June 17, 2007 (Sunday, 5:00 AM, Malaysian Time)
Looking for Wisdom
One benefit of staying two weeks or more in Malaysia annually since we have been married is the renewal of relationships with SiowFong’s relatives. So much can happen in people’s lives over the span of just one year, and despite the modern technological advancements of long distance communication, nothing beats face to face interaction. Another benefit of visiting Malaysia for a fortnight each year is the added time for reading and reflection.
In planning for this trip, I thought about books that were relevant to parenting, and I eventually decided to reread the Old Testament Book of Proverbs, which is filled with short sentences of practical wisdom. To help me understand the book’s original context as well as its contemporary significance, I am also reading The NIV Application Commentary on Proverbs (Zondervan: 2003) by Paul Koptak, who received his doctorate from the Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University and who is the Paul and Bernice Brandel professor of communication and biblical interpretation at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.
The Book of Proverbs
In the introduction to his book, Professor Koptak writes, “We are a society that loves sayings and aphorisms. Advertising and television comedies create the catch phrases that pepper our conversations. . .There’s also a renewed interest in wisdom in our time, but often it takes the form of sentimental life lessons or management pep talk. Real wisdom that not only observes how life works but also asks ultimate questions about how and why life is to be lived is not as popular. Wisdom of this sort is usually relegated to the back of the shopping mall bookstore in the philosophy and religion section, while guides to health, wealth, and success in life are placed up front to greet customers as they walk in.
Biblical wisdom surprisingly offers both, but on its own terms. We will do ourselves and the book a disservice if we think of Proverbs as the kind of success handbook we find in the self-help section.” (page 19)
“We may need to unlearn the idea that Proverbs is a book of principles that allow us to predict or even control how life will turn out, a collection of promises that we can cash in like coupons. . .Proverbs describe the way life usually works, not how it always works or must work. We fool ourselves if we think that we are in a position to become masters of our fates just because we’ve learned to pay attention to outcomes. . .” (page 43)
Fear of God
“The book of Proverbs opens with the ‘fear of the Lord [as] the beginning of knowledge’ (1:7) and closes with the praise of the woman who ‘fears the Lord’ (31:30). Everything in between reminds the reader again and again that one does right, not only because it benefits others and ultimately benefits oneself, but because it pleases God.” (page 44)
“For the ancients, fear of the Lord was a sign of recognition that the universe has a ruler and that the proper response before a ruler is to bow. The same response is appropriate today. I do not often quote what actors playing clergy say on TV, but one exchange has stayed in my mind. In offering advice to a parishioner, this minister said, ‘Early on I learned two things that have helped me make my way in life. The first is that there is a God, and the second is that I am not him.’ While it sounds obvious, I take this advice as a reminder that the cosmos has a kind and just ruler who rightfully calls people to account for their behavior. So Jesus told many a parable about kings and their subjects to communicate God’s gracious authority.
Fear of the Lord requires that we remove ourselves as the center of authority in our self-made universes. . ." (page 45)
For today’s Christian, the fear of the Lord also means that one has made the foundational decision to trust Jesus as Lord of one’s life. To say that we believe in Jesus but to refuse to acknowledge him as Lord of creation and Lord of our lives is to live like the fool, in dangerous denial of the facts. Proverbs, seeing that danger, offers more than tips for success or even for moral guidance; it holds out wisdom as an invitation to relationship with a loving Lord.” (page 46)
Character and Virtue
“A second but no less important concern of Proverbs is for character formation that leads to faithfulness. If it is a mistake to reduce Proverbs to a book of good advice, it is equally wrong to elevate its counsels to some lofty ideal of human life that has no bearing on everyday choices. Proverbs, if nothing else, zeroes in on the choices we face, and in recommending one way over another, it describes the kind of persons we can become and ought to be. . .
The proverbs do not give directions for what to do in every situation; instead, they present the qualities of character that guide us in the many decisionswe will face in life. It can be encouraging to remember that there is a reciprocal relationship between decision making and character formation. While godly character influences the decision to, for instance, practice self-control over one’s tongue, each time we choose to tell the truth, avoid gossip, and offer encouragement instead of unfair criticism we also strengthen the character quality of self-control. Virtues, as they are practiced, become a habit.
The virtues of Proverbs may be summarized in the word ‘faithfulness’ (3:3). In the Scriptures, faithfulness takes on a number of expressions: obedience to commands, imitation of Christ and other biblical figures, and virtue, the cultivation of godly and faithful character. In Proverbs, faithful people fear the Lord and therefore consider the effects their actions have on others. They seek to preserve good relations with them, to bring them good and not harm. In New Testament language, they seek to practice love. . .
In the world of Proverbs, faithfulness seems to move in ever-widening concentric circles from the individual to the family, to the larger household, to the community, and ultimately to the nation and its rulers.” (pages 46 and 47)
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Photos: Malaysia, Asleep in the Car
Lydia asleep in Auntie MayLee's lap.
DSC_0033Lydia in sweet repose
DSC_0034Once asleep, Lydia sleeps quite well -- despite light, motion, and noise.
Note: All of these pictures were taken on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 in Lin Li's station wagon during the two hour drive from Malacca to Batu Pahat.
