Happy Birthday Daddy

Keeping Mom’s Schedule…

Another busy week has gone by and somehow I just didn’t get a chance to touch this, hahaha.  There are quite a lot to update this time.  Everything is good but first thing first: happy birthday to Dad today and Grandma tomorrow!!!

Even though it's two weeks after the Chinese New Year, Jake just had his first Chinese New Year "performance" last week (cuz' of the snow storm delay).  He had lots of fun and I can tell he loves the stage as much as his Dad, hahaha.  He's not shy at all and was pretty into their songs and all the actions, hahaha.  He wasn't the best kid as all expected, not following instructions and actually, trying to distract other kids, hahaha.  But regardless if he's naughty or not, I love him to death, hahaha.  Can you see him?

 

After Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day, things are back to “normal” once again.  Dad is helping in the mornings driving the boys to programs in the library and the Early Year Center.  Then in the afternoon, he usually spends his own time having lunch with his friends, watching soccer games, working out in the gym, grocery shopping, preparing us soup, running some errands, etc. before joining us for dinner at home.  Yes, Dad would prepare soup for us and he helped us pan fried some Nin Go a few times too.  Believe it or not, he’s getting better and better, Mom!

Dad was extra busy this past week:

• Did emission test for my almost 11 years old MDX – Canadian Tire
• Fixed our toilet flushing handle – Canadian Tire again, not Home Depot, haha
• Renew the license plate stickers – Driver’s License Office
• Champion’s league – at gym or home, hahaha.

One exciting news I want to share this time is that we have booked our tickets back to Hong Kong!  Even though it’s only from end of April to mid-May for a little more than two weeks, I’m so looking forward to it.  Adding a little sparkle at the end, we will be stopping over Vancouver for a few days before coming back home.  Dad will be staying longer until end of June, just like when Mom is still around.

I need to thank God for giving us such smooth booking process.  We first tried booking online with our Aeroplan points.  It wasn’t the smoothest I have to say.  Originally, we were trying to go back some time from early May to end of May.  However, the direct return flight from end of May to even end of June just all booked up.  And even with one stop over, it wasn’t the greatest (24hours plus on the return!).  Gloria and I weren’t able to make any reservation the first night.  It was frustrating to be honest to a point that we were thinking about giving up.  We prayed about it and on the second night, we changed our plan completely and see if we can make our trip sooner.  God is good.  Apparently, He wants us to have our trip earlier.  Knowing that the return direct flight is not available, we called Aeroplan and figured a way to do multi-stops.  God gave us both Beijing and Vancouver available for stop over when coming back.  We knew right away that we want YVR (Vancouver) having 2/4/6 (Tyler/Mitchell/Gavin) in our heads, hahaha.  

Since we only have enough points for three, we were able to lock up the tickets off the points for Gloria, Jake and Jonah (Yea, it’s cheaper if we use the points for all adults but Jake and Jonah can’t travel alone, haha).  So the second part of the story is to purchase another two tickets for Dad’s and mine.  Once we got the confirmation on the date and the seats for the free tickets, I had to go after the other two the next day.  We weren’t sure if those dates are available and if we can sit close enough together.  Just imagine how messy Gloria’s hair will be when she got off the plane if she’s to bring both kids back on her own, hahaha.  Honestly, I was thinking to get business/first class so we’ll still go together on the same flight.  And worse come to worst, we can switch seats on the flight.  Once again, God is good and He’s telling us that our plan is part of His cuz’ when I checked, all dates are good and all flights are available.  I had no problem securing the seats even (that’s right, we are sitting together!).  Plus, the price wasn’t bad at all.  Everything was just so smooth that you have that “right” feeling, heheh.  Dad will be staying longer in HK as mentioned, taking his time with Fian over there.  I’m sure he still has some paper works to do while busy cleaning up Mom’s stuff.  He’ll also be stopping over in YVR for a week when coming back!!!

