Vacay 09 (3): Silver Anniversary Celebrations

This year my family celebrates the Silver Wedding anniversary of my parents. Well, it's the first time we ever celebrated their wedding anniversary at all! From the us, the kids, Papi and Mami only wished that the whole family can gather together for them. It means a lot for them to have us the kids gather up together... ever since I landed in UK, it was hard to have my brother Erwin and I going home for holiday at the same time, so the family was sort-of never been whole for awhile.
So, this year, we made efforts and, thank Jesus that He planned everything according to His will, my parents' wish was fulfilled! It was fun to be together again, 7 of us make us a big family, but my parents are so happy to have their children gathered up together at home. And, honestly, even that I am married and have my own family, it still feels a lot like home to be with my parents. I do like to have the time to be the little girl of my Papi Mami every now and then. :)

Well, let's briefly talk about the celebrations aka dinners.
We (Lan & I) arrived in Indonesia on 20th August (in Jakarta around 3pm, then in Denpasar around 11pm! Air Asia sucks! *Delays* is their second name!). Then, as scheduled, we (the whole family) flew to Surabaya on the 22nd August by Lion Air (Wings air -crappy- plane to be exact). And so, the culinary journey begun...
1. Surabaya Suki with Papi's family
22.08.09 In Nie's family, this year there are 3 couples celebrating their silver anniversary together (of course on different dates!). So they were my parents, Papi's oldest sister and Papi's oldest brother. (My dad is the fourth child of six children)
I think one of my aunties booked the private function, consisting of 4 round tables. She also made it like a real celebration, by having a cake and getting all of us singing some songs. The food was OK, I'd say. It was a standard Chinese hotpot kind of thing, and we were already so starving when it was the time to eat, so we didn't bother to take pictures!

2. Mango Terrace Restaurant with parents' friends
23.08.09 It's the same number of people (around 30-40). There are closed friends of the family there; Om Kim Tjeng & Tante Audrey's family, Om Tikno & Tante Lies's family, Brother Wilson, Om Wenas and many others. It was a delicious dinner too! I have to say that whoever organised and chose the menu, did a very good job!
And, special thanks to Tante Lies, for the anniversary cake! Those chocolate cupcakes were yummy; not too sweet and just right!
Here, actually, I got the time to 'trick' my parents hehe... After blowing the '25' candles, it was time to eat the cupcake. So the naughty me suggested they eat one cake at the same time. Tee-hee... I love those shy smiles on my parents' faces. I am sure they had fun!
Thanks to all the uncles and aunties for coming and celebrating my parents' anniversary together with us! It was a privilege to see how beloved my parents are to all of you! Thanks also for Brother Wilson, for coming and blessing us with a wonderful prayer!

3. Bima Restaurant with Mami's family
24.08.09 I can tell you that by this night, we were sort-of sick of crowds! LOL! But hey, it was still fun! The dinner this time was more relaxing, more a family reunion than a celebration. We got to see the new additions of Gunadi's family (aka my little baby cousins), to catch up with my uncles and aunties and cousins. We enjoyed and took our time. The food was good, too! Too bad that my second uncle's family and my fifth uncle's family could not come... (My mum is the 3rd child of 7 children consisting of 5 sons and 2 daughters). It was good to see my cousins growing up and starting University too. It's like we have more in common to talk about.

That's 3-days-in-a-row of dinners! On 25th, we just had family time - just the 7 of us - relaxing and, also, window-shopping at Galaxy Mall. We left for Bali, with Lion Air (and the crappy Wings Air plane) AGAIN, on 26th August. It's not until many days later that we had the FOURTH (and the last) dinner...

4. Telaga Naga Restaurant - Special Celebration
03.09.09 Why I call it special? Because it mainly focused on our family and because we invited very few people; people who we held dear to our family, those who are very important.
Thanks to Daddy Arifin and Mum Fifi, Daddy Philip (who specially flew down from KL for us!), Kong & Mak Gani, Kong Frans and Ko Raymond (for taking photographs for us!), and Yulia (my dear sister, who is a daughter to my parents too!). - This is the actual complete guest list!
We are so humbled that they spared their time to come and celebrate with us. Thank you for their prayers, their blessings and their presences!
The food was fabulous! Well, it has to be, since it's Hyatt Hotel's restaurant, so I did expect it to be fabulous! Totally worth the price, I'd say. After dinner, Lan and Erwin said some speech to congratulate and to thank our parents for being our parents and gave our gifts. This time, I am so proud of Erwin. As a representative of the four siblings (although I am the oldest), he said many great and true things out of his heart that I agreed I'd say to my parents. I am so proud of you, my brother! You've grown to be a great man. *Luv ya!*
And I am glad that my parents were actually surprised by our gifts; The gold coin from Lan (and his parents), the cards that the 5 of us (Lan, I, Erwin, Hans & Grace) written on and 'best Dad' 'best Mum' pins.
And, since, most of them are elderly/diabetic, we decided that it is wiser to enjoy the cake (Tiramisu that Lan & I ordered for my parents) at home. Yummy!

Well, overall, it was a very meaningful vacation for, not just for Lan & I, but also for my whole family. I do hope my parents are happy that their wish came true. And I pray that their marriage lasts forever, that we will celebrate their golden, diamond, platinum and whatever else anniversaries again and again! Amen!