The Wees Assemble
June 16, 2007 (Saturday, 4:58 PM, Malaysian Time)
The Wees Assemble
SiowFong’s family members who live in Malaysia and Singapore usually come together at Ma Wee’s home four times a year. Those occasions include Chinese New Year, Pa Wee’s birthday (when he was still alive), Ma Wee’s birthday, and one of the two weekends when SiowFong and I are staying in Batu Pahat during our annual visit to Malaysia.
This year was the first in which the Wees did not assemble during Chinese New Year as Ma Wee was staying with Lydia, SiowFong, and me in the states at that time. The two reasons for this weekend’s family gathering are to celebrate Ma Wee’s birthday and to see Lydia.
MayNah, SiowFong’s eldest sibling and the oldest of the three sisters in the family, arrived with her two daughters, FeiLing and FeiChing, this morning at 8:30 AM after making a two-hour trip from Malacca, Malaysia. Next to arrive at 11:15 AM were two children of Sook Li and Saysang, SiowFong’s second oldest sibling and the oldest of the three Wee brothers. Vincent, SaySang’s son, his wife Ting Ting, and his sister Kristy also came by car after a three and a half hour journey from Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. After a three week absence from their son Isaac while he was being cared for by SaySang and Sook Li, Vincent and Ting Ting were excited to see him again.
Around 1 PM, Audrey, the youngest of SaySang’s three daughters, arrived at the Batu Pahat bus station from Singapore. Also coming by bus from Kluang, Malaysia, which is an hour’s drive from Batu Pahat, was Pa Wee’s only sister, SiowFong’s auntie from Kluang. Finally, Bernard, the youngest of SiowFong’s three brothers, his wife Choo, and Jason, their youngest son, just arrived a few minutes ago.
Lydia Today
For Lydia, encountering all the new faces of the various Wee family members was fine. Encouraged by MayLee, SiowFong, and me, she neither cried nor fussed; in addition, she permitted a number of them to hold and to carry her within minutes of being introduced to them.
She awoke this morning at 5:40 AM, took two naps in the morning (one lasting an hour and the other lasting an hour and a half), and she is taking her afternoon nap now (which may be a little longer today given all the socializing in which she has been engaged).
Friday, June 15, 2007
Photos: Malaysia, Keyboard
DSC_0010_largeLydia playing with some keys on the Yamaha keyboard, one of her favorite toys at Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's home, while looking at her mom.
Uncle Bernard and Auntie Choo purchased this keyboard years ago with the hope that Jason, their youngest son who loved music at church, would like the keyboard and later would enjoy piano lessons. That did not happen; however, Jason has enjoyed taking weekly violin lessons for the past three years.
DSC_0015_largeLydia experimenting with the keyboard.
DSC_0016_largeThe keyboard has some preset tunes, and this is Lydia dancing by gently rotating her trunk back and forth as one of those tunes was playing.
DSC_0018Lydia dancing to one of the preset tunes of the keyboard.
Notes: All photos were taken on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 in the living room of Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's home in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Child Care, Malaysian Style
June 16, 2007 (Saturday, 3:30 AM, Malaysian Time)
This trip marks the seventh consecutive year that I have visited Malaysia to spend time with SiowFong’s extended family, and during each visit, I have learned some new things about the culture and the country. This year’s discoveries began at the local supermarkets when SiowFong and I were shopping for basic items that Lydia needs daily, like baby wipes, diapers, and toddler formula, and they continued at Ma Wee’s home.
Formula
In America, feeding a child with formula generally ceases around age one as parents use whole milk instead. Toddler formula is available for those parents who continue with formula feeding until their child is two years old.
On the other hand, in Malaysia, parents do not give their preschool children whole milk; as a result, formula feeding typically occurs until at least age two or three and often continues way beyond that milestone. Mead Johnson, a division of Bristol Myers Squibb, manufactures Enfagrow, Isaac’s formula which is indicated for children from zero to three years of age. (If the name Enfagrow sounds familiar to Americans, please know that Mead Johnson makes Enfamil in the US.) Mead Johnson’s leading competitor is Nestle, which produces Lactogen for infants who are zero to six months of age and Lactogen 2 for those who are six months of age to 3 years of age (Lydia’s formula). (For those of you who have been following Lydia’s blog since January 2007, you know that she was using Lactogen 2 in China.) Both companies also make formula for children who are 4 years old or older, which is found in abundance on grocery store shelves. Finally, whereas the US-made formula does not have any taste, the Malaysian-made formulas like those made in China are sweet, and vanilla is the popular flavor.
Toddler Food
The daily staple for Chinese toddlers in Malaysia is rice porridge. Each morning, Sook Li uses a small crockpot to prepare this for Isaac. To make the congee, Sook Li uses both brown rice (1/3rd of the mixture) and white rice (2/3rds of the mixture) and adds Bovril, a beef extract. Isaac consumes two large bowls of congee each day, one at lunch and one at dinner. Sook Li also supplements Isaac’s diet with some table food, such as bread, fish, and vegetables.
