Uncustomary Hiccups

So as I sit here...on the day of xmas and wonder....its such a strange day for my family. We don't have any beliefs but we just use the religious holiday as an excuse to get a huge gathering together. There are least I want to say...7 or 8 families in the house, including mine. They all bring the food, starting around 4 and they still haven't left yet. I use to know every kid that came to the house, they were kids that you grew up with, but now a days, I'm not sure who's kid is who's. they come walking through our house and I'm not even sure if they are attached to anyone. So this year, we watched lots of movies, kung fu hustle, shaolin soccer, saving face, polar express, etc etc especially since, all the little kids had forgetten to bring their own xbox 360's or whatever console is popular right now. Instead, by the end of the evening they had settled for our old N64, yes....N64 *gasp* how can they still exist. Blah you, I like my mario. But currently they are playing star fox. A game is a game is a game. And that's all I have to say ;D And we of course ended up breaking out the Majiong game for about 4 - 5 hours, I feel like I'm getting worse but its still so much phun to use my brain.

It's nice being home. I miss the peace, my big bed, and my family. The fact that I can't walk on any of the wood floor without slipping, no matter if I'm wearing socks or not since my aunt doesn't have anything to do now that she's done with classes, so she bakes, cooks fantastic things and cleans everything, including the floor which really isn't meant to be since....well we were planning on ice skating on it right? Or the fact that my mother still buys me such girly fashionable clothing....that it sometimes puzzles me since well...I don't wear those types of clothing....I think she's hoping that I will be the girly girl that she never was...maybe the next generation. My cousin, is still my cousin. ANd my brother still puts everything to the last moment, namely presents. First we had to wake him up, then we had to sit around waiting for him to wrap last minute presents, and the night before he had to order my mom's present online. Ahhh child, get off the computer and remember to do things.

My dad has restarted his love affair with the fish tank, except this time he's going salt water. The freshwater fish did not take well to the well water, hopefully this will last longer. And he waited until michael and I were home so we could go pick up two nemos.....and rent the movie to watch. Ahhhh my dad's so corny....both of my parents are, that's probably where I get it from. But we were in Petco getting my dad a gift certificate when I was like....I haven't seen April yet (my cat) and my mom stops dead and is like, stephanie, I'm sorry I didn't know how to tell you but April died on the 12th of december. And I didn't want to tell you during finals and distract you. ANd I was like....and instead you told me in the middle of Petco. It's really hard, April has been with us since 1994, which means she's almost 12 years old. And she's been through so much, growing up, knots in her hair, moving, being ignored, kicked by the male members of the family, shaved, gross stuff growing in her ears, declawed....man the list goes on. And it probably all shapped her personality into what it was. Didn't like little kids chasing her, sometimes changed her mind about affection, became the "watch dog" of the famliy, since the family dog, Goldie failed miserably at it. hated Goldie, loved sneaking out of the house and into the woods for some random trecks, had a really weird meow. And I'm going to miss her, cause she loved the fireplace, and when she was sweet....she was sweet, she liked sleeping on my bed, but could never settle very well unless it was on my body and she pressed against me at least 50 times, she liked to pretend she was a real cat but picking up the dead mice in the mouse traps in the basement and give them to us, or chase insects around, but not kill them. And she really was a memeber of the family.

My dad buried her in the back, and I wish there was more to mark her passing, and more for her to leave behind. It just makes me sad. I'll get a picture of her up once I find one that I like. At least I have a few of those.

I'll get working on china trip soon and pictures. Until then I'm off.