A week or so ago, we were on our way home from a family outing and decided to eat out because it would be too late by the time I got dinner ready at home. We stopped at a Chinese buffet. Is it weird that except for when I actually lived in China, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a Chinese buffet before?
Anyway, I wasn’t very impressed, but my children pigged out to an embarrassing level (Matt gave them free reign of the dessert buffet.). Then they each got a fortune cookie as we were finishing up. Grant opened his and started jumping up and down for joy. He started yelling, “Yes! I’m going to Disneyland!” He was SO excited. Matt and I looked at each other quizzically and I asked him for his fortune paper. A close look revealed the following fortune:
“You will soon be traveling to a distant land.”
His hasty reading had an unfortunately over-abundant translation.
I tried to comfort him by reminding him that he had just consumed more desserts than children in most third-world countries get in a year. Somehow that wasn’t quite as magical to him.
Personally, I think it was a nice introduction to the season where Santa politely says no to most of the things on his Christmas list anyway. 
(For those of you who missed it, please join us in the 12 days of Christmas challenge! Random acts of kindness daily until Christmas. Today’s the “2nd day of Christmas.” Click here or on the button on the sidebar for more information.)
Kristina P.
December 14, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Awww, poor kid! I do sort of love Chinese food buffets.
Lara
December 14, 2010 at 9:48 pm
He wasn’t excited about traveling to a distant land?
This made me laugh. Too bad about Disneyland.
Jocelyn
December 15, 2010 at 3:11 am
I so need that ornament!
Lacy
December 15, 2010 at 8:18 am
ha ha ha… I loved this! And I love Chinese buffets too… I think it’s good for kids to wish for things and NOT get everything they want.
Maybe that fortune cookie was telling his past… the distant land is UTAH and you already moved there….maybe?
Kimberly
December 15, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Weird coincidence? *I* am going to Disneyland. Don’t tell him though, I don’t want to bum him out any further!
Lisa
December 16, 2010 at 9:31 am
That is HYSTERICAL! I love it!
Makamae
December 16, 2010 at 2:03 pm
So, I love Disneyland. I can only imagine his disappointment when you told him that fortune cookie was probably false. You can’t toy with a kid’s heart like that!!!
Nonetheless, a very funny story. 
Debbie/Cranberryfries
December 17, 2010 at 8:36 pm
That’s super cute (and sad for him). I could totally see my 7 year old doing that.
annie valentine
December 18, 2010 at 10:55 pm
That is so awesome. Not for him, for us, because it made really good reading material.
Also, we’re totally starting your 12 days of Christmas Random Acts of Kindness tomorrow.