A glimpse of Ashton's first meaningful CNY...last year he was a baby being lugged around without knowing anything...and chewed on the red packets...

Kids don't need expensive toys...all they need is creativity...a piece of shawl, time and space for exploration. Here's their version of lion dance...echoing Ashton's music..."ah tong, ah tong..." A joyful noise and a merry sight.

GONG XI GONG XI!!

...and here's his representative...Ed Jr...with the uncles.

A glimpse of our homefront for the new year...

It takes some constant reminders and adjustment to ease into our daily routine. Lessons are never confined on the desk and books as usual, but this is one usual morning scene for 4 days in the week. A big chunk of our days are spent doing a lot of other stuff...and figuring out life (and our surroundings) and living :) That's education.

Nat wants her share too. Ashton is like a sponge absorbing the math concepts while learning some eye-hand co-ordination through beading.

Ashlynn surely is another great teacher although no nice pics to post up at this point. What a blessed boy to be surrounded by loving teachers! The best education begins with love - love for the person, love to impart knowledge and love itself. That would mean it bounds back to God being Love.

It is here again.

A new year. A new start. A full calendar.

I am still easing into the new year but time waits for no man...nor woman :)
Every day moves on so fast, I wish I can slow it down. As much as I like to make sure everything is in order, listed and charted, I just couldn't make it this season. I've learned to just do it - and do it quick, spontaneous and enjoy the moment. Hmm...and still learning...some list and charts still give me a sense of peace and security. A handle I can hang on but I know as long as I bring God with me everywhere and all the time, I will be good. So in the midst of all the busyness, active moves and running into the new year, I thought I will be in a panic state...but surely I can give thanks for the joy of the Lord.

WISHING YOU THE SAME TOO, MY DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

The anticipated excitement in the months of waiting is now being replaced by the reality that we are back in good old Penang. The hot and humid weather almost melt us every time we go out and hit reality into us that "hey, we are in tropical Penang". No more erratic temperature change of Melbourne. Did we enjoy the trip? If you asked my kids, it will be a resounding YES! As for Ed and I - it was indeed a very tiring one running after an active toddler who is ready to explore just about anything and anywhere.

There was no time to slowly ease into routine. We were welcomed by a lot of work awaiting to be done especially with the Christmas season. Today - in my quiet moments...with kids all gone for Christmas shopping, I finally get to pen down as I traced God's doing in every single move in our trip to Melbourne. Another faith trip. Another miraculous act. His prompt provision is beyond description. Only God can do all these. Indeed He is "I AM WHO I AM".

We were surrounded by love through his people. Love. God's love. Can you understand it all?

There's a quiet celebration of his love in my heart as I think of Christmas.
Surely Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in our heart.

Blessed Christmas and Have an Enriching 2010!

Ashton protested to be fastened. He wriggled hard to be freed from my attempt to fasten his belt as the plane was preparing for landing. I whispered a prayer to the Father asking for help to keep the toddler down. The moment I succeeded, I sighed a relief and prayed that he would keep still till we landed.

As the plane landed at the Melbourne Airport, I whispered a "thank you" to the Father again and asked that He will show me more...apart from attending Peggen's wedding, an important affair to us. We have every reason to be thankful for this young woman whom we have watched from being a teen full of dreams in a local college to being a mature woman of faith...and preparing to be a beautiful bride. Deep down in my heart I know the Father always has a multi-purpose plan. He always maximize the opportunities. So I have to be in sync with him to ride on every opportunity, and learn well. "God, what are you teaching me this trip?"

Suddenly it dawned upon me, I was shedding the old of my spiritual autumn and resting in my spiritual winter the last trip I was in Australia. The exact seasons in the physical during our sabbath then. Here in this land again after 2 1/2 years, we were welcomed by the cool refreshing spring and preparing to enter into summer in just a little while. In the spiritual, that's our season too - a season of ploughing and hard work of planting. Yet in a little while we will see the fruit. Then again, we have to be diligent in protecting the fruit from the heat of summer. Spiritual warfare! Nevertheless, summer is a season of lots of work and sweat yet it is coupled with fun in the sun. Certainly we are in the challenging season but also anticipating tremendous excitement.

Inevitable change! I need to know my season to maximize every opportunity given before I welcome the next season.

Life is always changing. Seasons change. People change.

October 8 is always doubly special. My mum and my father-in-law share the same birth date. As we rejoiced and celebrated this day, it also reminded me with every birthday we grow older. It thrill our hearts to see the children grow. On the other hand, I am thankful for our parents but as I traced their obvious aging signs, my heart aches to face the reality that they are no longer as strong and energetic as they used to be. Their faces bear increasing lines and sagging muscles. Their gait is no longer as steady. Their pace slower. They need to rest in between during outings. Their lives draw closer to the eternal home each moment. It is a fact I have to face and I am so grateful for our parents to know they love me so much and raised us all to live a full life.

I thought of my children's plea every now and then, "Mum, please don't grow old. Please stay young and beautiful (beauty is in the eye of the beholder and ahem, this could be a biase statement from adoring children :) And I will always reply to each of them, "I wish I could, honey but we all grow old." Then I will ask them, "Will you love me just the same?"

Now I stand in my children's shoes and wished our parents won't grow old...but it is a fact I have to face. Change is inevitable. As I looked intently at each of them, I can only say, "I love you just the same."

Old is gold :) May God's grace and countenance be upon them as they age.