Friday, December 31, 2010

Call 111 : HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

This photo was taken during caroling time 
at Christmas 2008 in Grandma's house.
We celebrated your birthday at the same time 
with all the youth carolers.

Missing You so very much!

Hugs & Kisses from all at home. <3



click on the link to view video












Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Call 106 : SCORPION BRIEFS

Hello Son,                         (continue from Call 105) (Monday, December 27)

Anyway, back to the crabs ...


Dad called a friend somewhere near Selayang, and asked him to where to get fresh crabs. Before his friend could reply, the line apparently got disconnected.


Meanwhile, we decided to leave the supermarket. 


Dad tried calling his friend again. When we were driving out of the basement parking of Central Market, we saw a car that had a large SCORPION sticker on the car door. 




The number plate was 4004

We had stopped just right before the car, for a few minutes, as we were in the line to pay at the cashier before leaving the basement car park.

4004???


Ahh, our angel sign. (See Call 43)
 
We were all looking at the strange scorpion sticker on the car when we heard Dad said aloud, "Got crabs!"

Got crabs??? 

Just when we were looking at the scorpion 4004 car???

Oh Wow ...


Your aunties were going ...


Scorpion is a type of crab, right? ...


Ah, he got the crabs for us ...


He knows we're gonna have crabs tonight ...


Mom listened and smiled to herself ...


How strange ...


Scorpion, huh???




Why, your mother got You some scorpion (print) underwear when You were ah, not so young. In several bright colors too. :D 

Seriously, You were not that excited about them then, but in your mother's defence, the briefs were folded and from the box, they had looked like uh, very trendy - colorful underwear. :D It really was not possible to know that there was a scorpion print on those briefs.


Scorpion 4004 ...


That was a sure Zzzzza-PPPPP moment, Son ... :D

Only between mother and son ... <3


Anyway ...


We bought 10 large crabs for only RM90.

Can You beat that?

Here're the photos taken at Aunty D's birthday dinner.




What else to add? says Chef Diana

Say hello to our delicious crab dish, kam-heong style!

Dad made the sweet & sour version and pilau rice.

Bon Appetite! :D

Grandma made this delicious sze chuan soup.

Say CHEERS!

Justine and Aunty C made moist choc cake for Aunty D.


The cake is yummy with "cookies and cream" ice-cream.


Remember??? Cookies and cream was 
your last birthday cake on earth ...




December 24, 2009




Aunty Jessie sent an email on Aunty Diana's birthday :


chare....

i've just been on dans blog and you know what....i told you that i was going to catch up on the things i've missed right.....so I took my time reading every single blog till I reached 100.....I can't believe you've written up to 100 blogs for dans....and on his birthday too....
anyway, as i was reading the blog where dans made a wish on his last birthday and God heard him......

pipes just burst and i could blink no more....thunderstorm like anything.....but you know what....after that, until now.....hmmm....i don't know how to tell you this....cos I might be wrong....but there was this sweet smelling aroma that was in the air...and I smell it still....i took a sniff at my clothes and it wasn't coming from there....took a sniff at my hair...and no, not from there either....took a sniff at my wrists....not the same scent....

I'm lying here on my bed with my laptop....poohbear is by my feet....errr no it's not coming from her either....took a sniff at my comforter....no.....my sheets.....not from there either.....ok craig just walked in, so it's not him either.....it's coming from somewhere and I don't know where....I took a sniff at the laptop....errr....I'm not sure....could it be?




At the time when Mom was reading Aunty Jessie's email, Aunty Diana had turned on the TV.  

SpongeBob was singing the FUN song. 




F is for friends who do stuff together

U is for U and Me

N is for any where and anytime at all

Down here in the big blue sea



Oh wow - how incredible ...



This song is so connected to Aunty Jessie because she had posted this video on your facebook way back when. What are the chances of your mother reading Aunty Jessie's email and at the same time hearing the song Aunty Jessie uploaded for You on your FB???


Another coinciDANS surely ... :D



Call 105 : DIANA's BIRTHDAY

Hello Son,                                              (Monday, December 27)        

                               
Today is Aunty Diana's birthday. :D

We went to the park in the morning about 10:30 am.

