Friday, May 20
1. Tune Hotel, Penang
We checked out of the hotel just before 10 am.
Notice the room number?
806 ...
Decode : 14
We definitely had an angel watching over us last night.
Thank You Son ...
Mom had read the words on the wall (the words below the room number) the night before and decided she didn't like the saying. This is supposed to be inspirational?
"Sometimes loss is a gift that helps us love and appreciate all of the things we still have ..."
What nonsense ...
The person who wrote that sure did not lose a child ...
Maybe he or she lost a ... a ... what - pencil?
Ooooohhhhhh ... Mom hears You and sees your trembling hands ...
Oh alright, note the un-graciousness. She's sorry for being such a grouch first thing in the morning. She's probably hungry ... :D
Argh, who is she kidding? She was traveling on Thursday and Friday, and did not have time to call You ... that's the real reason behind all the PMS ... :(
2.Croissants
We had breakfast at a nearby coffee shop.
The place was quite packed with patrons. It was after 10 am.
Don't people go to work anymore?
Move aside people ... Here comes Grumpy ... :S
Dad waved us to a table right at the far end of the coffee shop.
Aunty H and Mom made our way there.
Table 19 ...
Decode : 44
Guess who's joining us for breakfast?
Your mother's spirits were lifted immediately. :D You always know what to do to bring a smile on our faces. That has always been your special gift, Daniel ... and it would seem that it continues to be so ...
Anyway, Dad had noodles whilst Aunty H and Mom both ordered fried kuey teow. After breakfast, we walked back to the car.
Passing a bakery, Dad commented with a sigh,
"Daniel would love that ..."
Mom turned to Dad and gave him an exaggerated bored look, before brushing that remark off like ...
Like a gangster ... :D
"Ma, I'm a gangster ..." your exact words,
when You came home from school in Primary One.
"Where Daniel is today, he doesn't crave for those anymore. C'mon, his croissants are baked by Mother Mary in heaven's kitchen oven..." Her hands were all over the place trying to emphasize her croissant-point. :D
Why, You were probably slapping creamy butter and heaven grown strawberry jam on your croissant as she spoke. :D
We had a taste of those wonderful croissants when we were in Lourdes, remember? Mama Mary's territory ... Honestly, those yummy holy croissants did seem like something You would get in heaven. :D
Dad chuckled.
He's having the best time of his life, Mom added silently.
You are. She knows. No need to question how, who, why, when and where. Yawnnn ...
It's a Mother's intuition. <3
3. Crocodile Rock
Approaching the car, Mom asked Dad if he has a nail clipper in his overnight toiletries' pouch. Mom had chipped a nail only God knows doing what.
Dad said no.
Mom said, "I always carry a nail clipper in my pink bag ... you know the pink crocodile bag ... but it's not there ..."
Dad said he didn't take it and to remind him to buy one at the mall later. Yeah, we're going to hang out at one of the cafes at the mall before going back.
We hopped in the car. Dad started the engine. Mom switched on the radio. Would You believe it but immediately, two words that came on were ...
Crocodile Rock ...
from the song Crocodile Rock.
Mom pointed excitedly at the time, "Look! 10:44 am ..."
Dad saw it. Good, good ... a witness.
OMG !!! What are the chances???
Honestly, what are the chances???
"He wants to be in the conversation too ... Awww Son ..."
Mom laughed.
"Can You imagine that??? I just mentioned crocodile like, two minutes ago! Check out the angel timing ... OMG ..." she felt dizzy with happiness. :D
Her earlier grouchy mood was all forgotten. See how easily You cheer us up? Even at this impossible distance, You can cheer your mother up. Truly, truly, truly, God has given us a way ... :D
Praise the Lord ... <3
4. Call Me
We were soon on the way to Queensbay Mall.
At one point, there was a brief one line preview of the next few songs that would come on the radio ...
Mom heard it ... it was brief, but she heard the line like she was so meant to hear it ...
Call me call me anytime ... (Blondie)
Mom found herself blurting out,
"Call me Call me anytime ... You heard that?"
Dad grinned and nodded. :D The time was 10:55 am.
No, no, it wasn't a ZAP time, but that's okay ... that CALL ME line was ZAP enough. :D Mom's not that unreasonable la ... She doesn't expect You to give her purrrrrfect angel time ...
every - single - time ...
Pause ...
Uhhh, actually, she does ... (pretend to look sheepish here) ...
She does expect that ... (smirk a beeet) ...
Having said that (clear throat please) ...
It's quite clear who this CALL ME line is from (wink) ...
It can only be from ... (drum roll)
1 AM NUMBER 4 ... :D
5. The Mall
We arrived at the mall a few minutes later.
Dad drove up up up to the car park floor ... which coinciDANtally starts from level 4. See the nearest available parking bay from the entrance Dad was driving in ...
Aunty H was the first to notice the D4 on the pillar ...
Mom said, "Daniel's saying Hi." :D
There were smiles all around ... See how easy it is for You to make people happy? :D Chuckle. Seriously Son, we felt your presence ... Mom knows You were / are with us.
6. Gentle Rain
We left Penang about 3 pm.
By 6:30 pm, we arrived in Tapah.
We stopped by Tapah Rest Area for a coffee break. About half an hour later, we resumed our journey home.
Mom was sitting behind with Aunty Hayley. It's easier to talk without having to turn her head back and front which would have given her a headache.
At one point, she found herself turning to glance at the digital time on the dashboard. You must have whispered to your mother to look at the time right at the moment, because when she did, she saw TWO things happened simultaneously.
CoinciDANS, we call it.