Since she arrived in Batu Pahat, Lydia has been following Isaac’s example, ingesting two medium bowls of congee daily. This is what I call as the “bandwagon effect”; in other words, children like to mimic what other children are doing. At our home, Lydia periodically refused to eat her rice porridge, but at Ma Wee’s home, she has not yet demonstrated any such resistance.
Because she is eating more rice porridge with extra fiber from the brown rice, Lydia’s stomach has less room for other table food, but she still loves her vegetables. Yesterday evening, for example, when Sook Li was trying to feed Chinese broccoli to Isaac, he would not eat it. Seeing the green leafy vegetable, Lydia gestured to Sook Li that she wanted them, and she ate his entire portion! (Encouragement also helps. Because auntie MayLee loves to eat vegetables and fruits, which comprise 85 % of her diet in Melbourne, Australia, she applauds Lydia whenever she observes that Lydia is eating vegetables or fruits.)
Sleeping Contraption
For several years until about a year ago Sook Li operated a home child care facility, caring for infants, toddlers, and preschool children. With respect to sleep, Sook Li used a wooden crib for infants, and Sook Li employed a portable piece of equipment for toddlers, which Isaac uses twice a day during his morning and afternoon naps. Yesterday night, I asked MayLee, SiowFong, and Ma Wee about the name of that equipment, but none of them knew it.
Perhaps it would be better to describe it instead. The rectangular base, which is about four feet long and two feet wide, is made of metal and has four wheels located at each corner of the rectangle. Rising straight up from one side of the rectangular base is a seven foot tall metal pole in the shape of an inverted L. Suspended from this tall pole is a set of springs that connects to a hammock sack. When a toddler is placed inside the hammock sack, the child’s weight pulls on the springs, which provide a gentle up and down motion to rock the child to sleep.
Because Isaac is accustomed to this contraption, he sleeps snugly inside it. Lydia, however, has a much different opinion about it. Yesterday and the day before, when I placed Lydia into the hammock sack, she immediately began fussing and squirming.
Lydia’s Sleep Situation
Because the infant crib has siderails that are only about one foot in height, Lydia has been sleeping in a Graco playpen because she could hurt herself in a fall as she can easily climb out of the infant crib. SaySang and Sook Li have been always been very gracious to us each time we return to Batu Pahat, and during this visit, they insisted that we stay in their master bedroom, which is by far the largest bedroom in the home.
This trip marks the seventh consecutive year that I have visited Malaysia to spend time with SiowFong’s extended family, and during each visit, I have learned some new things about the culture and the country. This year’s discoveries began at the local supermarkets when SiowFong and I were shopping for basic items that Lydia needs daily, like baby wipes, diapers, and toddler formula, and they continued at Ma Wee’s home.
Formula
In America, feeding a child with formula generally ceases around age one as parents use whole milk instead. Toddler formula is available for those parents who continue with formula feeding until their child is two years old.
On the other hand, in Malaysia, parents do not give their preschool children whole milk; as a result, formula feeding typically occurs until at least age two or three and often continues way beyond that milestone. Mead Johnson, a division of Bristol Myers Squibb, manufactures Enfagrow, Isaac’s formula which is indicated for children from zero to three years of age. (If the name Enfagrow sounds familiar to Americans, please know that Mead Johnson makes Enfamil in the US.) Mead Johnson’s leading competitor is Nestle, which produces Lactogen for infants who are zero to six months of age and Lactogen 2 for those who are six months of age to 3 years of age (Lydia’s formula). (For those of you who have been following Lydia’s blog since January 2007, you know that she was using Lactogen 2 in China.) Both companies also make formula for children who are 4 years old or older, which is found in abundance on grocery store shelves. Finally, whereas the US-made formula does not have any taste, the Malaysian-made formulas like those made in China are sweet, and vanilla is the popular flavor.
Toddler Food
The daily staple for Chinese toddlers in Malaysia is rice porridge. Each morning, Sook Li uses a small crockpot to prepare this for Isaac. To make the congee, Sook Li uses both brown rice (1/3rd of the mixture) and white rice (2/3rds of the mixture) and adds Bovril, a beef extract. Isaac consumes two large bowls of congee each day, one at lunch and one at dinner. Sook Li also supplements Isaac’s diet with some table food, such as bread, fish, and vegetables.
Since she arrived in Batu Pahat, Lydia has been following Isaac’s example, ingesting two medium bowls of congee daily. This is what I call as the “bandwagon effect”; in other words, children like to mimic what other children are doing. At our home, Lydia periodically refused to eat her rice porridge, but at Ma Wee’s home, she has not yet demonstrated any such resistance.
Because she is eating more rice porridge with extra fiber from the brown rice, Lydia’s stomach has less room for other table food, but she still loves her vegetables. Yesterday evening, for example, when Sook Li was trying to feed Chinese broccoli to Isaac, he would not eat it. Seeing the green leafy vegetable, Lydia gestured to Sook Li that she wanted them, and she ate his entire portion! (Encouragement also helps. Because auntie MayLee loves to eat vegetables and fruits, which comprise 85 % of her diet in Melbourne, Australia, she applauds Lydia whenever she observes that Lydia is eating vegetables or fruits.)
