It's been months since the last update. Apart from busy schedule, I can't think of a better 'excuse'. The munchkins have settled down in their primary school. Nope, we haven't had any crying episodes or resistance to attend school thus far, and we thank God for that. Nonetheless, life has its challenges for the adults at home.
Firstly, Di's new job took much of his time away from home. He is hardly home due to the frequent traveling, and missed quality time spent with the munchkins. We are still praying for directions from God with regards to his career options.
On the other hand, YaYa developed a mass over the axilla-breast region which causes pain, swelling and numbness, and the cause has yet to be determined as I'm typing. We are waiting for a specialist review scheduled in July. Despite sharing her financial burden, YaYa's stress level remained high in view of the unknown diagnosis. On top of that, she lost her older brother to liver disease last week, which adds to the grieve and financial burden. Double whammy!
The munchkins and I are the more fortunate ones, it seems. Amidst these events, we had only one 'stress item' to manage - school assignments. Okay, perhaps I could add my job to that as well. Last weekend, I was extremely grateful to God for the girls. I had to rush an essay which was due on Monday. YaYa took the day off and Di was overseas. I told the munchkins I really needed time to complete my assignment, hence they would have to teach/test each other on their spelling (both English and Chinese). It was such comfort when I found them seated together and learning from one another. And they kept their word and 'entertained' themselves for a good 4 hours while I slogged away in the study. They have indeed grown to be a tat more mature than I thought they were. Thank you, my dear Lord, for such encouragement and reassurance!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
We are Primary One!
The munchkins are now 2 weeks into P1. They look incredibly sweet in their
oversized uniform, and downright adorable lugging their pink Barbie haversack to
school everyday. Thankfully, the munchkins had each other in the same class, together with another of their girlfriend (Sarah) from child care seated next to them. With
great company, these little ones transit into the new environment effortlessly. Praise
The Lord!
The most impressive act the munchkins did was buying their own food in the canteen on day 1 of school, with nil parental guidance. All I could say was "I'm so proud of you!" when I saw them after school. It was a pleasant experience, at least for me, to watch them decide on what to eat, walk to the stall-of-choice in the canteen, take out their little coin pouch, pay for the food and bring the dish back to their own seats. Its amazing how much we, as parents, over-protect and under-estimate our children! Though the girls requested to bring their own snacks in future after day 1 (due to the crowd and the fact that Sarah, who has some form of food-related allergy, brings her own snacks daily) , this encounter alone reminded me how much I should let go and let God. For that, I thank my Lord once again, and look forward to more surprises from the munchkins in the days to come.
The most impressive act the munchkins did was buying their own food in the canteen on day 1 of school, with nil parental guidance. All I could say was "I'm so proud of you!" when I saw them after school. It was a pleasant experience, at least for me, to watch them decide on what to eat, walk to the stall-of-choice in the canteen, take out their little coin pouch, pay for the food and bring the dish back to their own seats. Its amazing how much we, as parents, over-protect and under-estimate our children! Though the girls requested to bring their own snacks in future after day 1 (due to the crowd and the fact that Sarah, who has some form of food-related allergy, brings her own snacks daily) , this encounter alone reminded me how much I should let go and let God. For that, I thank my Lord once again, and look forward to more surprises from the munchkins in the days to come.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Update on Primary School
Apologies for this long overdue post. The sovereign plan had been revealed. Our loving Lord watches us and plan for our every need! While distance had always been a major concern and factor in our choice of school, next year's challenge includes the potential departure of YaYa, hence the presence of BASC (Before and After School Care) is paramount too. I failed to do my research on that, but God did not overlook this important aspect. Hence, His plan to enrol the girls in SPS instead of our choice in EPS.
Shortly after I posted the outcome of the balloting in FaceBook, one of the munchkins' classmate's mommy text me. She told me to consider SPS because the school has BASC facilities within the school. Care is rendered by trained teachers and the fees is reasonable too. I am more than delighted to hear that because it means I don't have to worry about transport issues on days where the kiddos has extracurricular activities before/after class. Viola! The school of choice identified!
And you guessed it. Registration this time round was a smooth and uneventful one. But I believed the angels watching our us must have rejoiced at the moment we entered the school gate of SPS to register the girls. We were finally in line with God's plan! We have no idea what to expect for now. Orientation for newbies and parents is scheduled on 17 November 2012. Till then, we rest in the Lord's perfect will for the munchkins' primary school education. Amen!