The story didn’t end there.  Once we have confirmed everything, I emailed my family in YVR like, 4 Gu Jeh, 5 Gu Jeh, Rebekah and Michael.  Not only that they are very excited and can’t wait to have us over, they invited us to stay with them, hahaha.  God must have planned everything for us way beforehand.  Other than the smooth online/offline booking, the affordable ticket price, it was Mitchell’s birthday that week, and it was Rebekah’s week off, Gavin’s no school day that Friday plus the long weekend after, hahaha.  It can’t be more amazing than this, hehehe.  We are all super excited for sure!  I wonder how powerful and destructive the five boys will be, hahaha.  Thanks to the Ng’s in advance!

Jake will also be celebrating his 4th year old birthday right off the plane, hahaha.  Actually, this is already his fourth time going back, what a lucky guy.  So yeah, please mark it down ladies and gentlemen:

Hong Kong: April 26th – May 13th 

• April 26th is booked for Jake’s 4th Years Old BDay
• May 12th is WHBISY’s wedding

Vancouver: May 13th – May 18th 

It’s Grandma’s 91 years old BIG birthday tomorrow and we went out for dinner last night celebrating it with Dad.  Happy birthday to Daddy too, today is actually his big day too (February 26th).  Yea, somehow Dad’s birthday always fall close with Grandma’s lunar birthday each year.  We ate so much last night that my tummy wasn’t feeling too good afterwards, hahaha.  It’s always fun eating with the Ng’s and the Wentzell’s, hohoho.

The funniest, most interesting and mysterious highlight wasn't the food and it wasn't our laughters, it was Mom's present for Grandma! That's right! Mom prepared Grandma's birthday present way back when she was still in Hong Kong! It wasn't something fancy, just two cans of abalone but it made Grandma in tears and disbelieve. Mom is such type of person who always plan way ahead. It's just another example. Mom, you are the best. I miss you so much.

 

Jake is behaving better and better these days I have to say.  Maybe he’s over his terrible time or maybe he’s become more mature after Mom’s departure.  Last weekend, he was in his sad face, lying on the play mat with his tummy down.  He was supporting his cheeks with both hands.  Gloria and I asked what’s wrong with our Jakie.  He said, “I miss Mah Mah.”.  I really don’t know if he’s for real or if he’s just acting (as he’s a pretty good actor).  Regardless, he pressed my buttons for sure.  And even Jonah pressed the same buttons these days too.  Not sure if he’s just following Jake or if it’s just by fluke.  Jonah saw Jake’s iPad one time and asked if we can FaceTime Mah Mah.  

Yes, I wish we can FaceTime her like we used to.  I am just praying that the boys will be able to remember Mom.  Hopefully, not just through pictures but their own memory.  I miss my own Mah Mah sometimes and really hope that my boys could have more time with their Mah Mah.  Once again, I’m actually the one who’s having more time to spend with mine than the both of them adding together (my Mah Mah passed away when I was 8 and somehow, both Mom and her passed away when they are 63).  God’s plan is unpredictable.  We are just so weak and that’s why we should rely on Him always.

This past weekend, we had a chance to relax a little and did some shopping for ourselves, hahaha.  Gloria actually bought a pair of boots!!!  I always want her to buy things and shop for herself cuz' she's just too good of a wife who only spends on the family and nothing on herself (unless it's $20 or less).  Either it's too expensive or if it's not enough of a deal or she's just too busy with her boys, including me.  Yoga, sleep-in, new clothes for work, hair cut, cosmetics,  are something I really want her to work on - that's right.  She deserves much much more and she should focus a lot more on herself.  The happier and prettier she is, the more happier (and prettier too) we will be!!!  The boys had fun while Mom was fitting always, hahaha...

On Daddy's birthday, I want to thank God for him, someone who never say NO, at least not to me.  And thank God for giving me two boys so I can learn how to be a father.  The story of Abraham and Isaac caught my attention this week because Father Abraham is so faithful yet his love for his son never change a bit.  I wonder how he felt when Isaac was asking him about where the offering was...  

