A year of God's grace

Roger finished his exams on Tuesday. What a sigh of relief it was for the whole family. The past few weeks were intense, with a final essay due just before stuvac.

As we look back, there are many things we give thanks to God for. The hope we have in Christ. His grace in molding us through tough times. His grace in allowing us to know Him more. His generous providence. His blessing of godly fellowship.

Coming to study at SMBC was but a vague possibility a year ago. Yet God has made it turn out to be a joyful reality. =) I'm speechless.

With some college activities left to attend, we'll be heading back in Singapore next week to spend the summer vacation. Our parents are looking forward to our arrival (and so are we). The grandparents are going to spoil Charis silly. =P We hope to be able to catch up with you, our fellow pilgrims. Thank you so much for journeying with us through our first year at SMBC. We'll meet again, very soon.

A rare organised photo of the mothers' BS @ SMBC (lotsa kids!)

Sarah's Birthday!

Our dear Sarah turned a quarter of a century old not too long ago. She invited us to her apartment at Sydney U village for a party! Everyone had to wear something pink, if not, they will get something 'special' from Sarah. Ha!

Roger had nothing pink to wear except to wear my pink hair band around his wrist. But he got off scot-free cos we went to collect the food, and he held the food 'hostage' in order to negotiate for a lighter punishment. =P

We had fun meeting up with old friends, chatting with Sarah's new friends and just being with this dear sister on her birthday.

Blessed Birthday!

The Singaporean gang

Under the Jacaranda Tree

The morning drizzle finally stopped. We walked under the Jacaranda tree in the midst of the quietness of stuvac. With the ground layered with purple flowers, and the smoothness of the morning breeze, it's hard to not feel pensive, reflective.

Quick update for Roger

We're coming to the end of term soon. Roger just finished his last essay and quiz for the semester. Exams are in 1.5 weeks. The pressure is on, much to study, but so little time. Please pray for us, that Roger may be able to be wise in his revision, to look beyond the academics and to learn much of God through the exam preparations. Pray for me too, that I may patiently and lovingly serve Roger.

Thank you. =)

PS: I enjoyed the short sharing by David Cook's column 'From the principal' on the SMBC website for this month. Do take a read for short meditations.

Time at Kirribilli

Gus and Christy (Roger's classmates) invited us to witness Lachlan's (their 3 month old son) baptism. Their church is at Kirribilli, a scenic spot on the other side of the harbour bridge. Apart from trying to deal with navigating to Kirribilli(took a wrong turn), and deal with difficult car parking (imagine parking at Holland V without a carpark), and so nearly missing the baptism, it was a very pleasant Sunday morning.

Gus and us. Christy and Lachlan were busy interacting with others

Great views!

Chloe & Charis Zzz after Mother's Group @North

The mystery is solved!

Thanks to all who tried to educate swa-ku me. The mystery is solved! They are mulberries! Thanks to Minli & Arthur who ate some of these berries at a home group. Thanks too to Kenneth who saw these berries on sale at Woolsworth (it's like the NTUC of OZ). And to Wenjie, is Heidelbeeren german for mulberries? =) Kenneth claims that he saw the berries going for A$2 per 100g. Wow... Anyone interested to 'harvest and market' mulberries? Roger was just joking that we can open our backyard as a tourist attraction. Mulberry plucking and eating. =P

Well, as for now, the biggest consumers of the mulberries are the mynahs, and because of the herbal benefits mulberry offers, our backyard and car have been the grand toilet for the mynahs. Sighz...

Change of Season 2

We have been rather amazed at how nature springs back to life in spring (no pun intented). In God's magnificent design, the trees and plants seem to know that it's time to sprout leaves, flower, bear fruit. The 3 trees outside our unit flourished tremendously within days. One has lots of berries on it. The branches has grown so much, they are actually touching the lawn.

While Roger was thinking of how the chop the branches, I was wondering what those berries are. Please educate swa-ku me. Are they raspberries?

Change of Season

The arrival of spring also meant the need to pack away winter clothes. As I was packing Charis' winter clothes away and sorting out some hand-me-down summer clothes, I was reminded of how God has been gracious in helping Charis grow. Her autumn/winter wear looks small now in comparison to her summer clothes.

The whole packing experience was like packing my bookshelf at the end of the year when I was a secondary school student. Packing away the books of this year and putting on the shelf books that I will need next year.

