Last Supper (With TP Ministry)

Time now is 0138hrs (in Tucson). Can't believe I'm doing this now. haha!

Taken from Frankie's Picasa Album (I love sweaty girls...sleazy album name...hmm). But thanks anyway bro :)

Some fun things I noted from the pics. hee. And of course some other serious family photos with our ministry. Here goes.

Us checking out the album our ministry compiled for us. Such cool efforts when each of them are busy with work and family commitments...

AN's 'chu' power

"Yes Toby. I'm going to miss you too."

Hannah and Mercia's idea of boyfriend and girlfriend.

They started during Chinese New Year 2008

The men cheering the boy on. Boy Elijah proudly displaying his toned little tum tum.

And the girl? Showing how accurately she can be when she digs for gold.

The last supper includes many candles on our photographer's birthday cake.

Flower Power
Men...

"What's Hannah jiejie doing with her fingers?"

Imitating Uncle Andre but "Am I using a wrong finger?"Oops..

The kiddos can't find the camera and the man.

My future son in law in Iron Man

"OH!! Didn't you know that our brothers have LEGS?"

"And that they can't stop talking among themselves?" Poor Auntie Joan and Uncle Andre got infected too.

Piecing together our dreams

Prize Presentation 2008

This is for Baileys & Maen who's not met Toby for a long time.

29th April: Day 4

Sorry guys. I will be changing the titles of my previous posts coz I'm a little mixed up with the dates. This is our 4th day in Tucson (minus the day we took to travel by plane), not 6th according to what I thought.

Our activities today were limited although we were still out for most part of the day.

Mr Liow had to attend a staff meeting today so he had to leave us for about 2 over hours. I expected him to take longer coz I'd give him about an hour to travel to work, another hour to travel home. It was a pleasant surprise to see him come back earlier than expected, even tho it was only slightly.

Mr Liow's encik who'll be our neighbour in the next week or so, said the travelling to work takes about 25mins, not 45 mins like those who travel to work from Rock Ridge (one of our initial few selected apartment). We're only about 5 mins drive from that area by the way. The encik said very likely the extra time taken to travel would be due to the uphill/downhill roads those staying in that area have to take on their way.

Have I mentioned that we went to Petsmart 2 days ago? The pet store sells Blue, a brand of kibbles that's rather highly rated in Singapore. And they also carry another holistic brand (forgot what the brand is tho I remember the packing). Saw thru the ingredient list. Looks like a good switch for BM. If I do get used to cooking, home cooked food would be definately best for them. BARF? Erm, I may have to think twice now coz 90% of the house is carpeted. Maen likes to drag her bites to somewhere cushioned. Don't want my home to smell like a butchery. hee.

I quite like Rock Ridge & Oro Vista (our first few choices before Sonoran Terrace) coz they are near Petsmart and Target and Fry's. Quite like shopping at these places coz their pet and kids' section consist of a wider variety. But considering that our area's not too bad as well, and it's faster to get to Mr Liow's base, I'm alright with ST as well. I can always drive to the other area, when I can drive. hehe.

AN was running out of diapers so we went to Walmart again to stock up on supplied. Huggies "Snug & Dry" costs about $0.23 per piece. After conversion, it's about the price of Huggies Ultra back in Singapore. Wipes are cheap tho. Haven't gotten wipes this time coz we still have a couple of packs left. Heard the sales here can be crazy. Will probably stock up during one of their sales.

Here's Huggies Snug and Dry

Desitin for Diaper Rash

After Walmart, we went to Tucson Mall. This one is mega. hehe. We walked around for almost an hour and haven't covered some parts of it. The downside of shopping in Tucson (everywhere) is that the malls are always near empty. It's quite boring shopping in a BIG mall by urselves. I like shopping in an empty supermart but not an empty shopping mall. hee.

Before we knew it, the day was over. That's about our activities for today. Mr Liow will be taking his license conversion test tomorrow. Pray that he'll pass so that he can start driving and that means more freedom.