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Treasure everything God has given and keep counting our blessing every day, every hour, every minute and every second...THANK YOU!!!

Happy Chinese New Year Mom

Happy Chinese New Year (sorry, I have been busy at work, shoveling, celebrating Chinese New Year and Valentine's day, hahaha)

Wish you all healthy and wealthy, hehehe.  Honestly, I’m not too happy.  I know I shouldn't but I do miss Mom a lot during the whole New Year time.  Chinese New Year is supposed to be something to celebrate with your family.  It’s not easy to not think about Mom and that’s why it makes it hard if you know what I mean.  This is our first Chinese New Year without Mom.  Even though Mom is very modern and updated from the outside, she is a very traditional Chinese woman.  She follows all Chinese traditions as much as she could, especially in New Year’s, Ching Ming (a festival we pay respect to our passed away family members).  Her thoughts are also very traditional, from how we need to respect to elderly/seniors to different roles of a wife at home.  

Even when we are in Canada, she would give me a big red pocket every year, make a lot of yummy food, invite us over for dinner, to family gathering and dim sums, etc.  We would go visit Gu Por’s family (and Grandma’s of course).  Somehow we never go to Uncle Ed’s but now I think back, we never go probably because Mom is the bigger sister.  They are to visit us and that’s why visiting them never clicked until just now (when Mom’s gone).  Actually, according to Mom’s traditional thinking, once I’m married, I should go visit Uncle Ed’s as I’m having my own family.  I guess I should pay more attention to these things from now on when no one is gonna reminds me, at least try to think like her.  

The Year of Snake reminds of laziness.  It then reminds me of how Mom and Dad needed to “sell laziness” end of each lunar year with Fian and I.  If you read my previous blog or if you know us well, you should know who they were focusing on selling laziness, hahaha.  Basically, at the end of each year when we were still young and when we were still in HK, we had to walk around the street after dinner to yell, “Sell laziness, sell laziness, sell til end of the next year!”, hahaha.  Yea, it doesn't make sense and I didn’t work at all, hahaha (cuz’ I’m still very lazy, hahaha).  But it’s a tradition that we do every year and I  miss that a lot.

We would go shop at “Flower Market” for Chinese New Year’s decorations, flowers, toys, candies, Gwa Ji (fruit seeds we eat the middle in new years, hahaha), etc.  It’s always a big thing there back home.  The atmosphere here in Canada is much less comparatively.  Well, I guess everyone gets three days off there while nothing changes here.  The most exciting thing of Chinese New Year wasn’t the red pockets because ALL our red pockets go back to Mom and Dad, hahaha.  The only two we have and we get to spend were from them.  Mom kept telling me that she would put them into the back for us but I don’t think she did until when we were like at high school, hahaha.  It may not be a bad thing for kids.  We never touch money when young.  We didn't even have pocket money until much later and even if it’s pocket money, we would only get it at the supermarket ($2 each).  So, we got to select our snack there.  Fian and I sometimes would combine ours to get something bigger, hahaha.  Yup, she would probably finish most of it anyways, hahaha.  Money is never a temptation to us, not even now.  

The most exciting thing in Chinese New Year was in fact before the actual New Year.  We could buy new clothes and shoes beforehand!  That’s right, Fian and I would both have a new outfit from top to bottom, inside to outside ready to be worn on the first day of the year every year.  Mom again demonstrated how traditional she was.  Clothes are nice to have new in Chinese New Year, and she’s a good shopper and likes to shop anyways.  Shoes actually are more interesting.  In Cantonese, “shoes” sounds like “sigh” and if you buy “shoes” in the beginning of a year, people believe that you would be “sighing” throughout the year, hahaha.  Not like Mom is not faithful, she’s just traditional, hehehe.  

