Malaysia - Sultan Abdul Samad Building

Postcard from ChenChinSian from Malaysia

Description: The Sultan Abdul Samad Building, (the Judicial Department and the High Court.)

Finland–Christmas 1937

Postcard from tuusannuuska from Finland

Description:
Rudolf Koivu artwork
Christmas card for the year 1937 (OTAVA)

Rudolf Koivu (1890-1946) the first illustrations were published in children's magazines in the early 1910s. After this, he illustrated countless fairy tale and school books and children's magazines. He developed the most popular children's books kutvittaga Finland. Rudolf Koivu's life's work created the basis for the Finnish fairy tale illustrations.  (via Google Translate)

Four hugs a day and Santa too

So things got a little hectic around here in December, but I thought I’d get caught up a bit even though it’s already January. Before Christmas, J and I went up to the City Square Shopping Centre and took in a little Charlotte Diamond before visiting with Santa Claus (we went last year too).

We had a great time singing along with Charlotte Diamond – J knew a bunch of her songs from her music classes at daycare. After the concert we hung around and waiting for a bit and then, the jolly old elf himself came riding down the escalator.

J waited patiently in line and ended up being the third child to visit with Santa. She was so excited to see him (he was the same Santa as last year – this year she didn’t check his beard to make sure it was real!)

There were some problems with the equipment, so J had to wait patiently with Santa to have her picture taken. I think she talked to him for almost ten minutes.

In the end, we didn’t get a photo (thank goodness I had my camera with me), but J had a nice visit. She said that even though they had a long chat, Santa forgot to ask her what she wanted. It’s a good thing she had written him a letter earlier – he must have received it because on Christmas morning there was an umbrella and an alarm clock in her stocking.

Saying goodbye

Yesterday our family spent the day remembering Alex’s mom, Joan. After a difficult illness, she died in her sleep last week.

Joan was born in England and moved to Canada when she was a young woman to work as a draftsperson at the Avro Arrow. While in Canada, she met a young RCMP officer at Parliament Hill in Ottawa (Alex’s dad), who she eventually married. Their wedding was in England and then they moved to Ontario. Alex’s older brother was born there. After a few years, they moved to Burnaby and then to Surrey where Alex’s dad grew up. There they had two more sons.

The first time I met Joan, I felt like she had decided I was already part of her family. As an immigrant who married a man with a very small family, Joan was always happy to make her family bigger. I heard her squeal through the phone when Alex called to tell her we were getting married.

She was so excited when we told her we were pregnant with J and when Alex announced cub #2 would be arriving some time in April, she was overjoyed. Joan loved her family and always wanted to do “something” to help us out…We never left her home after a visit with out “something.” Sometimes she had happened upon a sale on bath towels and picked up some extras for us. Sometimes we came home with a bag full of cold cuts, cheeses and buns to make our lunches for the week. Sometimes it was a folded $5 bill for J to do something special with – J would save her money up and take it somewhere with her. Those little folded bills bought souvenirs at the Aquarium, new books, and a visit to the movie theatre. More than once we came home with a turkey or a roast. One time, before I had any idea what to do with it, she sent us home with a massive hunk of pork – it was longer than my forearm. Alex liked it best when we were sent home with Costco sized boxes of goodies – Mint Patties and jellies were his favourites and Joan remembered that when she went shopping.

I will always remember how much Joan’s family meant to her and the kindness she always showed us. When I watch Alex, I can see some of Joan in him. Her love and desire for a big family lives on in him – I saw it when he met my huge extended family for the first time and instead of approaching them and all their loud, craziness tentatively, he dove in head first. And I see it every day when he plays with J and talks about our new baby and our plans for the future.

Rest in peace Joan. We miss you.

Germany and the Netherlands: Goats and Gulpen

Postcard from Sternchen1986 from Germany

Description: None, but I think maybe they’re goats??

Postcard from nenaaaa from the Netherlands

Finland and Taiwan: Christmas and Trains

Postcards from AiriK from Finland. We got two lovely Christmas postcards plus a bunch of really pretty Christmas stamps.

Postcard from kakoui from Taiwan

Description: Alishan Forest Railway

China and Germany: Cats and Cars

Postcard from semper-fi from China

Postcard from Credibility from Germany

Description: It is on account of the grown-ups and their ways. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you, “What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?” Instead, they demand: “How old is he? How many brothers does has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?” Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.

-“The Little Prince”

France, Taiwan and Slovenia: Christmas elf, Chang-Kai Shek Memorial Hall and Maribor

Postcard from Majesta from France

I LOVE the Christmas postcards we’ve received…I really wish we have Christmas postcards like they have in Europe.

Postcard from WenChao0709 from Taiwan

Postcard from Lionheart from Slovenia

Description: Maribor, Slovenija

Good morning January

Well, 2013, you're here. I've been wishing for you for a while, but when I woke up this morning, nothing had changed except the calendar. I guess those changes are up to me and aren't some miracle that happens at the stroke of midnight between December 31 and January 1.

Your good friend 2012 threw a few fast ones our way last year, but we just kept pushing forward. I think, for now, 2012 will stay on record as being the most challenging year of my life (to date). Just when I figured it couldn't swing anything more at me, it mustered up another punch from somewhere and aimed for my head, or my heart.

But we outsmarted 2012. We won because we made it to 2013 and 2012, well, it needs to stay back there in memory land and it doesn't get to move forward. Maybe it's in a perpetual 2012 Groundhog Day. It can stay there.

At our house, and in the homes of many of our family and friends, 2012 dealt out too many servings of heartache, poor health, loss, uncertainty and general misery. But do you know what, we're better for it. Our family left 2012 as a stronger, more cohesive, harmonious, happy unit, despite the challenges the year brought us and some it refused to take with it. And even with the challenges, there were so many joys. We have so much in our lives to be grateful for and yes it was challenging, but remembering how blessed we really are kept us going through the challenges.

So to 2012, thank you for giving everyone in my family strength(s) we didn't know we had, when we needed it (them) most. Thank you for the kindness, empathy, sympathy and warmth shown to us when we needed, when we didn't need it and most especially when we were certain we didn't need it or want it but couldn't do without it. Thank you for reminding us in so many ways to be thankful for the people in our lives and grateful for what we have. Thank you for the challenges, because they made us stronger. Thank you for the constant reminders to tell the people who are important to us just that. That they are important. And to tell them why. And often. Thank you for forcing us to grow and change because that is where we'll find our happiness this year. Thank you for showing us we are resilient and stronger than we ever knew.

And 2013, thank you for being here this morning to offer us the hope of fresh beginnings. Thank you for the happy times we know you hold. Thank you for the arrivals we're eagerly anticipating. Please be gentle to us as you, like every year before you, give us whatever challenges you think we need and as you keep something dear to us when we move on to 2014 (I know, it's still a long way away).

My promise to you 2013? I am going to savour every moment I get with every person I love. I am not going to dwell on 2012, but I'm going to look forward to the wonder 2013 promises. Every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to bed (even if it is multiple times) I am going to remember all that I'm grateful for.

So 2013, give me your challenges, give me your joys. I'm ready for you. This is going to be a good year.

USA and Russia: Ladies and Cakes

Postcard from bachfan from the USA

Description: The Pinned Hat, 1898
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French, 1841-1919
Gift of Grace Bliss Dayton
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Postcard from HannaZhurko from Russia