Shortly after I posted the outcome of the balloting in FaceBook, one of the munchkins' classmate's mommy text me. She told me to consider SPS because the school has BASC facilities within the school. Care is rendered by trained teachers and the fees is reasonable too. I am more than delighted to hear that because it means I don't have to worry about transport issues on days where the kiddos has extracurricular activities before/after class. Viola! The school of choice identified!
And you guessed it. Registration this time round was a smooth and uneventful one. But I believed the angels watching our us must have rejoiced at the moment we entered the school gate of SPS to register the girls. We were finally in line with God's plan! We have no idea what to expect for now. Orientation for newbies and parents is scheduled on 17 November 2012. Till then, we rest in the Lord's perfect will for the munchkins' primary school education. Amen!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Ballot for placement in school
We didn't get the placements in the primary school of our choice. God has better plans. I sat through the hour long balloting process, hoping the little white ball bearing the number 2 will roll out from that rotator full of white balls. There were 64 vacancies but 129 hopeful candidates (or rather, parents). Despite telling myself the odds are not a cause for worry as God will close every door that was not meant to be, my heart sank deeper with every white ball drawn that didn't bear the number 2.
When the last number was called out, I actually heaved a sigh of relieve that the agony was over. The challenge ahead and question then was "where do we go from here?" I thought I had a contingency plan in place, but some how, I started having fear of having to do this registration chore all over again. What if we ended up balloting again? What if the munchkins didn't fit in? What if we have to change school within the year? What if...
Alright, alright,, I know my fears are all uncalled for. The beauty of having Jesus as my Lord and Saviour means I can totally rely on Him to make all things work. I shall now gather my courage and pray for God's guidance in the His choice of school for the munchkins, and I pray I will be obedient in following His will. Amen? Goodnight for now...
When the last number was called out, I actually heaved a sigh of relieve that the agony was over. The challenge ahead and question then was "where do we go from here?" I thought I had a contingency plan in place, but some how, I started having fear of having to do this registration chore all over again. What if we ended up balloting again? What if the munchkins didn't fit in? What if we have to change school within the year? What if...
Alright, alright,, I know my fears are all uncalled for. The beauty of having Jesus as my Lord and Saviour means I can totally rely on Him to make all things work. I shall now gather my courage and pray for God's guidance in the His choice of school for the munchkins, and I pray I will be obedient in following His will. Amen? Goodnight for now...
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Telepathy
People I met had frequently asked "Does your twins display telepathy? Do they have that kind of extra-sensory perception where they knew what each other is thinking?" Well, the answer had always been "No". I never notices it, or rather, I chose not to believe in telepathy because subconsciously, I wanted to regard them as two separate individuals, always.
Although they munchkins did exhibit idioglossia (defined as some form of autonomous language, using nicknames, gestures, or terminology that they only use with each other; common among identical twins) even to date, as a parent, I can confidently conclude that my children does not have telepathy because they frequently asked each other questions about their thoughts and queried the other party's actions. If there was indeed telepathy between the two, I think the house would be a lot quieter. Oops!
However, their Chinese language teacher shared with us a few interesting incidents she encountered with the munchkins in class. For example, the girls were seated far apart in the class for Chinese writing lessons. She shared that Xuan was seated right in front of her and she saw that Xuan had missed out a stroke on a Chinese character that was taught during her lesson, so she dropped a hint, hoping that she'll noticed the error. However, Xuan did not pick up the hint and handed in her written assignment along with the mistake. Shortly after that, when she collected the assignments from the rest of the class, she was amazed that En had missed out exactly the same stroke on that same Chinese character. Telepathy? No, I still don't think so. Interesting? Yes, but let's leave it as it is.
All I'd like to say is this. The munchkins will continue to enjoy the greatest friendship that comes as a privilege of God's gift to them in the form of twinship. There are things that will always remain a mystery like the science of their conception and shared DNA, but none will change the fact that they are lovely individuals in the eyes of their Creator. And in the years to come, I believe I will not be the only one who will be asked questions about the existence of telepathy between them. They will hear the same questions from many others themselves, even into adulthood. So I think the time has arrived for me to educate them on the importance of embracing their twinship and maintaining individual identity. Lord, please grant me the wisdom as I speak. Thank you!