This year, Dad did everything he could to continue Mom’s “traditional-ness”.  Since it falls on Sunday this year, we had New Year’s lunch together after church.  We then visited Dad’s, collected our red pockets and had some snacks there too.  Dad made us some turnip cakes and “year pudding” (Nin Go).  Well, he didn't make them, he just pan fried them, hahaha.  THANKS TO GRANDMA of course.  She made everything!!!  Oh, Auntie Teresa also made us some Nin Go too – thanks!!!  It was all good.  We then had dinner at Grandma’s place together with Uncle Ed’s (plus Derek and Jenny) and Wentzell’s!  Yup, we all squeezed in Grandma’s tiny bachelor unit!!!  Mmm…we had 12ppl, hahaha!!!  You know what, it reminds me of having celebrations in HK!!!  God is good all the time.

Dad misses Mom we know and even Jake misses Mah Mah too.  On the ride to Dad's place, Jake went with Dad.  Jake asked, "Where is Mah Mah?".  Dad told him that she's now in Heaven and Jake goes, "Is it where Jesus is?".  Dad didn't respond cuz' he was in tears.  He told us about it when we arrived and yes, we all miss her a lot, even Jonah wanted to touch her.

Before Chinese New Year, there was two interesting things happened.  First, it was the big snow fall, haha.  Gloria and I love snow sooooo much (that's why I proposed outside with snow around us, hohoho).  We had so much fun having snowball fights, snow mountain building, tobogganing on driveway, shoveling and driving on snow, hehe.  I dislike hearing complains and the most ridiculous one I heard was, "I paid tax, how come I don't get a clean road to drive?", hahaha.  Cuz' the snow just didn't stop, hahaha?  I guess we are truly Canadian liking everything of it, including minus 20 and snow storms.  Seriously, what cold, snow storm, hahaha?  Gloria and I actually got so excited, including Jake cuz' he didn't need to go to school, hahaha.  Count our blessings!

The second thing before CNY was a great party – Baby Emma’s first year old birthday!  I can use three "lots" to summarize Baby Emma’s first year: she has lots of hair, lots of fun and lots of energy, (of course she has lots of love from everyone), haha.  The party was jam packed with lots of activities like Baby Salsa, hand painting on canvas, cake cutting, pictures taking, refreshments eating, chit chatting, heads hitting (yea, cuz’ the light fixtures above the coffee tables were low and we needed to have the coffee tables moved, hahaha), Guinness record speed cleaning and packing at the end with lots of sweating, haha.  Time just flew by so fast, hahaha.  It was almost a four hour party!!!  Good thing the boys were napped well - thanks to our planning of course, haha.  We all had a lot of fun.  Pray that this little girl would be blessed by God continuously with health and happiness always.  I’ll keep up with my job – to make her laugh like crazy always, hahaha.  Love you Emma!!!

Mom, Happy Valentine's Day!  My sweetest Dad bought you flowers from Home Depot (yes, Home Depot) and went visit you on Valentine's Day but the snow was just too much for him to climb over to drop it to you.  The flowers are still with him but I guess it's the heart that counts.  We had a great supper at home together with prime ribs, clam chowder coup and salad (thanks B!!!).  I'll find another time celebrate Valentine's Day with Gloria some other time this year, hehehe.  Don't worry though, I didn't forget her.  I just give her a few surprises, like did nothing at 12am, cake in closet, flower when she's having BSF, mailed her the card, a super cheesy slideshow, hahaha.  It wasn't the smoothest per planned but it's all good: like she refused to check our mailbox until I forced her to (kinda gave it away a little), hahaha!  And she didn't check my message with the YouTube link of the slideshow until we are about to sleep 12.  Yes, I had to ask her to check (I was like waiting and waiting for her response but nothing happened, hahaha)!  Oh well, appreciate your other half no matter if it's Valentine's Day or not.  Dad, even though I know you would miss Mom a lot on Valentine's Day, your love to her is always there - she knows.  

