We Made It...

      MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM SINGAPORE!  Since we found out we were making a mid-year move my one goal was to find a home and get a tree up before Christmas.  By the hair of our chinny-chin-chins we did it!  We moved into our new high rise December 21 and the tree went up December 23!  Of course it was not without some drama, excitement and a little aggie engineering!  Yes, the tree is beautiful but the rest of the apartment looks like an episode of HOARDERS!  Living in an apartment can really make you realize how much stuff you have!

OUR NEW DELUXE-APARTMENT-IN-THE-SKY-Y-Y...
(DERIC KEEPS SINGING THE JEFFERSON'S THEME SONG TO HIMSELF)

THE LIST OF ALL OUR WORLDLY POSSESSIONS..
MUST CHECK EACH ITEM OFF AS IT IS BROUGHT IN

BY THE END OF DAY 1...

THIS IS THE VIEW LOOKING DOWN FROM OUR LIVING ROOM.
THE KIDS LOVE GOING DOWN AND RIDING THEIR SCOOTERS
ALL ALONG THE PATHS!  WE LET THEM GO DOWN BY THEMSELVES
WHICH THEY LOVE! SANTA BROUGHT THEM NEW WALKIE
TALKIES SO WE CAN CHAT WITH THEM WHILE THEY ARE DOWN.

So how many Aggies does it take to put up a Christmas tree that showed up with 
a missing base?  ONE!  In Singapore you get looked at kind of funny when you ask
 "Do you sell Christmas tree stands?"  
After searching the city for a stand with no luck it was time to get
 creative.  I came home to find one Aggie Engineer building
 a tree-stand out of a wooden bucket and some bailing wire.  
All supplies we had on hand! Thank GOD for my 
handy-husband!  He can fix ANYTHING!  Tree went up...2 days before Christmas.  
A first in the Bryant household.  But all that matters is it went up!

THANK YOU BLUE BUCKET



KIDS LOVED LOOKING THROUGH THE ORNAMENT
BOX THAT HAD NOT BEEN OPENED IN 2 YEARS!


Our apartment is just minutes from Orchard Road which is a famous shopping street in
 Singapore. We have had some fun evenings walking down and seeing the Christmas sights!  
I have really been enjoying walking everywhere.  
We don't have a car yet..they drive on the other side of the road here!  

WHEN TAKING OUR KIDS PICTURES IN SINGAPORE WE OFTEN
NOTICE OTHER PEOPLE TAKING THEIR PICTURES AS WELL.
IT IS A LITTLE WEIRD..

THESE ELEPHANTS ARE ALL OVER THE CITY!

IN CASE WE START MISSING THE MIDDLE EAST
THERE IS A SHAWARMA STAND MINUTES BY!

Christmas Eve morning one of Deric's coworkers invited us to a Christmas Pageant at 

their church.  It was so nice to get out of the apartment and hear some Christmas music 

and get into the spirit.  Yes, we were the only Westerners in the room.  But hey!  We are

 getting used to that!

BLAKE IS THAT YOU?  SO GROWN UP LOOKING!

THIS IS OUTSIDE OUR BUILDING AT OUR NEW HOME FOUR SEASONS PARK.
WE LIVE IN THE "AUTUMN" BUILDING.

Christmas Eve night we had a traditional Christmas dinner at The American Club. We will 

spend a lot of time at The American Club during our time in Singapore eating, 

swimming and doing after school activities.  

THEY HAD A CRAFT ROOM SET UP FOR THE KIDS
DURING DINNER AND OF COURSE OLIVIA MADE A FRIEND!

When we got home it was time for Christmas jammies and a song Olivia composed herself about Christmas!  She loves music and did a great job!

I WAS TRYING TO GET A PHOTO OF THE 4 KIDDOS IN FRONT OF THEIR AMAZING
STOCKINGS MY MOM MADE AND THIS WAS AS GOOD AS IT GOT!  THIS YEAR MOM
FINISHED LILLY'S.  SHE OUTDID HERSELF AS USUAL!  IT IS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!
TIME FOR SLEEP!  SANTA NEEDS TO COME!