Although they munchkins did exhibit idioglossia (defined as some form of autonomous language, using nicknames, gestures, or terminology that they only use with each other; common among identical twins) even to date, as a parent, I can confidently conclude that my children does not have telepathy because they frequently asked each other questions about their thoughts and queried the other party's actions. If there was indeed telepathy between the two, I think the house would be a lot quieter. Oops!
However, their Chinese language teacher shared with us a few interesting incidents she encountered with the munchkins in class. For example, the girls were seated far apart in the class for Chinese writing lessons. She shared that Xuan was seated right in front of her and she saw that Xuan had missed out a stroke on a Chinese character that was taught during her lesson, so she dropped a hint, hoping that she'll noticed the error. However, Xuan did not pick up the hint and handed in her written assignment along with the mistake. Shortly after that, when she collected the assignments from the rest of the class, she was amazed that En had missed out exactly the same stroke on that same Chinese character. Telepathy? No, I still don't think so. Interesting? Yes, but let's leave it as it is.
All I'd like to say is this. The munchkins will continue to enjoy the greatest friendship that comes as a privilege of God's gift to them in the form of twinship. There are things that will always remain a mystery like the science of their conception and shared DNA, but none will change the fact that they are lovely individuals in the eyes of their Creator. And in the years to come, I believe I will not be the only one who will be asked questions about the existence of telepathy between them. They will hear the same questions from many others themselves, even into adulthood. So I think the time has arrived for me to educate them on the importance of embracing their twinship and maintaining individual identity. Lord, please grant me the wisdom as I speak. Thank you!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Primary One Registration
The primary one (P1) registration process in Singapore is a nightmare to many parents, especially if this is your first child entering the primary school education system. And for that, I am thankful that I will only have to go through this once and for all, this coming August. However, the series of anxiety attacks which I am bound to suffer from will continue from now until the day the munchkins have a confirmed placement in the primary school of our choice - Endeavour Primary School (EPS)
Now, honestly, to Di and myself, there is nothing exceptionally special about this primary school that we should label it the school of 'our choice'. In fact, we consider this a NO CHOICE situation as the school is located just minutes of walk from our home, and seem decently well received by the neighbours whose kids are schooling there. Since the munchkins' playgroup days, location and distance had always been our top priority in our selection of education facilities. I just cannot imagine having to brave through rain and storm to 'deliver' the kids to school with their over-sized school bags. Hence, the decision to go for EPS was a clear cut one.
Unfortunately, life is not always this straightforward. The P1 registration process is a long, tedious and unfathomable one (at least to me). The idea of a neighbourhood, government school is to cater to, primarily, children who "lives in the neighbourhood", am I right? But I am aware of kids who live right next to another neighbourhood school yet whose parents chose to send them to one further away because the other school is "better". Now, aren't all government schools supposed to teach the same stuff??? I seriously find this quite challenging to comprehend.
Anyway, the registration process is divided into phases and the munchkins are only eligible to register in Phase 2C which is open for registration from 30 July to 1 August 2012, and results will only be released by 7 August 2012. As of the end of Phase 2A(1) which ended last night, there are only 89 vacancies left. Chances are, there will only be a maximum of 45 vacancies left by the time its our turn to register the girls.
I pray, I pray and I pray that God will give me the peace to go through this stressful period when I have to juggle work, family, kids, maid and studies (yes, I'm starting my part time degree course on 17 July). And if its not in the will of God that the munchkins be enrolled into EPS, I pray for a clear direction from God on HIS CHOICE of a primary school for the munchkins, and close all the doors which I am not supposed to even attempt. Thy will be done, my dear Heavenly Father, for the future of the munchkins are in Your hands, not mine. Give me the wisdom to know and clearly remember this, Lord. Thank You!
Now, honestly, to Di and myself, there is nothing exceptionally special about this primary school that we should label it the school of 'our choice'. In fact, we consider this a NO CHOICE situation as the school is located just minutes of walk from our home, and seem decently well received by the neighbours whose kids are schooling there. Since the munchkins' playgroup days, location and distance had always been our top priority in our selection of education facilities. I just cannot imagine having to brave through rain and storm to 'deliver' the kids to school with their over-sized school bags. Hence, the decision to go for EPS was a clear cut one.
Unfortunately, life is not always this straightforward. The P1 registration process is a long, tedious and unfathomable one (at least to me). The idea of a neighbourhood, government school is to cater to, primarily, children who "lives in the neighbourhood", am I right? But I am aware of kids who live right next to another neighbourhood school yet whose parents chose to send them to one further away because the other school is "better". Now, aren't all government schools supposed to teach the same stuff??? I seriously find this quite challenging to comprehend.
