Happy 5th Birthday Princess Krisalyn!

Some snapshots of Krisalyn's 5th birthday celebration. Had a small party at McDonald's for her. It was her request as we were actually quite tired of having big birthday parties. Found it more meaningful to have just a simple family affair. But since she requested as she loved the party that Jedidiah had for his 5th birhtday, we decided to give one for her. A simple one without the need for huge floats, popcorn stands,balloon sculptures or magic shows etc!

Was glad that my mum could be there as this was the first of all Krisalyn's birthdays that she could be around! Looking forward to my dad being here too to clebrate with her on many of her other birthdays. Thanks everybody for coming to make her day an extra special one!

A New Year and New Beginnings

End of 2011 and the start of 2012. I felt a mix of apprehension and nervousness as so many things would be coming with the start of the new year. My youngest and my eldest were going to school! One starting Nursery and the other launching into the ever stressful Singapore system. Felt really nervous on the 3rd of January as we got our youngest ready for Nursery. I had to keep brain washing her throughout December that I wouldn't be able to get on the school bus with her as if I did, I told her that the bus's wheels would collapse and the bus would never be able to move and all the little kids won't be able to go to school! I think it worked as she reminded me the night before school started that if I came with her, the bus would be spoilt!

But I think what helped was that Krisalyn was a wonderful elder sister and her companionship gave Keziah the emotional support to go to school. The role of elder sister now, helped Krisalyn to stop crying as she would occasionally cry even last year when going to school.

The good thing is that now with the two girls out of the house, my mornings are quieter and I can spend more time with Jedi to run through his work or spend some quality time with him that I haven't had since I had only him. :) Plus, I now finally have more time to focus on Krisalyn and help her with her reading and writing which I have not been so consistent last year.

Dan took leave for a day and accompanied Jedi on his first day at school. Thanks Dear for your help. :) Was a new experience for all of us as it was settling into a new routine of getting into uniform, having lunch earlier and also waiting downstairs for the school bus. A new routine that I found rather stressful in the beginning as now it meant that I have to prepare all the cutting of the food the night before as well as more housework at night so that my mornings are free to teach Jedi or do grocery shopping. Am still adjusting till now.

Jedi had a good first day but I think the little guy still misses his kindy friends whom he has been with for 5 years. But we told him that he would make new friends in time. Interestingly, he shared with us that he thought his teacher didn't know God. We asked him why and he said she kept using the phrase "O My God!!" every now and then! hahaha! What was also heartwarming is that he made a little friend on the school bus who lives in the same block as us and who had told him that she was a Christian and that she was glad that he was too. Such a sweet little girl!

But it was also a tough week for me as on top of the adjustments, Krisalyn met with a very bad fall as I was sending Jedi off to school and waiting for the school bus at the void deck on the second day of school. She twirled on her slippers and landed on her chin. Resulted in a deep chin split that required 4 stitches. Had to rush her to KKH and am so thankful that my mum was around to help as she helped me send Jedi up the bus while I put my youngest to sleep and then rushed to KKH to settle Krisalyn who was in shock at the blood seeping. Thank you so much Mummy!! :)  Super traumatic and very stressful for me as I'm blood phobic! Thankfully, she is now recovering and the stitches are healing despite the itchiness.

 What a week and I am so exhausted! Next week will be a new one and I will really be on my own coping with the new routine with the 2 girls in the morning and Jedi in the afternoon. Plus I will be missing the company of my dear mum who has been here for 3 weeks. Praying for God's strength and wisdom for this year and the weeks ahead. One day at time....

A Restful Trip Back to "Home".

Went down to Perth to visit my parents from Nov 23-Dec 12. Was a lovely lovely time with family and it always warms my heart to see them. This time our trip was almost three weeks but still the time flew by. really quickly. Also,  as Keziah is older now and also as I think I have become less rigid with my routine, we had more time to move around and go more places.

Most of the days we went grocery shopping with my mum and had lunches at Fremantle. My dad could only take one weekend off so it was a wonderful time having fish and chips at this place called Sweet Lips. Much better than the Cicerello one. Managed to catch some wildlife fun at Caversham Wildlife Park too!

We went down to the shop to help my dad in the afternoons and Jedi slowly learned how to serve customers and key the pie orders into the machine. On the weekends, he had some grandpa-grandson bonding with my dad and went down with him to help out in the shop. Was lovely as my dad isn't able to come back to Singapore for the holidays as the shop needs to be open.

