A fruitful trip indeed

Can't believe the past 10 days went by so quickly. Before i knew it, I am back in the emergency department in Caboolture Hospital clerking new cases.

My trip back home has been a really packed but fruitful one. When I landed in LCCT on Saturday afternoon, the first thing in my mind was to finish up the proposal video that i was making for my gf. I WAS GOING TO PROPOSE TO HER THAT NIGHT AND MY VIDEO WAS NOT DONE YET! Haha.. That night, after a romantic dinner in Fukuya Restaurant (Japanese), I blind-folded her and brought her home, where all her best friends and family members have gathered. The garden was decorated with colourful lightings, photos, flowers etc. There and then, I showed her the video that i have made and proposed to her in front of her family and best friends. How could she say no? :D :D :D

The garden

On both knees. 'Will you marry me?'

Sharing intimate moment

This is soon followed by meet the parents session. Both sides of the family have a good time getting to know one another, and i am just really thankful that Mao's parents are very understanding and my parents were co-operative on that day too. We had a great lunch in Westlake restaurant with every member of the families in Sunway hotel!

Meet the parents session

Celebrating Fathers' day

Little Eli. Doesn't he look like Channy?

Little Joel

We traveled to Port Dickson on the same day for our long-awaited family trip! Family trip is something that i have always looked forward and i really enjoy spending time with all my siblings. We all came from difficult family background with divorced parents and tight finances. But the one thing that i am really proud of is the close bond that we share with one another. We spent the next three days having devotion and sharing, playing volleyball, beach soccer, Mafia, makan-makan (eating sessions), and getting to know a new member of our family - Eli Tee! Eli Tee is about 4 month old when we saw him and he was really cute. Together with Joel, they make the cutest and most adorable members of our family now. All my siblings brought their partners along so it was a good time for the ladies to bond together. I am thankful that Zoe, Zhong and Mao can click quite well. They spent most of their time talking about wedding, the latest gossips, and about their work too.

Volleyball game

Time in the lagoon with my sister

After trip, i spent the next few days running a few errands with my gf. We went from Midvalley, to Putrajaya (for marriage registration), to her new house, to furniture shop, to Shrek musical, to meet our pastor for pre-marital counseling, and to her church for a conference on homosexuality and pornography addiction, to meet some friends and to play volleyball with my old mates. In between of these, I managed to squeeze in some running. I was glad that i was able to run without any pain now.

Shrek musical

With Farook and Yinn Cher. Oh how i miss playing volleyball with them!

Our new dog - Little Holly

Then came Sunday - a big day for Rachel and I. With some last minute training, i decided to run the half marathon (21km) using Jeremy Boy's race bib. I had no expectation for the run because i know I had been injured for most part of May and June. I just thought I would go in and do my best. Wearing my IMU jersey as usual, I arrived in Dataran Merdeka seeing thousands of runners. I was really far back in the starting line and i wasted quite a lot of time in the beginning trying to squeeze past runners. The run was very well organised and there were a lot of water station along the route. I enjoyed the run a lot. It felt good to be running in home soil once again.

Crossing the finish line in 1:31:06

My ever supportive gf

Shaharudin (middle) - the men champion in Marathon open category

After the run, we went to Rachel's church - Sibkl. After church service, it was Rachel's baptism. I have been waiting for this day for a long time now! I really thank God for everything that He has done in Rachel's life. I know i was not going to miss her baptism for anything, so i secretly went to the ED coordinator to request for a delay start to my work so i could stay in Malaysia longer. Watching Rachel's excitement before the baptism, I was just so touched because i know she too, had been waiting for this day for a long time. She has come a long way to arrive at where she is.

Mao, I really pray God would chain our hearts to His and to each other. I pray that you will grow each day in the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and be a shining light to people around. :)

Pastor Chew (left) in Sibkl

Rachel's baptism

Thank God for her. :)

All in all I had a great time in Malaysia. It's sad that my trip had come to an end. Now I am really looking forward to going home again in September!