Hello to a New Chapter. Goodbye to a Sweet Visitor.
October 3, 2024
Dear friends and family,
We have very exciting news to share with you all: our property is SOLD and will close TODAY!
We pray that the new owner(s) will be blessed by this home and its peaceful surroundings.
We Are Grateful!
Looking back, it has been a rollercoaster ride for Michiel and I, as we waited in hopeful anticipation for the right buyer to come along. Over the past ten months, the amount of viewings from potential buyers as well as interests from out of province and out-of-country buyers have been astonishing!
This is a happy good bye to a beautiful home—whose character has been meticulously crafted by a passionate and inspired carpenter.
Now, we can breathe easier. Now, we hand the key over. Now, we move forward to the next chapter in our lives. Now, we continue renovating this home till it’s complete—and here we put our roots down and call it “HOME!”
Thank you all for your prayers and for thinking about our family. We are grateful for the encouragement and support from you all. It doesn’t quite feel real yet. It has been a whirlwind of mixed emotions—mental exhaustion, angst and excitement, new goals, and new adventures!
While we waited for our property to close, the busy and colourful life of our family continued…
The homemade, colourful “Happy Birthday” sign remains fixated on our pastel, blue-ish green coloured wall. Right above the dining table and behind the hanging pendant light. The colour coordinated balloons—clustered in three, are tied neatly in the top corners—where the words are attached to the strings.
Since the sign has been made, we have already celebrated two birthdays and a wedding anniversary. The deflated balloons remind us that we’re well into our “birthday season,” with only three more birthdays remaining to celebrate this year (yes, including our affectionate dog’s).
September was the month of busy returns. In our family, whatever routine or schedule that had been askewed in the previous months, got rectified this month. As challenging as it was to juggle school work; do house chores; organize birthday parties; cook; make appointments; extra-curricular activities, renovate the house; and move remaining boxes from our house for sale—we have been blessed beyond measures with God’s faithfulness, and we have seen Him in “action” —aligning the details of our lives, and even working through the people we don’t know, to make right the path He has set before us.
A Sweet Visit Coupled With Nostalgia
We said hello and good bye to my brother all in a span of eight days. His short visit has brought both joy and playfulness in our home. He’s been endowed with the gift of aloofness, yet he was deeply interested and engaged in the daily affairs of his nieces and nephew. The kids’ questions directed to him were often answered in a nonchalant but genuine tone. It was remarkably endearing to watch the interactions between my brother and my kids.
Nostalgia had my brother and I chat about the many delicious home cooked Asian dishes prepared lovingly by our mother, who cherished every moment of her own kids savouring the rich flavours introduced to each dish. From barbecue pork steamed buns; to pork and leek pan fried dumplings; to Chinese Steam Boat (Hot Pot); to stir fried rice; to tea leaf wrapped rice dumplings. It is interesting to note how nostalgia is closely tied to childhood meals and treats—and often prepared by a parent or a close relative.
As such, we celebrated our childhood memories with a rendition now familiar to my own little family: Spicy Hot Pot with various types of seafood balls, tofu, and thinly sliced lamb meat; steamed buns; pan fried dumplings; and rice dumplings wrapped in leaves. We were all smiling ear to ear after the feast.
The endless laughters on the trampoline often followed a strenuous few hours of intense book-work and reading. As my brother sat with each kid, patiently pointing out the problem to each question, I stood there admiring the role of relationships and its significance in our lives.
It was the grimace made when asked to re-do a question, or the uplifting, “really?” when told they would get a piggy-back ride after school work was finished. It was not only the positive dialogues between them that built the relationship, but the disappointing ones also—where one or sometimes both parties were unhappy with the outcome.
Relationships Are Eternal
We sometimes reflect our earthly dialogues to the one with our Heavenly Father. However, our Heavenly Father does not get disappointed with the dialogue between us and Him, no matter how much we grimace or yell—His response will always be, “please come back and talk to me.”
My deep prayer is that my kids will experience this as they grow and mature, and that we—the parents can model this to them even in our weakness. After all, relationships is eternal—everything else fades. I imagine one day, my Heavenly Father will prompt a reaction from me, to which I will reply with an uplifting, “really?” —and hop on His back for that long awaited piggy-back ride!
Saying Good Bye…For Now
As for my brother’s visit: Day Eight came too soon. A long car ride to the city with movies and games were no match for the dark cloud of dread engulfing the kids’ thoughts—the eventual drop off of their uncle at the airport; having to hug to say good bye; and actually having to let go after hugging and saying good bye. This was a sad good bye—especially to our teary-eyed second child.
Today, the kids are not teary-eyed anymore…a new day.
Friends and family, we thank you again for your words of encouragement and prayer. God is good! We give Him the glory!
Good night and sweet dreams to you all!
