Recap - Visitation

Thank God for the great weather.  Thank God for letting us know how many people love her and our family.  I have too many things to share and will chop it into two posts for the first time.  So, here is Part 1.

20130111 Friday - 111, another special day.  Mom's visitation was today from 6-9pm.  It's a gloomy and rainy day.  It made me sad but I wanted more rain, so we would have a better chance seeing the sun tomorrow.  Uncle Ed said it must be Mom who got a deal for such warm day tomorrow (13 degrees), haha.  I think I agree.  We'll see, just put everything in our prayers.

Gloria and I didn't go to work.  We went to the library with Jonah while Jake went to school.  We came home after for lunch, trying to finish the leftovers.  It was quiet and peaceful.  For the Visitation, I really didn't know what to expect, like who will come, how many will show up, and what to feel, etc.  I guess my plan was to go with the flow.  Putting the feelings aside, I did have a lot to prepare.  After Jonah went to nap, Gloria went out for refreshments for the visitation and I stayed home preparing my sharing and finishing my blog.  We then had an early afternoon tea with the Ng's, Grandma, Fian and Dad before we headed to the funeral home.  4 Gu Jeh also arrived (from Vancouver) and was on the way to the funeral home when we were at the restaurant (thanks 5 Gu Jeh Gu Jeung and KK's family for sending her back as the "604" rep., hehe).

We got there at around 5pm. It was quite busy I have to say.  Funeral home business is not bad at all, haha.  Too bad I'm not a business man.  Our "party" room was the largest upstairs (maybe the largest in the whole place).  It was a family room setting with chairs against the walls, leaving the middle empty for family and friends to mingle.  There's a TV for Auntie Diana's PowerPoint and Caring Team's DVD (thanks Derek for bringing it for me from my Dad's).  Curt, Ed, Fian and I had fun trying to figure out how to loop the presentation at first, haha.  Everyone's mood was light and good.

Once I stepped in, I saw a lot of flowers surrounding Mom. We knew that there would be a lot, so it's kinda expected (that's why we prefer to offer/donate).  Thanks for all the flowers (offering and donation).  To my surprise, the first envelope I got was from the staff.  Of course, it's not from the staff but from a friend who dropped it off earlier (thanks Ar Loung, Carmen and Eric).  

People started coming just before 6.  The reception table was packed from then on.  I guess we need a bigger one next time, just joking, "choi choi choi" (teach me how to translate this), haha.  Yeung auntie reminded me not to say "Dor Jeh" (thank you in Chinese) when greeting visitors because in Chinese, "Dor Jeh" has a meaning of asking for "more".  Thanks for the reminder - I really didn't know but honestly, I think it's okay because I only have one mother, I can only lose her once.  And I do want more visits, cares, loves, supports, prayers and even money from everyone, hehe.  Just in case if I said something inappropriate at night, please forgive me, just in case.  God is good still...

To those who has visited and paid the final respect to Mom, you have shown us your caring hearts for my family.  I need to say thank you for one more time sincerely.  It also showed us how much Mom has made a difference in other people's lives and how much people respected her.  It's a warm feeling that I don't know how to describe it in words - just a very good feeling.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

Dad was doing fine the whole night. Yeah, there's a few crying moments but it's all good overall.  He's very positive in general.  Fian, Gloria and I will keep close eyes on him, so no worries.  To my surprise, Grandma also did great.  Originally, she thought that having someone passed away was a shameful thing to share.  I guess she meant it's not a happy thing to share and that's why she didn't want to see people and didn't even want to announce it at first.  Thanks to Gloria and Fian, she now understands that this is a celebration, or a graduation.  It's okay to cry because we all miss Mom but she knows we will see each other again.  She even got up a few times to greet her friends telling them not to worry about her!!!  Thanks for all the prayers.  It's working so far.  Uncle Ed was with her the whole time while Fian was with Dad.  I just needed to keep checking on Uncle Ed and Fian once in a while, haha.

The night went by really fast, especially at the end.  I didn't even get a chance to drink a drop of water nor a piece of refreshment snack.  When Rev. Wong said let's come together for the closing prayer, I was kinda shocked to be honest.  That's when I first looked at my watch, haha.  And my thirsty hungry feeling all of a sudden came hit me big time.  I haven't got a chance to do a count but there were almost 300 people.  Thank you to all the helpers, especially the Caring Team - all the bookings, organizing, "Gut Yee", greeting at the reception table, collecting envelops, card, "white money", etc.  I want to kiss each one of you next time, not just the Aunties but including Uncle Arthur too, muah muah muah.  We all feel the love from everyone and I know Mom felt it too.  She must be smiling...

The boys were very well behaved the whole night too.  Thanks Cheryl (our nanny) to stay both Friday (and Saturday) helping us out with the boys.  I can't imagine what would happen if she's not around, haha.  I have been doing fine the whole night.  I didn't even have a drop of tears until I saw Jake running back to Mom, after he was all ready to leave.  Having so many things to pack, we forgot to ask Jake to say bye to Mom.  Without knowing where he was going, I was just about to raise my voice.  Then I saw him running back to the coffin.  With his jacket on, he didn't look back and never said a word.  

Yes, he needed to tippy toe a little so that he could gently touch Mah Mah, just to say goodbye.  I couldn't hold my tears and gave him a big hug.  I'm sure Mom would give him a bigger one.  Mah Mah knows everything, Jake.  I know Mah Mah must be so happy too.  Thanks Jakey and thank God.  It does happen in real life, not just in those TVB shows.  Jake did ask us a few questions but "the statue theory" worked well.  It's true that her body won't last but with His promise, her spirit will.  After settling everything, Gloria, Cheryl and the boys went home and the rest of us when out for "Siu Yea".

Because the audio part of the movie I created wasn't working properly. I had to fix it before i go to sleep.  I finished re-doing it before 2 but somehow, I couldn't fall asleep until almost 4am.  I don't think it's because I of my sharing but I just couldn't fall asleep.  I think I'm not sure what to expect after the service tomorrow.  "Is that it?", "Now what?" and "What's next?" are some of the questions popped in my head that kept me up.

^"3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:3-9)