Just the 5 of us : Aunty Carol, Aunty Diana, Justine, Mom and Kish. Dad was having a breakfast appointment with a friend, so he didn't go with us.

At the park, Aunty Carol and Jus went jogging around the track, with Kish panting behind them. Aunty Diana and Mom preferred to watch them while enjoying the swings.






We were there for about an hour. 

Plenty of memories were evoked during that short time. One of which was when You lost Dad's thumb-drive at the park. 

Remember???

You came home on your bicycle one day and with a sad face, You told Dad You dropped his thumb-drive at the park. Seeing your red teary eyes, Mom quickly suggested we drive to the park immediately to look for it. 

Dad drove us there.


Upon stepping out of the car, You started chanting in a sing-song manner, "St Christopher, help - me - find ..." and made us all laugh and giggle as we tried to look for it. 

We were supposed to walk around the field following the jogging track, but Mom hurt her foot (for a reason) and we had to take a short cut across the park. It was there, at the short cut, that You stumbled upon the thumb-drive on the grass. St Christopher did help You find, even though strictly speaking, he's not the Saint of lost things. :D Not sure why we always call on him though, whenever we need our misplaced items found.

Your expression was priceless, as You jumped for joy. You were sweeping the grass with your foot as You were walking, when You found it.

Imagine, the park area is as large as 2 football fields. Yet, we found the lost thumb-drive easily. :D Someone up there was definitely looking after You. :D

By the way, Aunty Diana reminded that her fiance's name is uh, Christopher ...



Go figure ... :D






Anyway ...


Aunty Diana said she wanted to go to JoJo for pan mee (flour noodles). It's her birthday. Her wish is our command. We went back to the house to drop Kish and to pick up Dad.

It was about noon time. 

We drove there. Of course the area around the restaurant was filled with parked vehicles. At one glance, anyone would just mutter, "Aiyoh, no parking..."

However, no one said anything (negative) in the car. As Dad was driving along the restaurant lane, would You believe it but a car which was parked in front of the restaurant, was reversing out of its lot, leaving it empty for us. 

Oh, what perfect timing ... :D

We got out of the car. Justine saw the packed restaurant and commented, "Very packed ..."

We walked in anyway, and guess what ...

There was one long table waiting for us, right in the middle of the eatery. 


Oh my ...

We sat down. Gave our orders. Enjoyed our lunch.

Aunty D was like, "There's no sambal like this in Tawau."  :D

Haha ...



We soon finished our lunch. As we were walking to the car, Mom spotted something that made her gasp.



OMG ...


It can't be ...

Oh no ...


Was that a parking ticket she saw sticking out of Aunty Carol's car wiper?


A parking ticket???


Aww Son, what happened there???


Justine saw it and said, "He was having lunch with us la, Mom. There was an empty seat opposite me, remember?"


Aunty D was like, "Yeah, yeah, he was with us la, INSIDE the restaurant. Of course he wants to be with us ..."


Hearing that, Mom just had to smile ... :D





Words were not necessary. 


We drove to Central Market. 

Aunty Diana said she wanted to eat CRABS for dinner tonight. We were supposed to get some crabs from Central Market, but unfortunately, the tank was empty. Not one single crab could be seen.

Oh dear ... Aunty D was so looking forward to having crabs tonight. She's heard so much about our crab-dinners and she's missed them all. :D



We were at the supermarket when a man walked up to Justine and said, "Have You ever thought of being a model?"


That was probably the high-light of her day. :D


So totally unexpected that remark ...






(continue on Call 106)

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Call 104 : CHRISTMAS HOPE

Hello Son,                            (continue from Call 103) (Saturday, December 25)

We had a really nice time at the Christmas party. 

It was a lavish do, in a mini mansion, complete with an indoor pool and a pool table. We left the place at about 11pm. 

In the car, on the way home, Mom could not help but reflect on the inciDANS that happened today. 