Anyway, the registration process is divided into phases and the munchkins are only eligible to register in Phase 2C which is open for registration from 30 July to 1 August 2012, and results will only be released by 7 August 2012. As of the end of Phase 2A(1) which ended last night, there are only 89 vacancies left. Chances are, there will only be a maximum of 45 vacancies left by the time its our turn to register the girls.
I pray, I pray and I pray that God will give me the peace to go through this stressful period when I have to juggle work, family, kids, maid and studies (yes, I'm starting my part time degree course on 17 July). And if its not in the will of God that the munchkins be enrolled into EPS, I pray for a clear direction from God on HIS CHOICE of a primary school for the munchkins, and close all the doors which I am not supposed to even attempt. Thy will be done, my dear Heavenly Father, for the future of the munchkins are in Your hands, not mine. Give me the wisdom to know and clearly remember this, Lord. Thank You!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Spell and Read
Approaching the end of their kindergarten life in 6 months' time, the munchkins are now able to read and spell simple words. But their ability to do that seemed to have improved exponentially in the recent months due to, sadly, their interest in exploring videos on YouTube. They figured they could now watched video clips, advertisements, movie trailers or even the TV episodes of their favourite characters like Barbie, Powerpuff Girls, Lalaloopsy and the like. And all that is required is the knowledge to spell words in the 'search' field. Sigh...
Hence, I'm not sure if I should rejoice or rebuke them when they approach me enthusiastically for guidance to spell words like 'bumps and bruises', 'tale', 'Charlotte charades', etc. And I am also worried about the content they'd be exposed to once they enter cyberspace. Di, myself or even YaYa is not always present to surf the net with them when they go online. If they are using the iMac, the screen is at least large enough for us to peep at the websites they are viewing. However, if both of them choose to use the iPad, then it's quite a challenge to monitor them all the time.
I know I am not the only parent out there worrying about the dangers of cyberspace. And I know this is just the beginning of a bigger challenge yet to come as they enter primary education next year. All I could do, and should do, is to pray, pray and pray for protection for the munchkins. Of course there are online security measures, parental workshops and expert advice that we can turn to. But what better way and help can we get than these measures that are still struggling to overcome the problem of modern technology today? There is always God and God alone! Because He is the in control of ALL things.
Dear Lord, I commit my munchkins into thy loving hands, the hands that created ALL things, including the munchkins. Please continue to watch over them when I couldn't, and block information from them that is inappropriate or not pleasing to Your eyes. And teach Di and myself to be a good role model as well, lest we become the greatest stumbling blocks in their lives. Amen.
Hence, I'm not sure if I should rejoice or rebuke them when they approach me enthusiastically for guidance to spell words like 'bumps and bruises', 'tale', 'Charlotte charades', etc. And I am also worried about the content they'd be exposed to once they enter cyberspace. Di, myself or even YaYa is not always present to surf the net with them when they go online. If they are using the iMac, the screen is at least large enough for us to peep at the websites they are viewing. However, if both of them choose to use the iPad, then it's quite a challenge to monitor them all the time.
I know I am not the only parent out there worrying about the dangers of cyberspace. And I know this is just the beginning of a bigger challenge yet to come as they enter primary education next year. All I could do, and should do, is to pray, pray and pray for protection for the munchkins. Of course there are online security measures, parental workshops and expert advice that we can turn to. But what better way and help can we get than these measures that are still struggling to overcome the problem of modern technology today? There is always God and God alone! Because He is the in control of ALL things.
Dear Lord, I commit my munchkins into thy loving hands, the hands that created ALL things, including the munchkins. Please continue to watch over them when I couldn't, and block information from them that is inappropriate or not pleasing to Your eyes. And teach Di and myself to be a good role model as well, lest we become the greatest stumbling blocks in their lives. Amen.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Movie date
Today marks the second time En & Xuan watched a movie in the cinema (their first was "Smurfs" some months ago). They were full of anticipation since I told them last week about watching "Madagascar 3". As I prepared them last night that we have to leave our home by 10am this morning, lest we couldn't get any movie tickets, Xuan asked me numerous times "is it 10am yet?" from the moment I was awake till I reached for the door today. Challenging!!!