As always the dinners whipped up by my dad was lovely and of course the fellowhsip around the table with red wine, fruits and Baskin Robins! Haven't has the luxury of family dinners like that for a long time and soaking it up was so nice. The hum of conversation at the table with loved ones, the chomping of food together and the noises of the kiddies in the family room. They would also join in here and there to snitch some food or enjoy some snacks with all of us.

Would have been wonderful if my brother was there too. I realize we haven't had the whole family together in years as we would catch up in parts when we could fly over or when he or my mum came down. Hopefully we can plan one more soon!!!

As I become a parent myself, I come to really appreciate my own parents and the time spent with them. Funny how as a teenager, I craved for more independence and time alone with friends etc. Perhpas now I'm older and I have come to see that the ones who are really there for you and who genuinely care for you are at the end of the day my hubby and my family. Blood ties are the ones that bind. Others can never replace that and will never be able to offer that sort of support. I am so thankful too that my kiddies have godly grandparents to love them and pray for them and also have their well-being and interests at heart. Who spend the time to play with them and give them lots of love and tell them silly stories and pretend play. My kids are blessed.

Till we meet again ...very soon.... :)

Our Ah Goo!

This is my dear kiddies one and only AH GOO!! :) Glad for the blessing that my kids have to call him this!

Just wanted to write a blog to thank him for being such a dear uncle to the kids! Thanks bro for:
~ coming to see the kiddies whenever you are back!
~ entertaining them with your burps and other bodily sounds (haha!)
~ letting Jedi play with your phone till the phone battery is flat
~ playing catching and hide and seek in the storeroom and even out of the house
~ watching YouTube funny stuff
~ and just being a really great and fun uncle to them!

And of course not forgetting dearest Estella Jie Jie! :)
Thanks for playing with the kids and also kindly letting your phone fall vicitm to Jedidiah! Always enjoy your visits and the catching up till late at night! Great to know a dear sister like you! Don't let my bro bully you ah! Praying you two will grow in your walk together with the Lord and in your relationship with each other. God bless you two!

(sorry ah Jon....I 'stole' a pic from you as I couldn't find a nice one of the two of you!)

A journey of faith ...

My mother gave this to me many years ago when I was sitting for my 'O' levels. I still remember she gave me a card with Isaiah 40:31 on it:
'But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.' (KJV)

I kept this figurine till today. It is a well-loved ornanment in my cabinet at home. However, it was forgotten and became just a part of the display together with other trinkets collected over the years.

However, this verse came to me when we registered Jedidiah for his Primary One next year. And I recalled this beautiful wooden carved eagle given to me by my mother so many years ago. It greatly ministered to me and is really symbolic in the whole journey of finally finding a school for our first born.

It was a divine journey from the start to the finish. The Lord's hand and leading was clear from the start to the finish and we are still marvelling at His providence and blessing.

I reminded Jedidiah when we went to settle his school administration for next year on the meaning of his name : The one that the Lord loves. I took the chance to remind him that the Lord loves him dearly and has given him His best for him.

Waiting upon the Lord is one of the most difficult lessons I have struggled with but I know that at the end the Lord makes all things beautiful in ...His Perfect Time!

To God be the Glory!

8th Birthday and Wedding Bells!

This marks our 8th year together! Can't believe that after 8 years, we have a family of 5!! Thanks dear for your love and sacrifices for our family. Thanks for supporting me too in my ministry of looking after the kiddies and also in my work. May the years down the road be ever sweeter and frutiful....*hugz*

Sunday School Graduation

Jedidiah graduated from Sunday PreSchool on 13th November! He has been attending it since he was 3 years old and I used to remember how torturous and hard it was to get him to go in when he was little as he would be crying and refusing to let me or Dan go. Thanks to the patience of the teachers and the love and care they have showered over him these few years, he settled in and really enjoyed going to to his little Sunday School. Krisalyn will miss him as he was her support and companion when she first started to go to. He saw he through her crying times too. Now it will be Krisalyn's turn to be there for her littlest sister, Keziah.

It was heartwarming that the 3 bubs had little awards for good behaviour. Jedidiah had an award for being diligent in memory verses.

Krisalyn was awarded for good behaviour....

and Keziah for having a worshipful heart!

Thank you Lord for these little fruits in these three dears!

Jedidiah, Daddy and Mummy are praying that you will continue to grow in your walk with the Lord as you embark on the next phase of your spiritual teaching. Love the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.