananas. She still lovs to cuddle and have books read to her. She always brightens up the room and we love her dearly.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
God Jul - Merry Christmas
It is after 10 pm on Christmas Eve as I write this. Just tucked the girls into bed, Craig is asleep on the couch and we are waiting for Santa to arrive. We had a nice day including a walk through Dyrrehaven Park and the girls and Craig played games while I made Hungarian Mushroom Soup. We went over to the Wendelt's house for a Christmas Even celebration at 4 pm. They are American and have a daughter in 3rd grade with Molly. There were 4 other American families and 1 Scottish there, all with children in primary years and mostly young boys. Quite a scene. After drinks and delicious American type foods (including my soup) we played 3 rounds of "white elephant" with each family deciding on keeping on giving away. We drove home on absolutely desolate streets. Most, if not all Danes are celebrating really big tonight. Christmas Eve is their big night when they light the tree, dance and sing around it, feast, drink heavily and give presents. Many go home to their parents in the other islands.
Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we will wake and see what Santa brought, hopefully not before 6 am. We'll have a nice breakfast at home, then visit a Catholic Church that has an English mass and back home for games, family time, movies and a roast pork dinner. We're going traditional Danish dinner: roast pork with the "crackle back", potatoes au gratin, braised red cabbage, and rice pudding with cherry sauce for dessert.
We're all feeling a little out of sorts about Christmas. Even though we have all the necessary decor and all, it's just very strange being in a new place and trying to recreate traditions. Craig and I are o.k. because we know that a place doesn't necesarily make the holiday, but the spirit. But children dont' quite get that. They just want what they are used to. That makes them feel comfortable. It is not the same as being home, that's for sure. We are so far from it. Often, the less communication makes it easier on us. That way we don't know what we're missing.
We had a Hannukah dinner party with some new Dutch friends on Sunday night, the first night of Hannukah. We made and ate too many latkes, as usual.
Our holiday will be a combination of highlights, shopping and relaxing: jsut the right amount of activity mixed with pleasure and laying around. We'll celebrate Molly's birthday on Sunday/Monday 28th/29th then leave for Switzerland on the 30th for 5 days.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a Blessed New Year.
Love and Light,
Mary Jo, Maya, Molly and Craig
Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we will wake and see what Santa brought, hopefully not before 6 am. We'll have a nice breakfast at home, then visit a Catholic Church that has an English mass and back home for games, family time, movies and a roast pork dinner. We're going traditional Danish dinner: roast pork with the "crackle back", potatoes au gratin, braised red cabbage, and rice pudding with cherry sauce for dessert.
We're all feeling a little out of sorts about Christmas. Even though we have all the necessary decor and all, it's just very strange being in a new place and trying to recreate traditions. Craig and I are o.k. because we know that a place doesn't necesarily make the holiday, but the spirit. But children dont' quite get that. They just want what they are used to. That makes them feel comfortable. It is not the same as being home, that's for sure. We are so far from it. Often, the less communication makes it easier on us. That way we don't know what we're missing.
We had a Hannukah dinner party with some new Dutch friends on Sunday night, the first night of Hannukah. We made and ate too many latkes, as usual.
Our holiday will be a combination of highlights, shopping and relaxing: jsut the right amount of activity mixed with pleasure and laying around. We'll celebrate Molly's birthday on Sunday/Monday 28th/29th then leave for Switzerland on the 30th for 5 days.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a Blessed New Year.
Love and Light,
Mary Jo, Maya, Molly and Craig
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Maya turns 11
Our daughter Maya turned 11 on December 4th and carried on the same kind of birthday celebration that has been successful for the last 4 years: good friends, bowling, burgers, ice cream, movies and sleep over. Maya had a fun 4-day run of events. The 4th was her actual birthday - school, pizza with the family and presents (a new lego challenge). The 5th was an all-school music recital at a concert hall away from campus, then the bowling party with 3 classmates. They stayed up til 12:30 am giggling and talking like teens. Awoke the next morning and hug out, played "Dance Dance" Revolution on Wii, watched a movie and ate chocolate chip pancakes. Later that day we all attended the Copenhagen International School Holiday Fair (where mom was in charge of the menorah craft table). Sunday we had friends for brunch and Maya went to the Nokia company Christmas party with her friend Maddie. That was probably our busiest weekend for the entire holiday season.
