Baby Crazy!

Pics finally!!!! Thanks to Jacqui who took them and posted them on Facebook for me. Think she got on to Facebook so that she can share the pics with me.

Oh mine!!! Isn't she just adorable? Wish I could be there to carry and cuddle her. The first grandchild in the family and everyone is just head over heels over her! Jo Claire is her name. Not sure what's her Chinese name yet. Guess Joe and Joanne hasn't decided on it.

Jo - God is Gracious. Claire - Illustrious. To me, it's such a beautiful name, befitting for a beautiful child. Well, only problem, daddy is Joe, mummy is Joanne, and now princess, Jo.....Now, Joanne, please get skpye up soon....I want to be able to see little princess and be able to chat and talk to her.

This is another one of those times that I really wish I was back in Spore. Missed Joanne's engagement as I was doing my masters in Sydney. Made it back for her wedding and now, missed the birth of her first child......

An Addition to the Family!

I'm over the moon!!! Way over the moon!!! My little niece arrived! Yes, arrived today. Not sure what's her name yet. And sadly no pics of her. Hoping that Jacqui or Joe will email me the pics soon! Wish I was home this weekend. Really wish that I could meet my little niece. The first grandchild in the family. Oh well, guess, this is one of the cons of leaving overseas. Never mind....I shall see her when I head home for her one month old party! Can't bloody wait!

God Answers Prayers

Did You Ever Talk to God Above

Did you ever talk to God above?
Tell Him that you need a friend to love,
Pray in Jesus' name believing that God answers prayer.

Have you ever told Him all your cares and woes?
Every tiny little fear He knows,
You can know He'll always hear and He will answer prayer.

You can whisper in a crowd to Him.
You can cry when you're alone to Him.
You don't have to pray out loud to Him.
He knows your thoughts.

On a lofty mountain peak,
He's there.
Anywhere you go,
He's been there from the start.

Find the answer in His word;
It's true.
You'll be strong because He walks with you.
By His faithfulness He'll change you, too
God answers prayer.

A long while ago I copied and pasted this song in one of my posts. Today I'm doing it again to remind myself that God answers prayers.

A few weeks and months ago, Pastor Brett of the church that we're attending in HK talked about 1+1+1, praying for one person for his or her salvation at 1pm everyday for a month. Well, not always at 1pm but at least one time a day. I was praying for a friend. And this friend's salvation matters to me a lot as I love her and don't want to see her perish. Talked to her yesterday and she said something like she's been thinking about something and she's never been so affected by something that she's actually praying about it and she hasn't prayed in the longest time! My heart skipped a beat and I was like yes, go to church and get connected to God. And I said this to Babe last night, wow, God does answer prayers after all. Babe looked at me and said, what do you mean by that? God answers prayers all the time.

I was pondering and thinking about my prayer requests and sure, there are times that I'm disappointed thinking and asking myself why hasn't God answered my prayers. But then again, yes He does but not in a direct way. Guess, patience is always the key. God's timing is always right and that His ways are always higher than mine so who am I to question Him?

Shanghai

Yes!!! Back in Hong Kong! Really glad to be back! Hang on, before I go further, Babe and me did have fun in Shanghai. But maybe we stayed there a little too long. Overall, we did have fun, enjoying each others' company.

This photo was taken in our hotel. Part of their Easter decoration. We found it rather amusing to see rabbits and chicks. I mean, chicks, what are they thinking of? Bird flu, you know? And look at the poo....there's quite a bit. But at the same time, the rabbits and chicks reminded me of my childhood. I had chicks as pets before when I was really young, think maybe 3 or 4. My first pets and they walked through the rails of my balcony to their death......And rabbits, yes, I had them when I was a little older.

This is Nanjing Road. It's basically like Chinatown in Spore. A street for pedestrians. Very crowded, and yes, we were asked by touts if we wanted bags and watches. Was a nice walking streets.

I love the buildings. The art deco buildings reminds me so much of Sydney and San Francisco. Very beautiful.

A little trolley train that brings people who don't want to walk up and down the street.

A photo of our hotel taken from afar. Thank God that we stayed in a nice hotel and am very thankful that they upgraded us to a suite for 5 nights. Loved the architectual of the hotel. Very beautiful.

A night shot of Nanjing Road.

The Shanghai Art Museum. They were featuring Sunflowers.

