Onto to 2008

Blessed New Year everyone!!! I apologise for not being able to reach any one of u with calls because the lines were jammed and my phone died on me..as usual. Sydney celebrated New year with a huge lavish on fireworks..massive display. The biggest one I've ever seen in my life I reckoned. We headed to the place at 2pm ( fiona booked the seats for us!!thankew) and we sat there the entire till midnight..it was close to a torture but a worthwhile wait when u marvelled at the fireworks..it just goes on and on:)

New year new day new hope and new wishes.
TO my God- You left me speechless with your Love.year after year..regardless of how naughty I was.
TO my parents- Thankew for the love and the calls when I can't reach you guys. You came for me.
TO my bro- Quit the games and start the exercise. LUV u heaps:)
TO my best friend JIng- Thankew for the friendship after all these years..it's the 16th year dearie!!
To my Kindergarten buddy ah wee- Now.it's..say two more years before we hit the two decades of close association??hahaha..U always make my day..call u soon..
TO my woman ministry- Well! I had new year before u did..hahahaha but we shall head forth the new year with " great hopes" and "great wishes"..hee
TO my cousins- We will meet up someday when I get back next year
TO all my fellow bros and sis in Christ- Forward on Soldiers!
TO my fellow bros from WSC- It's been great year working and you guys are amazing..Keep the fire going and the life of WSC running! Proud of u guys:)
TO my big angel- may the new year be a good one for you:) I'm glad that I got to know you.
TO all who are in Sydney- We will have our PJ party soon..GIRLS NIGHT OUT!! heeh. Meanwhile, enjoy the company of those who are with u( for those with your loved ones) and embrace the new year with a great vision ahead:)Start the countdown for the return to Singapore!

Jesus saves

Christmas-This year I spent it in Sydney.

Every year, if i happened to be overseas in December, I will attempt all efforts to arrive Singapore for Christmas. Christmas was a family reunion prelude before the New Year Day. In fact, after attending watchnight at Trinity- it was most probably the only time I can spent counting down with my family besides Chinese New Year.
This year, I spent it with another family- my extended family in Australia.
Spending Christmas in Australia made me relieved the infant days where we will all gather at Ang Mo KIo( at grandpa's House). Each grandkid has to be dressed up( I had to wear fairy dresses with my wand annually) and give grandpa a hug and a kiss before receiving our present. Well, I was least bothered if I could receive a gift. I was more concerned with being away from my parents. My comfort zone.
And as I sit here and reflect, i was an utter terribly cry baby if anyone could even remember. I cried whenever they want me to hug grandpa because i will be away from my parents. Then, I will most probably make everyone upset with my wailing and the party will come to a standstill. Sometimes. we do not leave our comfort zone to run to arms of Father in Heaven, do we? We have the knowledge that if we take that mini step, we will still be safe and sound in the arms of our Father as we live out in faith of what He has planned. However, we do not seem to act on that ( that's for myself). We choose, sadly, to remain in that little red zone of cushions and smiles, laughter and peace..no ripples allowed. I reckoned that Jesus had a tinge of fear leaving His comfort with His disciples. However, He chose to take upon the cross, to obey the Father in faith, returning to the Father in Heaven.
So Christmas was spent at Eastlakes and with a 1/4 of our family. With nice food, big xmas tree, noisy nephews, guitarist(Terence), cantonese, mandarin and English songs that lined the night's programme, how could we end the night without exchanging gifts? I got heaps of chocolate boxes and chocolates..LOL..shirts, photo album and love offering:) God is good!

Carols at the Domain

Headed to the Domain behind Hyde Park to spend a night of xmas carolling with many people..It was a time to refresh those xmas carols that we chucked aside after xmas. Then- is xmas all about the singing, chocolates and big mega events?

As I approach Christmas, it definitely feels a little different. I recalled my Xmas days in Singapore was spent busily packing, wrapping and writing endless cards. I have to stay up the night before to do it continuously. Sometimes forfeiting the sleep~ Then God will knock on my little heart and ask Vivian- Why are you busy with all these?
Hm- Because i have to? ..( well will that be a question or a remark?)

Anyhow, Carols at the Domain was pretty good:) I enjoyed being in the crowd..needed them to make me appreciate the WIGGLES( google this and u will find interesting men doing a formula similar to Hi-5). Elain was great company and I must say Xmas was not too lonely (physically) after all.

Found by Elain at some corner:)Took pictures with the CHipmunks!The dinner that amazed Elain( had 2 of them)The light in the nightWhen the clouds cleared

Roy and Yoke's visit to Sydney!

Royston and Yoke Hian came for a visit to Sydney before I left for the Sunshine state( felt really bad not being able to bring them around) Yoke had to attend a seminar for his discipline at Syd Uni so Royston tagged along:P

I think it was pretty interesting for them to visit Lidcombe- and taste the nice korean food we have at Joa Snack Bar( RIGHT!!). We had korean food like two days straight.hee+

Royston sent me off to Brisbane and I thought the scene was fairly amusing- he sending me off when it should be the other way round..thanks for being there!!

Hope you guys had a great time in Sydney and see you real soon!-HUGS-

The sunshine state in Summer.