Today is Christmas Day and the whole day has been sprinkled with magic dust. :D


Right from the start of the day, You made your presence felt.





At the church.

In the car. The song, I'll Be Missing You.

The unexpected phone call.

The DAN 8 vehicle.


The man LAI.

Reflecting upon the inciDANS sure made your mother smile to herself. The song, the signs, the BOND ...

One after another, it was pretty overwhelming.


Everywhere we are, there you'll be ...


Honestly, today was just surreal.

Every lil thing reminds us of You. :D

Mom must have fell asleep in the car because when she woke up, Aunty Hayley was no longer in the car (Dad had dropped her off) and we had arrived at the condo.

At home, Justine was taking her shower. Dad was in the room. Mom switched on the TV while waiting for Jus. 

A movie The Christmas Hope was on. 







"Whenever I am lonely, I'll feel him with me ... He's my angel ..."


Mom did not intend to watch that movie, or any movie for that matter - she was really sleepy. However, that movie grabbed her attention a few minutes after she turned the TV on. 

It was about a mother who lost her son some 2 years ago ...

How could such a movie not get your mother's attention, right? Anyway, as she was watching, she could totally understand and relate to all the unexplained signs and incidents that was going on in the movie. 

The special bonds, and the "knowing" ... the knowing that their special someone is close by. It is difficult to explain how we know ... but when the Zap moment happens, we just ... 

We just - know.

Watching that movie that night, between the hours of 12 midnight to 2 am, at the end of Christmas Day, especially after the inciDANS that happened throughout the day, was truly heart-warming. 


Justine came out of the shower in the middle of the show, and we watched it together. By the end of the show, we were huddling together, as your mother found tears flowing freely down her cheeks.





As if the movie wasn't touching enough ... 


You know what happened next??? When the names of actors were scrolling up the screen, Mom and Justine saw that one of the character roles, JUSTIN, was played by DANIEL ... (didn't catch the surname though)
 

Zzzzza --PPPPP !!!


In the first place, it was strange that we would be reading the names of the actors in the movie. We normally don't do that, as You know. When a movie ends, we'd just off the TV (it was 2am after all) but we kinda sat there and continued watching.

You must have whispered to us to look at the screen ...


That ZAP moment at the end of Christmas night, with your name on the screen, sure summarized the whole day of inciDANS for us. Had it been just DANIEL on the screen, it may not have brought a connection, but because it was a JUSTIN - DANIEL ... 


Boy, we sure felt THE BOND ... :D



The night before Christmas. The story is just beautiful and very moving for Mom. It made her realize how lucky she is to have her own signs and inciDANS.

Her own bond. 

Her own Zap moments.


These are so very precious.


Right from the moment You left us, after your Farewell Mass, You had started to make your presence felt. God is good and God is faithful.

One of your friends had sent a text message to Justine right after the Mass, and he had said something to this effect : 



I'm not sure if I should say this, but if I were a son, I would be proud of my mother today ...




Justine had shown Mom that message, when we were in the car heading to the crematorium. Instantly, Mom knew that it somehow came from You. She just knew. Don't ask her how she knew, but she - knew. That message was from You. 




That same boy created your Facebook page that day. Mom will always be grateful for that. She cannot imagine how she could have coped without that. As You very well know, your mother has never been on Facebook before, but it was the Facebook that helped her to carry on after You left, day by day, until her account was blocked on your 8th month, and she had to transfer all further calls to this Call Blog.


Dad said You upgraded Mom's connection. 

Grin. 

Thank You Son. 

Yes, the blog is better for long calls, and the facebook for quick Hi's ...  

Hmm, looks like your mother's got the best of both. :D 


Talk to You in a bit, Son - gotta get ready for Mass now. 

Are You on duty at Heaven's Altar today?







Monday, December 27, 2010

Call 103 : CHRISTMAS MAGIC

Hello Son,                        (continue from Call 102) (Saturday, December 25)


 
Anddddddd ... ACTION !!!





Dad for some reason ... 

... instead of waiting by the side of the road where the car was, (on the left side of the road), he drove across to the opposite side. Now our car was parked right in front of someone's house. The head lights shone straight ahead to a vehicle (4WD) parked in front of us. 

