The Woodward Family Photo

On the evening before Tasha and Mark and Marta & boys flew back to the U.S. (Dec. 30th) we did manage to take a family photo. It was the day after we flew in from Bali and had what seemed like interminable taxi rides in heavy traffic back from the airport. Nancy is the one who has all of the pictures of the many fun activities at our Bali beach hotel, but my "Kodak contribution" is a picturesque rice paddy beside [Marta & Gabi] the restaurant where we had lunch on a day trip from Nusa Dua to Ubud. - rw

Van Groceries

The family enjoyed seeing our convenient grocery store that comes in a van to our condo twice a week.

Adults only Dinner

All of the adults went to dinner at the Mandarin Oriental and enjoyed seeing the Twin Towers at night.

A Day at Sunway Lagoon

All the kids, Doug, Nancy, Mark and Marta spent a day at the Sunway Lagoon Park taking in rides and enjoying the water park.

Twin Towers Skybridge

Thanks to a long wait in line by Ron, Mark and Marta we all were able to go to the Twin Towers Skybridge after our Christmas dinner.

Mark's boys at the Petrosains Science Center

Grandma took the boys to the science center and to KLCC while Ron and Mark and Marta waited in a long line to get tickets to the Petronas Towers Skybridge. KLCC is certainly decorated for Christmas.

Family Christmas Dinner

We had our Christmas dinner and gift exchange early since we will all be in Bali on the 25th.

Bird Park Visit

Due to illness Tracy and Rania could not join the rest of us at the KL Bird Park. It was a fun day.

Family in KL

Tasha arrived on Dec. 17 and Mark and his family arrived in KL Dec. 18. After church on the 19th we went to KLCC to the water park and to eat.

The Church Christmas Program

The Children's Christmas Program at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church was held on Sunday, December 12th. Doug and Tracy, both Sunday School teachers, are pictured next to the cast in the upper left. Gabi, as Mary, has the headscarf and pastel blue dress. Rania was an angel and is in the front row, second to the right of the white sign. Until the program on Sunday, I'd never realized that Joseph would have had such a big grin as he meditated on the birth of Jesus!
The angel, after announcing the glad tidings of great joy, appreciated some comfort from her father. Speaking of her father, Doug was also selected to give the Christmas meditation in lieu of the regular Sunday sermon. He did a terrific job -- much more interesting and impressive than his father would have done! He even included a famous quote from theologian Karl Barth to the effect that the most powerful theological truth that he'd ever dealt with was "Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

Just so you know that Christmas (at least the merchandising aspect of it) is celebrated in Kuala Lumpur, the Christmas decorations in the rotunda at KLCC are pictured below. - rw

A "Field Day" at School

It was called "Run-Jump-and-Throw Day" at Melawati Elementary School, and all of Gabi's first grade classmates were out on the field on Monday morning for a myriad of activities over a 2+ hour span. The picture above shows Gabi's "team" (with her holding the left upper corner of the poster as you look at the picture). Just prior to the picture being taken all of the kids had a chance to write their names on the poster and then add a bit of art work -- so, nothing in this activity that involved running, jumping or throwing!

The activity below should be self-explanatory!

The only other activity that I witnessed (Alas! ... before rushing home to see Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys on Mon. nite football) was an "egg-carry" where there also was not much running, jumping or throwing! - rw

It's those spectacular sunsets!

This is the view from our kitchen window -- and also from the small "porch" off the laundry room, just next to the kitchen. Impressive, huh? (By the way, in case you're wondering, the picture on the masthead of our blog was taken three years ago from the window of our former condo about a mile away.) - rw

Saturday's Thanksgiving Dinner

"O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his mercy endures forever."
Because school was held as usual on Thursday at ISKL, we celebrated our family Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday afternoon with Doug, Tracy, Reeve, Gabi, Rania and other KL friends present. With Nancy's usual care in setting the table, all was in readiness prior to anyone else's arrival. A "Jennie-O" frozen turkey was purchased earlier in the week from our "van lady" -- a woman who runs a mobile grocery store and shows up at our building twice a week with groceries in two large vans. It's a great way to shop!
Anita Stansell was one of the ISKL teachers who joined us for the dinner. It was great to have her with us since we hadn't had her over since the beginning of the school year. All of our guests brought food in pot-luck fashion, so we obviously had plenty to eat. It was a great time together!

While we look forward to Christmas when our whole tribe will be together in KL, we did have to take a couple "Thanksgiving Day photos" of Doug's family -- both in a serious pose and with funny faces. - rw

Trip to Phuket, Thailand

To celebrate Ron's arrival in KL I had booked a weekend at a lovely resort in Phuket called The Indigo Pearl. We caught up on sleep, enjoyed the pools, the restaurants, and the grounds as well as our well appointed room that that included a king size spa tub.
The picture of the two of us was taken by a hostess at the "Black Ginger" Thai restaurant where we had a delicious 5-course set meal on Saturday night. - Nancy

Trick-or-Treaters

We had only 3 trick-or-treaters come to our door but we were prepared. And, we happened to know the kids quite well! - Nancy

Reunion - Friends from Kenya

Connie Buford and her boyfriend Charlie were in KL and we had a nice dinner and visit one evening. Doug and his family joined us along with Gary and Terry Piech. Doug's first year in the internatnional school circuit was working for Connie. - Nancy

Ron back in KL with Grandkids

Ron arrived in KL on Oct. 22 and the next day we had grandparent duty all day. Doug had a class and Tracy was on a HS trip for a week in Sumatra, Indonesia. Reeve had BB and the girls played on the playground. Some computer time in our condo was due to it raining and the pool was off limits due to thunder and lightning.-Nancy

Good-bye to Oregon ...

Flying by Mt. Hood on October 13th from Indiana, it wasn't difficult to notice that the "Oregon Monsoon Season" (snow and rain) had not yet begun! In fact, up until I fly to KL on Wednesday the 20th, the weather is supposed to be clear (cold at night, sunny and crisp during daytime hours). A good time to say good-bye! - rw