Yes, I know what are you thinking.....Shanghai Art Museum? Yes, I admit, we got a little bored and decided, let's do something cultural and we went to the Art Museum.


Enjoyed looking at the Sunflowers exhibition.

But no....The calligraphy....Don't understand the writings, rather, can't read the writings and so can't appreciate it. Wish they did have the explanations in English though.




We went to Yuyuan, an ancient garden that was built in the 1500s. We enjoyed the walk through the garden but the moment we got out of the garden, the touts came again....Bags, watches?


South Beauty, we ate at this restaurant twice, 2 nights in a row for dinner. Love the Sichuan food there. Actually we preferred Sichuan food over Shanghainese food.

A view from our hotel.

At Pudong Airport.
Got really bored waiting from our flight. Trying hard not to fall asleep. Had to get up at like 5 in the morning to catch the flight!

So how was Shanghai? Well, think I went there many years late. Shanghai was not what I envisioned it to be. I was expecting old, traditional, and cultured. Well, let's just say, I was quite wrong. The first two days, we were excited. Love the European looking buildings and how they don't tear down the old buidings. They kept the history in that aspect. But at the same time, I was disappointed in the disappearing culture as McDonalds and Starbucks can be seen everywhere. Hated been pushed and shoved and people stopping in the middle of their tracks with no regard for others. Yes, they stop in front of the escalator to have a conversation or discussion if they should go up or not.

But I was impressed with their cabs drivers. We took cabs everywhere and many times the taxi drivers would tell us to catch a cab across the street because it'll be cheaper or if he could drop us across the hotel because it'll be cheaper that way. I honestly had the expectation that we might be cheated by them.

Overall, we enjoyed the trip because it came to a point that there was nothing to occupy us that we actually started to enjoy and appreciate each others' company.

Plans, Plans and Plans

I must admit that I've this thing about planning. I love planning but don't expect my home to be neat and tidy. It's actually quite a mess at times. But I love planning in the sense that I've always known what my life is going to be in two years from now. I know what I'm having for meals each day, my diary is quite planned. Even with holidaying, I do like to know that I'll be doing. And yes, Babe called me a control freak because of that once.

However, its becoming increasing glaring in my face that no matter how much I plan, I'm truly not in control. When I was about to leave uni more than 10 years ago, it was the Asian Financial Crisis and I was feeling rather low then because my plans of entering the hospitality market and working my way up the career ladder went down the drain. I felt lost and without direction. But it was God that led me through a career change and now, I'm truly happy with what I'm doing in my life. That was one of the first lessons that I learnt that God is always in control.

To be honest, I've been mulling over writing this post. Thinking about my life and the plans that I've made and that how God has always shown me that His plans are always higher and I wonder at times and even now, what are His higher plans. We're meant to be leaving tomorrow night back to Spore for Easter and be back on the 19th. But on Thursday evening. Babe told me that the Spore trip has to be canned. And I was like, what? I've made plans to meet Sharon for tea, so excited to carry her little Gabriel. I've made plans to catch up with my other friends too. Even my tickets for Spore, I planned it way in advance and managed to redeem my krisflyer points for a free ticket. Everything was a mess. I hated it. Seriously hated it! And then, the mad rush to find somewhere that's available for us to holiday. Most places were gone and Shanghai became available. So, we're going Shanghai now.

I've been thinking, why? Why does God want us to go to Shanghai instead? And I pondered and wondered and no, I don't know. But maybe the reality is that both Babe and me have been busy with our lives that we haven't had time to pause and listen and enjoy each others' company. I thought, yes, maybe this is the reason. But the truth is that I honestly don't know. God's ways are always higher than mine and it's hard most of the time to make sense of things. I am truly learning over the years that the Almighty is always in control and He makes no coincidences in our lives and maybe we cannot see certain things now, but in time to come, He will reveal Himself to us.

On a separate note, Babe and I were chatting and talking and he said things to me that made me open my eyes about friendships and Christianity. He said things that never occurred to me and I'm thankful that he said it. Prior to the conversation with Babe, I had dinner with Mel. Mel said something like Babe and I work out well because he's my anchor and we work well together even though we're polar opposites because in many ways we complement each other. I admit, he keeps me grounded. After talking to Babe and I thought of what Mel said, it made sense. Babe is my other half as he sees and have views and perceptions that I don't have. And that's why God gave him to me. That's the best present that I've received and that's all that I can ask for.