"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers" (1 Peter 3:7)    

Two other notes I want to mention before leaving this time:

1. Dad's soup is actually very very good;
2. Jonah's crib is gone - he's having his "big boy's bed", Mom!!!  Jake and Jonah actually had their first ever sleepover last weekend!!!  Thank God so so much...

Who's next...

Mom got all our attention all along because she's sick.  Well, she is also the reason of this blog.  She is now gone and God told me to focus more on who's still around.  The first one after Dad was Gloria.  She's surely a blessing to my life.  I think I can only get worse without her.  Her kindness, gentleness, and her cheerful, loving, silly, joyful, sweet and fun character is just unbeatable.  She is someone you want to be with cuz' it's just so comfortable being around her.  I may look confident on the outside but I guess I can only show my true self to this woman, not telling you more though, haha.

Comparing to her, I'm so bad in all ways, haha.  This is also why I know what a better half means.  I think it's very obvious to everyone as well, cuz' everyone (including you) knows where all the bad qualities of Jake and Jonah are from, haha.  Yea, I know I am not perfect and I still have a lot to learn.  I did make boo-boos and had disappointed her; I will keep working hard to become a better husband and better father and a better spiritual leader in the house.  I just love this woman, period.  However, I will stop here cuz' she's a super low key type of person who doesn't want to be under the spot light.  So I'll save the rest between ourselves inside our bedroom, hohoho.  Hopefully, the boys can leave us alone, haha.  

So, who's next?

I don't think I have said it before...but why not? I love my sister! (Ok, fine...let's do it again.)  Mui, I love you!!! As brought up typically in a Chinese family, we don't normally say these three words.  Actually, its absolutely abnormal to say it.  Try doing it at home to your brothers, sisters and parents later tonight.  They will probably think something is wrong with you or if you need them for a big favor, haha.  Maybe that's why I didn't post it until after she has left, haha...yea, she left last night back to HK after such long "vacation".   

Fian is always the first who reads my blog, maybe she follows me close enough all the time, or she has set a notification on all my updates no matter if it's on Google, Blogger, Facebook, etc.  She is always the first one who would "like" my pictures, my links, my posts.  Well, we are on the same boat sharing the same Mom I guess, hahaha.  She is probably my biggest fan who would share it right away too.  (The next one is probably you, haha.  Thanks for reading still, hehe.)

Last time, after she finished reading my previous post about Mom and Dad, she told Dad right a way, "Dad, you are the main character this time!!!", haha.  It made it sound like I'm director or something, haha.  I was thinking in my head, maybe Fian will be next, haha.  She also said she can't do what I'm doing on this blog (writing so much, haha).  I think it's the first time I hear praise from her.  Actually, it may not be a praise but I don't care, I'll take it as a compliment, haha.

That's right, it's Fian's turn this time.  Fian is my only sibling.  Even though I look much younger, haha, she's really my baby sister.  I know I still don't act like one but I'm really her big brother, haha.  Other than the time before she's born, she's been with me my whole life.  Sharing is the first word that came into my head cuz' Fian is mine and no matter if it's good or bad, happy or sad, we'll be sharing everything.  I thank God for giving me Jake and Jonah.  They will also be sharing their lives together, I know.  Fian's just part of my life all along, from sharing the same piece of candy to sharing tissue papers for Mom's departure.   

Not sure if other siblings are like this, Fian and I are very very close for a few reasons...

