tong te-long tong chiang!

I remember those days where we would alternate between my dad's hometown and mum's each year during this festive season. Then I remember the recent past years that we'd travel both north and south just to meet up with both sides of the family. I remember I'd look forward to every new year, being able to see my cuzzies, yummilicious food, my grandpa's own-made crackers and just the thought of reuniting with the WHOLE family.

But the excitement wasn't as much as it used to be when I was younger. Yea...I'm getting OLD. *sobs sobs*. Well it's not exciting not having all my immediate family members together. It has been years since my bro came back for the new year. Sigh...I miss them so muchhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Okayz before I get all soaked up in tears...here's what happened during the chinese new year. I guess I'd have to jot down every bit of what I still can remember cos there were not many photos taken.

CNY eve
Since my parents were not around, I followed my cuzzie ALETHEIA and her family down to taiping. Was supposed to leave at dawn but apparently, no one woke up. So we all left for Taiping only at about 8 something. Had some dim sum for breakfast. Stopped at the MUST-STOP stop ~ TAPAH...yea for the yummy jambus! *nyam nyam* On this day forth beginneth the day of the never ending devour. Reached my unc's house and was greeted by my ever-so-loving-and-adorable niece! Ah...missing her already. "Wo bu yao kei ni kang kua ke....Kiu kiu". She's definitely conversing more this year. Ah cute lil Ee Ling!!!!!!!!The weather was already steaming hot and you could practically FEEL the HEAT. Wah juak juak...chin nia juak!! Most of my cuzzie's weren't there yet. Can't remember what else I did on that day. Oh yea...my grandma's room was the only room with an aircon. Aawww...see how much her son loves her=) So we bunked in ALL the nights there=)

1st DAY
Received an ang pow the moment I woke up from my ammah. Received more when I came out of the room. Parents called at about 11am. Talked to them a bit cos most of the time they were talking to my ammah=) Was gonna go over to my ah yi's house after that. My ammah even told my parents that my ah yi was having 'open house'. Yeap she did speak in english although it sounded more like 'open how'. Well can't blame them. It's just in their tongue. Everyone in taiping calls me 'eu-nie'. haHAha...The rest of the day was spent eating, sleeping. Oh yea...cute lil zhu liang and family arrived today. Funny I wasn't playing with that lil cuzzie as much. Not til the last day that is. Oh yea I just remembered, in my ah yi's house, my go ku and my ah yi were talking bout jades and jewelery and all. It was really kinda funny. Oh and Ale couldn't get her hands of the 'loyangs'...(kuih bunga). Wahaha:-Þ Our reunion was only on the 2nd day, so that night i was out with Ale and family for dinner. Had to tag along...what to do, parents abandoned me here!!!

2nd DAY
All I could remember was we spent the whole day preparing for the 'reachout-ministry-like' thingy to all my relatives during the reunion that night. Planning games and thinking bout ways to share the gospel in a not-so-formal way while having fun and all. Now I remember why I wasn't busy playing with my lil cuzzies. Was confined in the room practically the whole day! Was supposed to write some scripture versus to slip it into those ang pows. And I wrote it all in CHINESE!!! Haha...yes I copied every single stroke and dots which took me a whole lot of time. Got a lil tired of 'copying' at one point. But was entertained by both my lil cuzzie and my niece. Sigh I miss them all. If only I could capture every moment on video cam or something=)

Anywayz, all my relatives started jam-packing the house and thus begun our REUNION with food prepared by my aunts and guy cuzzies. YEap...GUY cuzzies=) My lak ku finally arrived (a lil later than he was supposed to) but yea...got to see pretty lil ERN YI!!! She's such a cutie=) Was supposed to play some chinese songs for the gathering later. My unc was a lil shy in singing out the melody a lil louder for me so my aunt had to do so. My aunt was like jokingly scolding him for picking all the latest chinese songs, songs of which were on the top 10 charts in their church back in klang. Hehe...but if it was new or old, I'd still not know anywayz. Oh well, but my unc was in such a new year spirit that he insisted on choosing all the NEW songs. It was kinda fun but I still prefer the hokkien songs though.

The whole nite was really exciting. Totally unforgetable night, especially during the games session. It was just a simple 'pass the "whatever" around in a circle game' something like musical chairs kinda thingy. The most hillarious moment was when my cousin told them to 'bend and stand' to the music (where everyone would be like UP and DOWN and UP and DOWN...imagine all my uncs and aunts played as well). Too bad I couldn't see everyone's actions as I was playing the piano. But just listening to their laughter spreads the joy throughout the whole house.

After all the sharing, fellowshiping, it was time for the lil ones to enjoy themselves with the burning-light-sticks-that-ommits-lots-of-fog-which-eventually-fogged-up-the-entire-house as it was raining outside. Then later that nite, my cousin brought out the supposedly 16-coloured fireworks. My ammah came all the way out just to look at it but to our dissapointment it wasn't as 'colourful' and amazing as we thought it would be. But any sort of firework would not let lil kids down. They literally shouted "wah" after every single 'explosion'. How cuteee=)

3rd DAY
Went for some dim sum in the morning. Yummy yum yum. Packed up my bags and was ready to head back home. Ate loads more of cookies and kiam kiams and played with my lil cuzzies and niece a whole lot. Sigh they're all so adorable. Especially the measures they'd take just to get ur attention. I'd say that Ern Yi's the cheekiest, Phoebe's the most hyperactive one, lil Zhu Liang the manja-est and Samuel...well he's all grown up now=) If I were to talk about ALL my cuzzies, I'd take forever so yea...this are the younger ones=) MIss them loads!!!!!

The most exciting thing happened this very day. My ah yi accepted the LORD!!! YEAYYYYIIIEEEEEEEEEE. We've been praying soo hard for this day to come to past. Never ever give up praying. Although it'd take years or even decades but it's definitely WORTH it ALL!!!! Need to continue to see more fruits to bear=) The whole journey I was thinking of breaking the news to my parents as soon as possible. My mum's dearest sister has accepted the Lord. My was she in tears of JOY when she heard the news.

For more detailed details of what happened, visit here