Playing at the beach...

Last Friday afternoon we visited some Dutch friends at Nasholim where they stayed for some days before returning to Holland. Enna-Marie had a great time playing sand and shells at the beach, her ever first time to touch them. Later in the evening, we had a scrumptious dinner in a restaurant there. May and Martijn were also there, it was so nice to see May again after her absence of 3 months doing some film work in South Africa.

Enna-Marie so amazed with the water...

gives her smile afterwards...

...and here's a nice pose like a model!

playing sand with Ellen, Martijn's mom

enjoying the water with mommy

Opa Bert giving some water to Enna-Marie

want some of these??

Now, I got all what I need ha..ha...!

and it's dinner time...

friends enjoying the delicious food...

Farewell Ishikawa family

Our dear friends Shingo, Amelia and Shiori have recently left the World Centre. They are going for a short trip to Japan and then to Australia. We said goodbye to them in the open house farewell for the family last Thursday and took some cute and sweet pictures of Enna-Marie and Shiori. These two hopefully will meet again someday when they are bigger, perhaps when they reach 18 they will come and serve here together (including Rocco of course). We will miss the three of you a lot and wish you a happy family and community life in Brisbane.

wiggling their fingers (they really like this song that I sing for them when I want them to sit together)

enjoying their last moment together...

...giving a hug...

...and here's a good-bye kiss! so cute and sweet!

Amelia looking at the farewell book that some mothers put together for her

family photo, one last time!

Jumping on the bed...

Here's a video of Rocco and Enna-Marie who were having such a great time playing together...

Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh

HAIFA, Israel, 27 May 2007 (BWNS) -- On May 29, Bahá’ís around the world will observe the 115th anniversary of the ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of their faith.

Bahá’ís recognize Bahá’u’lláh as the divine educator who, as the one promised in the scriptures of all the world's religions, has come to inaugurate a new age of peace and justice for the entire human race.

Edward Granville Browne, a prominent scholar from Cambridge University, was granted an audience with Bahá’u’lláh near Acre, Palestine, in 1890, two years before Bahá’u’lláh's passing, and recounted the meeting this way:

"The face of him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul; power and authority sat on that ample brow.... No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed myself before one who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain!"

Bahá’u’lláh passed away in the early morning of May 29, 1892, at the age of 75.

Bahá’í historian H.M. Balyuzi later wrote: "Many there were who came to mourn Him. They did not bear allegiance to Him, they could not see in Him the Redeemer of Mankind, yet they knew that a great Being had gone from their midst.

"They were from diverse backgrounds and sects and faiths and nations - officials and leading figures and priests, learned men and poets and men of letters, rich and poor, Druses, Sunni and Shi'ih Muslims, Christians of diverse denominations, and Jews. From other cities renowned in the history of the world, such as Damascus and Aleppo and Cairo, they sent their eulogies and poems and panegyrics and tributes.

"And Bahá’u’lláh, at the time of His ascension, was still a prisoner of the Turkish government."

Bahá’u’lláh was laid to rest in the northernmost room of a house adjacent to where He had been living outside of Acre. The shrine is the holiest place in the world for Bahá’ís - the point to which they turn in prayer and visit on pilgrimage.

- Bahá’í World News Service (http://news.bahai.org/story/549)

Here are some photos of our visit to the Mansion of Bahji this evening:

The Mansion

Papa and Enna-Marie posing at the entrance

pathway to the stairs

family photo after the visit...

Enna-Marie's cute pose...

...and another one...

and here is mama's favorite smile/pose!

group photo with the Ishikawa family

Visits of some Filipino and Dutch friends

We met with some Dutch friends who were here for pilgrimage few weeks ago

Kuya Fred Ramirez is in town visiting family with his two grandsons Nhicco and Khalil

Dinner at home with the Ramirez family

A group of Dutch friends are also here for three day visits

Nasser and Yolande Milani, Greet and Ruurd Hoekstra, and Ellen and Bert Kersten

Nasser, Yolande, Greet and Ellen

Enna-Marie with Nasser and Yolande, they are the opa and oma of cousins Nadim and Minou

clapping hands with opa and oma

May birthday celebrants

Happy Birthday to Lolo Max, Tita Juvy and Auntie Farah on the 29th.

Also belated happy birthday to Sophia, Tita Rhea, Oom Jorrit, Aliyah and Auntie Evelin...

With much love,
Enna-Marie, mama and papa

More photos with the Villas...

Villa family visiting the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh in Bahji

Dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Grossmann at Nica & Francis' place

Marriage class reunion at home (without May & Martijn who are presently out of the country; & Aliyah who is in the pre-school)

reunion with the three cuties: Enna-Marie, Shiori & Rocco

wiggling their fingers

clapping their hands together

another group photo (Sobhanis, Huecks, Schoots, Ishikawas & Villas). Negeen & Victor are expecting their 2nd child.

playing "auto" or "ca-car" in the balcony

climbing on the box

the Schoots with the Villas taken at their last night of stay

Enna-Marie wanting to give a goodbye kiss to Rocco

Evelin, Santana and Rocco are visiting...

Our dear friends Evelin and Santana and their son Rocco are visiting the Holy Land. We are happy to see them again after they left the World Centre last year and went to Evelin's homeland Estonia.

Here are some pictures of Rocco and Enna-Marie playing and enjoying their time with each other...

My sweet baby...

Today when I put Enna-Marie to sleep for her afternoon nap, I heard the sweetest voice. Usually I nurse her first and then I put her down on her crib just when her eyes are closing. After few minutes of crying, she started to play (usually she sleeps right away after some objections). I heard her talking to herself in her sweetest, soft voice, saying: "Mamay, mamay, mamay...", then afterwards I heard some kisses sounds: "mwaah, mwaah, mwaah...". She repeated this few more times. After 20 minutes of talking and playing, she then managed to sleep and woke up after 1 hour and 45 minutes. I gave her a big hug and kissed her many times in response to her gestures. Isn't she the sweetest girl??? Oh I just love her...more...and more... and more!!!

Visit at the beach...

We got up pretty early on Friday morning to visit Camel beach and brought Enna-Marie, Arnold and our preggy friend Canan. Enna-Marie liked so much the waves of the water as she constantly points to them. She saw lots of birds too. The last time we brought her here was when she was few months old. It was nice to see her walking, talking and just enjoying herself. We stayed for almost two hours, then we dropped our friends to their birthing class and met again our former teacher who was happy to see us especially our daughter.

So excited walking, wearing cousin Minou's shoes (and shirt too)!



having breakfast in one of the restaurants there

Papa brought her to the water to see if she will like it there...

water was cold and so papa carried her...

another try...

with this face, she seems not ready yet to be in the water

preggy Canan with Arnold