Sleeping Contraption
For several years until about a year ago Sook Li operated a home child care facility, caring for infants, toddlers, and preschool children. With respect to sleep, Sook Li used a wooden crib for infants, and Sook Li employed a portable piece of equipment for toddlers, which Isaac uses twice a day during his morning and afternoon naps. Yesterday night, I asked MayLee, SiowFong, and Ma Wee about the name of that equipment, but none of them knew it.
Perhaps it would be better to describe it instead. The rectangular base, which is about four feet long and two feet wide, is made of metal and has four wheels located at each corner of the rectangle. Rising straight up from one side of the rectangular base is a seven foot tall metal pole in the shape of an inverted L. Suspended from this tall pole is a set of springs that connects to a hammock sack. When a toddler is placed inside the hammock sack, the child’s weight pulls on the springs, which provide a gentle up and down motion to rock the child to sleep.
Because Isaac is accustomed to this contraption, he sleeps snugly inside it. Lydia, however, has a much different opinion about it. Yesterday and the day before, when I placed Lydia into the hammock sack, she immediately began fussing and squirming.
Lydia’s Sleep Situation
Because the infant crib has siderails that are only about one foot in height, Lydia has been sleeping in a Graco playpen because she could hurt herself in a fall as she can easily climb out of the infant crib. SaySang and Sook Li have been always been very gracious to us each time we return to Batu Pahat, and during this visit, they insisted that we stay in their master bedroom, which is by far the largest bedroom in the home.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Photos: Second Full Day in Malaysia
DSC_0004Lydia sitting next to mom, who is answering some email on her personal digital assistant
Bottom of the stairs
Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's Home
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
DSC_0025Lydia standing near one of her favorite toys, the fruit basket full of oranges, apples, and mangosteins
Dining room
Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's Home
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
DSC_0029Auntie Choo attracts Lydia's attention by showing Lydia a teddy bear
(During the two days we were in Kuala Lumpur, auntie Choo, a mother of three sons, doted on Lydia by entertaining and playing with Lydia for a few hours on each of those days.)
Living room
Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's Home
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
DSC_0036Lydia placing a white teddy bear on her head with her right hand while holding a blue teddy bear with her left hand as she looks at Auntie Choo (who is not in the picture)
Living room
Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's Home
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
DSC_0036a_largeLydia, who is showing some signs of fatigue with her listless eyes, sitting in Isaac's car seat in uncle Bernard's minivan
DSC_0060_largeLydia holding the red envelope given to her by her paternal great uncle (Pa Wee's youngest brother) and his wife
(Red envelopes, which are a common gift in Chinese culture, contain money.)
Home of Pa Wee's youngest brother
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Note: All pictures were taken on Tuesday, June 12, 2007.
Auntie Lydia
June 15, 2007 (Friday, 3:47 AM, Malaysian Time)
Auntie Lydia
According to traditional Chinese culture, the eldest son and his family live with his parents and take care of them during their senior years. With respect to Ma Wee, she has lived with her eldest son and her second born child, SaySang, and his wife, Sook Li, for over 30 years. SaySang and Sook Li have four adult children, Nelly (daughter), Vincent (son), Kristy (daughter), and Audrey (daughter). In August 2006, SaySang and Sook Li became grandparents for the first time when Ting Ting, Vincent’s wife, gave birth to Isaac, who is 22 months old. Even though Lydia is five months younger than Issac, she instantly became an aunt to her nephew, Isaac, when she became a part of our family in January 2007.
About three weeks ago, Vincent and Ting Ting brought Isaac and his Indonesian maid in her early 20s, Ina, to Batu Pahat from their home in Kuala Lumpur for two reasons. First, Isaac could spend some more time with his paternal grandparents, SaySang and Sook Li, and second, Isaac could play with Lydia once we returned to Batu Pahat.
Isaac
Weighing slightly over 25 pounds (11.5 kilograms), which is about 5 pounds more than Lydia, Isaac is also about four or five inches taller than Lydia. As a thinly framed lad with lanky arms and legs and a fair complexion, Isaac darts and scampers through the living room, dining room, and kitchen during the day. According to SiowFong, Vincent has used the term “hyperactive” to describe his son Isaac, who possesses an abundance of energy like many other boys of his age. Yesterday Ma Wee described Isaac as “constantly in motion”.
Although Isaac will glance at a book, he definitely prefers playing with the objects of his “plastic kingdom” more than reading. One of his favorite toys is Spiderman. He also enjoys watching DVDs of nursery rhymes, and within the last two weeks, he has begun to sing along with the melodies.
Like Lydia, Isaac takes two baths per day, enjoys two naps daily, fusses and flails his arms and legs when his clothes are changed, and has a hearty appetite. Isaac also enjoys the water, so his parents purchased a small twelve foot pool for him that resides in the carport where he frolics for fifteen minutes daily. (Yesterday when Isaac was in the pool, Lydia fixed her eyes on him, intermittently turning her head towards us to point at the pool to tell us that she wanted to play in there also.)
