A Christmas Tradition

As soon as we returned from our honeymoon in Greece,  I was ready to set up our Christmas decorations, and realized as most newlyweds figure out their first Christmas together that:
A) we had no christmas decorations

2) we had no christmas tree

and D) we had no money.  (home alone reference anyone?  and yes I've seen that at least once every year (most years multiple times) since it came out during my childhood)

Thankfully family gave us some of their old decorations and there was a Food Lion right down the street where we bought a $25 tree with our VIP card.

Our first Christmas together, Aaron gave me Home Alone.
It was the longest I went a Christmas season without watching Home Alone.
My previous Home Alone was on VHS and we had upgraded to a Blu-ray at this point.

Our first Christmas tree....also, I look like I'm in 9th grade in this picture.
No seriously, I wish I could post my yearbook picture.  you would agree.

Our first Christmas together.
Notice - no VHS capabilities.  It was a sad season until Christmas morning.

Anyway, that Christmas we decided to start a Christmas tradition of getting a new Christmas ornament every year, so we could slowly add ornaments to our Christmas tree.  So this year - this is what our tree looks like:

this year's tree

Here's a sample of some of our ornaments from the past 5 Christmases.  (the first two are MIA because I left them in America, afraid they would break or get lost over here).

2010's ornament.  I love this little guy.  He always makes me smile.

2011's ornaments, our first Christmas in China....we spent a lot of time on bikes and dodging electric scooters, so it seemed appropriate.

And the cloud ornament below is this year's ornament.  We bought them from a local artisan's guild here.  You see clouds like that in decoration (painted as trim on walls) all around the city.

I look forward every year to picking out a new ornament.

And here are some pictures from our previous Christmases together:

2008, Aaron's parents' house

This happened right after:

2009

I miss this house

2010, first Christmas in China

since we just moved into our house I didn't have much to decorate with
so I made one festive corner

2011

I'll be honest, I don't miss this house.

Anniversary Gifts

This past week, we celebrated our anniversary (if you read the blog, you may have heard...)

Here's the rundown on the loot we scored:

Aaron:

Stacy surprised me with an incredible gift - a painting. Not just any painting, one that I've had my eye on since my first time up here, in 2007. It is an oil-based painting of some mountains with sunlight highlighting one of the faces, and fog shrouding the bottom.

I'm not much for the arts (or very "cultured," for that matter) but I am in love with this painting. It reminds me of great times I've had hiking and the mountains that currently surround me on a daily basis, plus the Almighty Father who created the mountains (Psalm 65:6) and all creation. Incredible.

Stacy:

Before moving up here I had been eyeing copper tea pots that they sell up here.  So I was so happy when Aaron surprised me with one for our anniversary.

Also there is an artisan guild here in the city that sells really quality goods, using local patterns and colors.  Their bags are made of a really soft  leather.  When Aaron biked to the fishing village a couple of weeks back, he found the factory where they actually make the bags, and picked one up for me.  

I'm not as descriptive as Aaron is - but trust me, I love them.  In fact I love them so much, I was worried that Aaron wasn't going to like his gift nearly as much as I love mine.

Gentiana Update

Just over a month-and-a-half after trying to transplant some mountain flowers called Gentiana Phyllocalyx, it's time for an update.

As you can see, something is growing. However, I think that for the most part it's just the grass that was in the clods I dug up - I haven't seen any evidence that the flowers took hold.

However, according to a friend familiar with the Gentiana flower, I dug mine up right at the end of flowering season, so there is somewhat of a chance that the roots have taken hold (the other plants certainly have...) and that the flowers will bloom next year. That's what I'm hoping for.

PS - does anyone have a lawnmower that will fit inside a Coke can?

An Early End to No-Shave November

As is customary for gentlemen in the month of November, I participate in "No-Shave November." When December comes, there is usually the much anticipated* unveiling of the Post-No-Shave-November Facial Art.

This year, Thanksgiving and our wedding anniversary fell on the same day, and a few days prior to the glorious coincidence of these two ever-important jamborees, my wife lamented to me that I always have a beard in our anniversary pictures. Not one to quickly break tradition, I nevertheless saw this as an opportunity to bless my wife. So, I decided to do something uncharacteristic and bring an early end to "No-Shave November," so as to bless my wife.

Instead of a beard in this year's anniversary pictures, I will be sporting a look I have christened "The 4-Point Buck" - a mustache the descends on either side to downward-facing forked prongs of glorious facial hair, creating a strong resemblance to the rack of a 4-point buck.

I'm not sure this is what Stacy had in mind when she requested "no beard this year," but I guess we could quibble over the semantics all day...  Ah, the things I do out of love.

(* Stacy waits eagerly to see what sort of artistic rendition I will come up with. I think it is probably her favorite surprise of the year.)

Celebrating 4 Years Together

We went out for as nice a dinner as they have here - $7 steaks at the "steak house" in town.

Despite the rather humble setting, it was nice to once again reflect on how great this year of marriage, and all four years in total, has been.

Linen & Silk, you were a great year. Wood, I know you'll be even better!

My Groomsmen

Since yesterday was our 4 year anniversary, I was looking through our wedding pictures for yesterday's blog. While I was at it, I came across this gem:

Man, I love all these guys - Flan, Tanner, Chris, (myself), Micah, Isaac, A-rizzle, and Will.

Cuatro Años

Four year ago today rose forth the genesis of the O'Hares (aka. the Asia O'Hares). It was a glorious occasion and there was much rejoicing.

Since that day, I have done much rejoicing.

I love sleeping in on Saturdays

And I love college football games

I love not acting my age

And good barbecue

...but I want you to know

Honey, I love your love the most

- Eric Church

carolina style, all the way

Aaron and I celebrate things with hot dogs.  When we got engaged we ate hot dogs.  When Carolina won the national championship we ate hot dogs.  To celebrate vacation in Thailand, we ate hot dogs.

I love this face.

Our fourth anniversary, however falls on Thanksgiving....so this time we'll celebrate with sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce.

I love life with this hot dog loving guy.  These four years have been my favorite four years of life (including college - which was pretty fun).  Aaron adds fun, challenge, growth, patience, grace, laughs, adventure, and a new understanding of Jesus to my life.

He and our four years of marriage is what I'll be saying I'm thankful for, when asked at the thanksgiving table today.

Papa-san (祝你生日快乐!)

Happy birthday to the best dad in the world!

Turns out...

... I like to fix things.

Most recently - the electrical wiring on our friend's radiator heater. 

And with only one *minor* sparking incident.