RCIA does have its perks, so it looks. In late 1993, this young lady, attending one of the two RCIA groups; caught my eye. I was one of the facilitators for the group.
Visited Jeannie in her hometown in Kampar, Perak during Chinese New Year in February, 1994. Spent the whole day with her. She took me sightseeing to all the local spots, including the railway station.
The Kampar railway station must have done the trick.
The Mandarin ducks. One of the countries Jeannie and I visited on our first trip to Europe, was The Netherlands. This was part of a European tour we caught from London, England. So, on this trip in The Netherlands, we toured Amsterdam and stayed for the night. Our hotel was by one of the many canals Amsterdam is famous for. Our room was on the ground floor, with a large sliding door leading out to a sort of garden and beyond that was the canal.
We saw many Mandarin ducks in the garden. So, we crushed some cracker biscuits and started feeding these ducks with the crumbs. We soon ran out of crumbs and walked back to our room. The Mandarin ducks followed us back, too. We had to close the sliding door quickly to prevent the ducks from coming in. The ducks were pecking at the glass door and only went away after a long while.
This was a bedtime story that Laura loved to listen. Almost every night for many years, she would ask for this same story. She always had the same enthusiasm about it and never got tired of it.
Laura, this is the first time, ever; you are seeing the pictures below of these Mandarin ducks. Searched high and low for them until I found them.
The story of the mandarin ducks.
The mandarin ducks coming up the porch of our room in Amsterdam, Holland.
9.15am, Wednesday, June 27th, 2001; a child was born. We named her Laura Kristen AtkinsonWhat joy! What blessings! Laura Kristen Atkinson
Laura’s baptism, August 2001. With us are her godparents; Dato’ Seri Jeffrey and Datin Seri Joyce Raymond.
Laura: I thought he was supposed to see that I sleep.
Anne Reburn: I want To Hold Your Hand
Smiles
Camera shy. Not really.
Yes, I am cute.
With Grandma and Grandpa Atkinson
Love
About to show her “Zhang Ziyi” martial arts stunts. She’s dressed for it. Location: A park in Perth, Western Australia.
Christmas 2007: Christmas caroling with her cousin, Sarah.
She’s up to something! ❤️
On one of our river cruises in Perth, Western Australia
Check out my shades
Freemantle, Western Australia
Arriving at Clark International Airport, The Phillipines in 2005
Beaconhouse Kindergarten. Laura was one of the 7 pioneer students for the Beaconhouse brand in Malaysia.
All of the June birthday celebrants. Laura, Kenneth de Souza and Joel D’Cruz are all on June 27th.
Graduation from Beaconhouse pre-school in 2007.
With her cousin Justin Ow.
One for the camera
…and another😏😉❤️
The competitor in her.Ye-e-e-ees..sss…At the Ferrari store, opposite Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II , Duomo; in Milan, Italy.In Venice, Italy; during the Carnevale di Venezia (Italian for The Carnival of Venice) An annual festival that ends on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.
Laura drew this with an app on my Samsung Note 2, when she was 10 years old.
Club Med beach in Terengganu, Malaysia
Cousins from the Ong side.
Cousins from the Ong side.
Music graduation.
Laura with her grandparents.
Having ice-cream at Patisfrance in Taipan, USJ Subang Jaya.
Sweet 16, with cousins and friends from the teens group at Sunday School, church and swimmers from her swim team.
With the teens from church.Swim teammates
She’s ready to par- teh…
In Malacca, on one of the swimming championship competition weekends. Shopping for yummy stuff.
Home was more at the pool and all the swim races and championships.
Overall champion
The Selangor team
JoyWith Coach Mark Chua and Selangor teammates at the Bukit Jalil National Aquatic Centre, Malaysia.With cousins, and Rachel Arnold (3rd From left). Tim is Alana’s husband.
Winning the Japanese International School cross-country race.
Laura’s Confirmation at St. Thomas More Church, Subang Jaya, Selangor.With Archbishop Julian Low. “Teresa” is Laura’s chosen confirmation name.
Just a small part of her medal tally.
Fun with us, her parents. 😁
Penang, part of her holiday visit of some of the states in Malaysia before moving to the U.S. to further her tertiary studies.
In Penang.In Brinchang, Cameron Highlands, for coffee.Now, this is how to play billiards! About to take the perfect shot. At Arcadia, Cameron Highlands.Leaving on a jetplane. Won’t know when I’ll be back again. Leaving for the U.S.
Swimming for Millikin University Swimming.
Hauling medals and setting records for Millikin University Swimming
Us family, celebrating with Laura (Live – streaming. Laura is on the phone in Illinois) her 19th birthday.Laura, with Janet Jin nee Danker in New York.
Just moved in about a month ago.
With her boyfriend, James.
As you can see from all these pictures; you have touched the lives of everyone; especially us; mummy and I.
Happy 21st birthday, Laura. What a super fantastic milestone. Mummy and I are so proud of you, for who you are. We wish you an awe-inspiring life, filled with all your dreams come true. We love you.❤️❤️❤️
Himesh Patel, Lily James: I Want To Hold Your Hand; YesterdayMovieVEVO
Woww!! Lovely collage of sweet memories from yesteryears. Those pre-school photos in Beaconhouse is how I remember Laura 🙂 Can’t imagine she is all grown up now 🙂
Thank you. Yes, she is all grown up. From her days in Beaconhouse, especially on her graduation day, we could see she was a stickler for detail when she instructed her partner on stage to do exactly as she told him. She still is particular for detail.
Her competitiveness in her swimming career helped transform her to the person she is now.
leatherpotato 
Woww!! Lovely collage of sweet memories from yesteryears. Those pre-school photos in Beaconhouse is how I remember Laura 🙂 Can’t imagine she is all grown up now 🙂
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Thank you. Yes, she is all grown up. From her days in Beaconhouse, especially on her graduation day, we could see she was a stickler for detail when she instructed her partner on stage to do exactly as she told him. She still is particular for detail.
Her competitiveness in her swimming career helped transform her to the person she is now.
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