At Valentine Day
This morning I went out early for my son's lab work in the only Children Hospital in town. Funny him, every time he meets someone either in the elevator, in the phlebotomy room, in the registration, he keeps saying to strangers, "It's my mom B' Day today!" I awkwardly smile and nod, when the strangers look curiously at me and hesitantly say, "Happy B' Day! Oh, yeah and Happy Valentine Day!" "Thank you!" I, then politely and embarrassingly thanked them in return.
Well, there went my morning! I had breakfast with my son, in hospital's so called 'cafetaria' a.k.a McDonald. No B' Day Breakfast and never be, no flowers, and card or party. Well, there never been a real party and celebration what so ever, though.
The first time I have kind of B' Day Party, in my recollection was when my 19th B' Day! My mom decided to cook Nasi Tumpeng ( A mountain shape rice adorned with potato croquettes, grilled chicken, Javanese sweet and spicy potato beef meatball stew, urap/boiled veggies with seasoned shredded coconut, peanuts crackers, sweet fried tofu and tempe, hard boiled egg in spicy sambal balado gravy), Spaghetti Bolognaise, Chicken Sate and other of her homemade meals. That was too long time ago! That was so much fun. That was also the first time my college classmates came to our house.
After that? I guess, I don't really have much recollection of having a B' Day Party :) Most of the time, I only ate out with my closest friends, or having some of my neighbors and friends came to our house and dine in together.
My dear husband and I love to eat. After so many restaurants in so many places, later on, he one sided 'concluded' that I prefer to have a gourmet dinner B' Day more than to get a B' Day present! Ouch!
So year by year of my B' Day ends up with me having B' Day Dinner with him as my present. Well, still ouch, but why would I put tantrum over that? Then we can only go to the family diner after the baby was born, that means no more dinner! Oh, my! Welcome, lunch buffet!
So, the main role in the day will be, me! I am the chef for my own B' Day dinner. I guess I got so much cooking all these years, that I don't even want to have anything this year. We just had a sushi party and also special B' Day Dinner for my dear husband end of last year.
My two sons will have their B' Day this next Spring, and they already have plans for that :) I guess we will have a sushi party again for my big son, and a pizza party for my little one. They know how to make sushi and pizza, well, buying will be cheaper though, but let's see what will be in their mind :)
I probably one of so many wifes in USA who never put my children with nanny or baby sitter to make a date with my own husband. Okay, okay, I got it ! I never even ask for anybody help to make time for me to rest in my own chaotic time. Honestly, I never even put my babies with anybody. They all grow up with my own two hands. So they go with us, too, to every restaurant we, husband and wife go.
I am hoping next summer we will all be healthy, and get the opportunity to spend some time together as a family. Anywhere in the world, I am hoping we all can go there, having a proper dine out, a proper date, and a proper family time together.
However, today?
My head is full with the lab work. I requested the front desk to make time for morning appointment, so I don't have to go back and forth at 3 pm for my son doctor's appointment. My son is having his own time. He interestingly is having so much fun receiving compliment for his curly hair :)
"Mama, do you want to have a B 'Day Cake?" He asked me politely.
"Hmmm, I don't know," flatly I answered.
"Well, do you really want a cake?" he repeated the question.
"If you want a cake, I'll buy you," I said that straight to him.
"Well I want a cake, only if you want a cake!" he said it slowly.
"I don't want a cake, but I'll get a cake if you want." again I said it plainly.
"It is your B' Day, so it's up to you!"
"I don't want to buy my own B' Day cake!" actually that is what I want to say to him, but I swallowed it.
I went back to my readings, and the sons with their you tube watching. Around 5 pm, suddenly I got so tired with all the reading. I went to the kitchen, and checked out the refrigerator. I had nothing! I bought some groceries from neighborhood Asian Stores. I guessed I want to make something, so I had tapioca starches, mackerels, whiting, cucumbers, sweet potato starches. What would I make?
After an hour and a half, my home made Mpek-Mpek are ready! I was so happy with the result! The cuko also taste so nice. Then my dear husband and my two sons gave me a simple Red Rose bouquet. They don't bring a cake, what a relief, but a slight disappointment also (this is what a woman's heart though), but they bring an apple pie.
Everybody except my little son eats Mpek-mpek; a chewy fish cake served with sweet sour cuko made of palm sugar with tamarind and a lot of garlic and red chili paste (I happened not to have a palm vinegar). No body complaining, even me!
I guess everybody tries to be polite and tie their own tongue tightly :) Well, I don't want to cook honestly. I don't even want to eat out. It is very nice to have everybody gives you surprise, but I got so many things in my mind these days.
So there go my B' Day! My sons lit the candles on the apple pie, and we made a prayer, while I am on the phone talking to my mom in Jakarta. We all blew the candles and my present is; a lavender candle! Ho ho ho ho. I don't know how the boys pick Lavender? Maybe because I always buy dish washing detergent and laundry detergent with Lavender scents? I don't know.
Well, Alhamdulillah, another year passed, one more year of my life already deducted from my designated life. May Allah SWT blesses my life and fills it with love, health, wealth, happiness, knowledge and iman Islam. Aamiin Ya Rabbal 'Alamiin. Thank you Ya Allah, for everything that You gave me. Alhamdulillahi Robbil'Alamiin.
Nothing more or less. I guess the Mpek-mpek are really good, my dear husband brings half of them to our friend home warming party! Thank you, muah muah!
Louisville, 2014
Hani
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