Maya has taken her time to adjust to the school and home life here. She misses her trusty, reliable, true-blue friends from home terribly, and is seeking out quality people to connect with. So far, we love her choices. Her friends sang "happy birthday" to her in dutch, chinese and spanish! Now she is playing basketball and bonding with teammates as well. Maya is really evolving into an independent, responsible, thinking and caring person. Being here has been good for her development and challenged her comfort level in a good way. We are so proud of her.
Maya has taken her time to adjust to the school and home life here. She misses her trusty, reliable, true-blue friends from home terribly, and is seeking out quality people to connect with. So far, we love her choices. Her friends sang "happy birthday" to her in dutch, chinese and spanish! Now she is playing basketball and bonding with teammates as well. Maya is really evolving into an independent, responsible, thinking and caring person. Being here has been good for her development and challenged her comfort level in a good way. We are so proud of her.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Jesus has been replaced by Nissa
Well folks, christmas has arrived in Denmark and with it the onslaught of the gnomes - "nissa" people. Nissa is everywhere, ornaments, cartoons, t.v. shows, crafts, decoration, wreaths, cards, wrapping paper, yard statues. And, along with lights, candles and greenery is the standard holiday decor in this country. Trees only come into the homes the week of Christmas, but many people buy them earlier and keep them in their backyard.
However, I keep looking for some sign of baby Jesus and any form of Christianity here and it's as missing as OJ's glove in his first trial. While this is a Lutheran Country and all Danes profess to be Lutheran, very few if any at all actually go to church, except on Christmas and maybe Easter. I have only seen one nativity scene for sale. Granted, I am not a practicing Christian in the church sense, but still I try and demonstrate with family what the meaning of Christmas is.
In Denmark, it has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, but rather the significance of lights, the derision from darkness and work life, joyous times of merriment with family and friends and gift giving. It is a timeless tradition that, like all countries, has become more materialistic and a chance for overworked parents to dote on their children. I have asked countless people their impression of this and everyone, Dane and non-Dane answer the same way, "Denmark's not a religious country".
So now we know what it's like to live in a country where everybody celebrates in the same nationalistic/ethnic way. Even though we are connected to an international school, we are surrounded by almost pure Danish culture and it's noticeable that everybody joins in, because that is what is done and will always be done. Every shop, business, doctors' office, grocery store decorate for Christmas. It's an unspoken rule that you must. Every desk in every office or table at home has an advent candle that burns down a number from 1 - 24 days. Lights and greenery in every window. Yes, it is beautiful. Try and get that spirit in America where disjointed religions and beliefs mix with the pervasive political correctness. Sheesh. There's a lot of "hum bug-ness" that goes on in America. And even though it's not in the name of religion, at least the Danes haul off and go with the festiveness of it all. It's all very interesting.
Now, go out and light your Christmas spirits.
Comments to thecohen4dk@gmail.com
However, I keep looking for some sign of baby Jesus and any form of Christianity here and it's as missing as OJ's glove in his first trial. While this is a Lutheran Country and all Danes profess to be Lutheran, very few if any at all actually go to church, except on Christmas and maybe Easter. I have only seen one nativity scene for sale. Granted, I am not a practicing Christian in the church sense, but still I try and demonstrate with family what the meaning of Christmas is.
In Denmark, it has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, but rather the significance of lights, the derision from darkness and work life, joyous times of merriment with family and friends and gift giving. It is a timeless tradition that, like all countries, has become more materialistic and a chance for overworked parents to dote on their children. I have asked countless people their impression of this and everyone, Dane and non-Dane answer the same way, "Denmark's not a religious country".
So now we know what it's like to live in a country where everybody celebrates in the same nationalistic/ethnic way. Even though we are connected to an international school, we are surrounded by almost pure Danish culture and it's noticeable that everybody joins in, because that is what is done and will always be done. Every shop, business, doctors' office, grocery store decorate for Christmas. It's an unspoken rule that you must. Every desk in every office or table at home has an advent candle that burns down a number from 1 - 24 days. Lights and greenery in every window. Yes, it is beautiful. Try and get that spirit in America where disjointed religions and beliefs mix with the pervasive political correctness. Sheesh. There's a lot of "hum bug-ness" that goes on in America. And even though it's not in the name of religion, at least the Danes haul off and go with the festiveness of it all. It's all very interesting.
Now, go out and light your Christmas spirits.
Comments to thecohen4dk@gmail.com
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