Justine exclaimed, 


DAN 8 !!!


The number plate of the vehicle in front. It was parked facing us. 


Justine said excitedly, that she saw that DAN 8 car just now when Dad was driving round and round, but she didn't say anything because ... our car had sped by.

Besides, it was just a car by the side of the road, so she didn't bother "sharing" that brief moment.


Justine said she thinks that, Dad shining his head lights on the number plate of that car was a sign that she should "share" what she saw and not keep it to herself.


Grin.


That's cute, Jus ...





Mom looked at the DAN 8, and said somewhat happily, 

"Daniel is here with us. I wonder why the number 8 ..."

Justine replied, 

"8 is his number. You remember his username on runscape and maple (internet games)? danielphua88?"

Ohhh ... Mom has forgotten. 

Why, that's - interesting ...


Your sister continued further, 

"When Dad asked Daniel to create a gmail account for him and bryanphua@gmail.com was taken, Daniel added 88 to the email address - bryanphua88@gmail.com ... "


Is that so? Mom wasn't aware there was a story behind Dad's email add. You must have seen your mother's eyes fixed on the number plate.


DAN 8 ...


From where we were, on the opposite side of the road a minute ago, this was just a vehicle in the dark. It's strange that Dad decided to drive across the road to park and wait here, stranger still when the head lights shone on the number plate to the vehicle that was some 10 walking steps away. 




DAN 8 ...




We were so meant to see that.



If Mom didn't know any better, she would have thought that the number plate was staring back.

The man who was supposed to lead us to the house party arrived about 5 minutes later. 

We followed his car from behind.


Dad was like : 



Ohh, must turn HERE ... No wonder ...


Why no sign boards???


Where are the road signs???


Stupid planning ... 

(Ooops!)


We arrived at the party. We could hear the sound of Carolers singing away merrily.




Dad parked the car by the side of a vacant house. 


The man walked over to us. At all material times, he had been conversing with Dad in Cantonese. Over the phone, Dad was talking to him in Cantonese.

However, when he saw Mom, he extended his hand and greeted her in English, "Hard to find eh? This jungle place. Many people cannot find also ..."


Did You whisper to him to speak in English to your mother? :D It was just so weird that he spoke to Dad in Cantonese and then turned to your mother, and spoke in English. Mom had not said a word since she stepped out of the car.


Then he said ...


OMG ... You wouldn't believe what he said next ...




He introduced himself, "I'm Lai ..."

Pause.

What did he say???

Oh my Lord ...


You can't be serious ...


Lai???


Grandfather's name???

Justine whispered, "Maybe his English name is also Peter, and his full name is Lai Say Han." 

We laughed - secretly.


What are the chances, honestly???


A thousand and one names he could have said, but he had to say a name that would start a series of loud clanging in your mother's ears.

Lai ...



Holy mackerel ...




DAN and LAI - on Christmas night!








Oh Gee Wow ...




Mom couldn't help but imagine what she would be writing in her diary tonight ...




"Dear Diary, it's Christmas night. We were lost in the jungle tonight. Daniel kept us company and waited with us until Dad/Grandpa came to rescue us and lead us safely to the house party ..."

Wink. :D

Merry Christmas, Son ... <3

Please extend our Christmas wishes to Jesus, Mother Mary and all the angels in Heaven ... <3








(continue on Call 104)




Sunday, December 26, 2010

Call 102 : ANGEL WHISPERS

Hello Son,                           (continue from Call 101) (Saturday, December 25)

This evening on Christmas Day ... 

We were going to Uncle Gerard's home for a Christmas party. He lives with his family deep inside Ampang area. Near the Zoo, he had told Dad. An area that we are not that familiar with.

Anyway, Dad has a faint idea of the whereabouts and felt he should be able to find the place. It is a new housing estate apparently. 

Near the Zoo.


We picked up Aunty Hayley from her home in Bangsar at 8pm. 


Whilst at her place, Mom received a phone call. 