• First of all, boys are less mature when girls are the opposite.  So our age gap made us “communicate-able”.  Mom and Dad’s timing was perfect (thank God too of course, hehehe).
• We share a lot of things in common including family (duh) and friends; actually all our friends are common.  Her friends are my friends and mine are hers, from school to church and from roommates to co-workers.  Thanks to Mom too, she insisted me to go out with Fian when we were young (I'll tell you more later).
• We attended the same school (Methodist School) when young sharing a lot of teachers.  That’s right; we even share teachers.  When all my teachers, who had taught me, looked at Fian’s name a few years after, they knew she’s related to me (we do have pretty close Chinese names).  They all expected to see another naughty one according to their experience with ME, hahaha.  But they were all “disappointed” after just two days, hahaha.  Fian was a very good girl (see the word "was", hahaha).  Somehow, our teachers have very good memories about us.  Mom could be the reason as she taught in teachers’ collage back then (they know they couldn't mess up with their inspector’s kids, hahaha).  Well, it could be me who was just a bit too “active”.    
• We also attending the same church, fellowship/cell groups both in SKWBC and MCBC with Mom and Dad since we were babies.  Our second home always…thank Mom and Dad again.  Yup, we share the same faith.
• We do have a lot common interests too, like we both love dancing (or we both can dance, haha), snowboarding, watching NBA, having same grow up idols (Grasshopper, Shirley, Alex, etc.), fighting for the moon cake salty egg yolks, ice cream and a lot more from our sleeping habits to our points of view.  

Thank God for giving us two teachers as parents.  To us, getting off school means seeing my parents as we share all holidays together.  Yup, we even have summer holidays TOGETHER!!!  And thanks to Mom’s commitment on travelling.  To us, having anything more than a long weekend means travelling with our free tour guide/leader/planner/navigator/super line jumper between different cashiers when lining up/yummy food chaser/hard to follow bargaining queen in a shopping mall (Mom) and our free bus boy/massaging machine/driver/bill payer/funniest joker/silliest friend/tendering lover (Dad), hehehe.  That's the last reason why we can be so close to each other - we spent a lot of time together!!!

When she was a baby, she's always the better one.  She's well behaved, neat and tidy, good and quiet.  Later, she became a confident, positive, calm and super care free young lady.  Now she's less care free and actually, sometimes she's kinda "long air", hahaha.  I can totally see Mom's shadow lately, haha.  She can concentrate and be focused no matter if the world is collapsing, or if I'm dancing silly in front of her face (yea, cuz' I was bored from the books, trying to ask her to play with me - never worked).  She can just simply ignored everything, haha.  Maybe that's why all her finals ranking at class are always single digits.  Yup, she did rank first in class (考第一).  

Her outgoing characteristics didn't start until she started St. Paul Co-Ed's (her high school back in HK).  Maybe she escaped from Mom's "palm" as teachers' teacher after grades school.  Thanks also to her friends from SP too, I guess (you know who you are, haha).  However, Mom is very strict on her cuz' she's a girl after all.  Mom never let her go out by herself and that means she would need to bring at least one of us: Mom, Dad or her only brother - me.  Being the coolest brother of hers, she always pick me!  I refused each time but Mom insisted not to let Fian go without me.  

As mentioned above, this is one of the many stories I want to share.  The first time happened when she was in grade 3/4 when her classmate Karen were about to leave (yes, it's you Karen).  Even though I didn't want to go, I didn't want my sister to be disappointed either.  It was a little tea party at Karen's house somewhere in Kowloon.  When I got there I only saw 4/5 other girls and all they did was chatting, playing Barbies, stuffed animals, cooking, tea partying, more chatting, some crafts, and the most boyish thing was playing in the outdoor playground by the parking!  And the only thing I wanted to do there was to ride this bike of Karen's.  It was so small and probably hasn't been used for some time.  The tires was so flat that when I stopped, my whole body flew forward leaving myself on the ground with the bike behind me!  Yea, I was trying to make a cool stop in front of the girls but it wasn't cool at all, it was actually very embarrassing (good thing my face skin was thick to begin with).  I was so mad that I promise myself not to go with Fian anymore forever.  However, you know what happened in reality or we wouldn't have so many common friends.  

That's right, my heart is always soft every time when Fian asked, "I want to go play basketball with my friends...", "pretty please...".  Even though I would say, "Go your head, no way!", I would get myself ready and went with her on the day of.  So all these friends' house, basketball games on Saturday morning, bubble teas chit chatting, and all these parties, etc. you can see both of us together always.  