But it was all worth it. The munchkins laughed hilariously throughout the 90 minutes movie. They indulged themselves in a box of popcorn and enjoyed unobstructed view. Water bottle on standby for hydration, socks and cardigan kept them warm too. Whatever it takes to make my princesses comfortable while they sit back and enjoy!
And the result? Well, the constant recount of the movie scenes during our lunch at McDonalds goes to show how much they loved the movie. I'm sure there'll be more movie trips to come for the family!
But it was all worth it. The munchkins laughed hilariously throughout the 90 minutes movie. They indulged themselves in a box of popcorn and enjoyed unobstructed view. Water bottle on standby for hydration, socks and cardigan kept them warm too. Whatever it takes to make my princesses comfortable while they sit back and enjoy!
And the result? Well, the constant recount of the movie scenes during our lunch at McDonalds goes to show how much they loved the movie. I'm sure there'll be more movie trips to come for the family!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Twinship
I fetched the munchkins from the childcare centre this evening, and our walk-home conversation somehow led to the topic on criminals and putting the bad guys in jail. Then En asked "What is a jail?" so I had to describe roughly how a cell would looked and explain why criminals had to be put behind bars.
Me: There are bad guys who steal, rob, fight or even kill other people, so the police had to lock them up in cells.
En: Sometimes I fight with Chloe. Do we have to go to jail?
Me: Not for that kind of fight, darling. You girls just squabble at times, isn't it? Not the real kind of fight, right?
Xuan: (looking at En) Yea, we don't really fight because we are twins, right?
En: (nods in agreement) Yup, we just fight a bit then we laugh and be friends all the time. Hee...
Then the girls held hands and ran off together towards our gate. The beauty of twinship. Lovely...
Dear God, you must really love these girls enough to want to have them duplicated. And you must love me enough to let me have them! Thank you very much!!!
Me: There are bad guys who steal, rob, fight or even kill other people, so the police had to lock them up in cells.
En: Sometimes I fight with Chloe. Do we have to go to jail?
Me: Not for that kind of fight, darling. You girls just squabble at times, isn't it? Not the real kind of fight, right?
Xuan: (looking at En) Yea, we don't really fight because we are twins, right?
En: (nods in agreement) Yup, we just fight a bit then we laugh and be friends all the time. Hee...
Then the girls held hands and ran off together towards our gate. The beauty of twinship. Lovely...
Dear God, you must really love these girls enough to want to have them duplicated. And you must love me enough to let me have them! Thank you very much!!!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Born again!
I couldn't believe I actually took this long to blog again... The reality of a working mother, and one that works 3 rotating shifts. However, what triggers me to return to this blog today is the all consuming joy that my munchkins both said the sinner's prayer with me today and committed themselves to accept Jesus Christ into their lives. 6 May 2012! A day to remember and praise the Lord for. Sharing my joy with all, and I can hear the angels rejoicing with me even at this moment! Amen.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Song: Living for Jesus
A very meaningful hymn which touched me so much earlier, during my Bible study on the book of Isaiah (on chapter 6). The song reminded me of why I heed His call in the first place to do what I'm doing now, and how I should go on to do what I'm called to do. The hymn goes like this:
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Refrain
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me.
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne.
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.
(Refrain )
Living for Jesus, wherever I am,
Doing each duty in His holy Name;
Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
Deeming each trial a part of my cross.
(Refrain )
Living for Jesus through earth's little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.
(Refrain)
I ask the Lord to always remind me however difficult the task may be, I am merely a vessel called by God to do His work, not mine. And I ask the Spirit of God to constantly sharpen my mind, enflame my heart and energize my will to live by His grace for His honor and glory, and seek to please Him in every thought, word, deed, my all! Amen.
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Refrain
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me.
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne.
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call,
Follow His leading and give Him my all.
(Refrain )
Living for Jesus, wherever I am,
Doing each duty in His holy Name;
Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
Deeming each trial a part of my cross.
(Refrain )
Living for Jesus through earth's little while,
My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.
(Refrain)
I ask the Lord to always remind me however difficult the task may be, I am merely a vessel called by God to do His work, not mine. And I ask the Spirit of God to constantly sharpen my mind, enflame my heart and energize my will to live by His grace for His honor and glory, and seek to please Him in every thought, word, deed, my all! Amen.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Hello again!
