So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. – Luke 2:15-18 (New King James Version)

"Go and Tell" – from our church’s Christmas musical

May you have a marvelous and blessed Christmas season!

Merry Christmas, Selamat Hari Natal, and Mele Kalaikimaka from the House of Annie.

Cheers and Aloha, Annie and Nate

Annie’s extended family on her father’s side is from George Town, Penang, and every time we’ve gone to visit, we stayed with family. Usually, that meant staying with Annie’s godparents, her uncle and aunt. They are such hospitable and kind folks, and we always loved spending time with them.

Staying at their place is pretty cool because it’s in a relatively quiet neighborhood, but with quick access to some main roads if we want to go somewhere. We could be sitting at home, chatting (usually about where we want to go eat) and the next minute be on our way out for some assam laksa, char kway teow, or nasi kandar.

The neighborhood itself is very walkable. Many times I just take my camera and go wandering off in one direction, looking for neat stuff to snap. It was on one of these jaunts that I came upon a fence that was completely covered in this dense vine, bearing these incredibly blue flowers:

Blue Pea / Butterfly Pea Flower

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Three and a half months after moving back from Malaysia to the US, we’re feeling a bit more settled now. We have moved into a new house in San Jose, and I have started a new job (praise God) in San Francisco with a great non-profit organization.

Since we left almost everything we had in Malaysia except for some clothes and important items, we really need to refurnish our new place with everything – dining set, sofa, TV, beds, desks – to get the House of Annie back in operation.  Fortunately, our friends have been very kind to us by donating a lot of things. But we are still missing a few things.

On Friday, I came home to find that the kids had prepared a “treasure hunt” for me, feeding me clues at each point around the house. They eventually led me outside to the shed.

What’s Behind Door #1?

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Many of you who are friends of our Facebook Fan Page may have noticed a distinct change of picture posts. Where they used to be primarily Sarawak-based, they have become West Malaysia-focused. The reason is, after three and a half years in Sarawak, we are moving back to the US.

Our Bags are Packed

We have loved our time here, and loved all the people we met. These experiences and relationships have enriched us immensely.

Having given up or sold off most of our possessions (twice), we have learned that life is not about the accumulation of stuff, but about the relationships we make.

We have been blessed with many good friends in Sarawak. We also know that we are blessed with many good friends in San Jose, where we will be returning for the time being.

We are looking forward to the next chapter! Not forgetting the many chapters that have been written during our stay in Sarawak, which we hope to document in the coming months.

Cheers and Aloha,

Nate and Annie