(Photo Taken: Mui Wo Bus Depot, Lantau Island – While waiting for our next adventure…)

(Photo Taken: Home with Elkan – who is born in the year of the Monkey. These are only just the expression…Wait till you hear his statements)

The meeting of the 4 generation ended yesterday. Mischievous Elkan bid farewell to his grandmother and great-grandmother. It was quite an amazing "life lesson" for him when Auntie Amy showed him the bloodline. It is like a brand new discovery for him to see his daddy’s mum’s mum. And when Elkan found out that his favourite Grand Auntie Amy is the mother
of his fearsome and scary Uncle Chester, he gave us that priceless exclamation "What? You mean you are Uncle Chester’s mum?" (Chester, you should see that expression! It is hilarious!)

Mum got Felicia and I to plan a surprise birthday celebration for Auntie Amy. We decided to do that on their last day in Hong Kong. When the waiter brought in the cake, Elkan ran up to Auntie Amy and forced a hard kiss on her cheek! It was such a spontaneous act! He took Auntie Amy by surprise!

As it was still early, we brought the folks to do last-minute shopping at the Wanchai market and Causeway Bay.

When it was to say goodbye, there wasn’t any sadness or tears. Guess Elkan and his grannies know he is going back to Singapore soon. (And no one to nag about my obesity anymore!) We
have been prepping him about his school graduation and his returning
trip to Singapore. Elkan has enjoyed 3 excellent years outside
Singapore. It is time for him to head home to adjust the dynamic education footprint. And time to spend blissful time with his doting aunties and uncles back home.

This week, we welcome our 90th Visitors from Malacca! Meet my cousins-in-law Ben, May, Ammie and nieces and nephew Bryan, Veron and Adeline! Not forgetting Elkan’s favourite Poi-Poi and aunties-in-law! 

It was a tiring trip for most of them. Not from the shopping and walking – but the kids! Really, it wasn’t a good idea to gather all the kids together. The kids were okay when they were left alone…but when you put all of them together – it was Typhoon Rascals! They transformed into uncontrollable monsters, terrorising every one in the group. Lucky for me, I only need to face them for a short while. Elkan was the Ring-Leader and got the other innocent kids into trouble. They left destruction everywhere – running around on the MTR, playing hide-&-seek in the retail shops and toppling vase at the hotel lobby… Casualties? 3 adults (Felicia and mum lost their voices) were down with illness and my backache is haunting me right now.

The Js Family is back in Hong Kong – James, Jovel and Jovin! And guess what, we are expecting the 4th "J" soon! (Opps, me and my big mouth!)

Life is so different this week. Overnight, we are overwhelmed with noisy kids and shopperholic-aunties who can outrun me in any marathon. The Js Family joined my family-in-law combing Hong Kong. Over the past 3 days, they covered Disneyland, the Peak and all major shopping streets! For the first time, my sister entered China’s soil via Zhuhai – seasick. What an unpleasant experience for them!

5 short days – that is all the time they have for us. Very soon, all these noise, buzz will be gone. And Elkan has started to miss all of them. The Js are leaving this Friday. And Elkan’s favourite Poipoi will be leaving next Wednesday. (Dun worry… consolations are coming – still have Jimmy, Cousin Bin, Rovis and Ida!)

Kinship is important. And opportunities like these are rare and precious. The money I earned today cannot buy back another time like this. Certainly, my 5-year old son knows this better than his old dad.

When saying goodbye to Qiqi at the taxi stand just now, he yelled to her and said "I want to see you tomorrow and Friday, okay?" Knowing that Qiqi and family will be leaving on Friday, he reminded me on the cab that he only left 2 more days to play with her. When asked "Will you cry when Qiqi leaves". Elkan replied in his purest innocence, "Yes. Of course I will cry. Because I am sad to see her go, daddy."

Even at such a young age, he knows how to treasure every minute and second he spends with his family. Shame on me, I have the option to choose between work and family. And many times, I neglected my family – be it here or back in Singapore. Really, that is no excuse for that. Family comes first.