Isaac and Lydia
For most of their time together in the living room, Isaac and Lydia play peacefully in the same space. For example, when Lydia arrived at Ma Wee’s home two days ago, Isaac handed her a few of his stuffed animals. Yesterday, during lunch time, Lydia shared a few pieces of apple with Isaac. One factor that has helped to promote a peaceful playtime has been the bounty and diversity of Isaac’s toys, many of which he inherited from extended family members.
Every once in a while, however, both Isaac and Lydia are simultaneously interested in the same toy, which results in contentiousness. When competing for the same toy, each employs a different strategy. Using his size advantage, Isaac approaches Lydia until he is right beside her; and then he tries to seize the toy (usually with one hand) and wrench it from her grasp. Lydia responds by clutching the toy tightly with both hands, and she walks away from him and towards someone whom she perceives to be sympathetic to her cause, like me, SiowFong, Ma Wee, or her auntie MayLee. Fortunately at least one adult is monitoring the children at all times and is acting as the referee to defuse these situations before any crying ensues.
Auntie Lydia
According to traditional Chinese culture, the eldest son and his family live with his parents and take care of them during their senior years. With respect to Ma Wee, she has lived with her eldest son and her second born child, SaySang, and his wife, Sook Li, for over 30 years. SaySang and Sook Li have four adult children, Nelly (daughter), Vincent (son), Kristy (daughter), and Audrey (daughter). In August 2006, SaySang and Sook Li became grandparents for the first time when Ting Ting, Vincent’s wife, gave birth to Isaac, who is 22 months old. Even though Lydia is five months younger than Issac, she instantly became an aunt to her nephew, Isaac, when she became a part of our family in January 2007.
About three weeks ago, Vincent and Ting Ting brought Isaac and his Indonesian maid in her early 20s, Ina, to Batu Pahat from their home in Kuala Lumpur for two reasons. First, Isaac could spend some more time with his paternal grandparents, SaySang and Sook Li, and second, Isaac could play with Lydia once we returned to Batu Pahat.
Isaac
Weighing slightly over 25 pounds (11.5 kilograms), which is about 5 pounds more than Lydia, Isaac is also about four or five inches taller than Lydia. As a thinly framed lad with lanky arms and legs and a fair complexion, Isaac darts and scampers through the living room, dining room, and kitchen during the day. According to SiowFong, Vincent has used the term “hyperactive” to describe his son Isaac, who possesses an abundance of energy like many other boys of his age. Yesterday Ma Wee described Isaac as “constantly in motion”.
Although Isaac will glance at a book, he definitely prefers playing with the objects of his “plastic kingdom” more than reading. One of his favorite toys is Spiderman. He also enjoys watching DVDs of nursery rhymes, and within the last two weeks, he has begun to sing along with the melodies.
Like Lydia, Isaac takes two baths per day, enjoys two naps daily, fusses and flails his arms and legs when his clothes are changed, and has a hearty appetite. Isaac also enjoys the water, so his parents purchased a small twelve foot pool for him that resides in the carport where he frolics for fifteen minutes daily. (Yesterday when Isaac was in the pool, Lydia fixed her eyes on him, intermittently turning her head towards us to point at the pool to tell us that she wanted to play in there also.)
Isaac and Lydia
For most of their time together in the living room, Isaac and Lydia play peacefully in the same space. For example, when Lydia arrived at Ma Wee’s home two days ago, Isaac handed her a few of his stuffed animals. Yesterday, during lunch time, Lydia shared a few pieces of apple with Isaac. One factor that has helped to promote a peaceful playtime has been the bounty and diversity of Isaac’s toys, many of which he inherited from extended family members.
Every once in a while, however, both Isaac and Lydia are simultaneously interested in the same toy, which results in contentiousness. When competing for the same toy, each employs a different strategy. Using his size advantage, Isaac approaches Lydia until he is right beside her; and then he tries to seize the toy (usually with one hand) and wrench it from her grasp. Lydia responds by clutching the toy tightly with both hands, and she walks away from him and towards someone whom she perceives to be sympathetic to her cause, like me, SiowFong, Ma Wee, or her auntie MayLee. Fortunately at least one adult is monitoring the children at all times and is acting as the referee to defuse these situations before any crying ensues.
Photos: First Full Day in Malaysia
DSC_0001Auntie MayLee feeding Lydia some fried noodles, which was a part of her breakfast (SiowFong had fed Lydia a bottle of formula before auntie MayLee arrived)
Room 909
Sheraton Hotel at Subang, Malaysia
June 11, 2007
9:19 AM
DSC_0011Auntie Choo gazing at Lydia, who has a bottle of water in her mouth
In the foreground is a large can of Lactogen 2, her formula in Malaysia
Living room
Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's Home
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
June 11, 2007
4:37 PM
DSC_0022Jason, Bernard's and Choo's 10-year old son (the youngest of their three sons), showing Lydia how to use the remote control for the television
Living room
Uncle Bernard's and Auntie Choo's Home
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
June 11, 2007
6:09 PM
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Kuala Lumpur to Batu Pahat
June 14, 2007 (Thursday, 3:00 AM, Malaysian Time)
Kuala Lumpur to Batu Pahat
Around 9:00 AM yesterday, we left Kuala Lumpur, the capital, for Batu Pahat, Ma Wee’s home and SiowFong’s birthplace, in Bernard’s minivan, which was at full capacity with Bernard, Lydia (in her car seat), Ma Wee, MayLee, SiowFong, and I along with our luggage and bags.
