zenn bites...

the extended family got together again yesterday for one of my cousin's 21st. it's always so good to spend time with the people who are closest to you and who have seen you from when you were a tiny bean swathed in cloth.

we don't meet up as a big group all that often now, what with everyone being caught up with work and the hassle of planning some thing for so many people to attend, but when we do meet up, it's always comfortable and filled with heaps of laughter, updating and reminiscing.

it's weird how everyone has grown up. yes i do know that that's the course of nature, but hasn't it ever struck you how amazing it is that the chubby baby who used to crawl around the house tugging at your skirt is now a strapping 8-year-old who watches fear factor and talks back to you; the little tod who looked up at you so adoringly is now a young lady doing well in the sports school; the quiet girl is now a svelte young woman who speaks german and laughs with you when you're both cutting the cake for the guests; the cheeky boy who made everyone laugh with his ridiculous card tricks is now a fine young man (still cheeky) in uni.

and the most heart-warming thing? they still look up/down to me and call me "jie". perhaps that's the way my two older cousins feel when i look up to them and call them "gor".

traditions remain etched in our hearts, and through growing up together, we've formed strong bonds that will, hopefully, carry on to the next generations.

there was a time when we spent hours together in our grandparents' house - the bus'd drop me off after school and i'd spend happy afternoons playing with my cousins. the ones who're much younger - like my sis - didn't get much of this experience, coz we sold that house off and my mum stopped working so she could stay home and we didn't have to be babysat by grandma anymore. and i think they missed out on some really fantastic times even though they are no less closer to each other.

it's sweet how we all keep in touch in our own little ways.

it's a pity that fawn's in france, vanessa's at the sea games, and kane & kelly couldn't join us yesterday, so we weren't out in full force. but there's always christmas to look forward to =)

a night spent with family, always good for keeping the blues at bay.