Full of nostagia, yet with a tinge of gleeful anticipation.

An Australian Wedding

Roger's mission team mate from college invited us for his wedding and it was held last Saturday. Before that Roger was checking with others on 'aussie wedding protocol'. Things like what to give, what to wear... He discovered that he needed to wear a suit. (Even if the wedding was in summer!) Thankfully the weather was cool, so that made wearing the suit bearable. Charis was clueless at most times during the wedding, at times I had to stop her from walking down the aisle in the middle of the wedding.

It's a great blessing to witness the marriage of 2 people whose desire is to follow Jesus.

The battle with the moths

Just as I'm trying to think of something deep to write, Roger engages in a battle with the 2nd moth that flew into our room tonight. The first one is in the toilet bowl.

Welcome spring....

Getaway Photos

Some snapshots of getaway. Thanks to April for taking the photos! For other general photos of getaway, look here.

Pensive spectator, didn't know what to expect

Giving Daddy some support

Roger likes this board game called 'Diamant'. Watch him ponder and 'scheme'

Looking at the sheep and lambs while I had my go at playing 'Diamant' Hah!

Gotaway

We came back from our church's weekend getaway hours ago. It was held at a Christian centre at Kurrajong (which is somewhere near blue mountains).

This week was rather busy with a book review and Greek quiz all due on Friday, the day we left for Kurrajong. We were thankful that Charis slept in the car for most part of the journey. It was quite thrilling to drive 110km/h (legally) along the motorway, I could almost feel the old Ford taking off from the road! It was nice driving off Richmond (our last stop of civilisation) to see horses and sheep grazing at the side of Hawkesbury river.

The weekend was filled with times of fellowship with our siblings-in-Christ, and learning from God through the book of Ephesians in the bible. Cornerstone Presbyterian has congregations at Concord and Eastwood (aka @north) and this weekend getaway was also an opportunity for the congregations to come together to get to know each other. I have been very encouraged to see many of the Macquarie Uni PRC students come for the getaway and also to see the people from both congregations very open to getting to know one another.

Roger got 'arrowed' to be the bible study leader of the PRC student group. Leading the bible studies was not easy cos the group consisted of both Christians, new Christians and non Christians. We pray that whatever has been taught from God's word will produce lasting fruits.

The other highlight of the getaway was the soccer match between @north and @concord. Roger actually borrowed his college mate's soccer boots for this occasion. Alas, @north can't beat the youthful @concord players, and hence we (@north) had to concede to a 4-2 (or was it a 5-2? see, I stopped counting) defeat. Well, as Roger was sweating it out on the field, I was happily chatting with other moms and watching Charis, while Charis was tottering around with Chloe, picking up flowers, seeing if they are edible, harassing me for snacks, pulling off the hat I try to put on her head.

It was a great weekend, just a bit tough when we got home tired but still had things to unpack. Photos will be up soon...akan datang...me need to catch some winks soon.

We're thankful for a church family here. =)

Annual College Photo-Taking

All getting into position

Where's Roger?

The serious photo

The crazy one. ( Look for the scream, the king, the puppets and the mask!)

Charis' quieter moments

International Day @ SMBC

We had heaps of fun today at the college's International Day. Students were encouraged to be dressed in a traditional costume of another country, bring an international dish to share at morning tea, perform an item from another country, bring international decorations to adorn the dining room.

For the occasion, my mum (who is here to visit) prepared Ngor Hiang, which were all snapped up in less then a minute! (Also cos we didn't prepare enough to go around. =P ) There was even a Singapore flag hung in the college dining room...I wonder who brought that, considering that we were the only Singaporeans around.

We ate, chatted, took photos, watched performances, danced. It's a joy to see the whole college getting involved, from the students, to the lecturers, to the students' families... It was the highlight of my day. Though it only lasted for an hour, I will remember it for a long while. What a day! =)

Mass dance

Yummy Snacks

Liz and Delhove (schoolmates, not a couple) Liz is wearing a Maldivian costume.