Nilai Columbarium
About an hour later, we stopped at the Nilai Columbarium, the burial site for Pa Wee, to bring flowers to his grave. In November 2004 Pa Wee was hospitalized, and during that stay, his doctors found that he had a sizeable stomach mass. In 2005, after learning that we began the process to adopt a child from China, Pa Wee bubbled with excitement, commenting that he hoped that he would live long enough to meet his new grandchild. Before this could happen, however, Pa Wee succumbed to his disease at the age of 81 in March 2006. (SiowFong still misses her dad, but she knows that he is with Jesus because he surrendered his life to Christ in 1996.)
During our hour-long stay at the columbarium, Lydia saw Pa Wee’s black and white photograph. Standing next to Pa Wee’s graveside, Ma Wee hoisted Lydia into her arms, and SiowFong took some pictures of them.
Lunch at Malacca
After Nilai, we proceeded another hour on the interstate highway heading south to Malacca, the city that has been home to SiowFong’s eldest sibling, her sister MayNah, for decades. Waiting for us at MayNah’s home at noon were MayNah, her son, Lin Li, and one of her two daughters, Fei Ching along with a sumptuous lunch of chicken rice, roast chicken, chicken eggs, chicken curry, cucumbers, a soft tofu dessert, and fruits.
During lunch, Lydia had a slight mishap. With SiowFong on her right feeding her rice and pieces of a hard boiled egg and with me on her left, Lydia was sitting on a wooden chair whose back included an 8 inch x 8 inch square opening. In between feedings, Lydia slipped out of that opening, landing on her bottom and her back. The back of her head also struck the tile floor. She cried loudly for several minutes, but comforted by SiowFong and Ma Wee, who fed her a bottle of formula, Lydia was consoled and did fine the rest of the day.
Because of the sweltering temperatures, Lydia’s hair looked like she had just emerged from a swimming pool despite being cooled by the fans in MayNah’s home and being very lightly dressed in a onesie along with her diaper. SiowFong gave her a bath at MayNah’s home before we left there, and judging from Malaysia’s typical June climate history, Lydia will be receiving two baths per day.
Late Afternoon Arrival in Batu Pahat
At 1:30 PM, we said goodbye to Bernard, who returned to his home in Petaling Jaya, a city just outside of Kuala Lumpur. For the two hour journey from Malacca to Batu Pahat, Lin Li drove us and our belongings in his large station wagon. During most of this journey, Lydia slept, and her auntie MayLee constantly checked on Lydia to make sure that she was comfortable by repositioning pillows. She also deployed Lin Li’s sunshade to block the hot rays of the sun from disrupting Lydia’s rest.
Around 4:00 PM, we arrived at Ma Wee’s home in Batu Pahat, where we were greeted by Say Sang (SiowFong’s second oldest sibling and her oldest brother), his wife Sook Li, their grandson Issac, and Issac’s Indonesian maid, Ina. Six months ago, on December 12, 2006, Ma Wee left her home to stay with her son, Bernard, and his family in Kuala Lumpur, in preparation for her trips to China and America, and now she was finally home.
Special Note about Photos
The method by which we are able to access the internet at Ma Wee’s home is through a dial-up service. During the day, the upload and download speeds do not exceed 28,000 kilobytes per second.
Because of the graphical nature of most websites, download times are slow. For example, activating the internet service and getting to Lydia’s blog to post an update have taken twenty minutes already.
Uploading text is not problematic, but uploading any large file, such as a photo, can be painstakingly slow. For example, even during off-peak hours, this means that loading a typical 2 megabyte digital photo can take 70 minutes. As a result, we will not be posting any photos to Lydia’s blog from Ma Wee’s home. If a local Internet café has high speed access, then we will complete that task there. If broadband is not an option in Batu Pahat, we will try to post the photos when we return to Malacca or Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur to Batu Pahat
Around 9:00 AM yesterday, we left Kuala Lumpur, the capital, for Batu Pahat, Ma Wee’s home and SiowFong’s birthplace, in Bernard’s minivan, which was at full capacity with Bernard, Lydia (in her car seat), Ma Wee, MayLee, SiowFong, and I along with our luggage and bags.
Nilai Columbarium
About an hour later, we stopped at the Nilai Columbarium, the burial site for Pa Wee, to bring flowers to his grave. In November 2004 Pa Wee was hospitalized, and during that stay, his doctors found that he had a sizeable stomach mass. In 2005, after learning that we began the process to adopt a child from China, Pa Wee bubbled with excitement, commenting that he hoped that he would live long enough to meet his new grandchild. Before this could happen, however, Pa Wee succumbed to his disease at the age of 81 in March 2006. (SiowFong still misses her dad, but she knows that he is with Jesus because he surrendered his life to Christ in 1996.)
During our hour-long stay at the columbarium, Lydia saw Pa Wee’s black and white photograph. Standing next to Pa Wee’s graveside, Ma Wee hoisted Lydia into her arms, and SiowFong took some pictures of them.