HE FOUND US!  

THIS IS THE FACE YOU GET WHEN YOU HAVE A CHRISTMAS
DAY COLD AND FEVER! CHECK OUT THE STOCKING!

 We ended our Christmas day with a visit to our new church, St. Ignatius.  The service and music were beautiful and the church was so clean and sand-free!  There is a really nice open-air back area that that is perfect for sitting with wiggly toddlers!   We all felt great about our new place of worship...and that we will visit there on Sundays!  Not Fridays!

Peace, Love and Many blessings to all our friends and family all over the world!  

Happy New Year and CHEERS FROM SINGAPORE!

   

Fabulous Farewells

There are some moments in your life that you know you will remember forever...Moments that fill your heart up so much you think it just might burst.  Moments that no matter how old and senile you might get one day, you will NEVER forget the details.  Moments that you will hear yourself retelling over and over to whoever will listen.  This was one of those nights for me.  

My ASD friends came together dressed in their Asian finest and threw me a fabulous farewell.  I knew we were getting together on a particular night but the rest of the evening was a total surprise. The decorations were unbelievable, the food delicious and the company and well wishes were...well unforgettable. The Invitation read....(poetry by Carol Chew!)

Six in the Sand or Singapore Six,
Goodbye to a friend is a difficult trick.
From Texas she came to a land full of malls
And sandstorms and camels and buildings so tall.
She shared her bright smile and creative touch
To ASD families, she's just meant so much.

Her time here was short and we'll miss her so dearly,
She is off to the place known as Lion City.
Let's say our goodbyes with a true Asian touch,
And all wear cheongsam, kimonos and such.
With dragons and lanterns and silks to the floor,
Red and black is the theme, but there is so much more.
Let's keep that a secret, so please don't you share,
Just decide if the chopsticks look good in your hair!

Let's give her a wish, a hug and a kiss,
A farewell so special, you don't want to miss.
And soon she'll be settled in a land far away.
She'll unpack her boxes, probably all in a day!
A new town to wander, explore and to roam,
And working to make a house their new home.

WOW!  I WAS SO SURPRISED TO SEE EVERYONE 
SO DECKED OUT IN THEIR ASIAN ATTIRE!

AT FIRST MY SWEET PARTY HOSTESSES GAVE ME THIS

TOP THAT BLAKE IS WEARING TO WEAR TO THE PARTY..

FLATTERED THAT THEY THOUGHT I WAS SO SMALL...

IT WOULDN'T ZIP!  LUCKILY THEY HAD A BACK-UP! 

MY HOSTESSES WITH THE MOSTESSES!!!!! THEY WENT

ABOVE AND BEYOND! THE DETAILS...THE DETAILS!

THIS LITTLE CAT WAS WAVING GOOD-BYE!

THE DECORATIONS WERE STUNNING!

EACH OF THESE LITTLE COIN PURSES CONTAINED

A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO ME FROM EACH GUEST!

A TABLE FULL OF FRIENDS..WHAT A BLESSING

THE CAKE SAID "GOOD LUCK" IN CHINESE (I THINK)

LOOK CLOSELY AND YOU WILL SEE FISH

SWIMMING IN THE VASES!

NOT SURE HOW TO "EXPAT" WITHOUT THESE TWO

MY FRIENDS CAME UP ONE BY ONE AND READ EACH

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE LITTLE PURSES.  

I REALLY CAN'T PUT TO WORDS HOW ALL THESE SWEET

SENTIMENTS MADE ME FEEL!  THEY GAVE ME WINGS!

FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF THESE SMILES
HAVE GREETED ME DAILY AT ASD.   THESE FACES
WELCOMED ME WHEN I WAS NEW AND SOME OF
THESE FACES I WELCOMED WHEN THEY WERE NEW!
THESE FRIENDS MADE ME FEEL AT HOME WHEN I WAS NOT.
THEY ENCOURAGED ME WHEN I WAS BLUE.  THESE ARE
THE AMAZING MOMMIES OF MY KID'S FRIENDS.
 THESE ARE THE FACES THAT HAVE SAID
OVER AND OVER "IT WILL ALL WORK OUT".

DO YOU THINK THEY WILL ALL FIT IN ONE OF MY 17 SUITCASES TOMORROW?



A few weeks later we enjoyed a very Nalco Christmas Bon Voyage party!  
Our Nalco friends came together to celebrate Christmas and to wish us 
well.  One of Deric's coworkers Ron, and his lovely wife Satrece hosted 
a beautiful night for us and all the NAL-FAMILY.  We invited 
a few extra special friends to share in the night!  

THE NALCO GANG!

OUR PARTY HOSTS RON AND SATRECE!

WE HAD A GREAT TIME PLAYING THE WHITE ELEPHANT GAME.

NALCO PAL MR. TODD WASIK DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB 

LEADING THE GAME!

THERE WERE SOME VERY CREATIVE GIFTS!

WE WERE SO GLAD OUR FELLOW AGGIES ROD AND 

ASHLEE DANIEL MADE IT IN FOR THE PARTY.  ROD IS 

A VET FOR GODOLPHIN, SHEIKH MOHAMMED'S HORSE

 RACING COMPANY.  HE LIVES IN DUBAI EVERY YEAR

FROM LATE NOVEMBER UNTIL AFTER THE WORLD

 CUP IN MARCH!  HE IS ALSO A FRATERNITY BROTHER OF DERIC'S!  

WHAT A SMALL WORLD THAT THESE TWO ENDED UP IN

DUBAI AT THE SAME TIME.  WE WON'T DISCUSS THE FACT

THAT WE LEFT A WEEK AFTER THEY ARRIVED.

MY FRIEND CATHY WAS THRILLED WITH HER

 THREE FRAMED PHOTOS OF OUR HOST RON!

I DID NOT GO HOME WITH THIS COOL CANDLE LANTERN.  STOLEN!

SATRECE OPENED THE GIFT I BROUGHT.  A WORD COLLAGE

 I MADE ABOUT DUBAI.  SHE DIDN'T KEEP IT TOO LONG.  STOLEN!

BY KATIE!  HOWEVER, KATIE DIDN'T KEEP IT EITHER!

IT WENT HOME WITH ASHLEE!

I ENDED UP WITH THIS AMAZING STITCHED PILLOW SHOWING

ALL THE AMAZING LANDMARKS IN DUBAI!  THANK YOU  NANCY! 

YES, I HAD TO STEAL IT! I LOVE IT!

HAVE I MENTIONED HOW MUCH I WILL MISS THEM!?

THANK YOU SNEEDONS FOR JOINING THE NAL-CROWD FOR THE NIGHT!

AND FOR BEING SUCH AMAZING JBR NEIGHBORS DURING OUR LAST DAYS!

DERIC GIVING A TOAST AT THE END OF THE NIGHT..NOTICE

HIS SNAZZY NEW JACKET I PICKED FOR HIM?

OUR FAVORITE IRISH JOINED US FOR THE NIGHT AS WELL...

THE NIGHT IS JUST NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT THE IRISH...



THANKS NAL PALS FOR THE AMAZING SEND OFF!  AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL IT WAS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER AS WELL!  

I complete this post from a hotel room in Singapore.  We successfully made it in Sunday evening with 7 humans and 17 (no, I am not kidding) containers/suitcases.  We were quite a sight to see.  Tomorrow our container will be unloaded and we will start to set up our home in our.......HIGHRISE apartment!  Yes!  We are CITY MICE for a while!  Details to come!

CHEERS FROM SINGAPORE!?  (that will take some getting used to)