Hope to be able to squeeze in some time to visit Baileys and Maen tomorrow. Wonder how they are doing there.

Updates with Pictures (Starting with back dated pics)

Goodbye Home...

Before we left, this was how our home looked like. It was very much like how we'd seen it soon after renovations 4 over years ago, before we got married. Time flies. The condition now is 4 yrs later, and empty again due to relocation...Can't help tearing when images fleet across my memories.

























































Happy memories before we left
Was at my parents' plc a wk before we left. Effectively even tho we said we'd stay there for a wk, we didn't. We were back at home to pack and either went back to sleep only during the night or not at all. Very very grateful to my parents for their unconditional help during that week. Even tho dad didn't want us to leave cartons of stuff with them, citing the lack of space, he eventually took in everything we brought over to them coz we had no space left in our luggages. They kept assuring us to not worry about the mess we made in their home. Just leave everything for them to pack and focus on our own packing. Even the PC and stuff could be left there till my bro had time to set them up. I love my family and they never fail to be so supportive during the busiest time of my life.

In comparison, I was rather disappointed at another close one's reactions when we returned her the stuff she left at our home, thinking we've brought stuff to store up at her place. She flared up and got angry that we brought things over without finding out what was in the bag first. To think that we carried bulky items up to her place and set things up for her despite our own busy packing schedule and that alone took a day of our precious time. I didn't even have to compare to feel really disappointment over such an irresponsible and unreasonable reaction. If she'd had seen how messy we made my parents' place, I wonder if she'd feel disgusted by her own reaction? Or if that mess was at her place, I wonder how that will feel?

I love my parents, my brother, my family. I love them for their simpleness I love them for loving me without strings attached. I won't want a family who's so calculative over every little thing and cares only for herself....What a time to show true colour. There's no time to reconcile. Maybe we will in 2 yrs time, if there is to be a proper reconciliation.

I think some of you felt something that day when you sent us off at the airport. Jingz, you asked if I wanted to go give her a hug. I just didn't feel like I want to. It was like a slap in the face that day she flared up at us over nothing when we've done so much for her.

Anyway, to make AN happy, mum took out all the kids' stuff she inherited from my cousin's grown up kids. This is a swing that dad dug out from the loot. hee. AN slept happily on the swing :)


























































Ministry's farewell dinner
It was so sweet of them to do up a scrapebook album for us. Some pictures were taken so long ago we never knew we took them. There are a few more pages which I didn't have time to take pics of. Hope to be able to do so soon.

Here's a mix of our group photos and the scrape book they compiled for us. I can't seem to be able to sort the pictures properly. Pardon me while you scan thru the assortment of pictures in a terrible order *blush*











































































































































































Baileys and Maen in their WISH for the last time
That was the last trip back to my parents' place bfore Mr Liow passed the car to the next temporary owner. This is the 1st time they're sitting at the back tho. They've always been on back passengers' seats.







































































Last Goodbyes
My family who stood by me all the while. Minus the presence of my bro and ah girl who'll only be back in May...















In or outlaws...hmm














The ministry














The girls














Mr Liow's fighting partners















On our own now...
Right after boarding, AN fell into a deep sleep..




















































At Narita Airport 6 hours later






































Took no pictures at LA coz I was rushing. MR Liow took pictures of Baileys on his HP. Let me see if I could get it from him to update one of these days.

Many hours later (losing count)

Reached Country Inn safely with baby and Maen

Dirty Maen being quarantined in her crate till AN slept

A finally clean Maen. No Baileys coz he was with Mr Liow. When he came, I've got no time to take pictures anymore

Getting AN ready few days ago. Baby was cranky coz she was having jet lag

Tried taking a panorama view but it's not easy with cars whizzing pass every other second. hee. Anyway, it's all mountains and cactus here. You'll see when I start taking pictures again.

More mountains