Xi’an Style Chinese Meat Pies or Xian Bing and a 26th Birthday

Chinese Meat Pies or Xian Bing are street food in China. These Chinese pork stuffed pancakes are great for a hand held breakfast or lunch on the go!

A birthday cake this isn’t; but a cake this is, none the less. Imagine a traditional Chinese pork stuffed pancake or Xian Bing as they are known in China.

It seems fitting that on the day my children are turning 26,  there must be some way to celebrate.

Yes, I know we will soon be lighting candles together or perhaps setting off fireworks, but it is still hard for me to let this day go without recognizing this momentous occasion.

Each year I tell myself I can’t possibly be getting any older and then THEY have a birthday.

Reflecting over the years lets me remember how far we’ve come; how far they’ve come; how they truly have become more than what we had imagined, 26 years ago today.

Venturing into parenthood was not something we took lightly.

It took us 8 1/2 years to become pregnant and at the time we were even exploring adopting.

I was already 10 weeks along before I knew; so you might say I was feeling funny.

Not being able to buckle my ski boots was the first indication that led me to schedule an appointment with the doctor.

I know that sounds totally crazy, but I really could not believe that I would actually be pregnant.

It took us awhile to come up with names. We even went to Hawaii as our “last” vacation to calmly discuss this. I guess now that’s called a “babymoon”.

Coming up with four names is no easy task and not knowing their sex before they were born, made this quite challenging.

In Jewish tradition it is common to use names of those that have died. It is traditional to have a Hebrew or Yiddish name and a common name.

This meant we kind of had to come up with 8 names; but who’s counting? I actually recently found the name list that we worked on in Hawaii!

How I found that I truly do not know, as I still can’t find their birth announcement, which means I better add this to the list of chores for winter!

We quickly ruled out Hannah Leah, which sounded a bit to Hawaiian to us when we got home.

Noah reminded me of a ship and I get seasick. Manservant really wanted Satchel and Paige, but there was no connection except of course to the great Satchel Paige.

It’s a good thing we didn’t name Zoe Whitney because that’s what her good friend is named and Alex sure doesn’t seem like a Zachary, but then Clay was on there also.

Max was a possibility and so was Joshua, along with Sasha and Tillie and Kali. I  laugh at these now.

Truth is I have learned that one grows into a  name. In the end I think Zoe’s great grandmothers would be proud of who she has become.

Zoe Bryn was named after her great grandma Fanny on my mother’s side. And though I would have named her Fanny, someone else objected.

My Grandma Fanny whose Yiddish name was Faigele, translates to little bird. Zoe’s Hebrew name is Zipporah, which also means little bird.

Zoe did remind me of a little bird when she was born, as she was constantly eating!

Now though I see other traits that remind me of my grandma. My Grandma Fanny was independent. She was loving. She told it like it is. Nothing slipped by her.

She worked as a dietician, when women didn’t traditionally work. Fanny would be proud of what Zoe has become and Zoe even has her blue eyes. Well, I like to think they came from her.

Alex was named after my Grandpa Alex, on my father’s side. Just as I adored my Fanny, I adored my Papa, too.

My Papa Alex came from a shtetel in Lithuania in 1938, with his wife and three young kids in tow.

They arrived in August and within a month after he left, his entire village was wiped out.

My Papa had courage and good timing. He wasn’t afraid of hard work, and I don’t think he ever looked back; though he always seemed wistful.

Everyone liked my Papa and he had a twinkle in his eye, just like my Alex.

He was an educated man, loved to eat my Bubby and Ilse’s cooking, and he always brought mini Hershey’s chocolate bars when he stopped over Sundays to see his grandchildren.

My Papa would love Alex. And he would adore Zoe.

I could tell more, because I haven’t even gotten to their middle names, but some things are for keeping.

At least until next year when I reflect again and remember all that they’ve become and imagine all that they will still be.

So far they’ve made me incredibly proud that I’m  part of this wondrous journey.

On their birthday, I thank them for reminding me of  those that I loved and those that loved me. What memories I had.

What memories I will have. Today I say Happy Birthday to my two totally incredible kids, with such incredible names, that remind me each and every day that life is for living.

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On that note, as I wipe away tears…I  felt compelled to make a Chinese pancake; a xian bing, a Chinese pork stuffed pancake…as if you don’t know!

It may not be birthday cake, but it can hold a candle. It seemed kind of fitting, given our upcoming journey.

Though we are choosing not to go to Xi’an-home of the Terracotta Warriors-we are choosing to take the road less traveled. In my family, that sure seems to be the path.

 

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