Eighty eight ( 88 ) is a lucky number to the Chinese because the words when spoken in Cantonese is "Fatt Fatt" which sounds the same as prosperity. Since our parents turned 88 this year, we could not let this milestone pass without a celebration. And because all of us will be present for Alex's wedding in United States, we thought it's a good idea to celebrate for them while there. We decided to have a family party on 4th July, 2019 at Debbie's house at Cypress Way, Rolling Hills.
All eight of us children with our parents at Tina's house days before the celebration.
The extended family.
The venue is at Debbie's home.
In the morning, we helped decorate the house.
It's a house party, but we make sure the arrangements are exquisite.
The lucky number must be prominently displayed.
Dad must have the prominent seat.
Orderly seating arrangements.
The sisters having their own excitement.
All the other elegant ladies joined them for the party photo shoot.
Familiar food from home.
Beautiful chopsticks wrapped in matching fabric.
Fruits for dessert.
Fried wanton salad.
You can take Malaysians out of the country,
but you can't take the Malaysians out of them.
Where there's "sugar", there are ants.
Food that we grew up with.
Debbie the Chef, Tina the food tester and the other two "sibuk kaki".
Mum loves the traditional "ang ku kueh".
Chef with her Sous Chefs.
Instagram paparazzi.
The celebrities.
Happy 88th Birthday, Mum and Dad.
They have special attachment.
Adorable grand nieces.
Mum and her daughter with her daughter's daughter.
Sisters act.
With the sons
With the daughters.
All together for one more family photo update.
All the daughters and daughters in law.
With Tina's family.
With Yvonne and I.
With Stephen and Jo.
Happy Ah Meow.
Jessie's personal dedication to parents.
She had written a Hokkien poem for them.
Parents loving it.
The light hearted comical poem had everyone laughing.
She herself is as tickled by what she penned as she delivers it in Hokkien.
Nobody laughs as much as she did, her very own "pantun".
The poem is witty.
Teochew Ah Meow also understand the Hokkien puns and gave a thumbs up.
Both of them are so tickled by Jessie's wit in her poem.
Next agenda is more sober.
Eldest son Stephen presenting Mum a certificate.
Eldest daughter Jessie presenting Dad a certificate.
Both of them represent the children in presenting the gift.
It's the approval of the Green Card application to stay with all their children in the States. In their advance years, they want nothing more than to be with their children wherever they are.
Stephen cap it off with a bottle of premium whiskey for Dad to celebrate the joyous occasion.
Grandson Nicholas flew back from San Francisco to celebrate and promptly gifted them with the traditional red packets. He was looked after by them for a few months from birth when in New Zealand.
I wanted an "ang pow" from him too.
Jamie came in midway during the party.
She had just flew in from Hawaii.
A big hug for grand dad who have seen her grown from Malaysia to New Zealand and US.
Also a big hug for granny who had looked after her when she was born in Malaysia.
Eden shy and holding on to Trenton as great grandma tries to get to her.
A good whiskey makes a man very happy.
It also makes a young man smile.
The cousins grew up together in NZ and are still together in the States.
After the slide show recapping our parents life through the years, it's time to dig in.
The best food are the food you grow up with.
The best drinks are those that you toast with your family.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaam Siiiiiiiiiing.
Catch up time.
There's always a lot to talk about.
We do not have many opportunities to meet like this.
But at each opportunity, we make it memorable.
And when we look back over the years, it's moments like this that will be held on to dearly.
The occasion also brings the cousins together.
It also allows the grandchildren to connect with their grandparents.
Family must not exist only in names, it must be fostered through family events and festivities.
In our own way, we marked the our parents important milestone in their long life. Events like this are meant to leave behind indelible moments for us to treasure in our later years. The slide show is a recap of or parents life and is posted in a separate blog entitled "Multimedia dedication to our parent's 88th Birthday." It has a lot of black and white photos of our parents early years which is now the only memory of their past. That is a supplementary blog and should be viewed after this.
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