It's Me, You call it ... :D
First, the time which was then 6:43 changed to 6:44 pm and second, gentle showers began dropping on the window screen...
At the same time.
OMG ... That was amazing ...
When it involves angel timing, she knows YOU have something to do with it. On her own, there was no way she could have witnessed anything so magnificent.
Tomorrow, the next day (Saturday 21st) would be your 16 month in Heaven. The gentle rain reminded Mom instantly about the song Justine sang for You at your garden on your 13th month.
How gentle is the rain
that falls softly on the meadow ...
Birds high up in the trees
serenade the clouds with their melody ...
Oh, see there beyond the hills,
the bright colors of the rainbow ...
Everything seemed to be pretty normal. Dad was driving. Aunty H was checking her facebook account on her blackberry. Mom got herself going non-stop with her kuaci (sunflower seeds) like there was a time frame to finish the packet. :D
7. Rainbow
Suddenly, quite suddenly, Mom gave a yelp of surprise!
OMG!!!
A beautiful rainbow had appeared in the sky, right in front of our eyes ... like we were driving towards it.
She scrambled unceremoniously for the camera ...
very kelam-kabut lo ...
when she finally got the camera out of the pouch, she dropped on her knees and wriggled in between the front seats, leaning as far as she could to the windscreen, to take a few shots.
This is the first shot. Aiyah Dad, turn on the wiper faster ... quick quick quick!
See the rainbow? On the middle part of the extreme right side ...
The camera's time : 19:07 pm.
Decode : 44
The day before (Thursday) when traveling in the car, Aunty Jessie had told us
that Idol Lauren was singing IF I DIE YOUNG ...
Call 222 : Dan Red
Lord, make me a rainbow
I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with You
As she stands under my colors
Awww Son, what a perfect rainbow to celebrate your 16th month!
You're somewhere over the rainbow, aren't You? :D
8. Going Gets Tough
Truly, that was a precious treat, Daniel ...
Thank You Jesus for that. Tomorrow (Saturday 21st) being your 16th month, Mom thinks ... correction, knows ... this rainbow is to remind us that you're safe and happy with the Lord. :D
Let's toast to that, yah?
It took a while for your hyperactive Mom to settle down after the rainbow excitement.
At 7:21 pm, the song ...
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going ...
had come on the radio. Gee, she used to think this was a highly motivational line. She's wiser now. In fact, she feels an immediate lethargy when she hears this going gets tough line. This line should be reserved for people in uniform ... like soldiers maybe.
Not for mothers.
For mothers, the better line would be when the going gets easy ...
9. I Believe In Angels
We were approaching the KL toll, when the song :
I HAVE A DREAM came on.
The time was 7:50 pm.
Station 105.7.
Decode : 4
Mom recognised it instantly and said out loud :
"OMG, I believe in angels ..."
Call 32 : Noisy Chopper
I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream, I have a dream
10. Wind Beneath My Wings
How perfect it was to hear I believe in angels ...
some 40 minutes or so, after seeing a rainbow. :D This angel line is repeated several times in the song. You can't miss it, even if You want to. Yes Son, we believe in angels. Of course we do ...
Your whole life has had angel influence. A Higher Hand is always guiding us, we know. God loves us, we know that too ... just that we need to be reminded some times just how much. :D
God doesn't mind, right? :D
Anyway, a few minutes before reaching Bangsar area (Aunty H's house), Wind Beneath My Wings solemnly filled the car, before seeping into your mother's heart.
The time was 8:05 pm.
Decode : 4
That's YOU ... :D
She had a feeling You would end the journey with a nice song-message. See how You lead us, step by step, until we get this final message? How awesome huh ...
It must have been cold there in my shadow
To never have sunlight on your face
You were content to let me shine, that's your way
You always walk a step behind
So I was the one with all the glory
So I was the one with all the glory
While you were the one with all the strain
A beautiful face without a name for so long
A beautiful smile to hide the pain
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
And everything I would like to be
I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
It might have appeared to go unnoticed
It might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I've got it all here in my heart
I want you to know, I know the truth, course I know it
I would be nothing without you
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be
I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
Did I ever tell you you're my hero?
You're everything, everything I wish I could be
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wings
Cause you are the wind beneath my wings
Oh, the wind beneath my wings
Oh, the wind beneath my wings
You you you, you are the wind beneath my wings
Fly fly fly away, you let me fly so high
Oh you you you, the wind beneath my wings
Fly fly so high against the sky
Fly fly so high against the sky
So high I almost touch the sky
Thank you, thank you
Thank God for You, the wind beneath my wings
The song ended right on the dot when Dad pulled up onto Aunty H's driveway.
Honestly, ON -- THE -- DOT!
The song ended and Aunty H took out her remote to open the gates. You really are good with your timing, aren't You? Those many hours on video games on earth certainly did teach You something about precision.
Mom turned the radio off. She didn't need to hear anymore. She has your message for today. What an incredible song to end our journey.
Thank You, Thank You ...
Thank God for You ...
Thank God for You ...
The wind beneath my wings ... <3
Your mother must confess that as she was typing out the lyrics, she somehow found her vision blurring.
Blink Blink Blink.
A sad sigh escapes ... and slowly travels upwards through the interspace between mother and son to reach heaven's gates that's ...
Somewhere over the Rainbow ...
Knock Knock ...
Only God knows what this song is doing to her.
We love You, Daniel ... and we're thinking about You as You celebrate your 16 month tomorrow (Saturday 21st) with Jesus and Mother Mary and all the angels and saints in heaven.
Keep the ZAPs coming, Son ...