Cecily, one of the visiting lecturers, served in South Korea for decades

Pete and Judy Stacey, I got to know Judy more in the mum's BS

Charis trying to appreciate all the action

Spot the crazy ma-ma

Lecturer-theologian-song writer, Rob Smith played the guitar. John, the banjo player speaks fluent Mandarin! Simon, the violin is a pastor and also a missionary-wannabe

Simmie, one of the first few friends Roger met in college

A Year of Thanksgiving

A year ago, it was a night and morning of;

Superband finals. cookies and cream ice cream as a snack. chwee kueh for supper. contractions. husband in denial saying that it's a tummyache. walked around. pain increased. laid cot sheet. called cab. chatty cabby. forgot camera. pain. pain. pain. pain. gas. anethetist sounded like Martin. shiver. shiver. shiver. Nurse left room. "I need to puke!". Husband stunned. Merlioned the chwee kueh just when husband pulled out a plastic bag. shiver. shiver. pain. pain. 1-2-3-PUSH. 1-2-3-PUSH. 1-2-3-PUSH. Relaxed gynae. 1-2-3-PUSH. 1-2-3-PUSH. Silence. *Weak* "Do I still need to push?". The most unforgettable feeling.

A year ago. 6th Aug 2006. A life changing day.

To our dearest, curious, mischievous, cutesy, mind-of-your-own, smiley, clingy, manja, boyish little girl,

We're thankful that God has blessed us with you. It has been a humbling yet wonderful year as parents. We pray that you may grow up to know Jesus as Master and Saviour, to love Him and to serve Him. We pray too that we may be godly parents, to be wise and loving towards you.

lots of hugz and kissies,

Mummy and Daddy.

Charis' diary entry on 27th July 2007

Dear Diary,

Mummy, me go Daddy skool late today. I thot we go mum-mum, but no. Mummy took me to new place. I saw and heard strange funny thing!

I look so hard. I din close eyes din close mouth. I din move.

This orange round thing. Then many big people run after orange round thing. Orange round thing bang to ground and come up! Then orange round thing fly up in sky and got times go in this other round round thing. And then people stop running and they clap clap clap! Mummy clap hand too! So funny!

I quite scared.

Then I got better. I happy clap hand. Mummy smile and clap hand like me.

Mummy carry me. Point to orange orange up there. Say sun go home.

People stop running orange round thing. They came. Say hallo. I scared, shy. Then I saw Daddy come! He talk to them. He look funny. He din have toy on nosey-nosey.

Then Mummy, Daddy, me go home. Me sleepy-sleepy.

Note to the clueless: I brought Charis to see Roger play basketball in college. We're thankful for a bunch of enthusiastic school mates ranging from singles to marrieds, guys and gals, who come together to play ball every Friday afternoon. It's Roger's weekly dose of fun and exercise. =) Though he's the oldest playing member, he gives his all for a good game.

The Kohs came for lunch

We had lunch with the Kohs last week. Aaron is Roger's classmate at SMBC. Aaron and Amy have twins! Felicity and Zoe are 5 months now, and they are so cute and smiley! Charis was excited to have them around, and we had a hard time trying to ensure that Charis did not treat the twins like her toys! =)

Amy and Aaron. Zoe (with the blue bib) and Felicity (with the pink bib)

Charis trying to play with Felicity, but Felicity had a fearful expression on her face. 'Who is this red person?'

Charis trying to crawl between Aunty Amy's legs

Zoe and Felicity hanging out with Charis, with Roger guiding Charis

Charis still has much to learn about being gentle with little babies (and with adults too!) It's in trying to teach Charis how to be gentle that I learn that, truly, being self-controlled and gentle is a mark of maturity.

We had a blessed time with the Kohs, getting to know them more. Thanking God for our siblings-in-Chirst!

First Visit to Joey's

Joey and I met at the council's town hall when I brought Charis for her immunisation. She has a 4.5-month-old son, Mark. Here are pictures of my first visit to her place 2 months ago.

Mark and Charis saying 'hello' to all!

Mark at 3 months. Now at 4.5 months, he's even heavier than Charis!

Joey and Mark

All of us together, Charis being a little impatient.

A time for everything

Roger's having his winter break. Term starts on the 16th July. We're thankful to have more time together. Time to have a leisurely breakfast, time to play with Charis together, time to visit people and places, time to listen to camp sermons together. A list of many many blessings. =)

Here are some snapshots of our family outings.

At the Ferry Wharf

Charis' first ferry ride!

Sunny Day at Brays Bay Reserve

Smiley Charis

Father and daughter gazing...at a bird!

Uncle John came for lunch!

We were glad for the opportunity to catch up with Pastor John Ting yesterday. He won Charis over completely by the end of the time we spent together. The secret: Give her time to warm up to you. Uncle Edmund...you'll have to try harder... =P