Lunch at Malacca
After Nilai, we proceeded another hour on the interstate highway heading south to Malacca, the city that has been home to SiowFong’s eldest sibling, her sister MayNah, for decades. Waiting for us at MayNah’s home at noon were MayNah, her son, Lin Li, and one of her two daughters, Fei Ching along with a sumptuous lunch of chicken rice, roast chicken, chicken eggs, chicken curry, cucumbers, a soft tofu dessert, and fruits.
During lunch, Lydia had a slight mishap. With SiowFong on her right feeding her rice and pieces of a hard boiled egg and with me on her left, Lydia was sitting on a wooden chair whose back included an 8 inch x 8 inch square opening. In between feedings, Lydia slipped out of that opening, landing on her bottom and her back. The back of her head also struck the tile floor. She cried loudly for several minutes, but comforted by SiowFong and Ma Wee, who fed her a bottle of formula, Lydia was consoled and did fine the rest of the day.
Because of the sweltering temperatures, Lydia’s hair looked like she had just emerged from a swimming pool despite being cooled by the fans in MayNah’s home and being very lightly dressed in a onesie along with her diaper. SiowFong gave her a bath at MayNah’s home before we left there, and judging from Malaysia’s typical June climate history, Lydia will be receiving two baths per day.
Late Afternoon Arrival in Batu Pahat
At 1:30 PM, we said goodbye to Bernard, who returned to his home in Petaling Jaya, a city just outside of Kuala Lumpur. For the two hour journey from Malacca to Batu Pahat, Lin Li drove us and our belongings in his large station wagon. During most of this journey, Lydia slept, and her auntie MayLee constantly checked on Lydia to make sure that she was comfortable by repositioning pillows. She also deployed Lin Li’s sunshade to block the hot rays of the sun from disrupting Lydia’s rest.
Around 4:00 PM, we arrived at Ma Wee’s home in Batu Pahat, where we were greeted by Say Sang (SiowFong’s second oldest sibling and her oldest brother), his wife Sook Li, their grandson Issac, and Issac’s Indonesian maid, Ina. Six months ago, on December 12, 2006, Ma Wee left her home to stay with her son, Bernard, and his family in Kuala Lumpur, in preparation for her trips to China and America, and now she was finally home.
Special Note about Photos
The method by which we are able to access the internet at Ma Wee’s home is through a dial-up service. During the day, the upload and download speeds do not exceed 28,000 kilobytes per second.
Because of the graphical nature of most websites, download times are slow. For example, activating the internet service and getting to Lydia’s blog to post an update have taken twenty minutes already.
Uploading text is not problematic, but uploading any large file, such as a photo, can be painstakingly slow. For example, even during off-peak hours, this means that loading a typical 2 megabyte digital photo can take 70 minutes. As a result, we will not be posting any photos to Lydia’s blog from Ma Wee’s home. If a local Internet café has high speed access, then we will complete that task there. If broadband is not an option in Batu Pahat, we will try to post the photos when we return to Malacca or Kuala Lumpur.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
"Please Leave Lydia in Malaysia"
June 12, 2007 (Tuesday, 10:07 PM, Malaysian Time)
“Please Leave Lydia in Malaysia”
Yesterday MayLee and Choo, two of Lydia’s aunts, showered her with love. At the hotel, MayLee began this outpouring of love by bringing breakfast to Lydia, which consisted of fried noodles, and MayLee fed Lydia her first meal of the day.
Later, when we arrived at Bernard’s and Choo’s home, Choo showed Lydia a variety of toys, including a Yamaha electronic keyboard and a variety of stuffed animals. MayLee also presented Lydia another gift, a red, zippered handbag shaped in the form of a horse. Lydia played with all of these toys, and Choo was the person who played with Lydia throughout much of the day.
With respect to the Yamaha keyboard, Lydia liked one of the preset tunes so she kept pressing a yellow button to activate that song, and as the song played, she danced to the music by gently rotating her trunk and / or waving her hands. Lydia also enjoyed playing with the fruit basket that was stocked with oranges and mangostein. She would pick up a piece of fruit and hand it to somebody.
From MayLee and Choo, Lydia received gifts, words of encouragement, funny faces, smiles, gentle touches, hugs, and time. Bernard, Choo’s husband, and their sons, Chris and Jason, also welcomed Lydia and spent time with her. With all of this attention, Lydia skipped her morning nap.
At day’s end, after cherishing her time with her niece, Choo, the mother of three sons, smiled as she said to SiowFong, “Please leave Lydia in Malaysia.”
“Please Leave Lydia in Malaysia”
Yesterday MayLee and Choo, two of Lydia’s aunts, showered her with love. At the hotel, MayLee began this outpouring of love by bringing breakfast to Lydia, which consisted of fried noodles, and MayLee fed Lydia her first meal of the day.
Later, when we arrived at Bernard’s and Choo’s home, Choo showed Lydia a variety of toys, including a Yamaha electronic keyboard and a variety of stuffed animals. MayLee also presented Lydia another gift, a red, zippered handbag shaped in the form of a horse. Lydia played with all of these toys, and Choo was the person who played with Lydia throughout much of the day.
