Dear everyone,

[I had to resend this with the appropriate links - trust it works this time!]

Despite all the sad news we've had or shared already these last few days (and I have one more to share here from this end - see below), I'm sure you'd all agree that there is some comfort in sharing our grief and sorrow with each other no matter what the circumstance(s) are. The power of course of our prayers, which is a cornerstone of our family, may not be understated. May we continue to use this medium as it is one of the great ways in which we update others or to simply catch up with everyone else.

Our little family up north has settled in safely in Canada since we arrived June 20. While we haven't moved to our own place yet (pending work for me in the near future), we are quite happy to be housed for now at my wife-parents' place just outside Vancouver (in Richmond where the YVR Airport is located). Our little boy Sebastian of course is adjusting well and growing up bigger (and louder) by the day...he has just turned 14 months old and started walking! (God, bless me with endurance!) While Vancouver is known for its rainy habit, it is fairly warm here at this time, ranging on average from16C at night to 30C in the day during summer.

What'sup with us these last couple of months? Well, nothing much other than my wife Jay getting back to work in her wellness clinic as a massage therapist. I'm at home spending plenty of time with Sebastian while awaiting my residency application which might be processed by the end of the month. While I've given some of you this link before, you may click here to go to a blog site that my wife Jay set up for her friends and family about our family's travels and events. You'll find lots of pics with news of what we've been up to. So hopefully you can access the blog link this time.

On this opportunity, I'd like to break to you the sad news of Jay's maternal grandma who just passed away this morning (Friday August 14). Emily "Peggy" Petersen passed away at 89 years of age at the Richmond General Hospital. She had a mild stroke a couple of weeks ago and since then has not been able to recover from it, which is quite understandable for her age. Peggy has only one daughter, Wendy, who's Jay's mom. Wendy by the way did come toTonga in 2005 for a short visit with Jay, and again visited us in Fiji in 2007 while we were there. Her mom Peggy however was originally from England (she's very British still), but moved to Canada after World War II when she met during the war and married a Dane who was with the Canadian army (I remember how Peggy always talked about the war whenever something reminds her of that experience). Peggy had a brother who died soon after the war and a younger sister who's 83 years old and living in Calgary right now but not doing well herself too healthwise.

Anyway, you may click here to see a picture of Peggy taken when Sebastian and I came to my brother-in-law's wedding last October. I asked only that you remember Peggy's soul in all your prayers. Wendy and family here are doing okay and in a way are happy that Peggy no longer had to endure the pain she suffered in the last few days. I understand that Peggy's body might be cremated sometime early next week and there might be a memorial gathering at our place here for close family and friends. There is no need for any of you to be burdened with this...I can handle it okay. If there is any call for my involvement, I'll make sure to carry the expected tasks with dignity and commitment and that the name of "Holo-ki-Ha'a-Havea-Lahi" will stand proud always! Any words of comfort will be passed on and those of you who know or have met my wife and her mom Wendy, you can write them directly if you want via Jay at her email: jayjennifer(at)gmail(dot)com. Please remember our Peggy in your prayers and Wendy's family at this difficult time.

'Ofa atu,

Stan, Jay and Sebastian.