Its been a really long while since I last posted. I had wanted to give up blogging. And I'm still struggling with it because now that I'm working 3 rotating shifts, other priorities in life had to take centre stage, and blogging is certainly not on the top of the list.
However, this blog came to mind again today. My day started off with me realising the uniqueness of the date 11-02-2011. Its a palindrome, like a word that reads backwards the same as it does forwards. So I suddenly thought I should write something on this interesting day. But what should I blog about? So much had taken place in the past months, yet I can't think of anything special to blog. In fact, all I had in my mind as I embarked on an hour-long journey to meet my dad was the options which the orthopaedic surgeon would offer my dad, and my dad's response to those options. So unconsciously, the thought of blogging got intercepted by my other trail of thoughts and ended up lost in transition.
Yet the Lord, as usual, never fail to answer my prayers and prove His faithfulness. My dad was full of praises for the surgeon (today's visit being their first meet up) and he agreed to the total knee replacement surgery with full confidence and assurance. Do you know what that translates into? It means increased mobility, reduced pain, lesser medication and more activities for my dad and the munchkins. His quality of life will improve tremendously and this is the outcome I desire for the longest time. My dad spent the bulk of his lifetime on his feet, working as an odd job labourer at the fishing port and later on, a hawker until his feet couldn't take the stress any further at the age of 63. It was those strong limbs of his that gave his 4 children the opportunity to go to school and a chance to lead a better life. Now that he's 68, all I wanted to do for him is to ensure he get to enjoy the rest of his life going places and be pain free. I cannot express how much I thank God for removing dad's stubborn resistance to seek treatment, and replacing that resistance with peace and confidence in a mere week. It takes more than a miracle which only God can deliver. Amen!
So once again, here I am, doing my little part of sharing the goodness of my Lord through blogging. Until I can leap and jump again with my dad, I hope to be able to drop by whenever I can to share the ups and downs of my busy life. Cheers.
However, this blog came to mind again today. My day started off with me realising the uniqueness of the date 11-02-2011. Its a palindrome, like a word that reads backwards the same as it does forwards. So I suddenly thought I should write something on this interesting day. But what should I blog about? So much had taken place in the past months, yet I can't think of anything special to blog. In fact, all I had in my mind as I embarked on an hour-long journey to meet my dad was the options which the orthopaedic surgeon would offer my dad, and my dad's response to those options. So unconsciously, the thought of blogging got intercepted by my other trail of thoughts and ended up lost in transition.
Yet the Lord, as usual, never fail to answer my prayers and prove His faithfulness. My dad was full of praises for the surgeon (today's visit being their first meet up) and he agreed to the total knee replacement surgery with full confidence and assurance. Do you know what that translates into? It means increased mobility, reduced pain, lesser medication and more activities for my dad and the munchkins. His quality of life will improve tremendously and this is the outcome I desire for the longest time. My dad spent the bulk of his lifetime on his feet, working as an odd job labourer at the fishing port and later on, a hawker until his feet couldn't take the stress any further at the age of 63. It was those strong limbs of his that gave his 4 children the opportunity to go to school and a chance to lead a better life. Now that he's 68, all I wanted to do for him is to ensure he get to enjoy the rest of his life going places and be pain free. I cannot express how much I thank God for removing dad's stubborn resistance to seek treatment, and replacing that resistance with peace and confidence in a mere week. It takes more than a miracle which only God can deliver. Amen!
So once again, here I am, doing my little part of sharing the goodness of my Lord through blogging. Until I can leap and jump again with my dad, I hope to be able to drop by whenever I can to share the ups and downs of my busy life. Cheers.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
4th Birthday
This post came a little late this year. The fun and joy experienced when planning, organising and being present at the munchkins' 4th birthday celebration in the childcare centre still linger in me.
Here's princesses En and Xuan on 6 October, with the individual birthday cakes of their choice.
I cannot put into words how I feel when I saw them seated at the table, all dressed up, ready to receive the blessings and well wishes from their teachers and all their little friends. They were such a fortunate pair whose lives had been under the hands of the almighty God! I was so close to tears that day. That gentle voice within, shouting "Look! We've come so far, isn't it?" makes me want to cry. The sweet reminder that God watches over the 2 of them all the time, is overwhelming. Those moments where I had doubts, where I was down, where my faith was failing me, where my human strength couldn't take me, they were all but foolishness of my heart which blinded my eyes to the love of my Lord.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for all that You've done for En and Xuan. They were beautifully and wonderfully made by Your precious hands. May they remember Your grace and Your love for them, and in return, love and praise You all the days of their lives. Teach them Your ways, not mine. Show them Your plans for them, and not mine. Guide them to fulfill Your purpose for them in their lives. Into Your precious hands, I commit my little ones. Amen.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Doubts
Today mark the end of the 3rd week of my clinical practicum to a surgical ward of the hospital I am bonded to. I have 4 more weeks to go before I return to books again (aka campus life).
