Friends are relatives we choose for ourselves

Two couples dear to us will be leaving St Louis for new, exciting chapters in their lives. And not just for us adults, but our boys too (pictured above with them), we will miss them so much when they go off!

For one couple, their departure date is already set for one week away. And they are probably booked up with farewell parties one after another. Like the one last night, dinner for them with the other Singaporeans was a Chinese buffet spread, before all adjourned to another couple's place for some chitchat -- for what's a gathering without this key ingredient? It was also a wonderful opportunity to catch up with those we don't always get to see. And it's nice when we do!

Awhile ago, I came across a quote that says, "Friends are the relatives we choose for ourselves". How insightful! And like saying goodbye to our relatives before coming here and telling that to Gong Gong last week after his visit, knowing it will be awhile before we will see them again, it's just as hard to do, with friends back home, and those we've got to know here, who've touched our lives in their own special ways. And especially if we don't know if our paths will cross again, the way chances are higher only if they are really our relatives!

It's true, there are just so many people and fellow travellers we get to share life's path with. But way too often, we take not just our own family membes but our friends also, for granted!

For Melvin and Gerrie, like everyone else queuing up to get their shots taken with them, we did so, too! We will get just a bit more time with them later this week.

And for Chin Tong and Mandy, we know the next couple of months before they leave will also go by faster than we know it!

We hope to catch them around while they're still here, and after that, be able to keep in touch, one with another!

All pictures taken by Melvin.

(I will try and upload more later if Blogger doesn't die on me, and my boys aren't screaming, as they always do when I try and sit down, even when it's for a simple post like this one).