There are just many many things I can share but let me tell you this which no one really knows.  Fian never cried no matter how she got "punished" by Mom and Dad but she would be balling if I'm mean to or yelling at her.  One thing I still want to thank her, even after Mom has left.  She never tell on me, no matter what I have done to her, no matter how harsh I was to her, no matter how hard I hit her.  She never, not even once, told Mom or Dad about anything bad I did.  I felt bad one time (and it's still in my memory cuz' I still feel bad) when she was crying and walking back in her room at Mei Foo after I hit her really hard.  We were probably still very young, maybe Grade 2 and 5.  I don't remember why I did that and I don't remember how hard I hit her but I do remember her back, in her loose PJ, crying so hard but didn't do much but just to walk back to her room.  She never said a word to Mom and Dad.  Mom and Dad weren't around that night but I remember.  They later found out through the nanny, not Fian.  I knew she loves me and she looked up to me big time ever since.  And that's the first time I felt bad hitting her and that's probably the last time hit her ever again.  Sorry Mui...

She came back with Mom and Dad back in September when Mom was feeling great and was fit to travel.  She followed the original plan leaving on the planned date while leaving Mom and Dad behind (when Mom's leukemia came back).  Everything else was recorded in my blog there after.  Even though she wasn't really in the picture physically but she's always part of us.  Thanks to the technology again, all the phone calls, emails, Whatsapp, FaceTime, Facebook, Tango, Skype, etc.  She is not a physician doctor but she has her PhD. done on pathology/cancer research.  Basically, she's our family adviser since day 1 regarding Mom's condition as she knows all these medical and chemical terms.  She also got chances to do actual testing for Mom's blood in her labs.  Thanks to her boss and all the connections, Mom got her checkup appointments, bone marrow biopsy, hospital admission, chemo treatments medication in no time at the early stage.

Her original plan was to come back after the Chinese New Year, sometime next week.  But with Mom's condition, she arrived on December 20th when Mom wanted to make the big decision together as a family.  When thinking back, she spent her first two weeks in the hospital with Mom and Dad.  Then, after God took Mom, she helped prepared for the funeral stuff the week after.  She finished packing/cleaning up Mom's stuff and completed a lot of paper works for the government, banks, insurance, etc. with Dad in the next two weeks.  Thank God that she finally got a week to relax a bit with us at the end.  It's always fun to have her around.  She's always part of my family and even though I want her to have her own soon, hahaha, I don't know if I'm ready yet.  And when she left last night, it's been already more than a month!!!  

I know I'm not just gonna miss Mom, but Fian too; and not just Fian, but our time spent together as a family with Dad, Gloria, the boys, Grandma and the Ng's.  That means there won't be as many bubble teas, half French half coffees, Nene's surprises (Fian's surprises for the boys), as many eat outs, oyster shucking, Candy Crushing and most importantly, Dad will really start living on his own!!!  Our lives are really back to "normal" without Mom.  Dad asked Fian to say bye to Mom before leaving their house last night.  Fian said, "No, what are you talking about?  I'm bringing Mom back to HK."  She's right though, Mom will always be with us, no matter where we are.  

I really hope that she is able to pick herself up in HK as she's going through everything once again from scratch over there when Dad and I are not around.  I'm sure she will have her tough times but I also know I have you to rely on when I'm not around her.  Thanks in advance.  We, not being able to be around her, will for sure pray for her and keep checking up on her, hehehe.  God has His plan always.  Trust and obey.

Yesterday when Fian left, it was February 4th, exactly one month after Mom's departure.  Time really flies is all I can say.  Everything does fall in His plan.  "Ar Mui, Siu Sum D"...That's right, Fian is my real sister after all.  How can I not love her? 

^"

Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." (1 Timothy 5:1-2)