It was Chloe's mummy. 

Chloe is her ex-student in kindergarten last year. We (Mom and her 4 ex-student and their families) were supposed to have our second reunion during the holidays except that we have not been able to fix a date. 

Here's the link to our first reunion on September 16 this year.








Mom had sent out an email on Dec 20, 5 days ago, to the parents of 4 of her children. There was one immediate reply from Keenan's mummy. That was all. 
 

Anyway ... 

Chloe's mummy said over the phone, that it was so strange but a few days ago, whilst Chloe's family were having lunch at PapaRich, they had bumped into Keenan's family while walking back to the car. 

That same evening, Chloe's family happened to check out a restaurant far, far away (can't remember where now) and believe it or not, but they met Rapunzel's family at the same restaurant.

"It was so strange to bump into the both of them, on the same day," Chloe mummy had said.


Mom couldn't help but smile to herself. 

An angel must have been whispering somewhere, that's for sure. :D 




Mom told Chloe's mummy that she had in fact sent out an email to the 4 parents. Chloe's mummy said she has not been checking her in-box.


That explains the non-reply.

Yes, it sure was strange that your mother had contacted the parents 5 days earlier, and today, one of them called to tell Mom that she had bumped into the other 2 families on the same day, a few days ago.

The unexpected events were strange enough for her to want to call Mom to tell her about them. You must have whispered to Chloe's mummy to tell Mom about those inciDANS. It sure sounds like You were trying to gather the children/parents together for your mother. :D 

3 families out of 4, that's not too bad, Son ... Your mother is pretty sure that when she checks later, the 4th student Kah Yee and family were out of town. :D


Chuckle.




We definitely wanna meet up. Just that the timing is a bit off. 


Anyway, we were soon on our way to the Zoo.


We reached the area around 9pm. 

Dad made a turn into one of the housing estate. This place was surrounded by a jungle. It was pitch dark save for the lights that lit the rows of houses.


After going round and round and round the bush, or rather jungle, Dad stopped to make a call to Uncle Gerard. We were lost. Attempting to find the way again, we drove on. Turn right, turn left, make U-turn, 3 point turn - You name it, we did it.


Yet, we couldn't find the house.


We were quite, quite lost.


Dad stopped by the road again to make a second call. This time, Uncle G said that he would send one of his staff to meet us and lead us to the house. The staff came on the phone, and asked Dad where we were.


Dad briefly explained (they were conversing in Cantonese) and the staff apparently said to WAIT there (where we were). He will drive out to meet us. 

Ahh, and now for the moment that we've been waiting for.


Wait for it ... wait for it ...



(continue on Call 103)

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Call 101 : MISSING YOU

Hello Son,

Today is Christmas Day. :D


We went to Church this morning. The mass was at 11:30am but we arrived, ah ... fashionably late. We left the house the normal time, 15 minutes before, but today, there was a massive jam on the road.

We ended up sitting outside the Church. 

On the right side.

The Church was packed today. Inside full, outside, left and right wing all full. There must be more than a thousand people that morning. 

Let's see ... 

Inside the Church, there are 4 rows of 50 bench-pews.

50 bench-pews X 4 rows = 200 pews

One pew can accommodate about 6 - 8 people.



Which means, inside the Church alone, there were about 1200 to 1600 people already. Not counting people outside.

Did You see the crowd? 

We must have been like a DOT to You from up there.

We were seated outside in a row.

From left : 

Aunty Diana, Aunty Carol, Justine, Mom and Dad.

(Grandma attended an earlier mass - none of us could get up then. :D)

The Priest was saying the homily ...

Mom was wondering what would be the message for us today. 

Shortly after, Dad whispered, 

"You heard what the Father said?"

Guiltily, Mom shook her head. 

No, she must confess she didn't hear.

She wasn't listening.

Must be some kind of attention deficit disorder that she's only realising now. This is definitely not the first time her attention had strayed. She did try to listen attentively, but after the first two lines, the words became a blur ...

A definite disorder of some kind. 

Beyond her control. Not her fault.

"Why, what did he say?" Mom whispered back.