11th December to 20th December 2007- I headed to the sunshine state where i met up with Cai and Casey. Queensland had a pretty much sunshine feeling compared to the gloomy Sydney but the clouds kinda followed me over to that place as well because it rained when I reached there.
Anyhow we headed to movie world!!! and got some crazy rides. I had a concussion and was feeling a bit giddy after the rides- a little too exhilarating for myself:)

And then we had a 2 days stay for the next few stops- Brisbane city, Noosa @ sunshine coast,Murwillambah( Mt Warning) and our last stop for the leg of the travel @ Port Macquarie.

Elf and I at movie world!! Brisbane CityMt Warning,Murwillambah Koala Hospital, Port Macquarie.Adopted a koala Aussie Mick at the hospital

Traveling around Brisbane and meeting ladies from Switzerland, Netherlands, Taiwan, Ireland who some gave up their work to experience a work and travel experience Australia is pretty intriguing. Personally, I wished I could do that some day. The question will be: will I be ready to give up for what I have done in Singapore to go about for a year or two? Maybe..Maybe not. The maybes and perhaps- how fleeting can dreams and ambitions get at times isn't it?

I managed to finish my books- Drawing near by John Bevere and The God Catchers by Tommy Tenney. It's been a book sitting on my shelf for a year and when i finally completed my book in these days-the journeys on the trains. The book left a vivid message of the Fear of the Lord- is it found in my heart? Even if I say I love the Lord, but do I fear Him? What's fearing the Lord all about-fear and love Him at the same time? John discussed about the truth behind speaking tongues in Church and was really an edifying entry for myself. I am currently reading- Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. Update you guys when I am done with it.

The lady from Taiwan made this comment- Traveling alone gets really pitiful because you are like a nomad- you pitch your home as you roam and nobody that you could turn to when you get into desperate boredom.

Well, I will be heading to Victoria in January and Fiji at the end of Jan( hope to book the tickets soon otherwise we gotta spend that time in Sydney..LOL). Let me see if it really gets a little too quiet when you are alone. Pray for internet access when I get to Vic:P

PS: Wishin you all a blessed Christmas! John 3:16.

The wait.

BLESSED xmas to you fellow readers of VIvi's blog!!!
Ahh..it must have been a long wait since I last blogged about my mama's arrival- she left on the 6th december 2007 with my two other little imps. Well, she was gonna cry before she enter the gates when she told me to take care of herself.I kinda mastered the skill to hold my tears pretty well- didn't want to start another melodrama of flooding like it was at Changi Airport 5 months ago. It was just amazing to have them with me,having the smell of Singapore, the language of Singapore, the food of Singapore.

Pandan CAkeHar BeeMaggi Noodle from Singapore!!Ikan bilis for soupNonya SAuce and Assam sauce:)

*applause for my family for bringing all these amazing stuff from Singapore*
It just amazes you when their love for you goes beyond the weight they have to carry. They had one luggage specially for food..it was so funny because that luggage was empty after they came here and filled again with all the OZ products before they head back to Singapore.
I felt that after seeing them, I had been a bit off being a Singaporean. They talk too fast and too mumbled when I speak to them and they don't like to walk too much.
Nevertheless, my mummy came and cooked for me almost everyday except the last two days i cooked up meals for them cuz they were busy packing. Mummy finally ate what i cooked and said it was not too bad. GOod for a start..LOL~THe wait for my mum ,bro and stef to come was pretty much a mixture of feelings. Having living alone with people who could not tolerate you and left you in 5 months, it makes u a little apprehensive to want to live with them having known that you might have caused terror in the past 22 years of my life( esp for my mum who has to deal with my ever frequent forgetfulness and sudden outbursts of erratic screams). I supposed that's what make them your family- seeing beyond your traits of terror and live with you all the same, never once remembering the terrible things you threw at their face. Then again,I have not seen them for 5 months- it's quite a far bit to bear with having seeing them for 22 years of my life isnt' it:P
We had a pretty relax itinerary around Sydney for the 2 weeks- visiting the sights and accommodating to the relatives' requests of meet ups that got me a little messsy. THe highlight was at Port Stephens because my mother did Sandboarding!!! hahaha..someting that she will not participate if she was not coaxed.
pictures for view and memories for me tokeep:)

Mum back in singapore

mummy dan and stef has returned to Singapore..exciting times we had..the occasional squabbles and well..overall a reminiscing time for all of us:)
Mama kinda teared at the airport..well.if i didn't hold back mine,we will have created another flooding at the kingsfordsmith airport..:P

I suppose when i look back at the times we spent, though it was a short two weeks..hm..it was another occasion when i thank God I am alive to see my family and they are alive to meet me..and not everyone gets the opportunity..if they did not come this summer..i will ahve to wait till next year till i meet them again. For my friends, if u are going to come and visit..pls drop me an email..so we can hang out and chill:) i miss the activities i do with u guys..heaps heaps heaps of activities that i can't get to go back to Singapore and start finding people to do:)

EVON!! thanks for your letter..i received it..will reply u soon ya..with all the juicy stuff..that i don't reveal on my blog..LOL..

Alrightey..just some updates of where i might be heading off to- Perth/Darwin( the northwestern territory), Cairns, Surfers Paradise and hopefully NZ or Fiji!
well loads of travelling..hehe..pretty much but i gotta see how much money i have..LOL..God will provide!!

saving up to go for more conferences too( after willow creek's)- the hillsongs women conference and hillsongs conference.:)