looking back, looking forward

it is the time of the year again where we look back and try to reminisce on the past events and also a time for us to make a new year resolution. it took me quite a while to actually sit down and write this entry. sometimes when i write, i need that feeling and mood. once it is there, i can write non-stop.

this year, i have grown up, not much but a bit more.

my only sister gave birth to juston on 17 september 2008. that was such a happy moment in both families. he brings so much joy and happiness to the families. my parents' first grandchild and my first nephew. i am officially an uncle 大舅. he has grown up so much in 3 months' time and we have heard much of his laughter and crying too!

in that very same month, mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. it was such a life-changing event in the family. being the eldest son and the only son at home (my younger brother is in perth), i suddenly felt so stressful and so much burden was placed on me. to be honest, i was scared and in fear. i had to show my support to mom and could not even showed a single negativity at home. from mom's condition, i started reading up on materials and articles about breast cancer, i learn about breast cancer together with mom, i give her encouragement, i show her my support, i go with her to see doctors and the oncologist, i listen to doctors' explanation for her, i ask questions for her, everything i do, i do it for her.

there was one time when we met up with an oncologist, i was sitting in front of the doctor's table. i almost burst into tears when the oncologist examined mom's mastectomy wound. sitting there was the woman who had breast-fed me when i was a baby; now she has lost one of her breasts, the proud poccession of women. she suddenly looked so fragile and small to me.

i can personally feel that my relationship with mom is closer than before. i am always closer with her compared to dad, but this event has made us even closer. i see this as a blessing in disguise. everything must have happened for a reason, and most of the time, we do not know or understand the reason, at all.

in the new year to come, my hope and wish is for the good health and love and peace in the family. may God's love and blessings be with our family, now and always.

to all my friends who are reading this entry, wishing you all a blessed and healthy new year, and be blessed with God's love and wisdom always.

with love,
leslie

melli quikmus

last night, mom and i went to the midnight mass at st joseph church. that is the church we normally go for our weekly mass. the mass only started at midnight, hence it is the midnight mass! hahahaha..... anyway, in order to get a good spot, we were there around 10.15pm and the church was already 40% full. that's the kiasu-ness of kuching people, including myself! hahahaha.....

many christmas songs were sung, could see kids with santa clause hats, even some grandmas had that too! hahahaha...... many people were having their compact cameras with them, mine was sleeping at home. i should have brought it! arghhh......! otherwise, i could have posted some photos of the night. oh well, next year i will bring.....

the mass was celebrated by His Grace, Archbishop John Ha and we were all reminded to always follow God's path in our christian's life.

the mass ended with the song "joy to the world" and "feliz navidad". people were giving each other christmas wishes, christmas hugs, christmas kisses and peace..... but later, i could see people not wanting to give ways to cars. that's "peace be with you" in the church, but not out of the church! so fake!

anyway, wishing all my friends a blessed and joyous christmas and may God's love and blessing be with you all, now and always.

melli quikmus!

:o)

the gifts

christmas is 2 days away. everyone in the office is in holiday mood. this year, 26 december is a compulsory leave for us, and 29 december is a public holiday, so we will have a long christmas break.

last night, i got a christmas prezzie from my good friend, a carrot cake topped with cream cheese and a christmas card. it was a big, beautiful cake! this friend of mine has never failed in giving me gifts for festivals, be it cake for christmas or for chinese new year. thank you so much, ron, for the friendship all these years!

some times earlier, when ron was in singapore attending a seminar, i asked him to get cds of corrinne may, a california-based singaporean songwriter. one of the cds entitled "the gift" were a beautiful christmas album. that was "the gift" from ron.

冬至快乐

today is winter solstice festival, one of the most important festivals celebrated by the chinese. it is a time for the family to get together.

mom and i made some tang yuan. it is a chinese tradition where every family will make tang yuan on winter solstice, it symbolises family reunion.



dear friends, wishing you all happiness and blessings in the families.

冬至快乐，团团圆圆， 圆圆满满

three five

my parents got married on this day 35 years ago, 20 december 1973.

we brought them to ten-ichi japanese restaurant for lunch. that was their first time ever to a japanese restaurant. at first, they were not so keen about my plan of having japanese food. to them, japanese food is all about raw stuff! i insisted to bring them there for a try, never try, you will never know!

dad had tempura set which he finished everything in his bento, mom had grilled saury fish set which she liked very much. i ordered some maki rolls as side dishes. sister and brother-in-law came in late because they were working on saturdays. it was a nice family lunch.

when we got to the car, we were told that one of the tyres were punctured! luckily my brother-in-law was still around, so he helped to change the flat tyre. he must have done it many times because everything looked so easy. i myself could not have done the task. with the lower backache, bending down is already a big challenge to me.

anyway, it was still a beautiful day with family :o)

the beginning

i have always wanted to start a blog, however, i was too lazy to even start one!

lately, i reconnected with a person that i knew last year. we sort of lost contact in between and started to correspond recently. he writes blogs and i really enjoy reading his entries. i have read all his entries, first time ever i read all entries of any bloggers. that's where i get my inspiration and motivation. thank you chong! http://subzerotengboche.blogspot.com

keep my fingers crossed that i will have enough inspiration and motivation to write!

俗语说得好“有了开始，就是成功的一半“