Dad replied, 

"WE ARE MADE FOR GOD, AND WE WILL RETURN TO GOD."

That's a nice message for today, Mom thought. 

You must have whispered to Dad to summarize Father's message for today.

We are made for God, and we will return to God.

Hmmm ... somehow that felt somewhat comforting ...

You are made for God, and You have returned to Him. 

Having said that, Mom cannot help but wish You could have delayed your - flight, You know ...

We miss You so very much. :(

Your mother's thoughts were interrupted during Collection time. Her antennae had picked up a signal which caused her eyes to scan through the people in front. She spotted a man whom she recognized instantly. He was doing Collection on our side.


Zzzza--PPPP !!!

This man, on a few occasions, had commented to your parents that : 

"Your son is a handsome boy ..."

"Very handsome, your son ..."

"He'll grow up to be a handsome boy ..." 

You were in preschool then. Your parents could never forget this stranger even if they tried. Dad remembers him too. 


We had attended another church when You were 7, and You had served there as an Altar Boy until Jesus called You home on Jan 21, 2010, at the age of 15. 

So, we have not seen this man since, and neither has he seen us. Even if he were to see your handsome face in the papers, I - Made - It - To - Heaven page, he probably would not have any flashback, or make any connection. It was after all, some 8 to 10 years ago.

Memories flooded back ...

There was a dull, nagging ache in your mother's chest. God planted this man somewhere earlier on in our lives, so that a connection could be felt later on. She's sure of that. There's always a reason for everything.

Yes, everything ...

Like now ...

Boy, does your mother feel THE BOND right at that moment. 

Isn't it funny that he should be the one doing Collection on our side of the Church, that your parents have to see him, and instantly think of You? We could have been sitting anywhere. Had there been no jam this morning, we would have been early, and we would be seated in the Church. We would not have seen him then. There would have been no ZAP.


Pause. 

No ZAP on Christmas Day??? 

Seriously???

You gotta be kiddin'. 

Of course, there'd be a ZAP on Christmas Day. :D



Anyway ...

There was no eye contact, as a result of commendable efforts by your mother, when he offered the Collection bag at our row. Hence, no acknowledgment. 

Chicken ... 

You must have laughed, when You saw your mother avoiding his eyes. 

She has to ... had to ... what if he recognized her and later ask, 

Hi, where's your handsome son???

Oh Lord ... Not today. 

She didn't feel like she was up to giving any explanation today. The WHY and the WHAT HAPPENED would surely follow right after her explanation that You had uh, migrated, to live with Jesus and Mama Mary etc.

A recent example is, our old neighbour from the previous condo we used to live in. Mom bumped into him one day at the shops, and he had asked in greeting, 

"How's Bryan? How's your girl? And Your son? He must be very tall by now ..." he lifted his arm right up to indicate how tall.

Mom had smiled, but offered no explanation. 

Instead, she had replied with a robotic smile, 

"They are okay ..."




Which You guys are, she felt.

It sure wasn't a lie. 

Your mother just refrained from telling the truth. There is a fine line between the two. God will understand. He knows she would say that line, even before she said it. Why, God knows her better than she knows herself ...

During Communion, the man was standing right in front, about 5 rows of chairs away from us. He was standing beside the person who was giving out the communion hosts. We had to walk up to him, following the queue to the front ...

Eyes downcast, head bowed ...

Chicken, Mom ...

Your mother could almost hear You say. 

Mass ended.

We were in the car heading towards home. Half way home, Mom turned on the radio. A song was coming to an end, and the next song that came on was, would You believe it : 


I'll Be Missing You.

Gee, what a conciDANS. :D

I'll be missing You ...

OMG ...

It could have been any song that could have been totally unconnected ... but no, it had to be a song that would cause ZAP ZAP ZAP to happen in the car. :D 


The time was 1:20pm.





by Puff Daddy

Every step I take


Every move I make


Every single day


Every time I pray


I'll be missing You





Thinking of the day


When You went away


What a life to take


What a bond to break


I'll be missing You


(continue on Call 102)