With respect to the Yamaha keyboard, Lydia liked one of the preset tunes so she kept pressing a yellow button to activate that song, and as the song played, she danced to the music by gently rotating her trunk and / or waving her hands. Lydia also enjoyed playing with the fruit basket that was stocked with oranges and mangostein. She would pick up a piece of fruit and hand it to somebody.
From MayLee and Choo, Lydia received gifts, words of encouragement, funny faces, smiles, gentle touches, hugs, and time. Bernard, Choo’s husband, and their sons, Chris and Jason, also welcomed Lydia and spent time with her. With all of this attention, Lydia skipped her morning nap.
At day’s end, after cherishing her time with her niece, Choo, the mother of three sons, smiled as she said to SiowFong, “Please leave Lydia in Malaysia.”
Photos: Hong Kong, Avenue of the Stars
DSC00044.JPGLydia sitting in her stroller on the Avenue of the Stars in Hong Kong.
DSC00049.JPGDad carrying Lydia.
DSC00051
Mom holding Lydia.
Notes: All pictures were taken on Saturday, June 9, 2007 around 3:15 PM.
The Avenue of the Stars in Hong Kong is a boardwalk that celebrates Chinese film celebrities that is modeled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Located at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, the Avenue of the Stars provides a panoramic view of the Victoria Harbour. Each night between 8:00 PM and 8:15 PM, the Symphony of Lights, a laser light show, occurs at Victoria Harbour.
Because these photos were taken with a digital camcorder, the file size of these images ranges from about 800 KB to 900 KB, which is about a third the size of the digital camera pictures.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Photo: Hong Kong Banquet
DSC_0002(left to right): Lydia, SiowFong, Ma Wee, great aunt Woon, and Mr. Wong (great aunt Woon's husband)
Our dinner banquet table with twelve seats where we ate with great aunt Woon's family
Celestial Court Chinese Restaurant
Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers
20 Nathan Road
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Arrival in Malaysia
June 11, 2007 (Monday, 8:17 AM, Malaysia Time)
Arrival in Malaysia
Our China Airlines flight departed from Hong Kong International Airport yesterday at 6:30 PM, landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 10:10 PM. Lydia slept peacefully during the three and a half hour flight, and Ma Wee, SiowFong, and I rested well during that time also.
After collecting our baggage and clearing customs, we strolled towards the airport’s arrival terminal. SiowFong led our group into the great hall as she directed the stroller out of the customs area. In the stroller, Lydia was sipping her bottle of formula slowly and studying her new environment, and Ma Wee walked beside them. I followed these three ladies as I was pushing the cart with the luggage.
As we were scanning the crowd for familiar faces, we first saw MayLee, one of SiowFong’s two sisters, waving a bright yellow plastic bag as we were strolling towards the arrival terminal of the airport. MayLee, the first Wee family member to greet us, stooped to say hello to Lydia and immediately pulled out Lydia’s special gift from that yellow bag, a soft, stuffed red square pillow onto which was sewn a small stuffed horse. Choo, one of SiowFong’s three sister-in-laws, also beamed and cheerfully greeted Lydia. Bernard, Choo’s husband who had met Lydia in January when he accompanied Ma Wee to China, smiled as he observed all the attention that was being lavished on the person whom he had called “The Little Princess”.
Sheraton Hotel at Subang
After leaving from the airport, Bernard drove everybody to the Sheraton Hotel at Subang. SiowFong, Lydia, and I are staying here for three nights because Bernard’s and Choo’s home is at full occupancy with Ma Wee and MayLee staying there. By the time Lydia retired for the evening, it was 12:30 PM.
Arrival in Malaysia
Our China Airlines flight departed from Hong Kong International Airport yesterday at 6:30 PM, landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 10:10 PM. Lydia slept peacefully during the three and a half hour flight, and Ma Wee, SiowFong, and I rested well during that time also.
After collecting our baggage and clearing customs, we strolled towards the airport’s arrival terminal. SiowFong led our group into the great hall as she directed the stroller out of the customs area. In the stroller, Lydia was sipping her bottle of formula slowly and studying her new environment, and Ma Wee walked beside them. I followed these three ladies as I was pushing the cart with the luggage.
As we were scanning the crowd for familiar faces, we first saw MayLee, one of SiowFong’s two sisters, waving a bright yellow plastic bag as we were strolling towards the arrival terminal of the airport. MayLee, the first Wee family member to greet us, stooped to say hello to Lydia and immediately pulled out Lydia’s special gift from that yellow bag, a soft, stuffed red square pillow onto which was sewn a small stuffed horse. Choo, one of SiowFong’s three sister-in-laws, also beamed and cheerfully greeted Lydia. Bernard, Choo’s husband who had met Lydia in January when he accompanied Ma Wee to China, smiled as he observed all the attention that was being lavished on the person whom he had called “The Little Princess”.
Sheraton Hotel at Subang
After leaving from the airport, Bernard drove everybody to the Sheraton Hotel at Subang. SiowFong, Lydia, and I are staying here for three nights because Bernard’s and Choo’s home is at full occupancy with Ma Wee and MayLee staying there. By the time Lydia retired for the evening, it was 12:30 PM.
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