As much as I still strong believe in, and am assured of, my calling to His purpose in this nursing career, I am prompted to start to pray about the discipline which I will enter into come January 2011. I need to know where I would be most needed in His purpose for my life.
You see, 2 years back, I felt I "might' be called to Palliative Nursing. End-of-life issues and caregivers' stress had always been close to my heart. I wonder sometimes if it stems from regrets that my family, including my late mother, was ill prepared for her death and issues related to her demise. I am not saying we had a hard time coping then. Even the most well prepared families had their share of grief and struggles after losing their loved ones. But I believe things would have been a lot easier if someone, like a palliative nurse, had step in to prepare the family, including my mother, for the impending issues ahead before her eventual departure. I was a educated, 19-year old young adult then and would certainly be able to comprehend complex issues on hand. Having said that, such services weren't available back in the early 1990s, so no one's to be blamed though.
Now, as I encounter deaths in the hospital and patients being diagnosed with cancer, and having spoke to a few of these patients, their family members as well as nurses who were in palliative care previously, I'm beginning to doubt if I can handle the emotional roller coaster of the role of a palliative nurse. Perhaps I needed more exposure? Perhaps I needed a good mentor? Or maybe it was never God's intention to put me in this role and it was my own imagination all along???
I need answers which only my dear Lord can provide. But you, my friend, can pray with me in my search for an answer and direction. Thanks!
Give us your strength, Lord.
Because sometimes things get tough, and we are ready to quit.
Give us your love, Lord.
Because sometimes people reject us and we are tempted to hate.
Give us your eyes, Lord.
Because sometimes life get dark and we lose our way.
Give us your courage, Lord.
Because often we are put under pressure and its hard to do what is right.
Give us yourself, Lord.
Because our hearts were made for you and we will not rest until we rest in you.
Amen.
As much as I still strong believe in, and am assured of, my calling to His purpose in this nursing career, I am prompted to start to pray about the discipline which I will enter into come January 2011. I need to know where I would be most needed in His purpose for my life.
You see, 2 years back, I felt I "might' be called to Palliative Nursing. End-of-life issues and caregivers' stress had always been close to my heart. I wonder sometimes if it stems from regrets that my family, including my late mother, was ill prepared for her death and issues related to her demise. I am not saying we had a hard time coping then. Even the most well prepared families had their share of grief and struggles after losing their loved ones. But I believe things would have been a lot easier if someone, like a palliative nurse, had step in to prepare the family, including my mother, for the impending issues ahead before her eventual departure. I was a educated, 19-year old young adult then and would certainly be able to comprehend complex issues on hand. Having said that, such services weren't available back in the early 1990s, so no one's to be blamed though.
Now, as I encounter deaths in the hospital and patients being diagnosed with cancer, and having spoke to a few of these patients, their family members as well as nurses who were in palliative care previously, I'm beginning to doubt if I can handle the emotional roller coaster of the role of a palliative nurse. Perhaps I needed more exposure? Perhaps I needed a good mentor? Or maybe it was never God's intention to put me in this role and it was my own imagination all along???
I need answers which only my dear Lord can provide. But you, my friend, can pray with me in my search for an answer and direction. Thanks!
Give us your strength, Lord.
Because sometimes things get tough, and we are ready to quit.
Give us your love, Lord.
Because sometimes people reject us and we are tempted to hate.
Give us your eyes, Lord.
Because sometimes life get dark and we lose our way.
Give us your courage, Lord.
Because often we are put under pressure and its hard to do what is right.
Give us yourself, Lord.
Because our hearts were made for you and we will not rest until we rest in you.
Amen.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Updates
Its been months since I last posted in this blog. I did not forget its existence. I made a decision to spend more time with the kids (on top of my studies), hence the missing act from the blog as well as my other online hobbies.
As of today, the munchkins are about 2 months away from their 4th birthday. They are a lot more expressive nowadays, can hold a decent conversation and they play with each other most of the time. The "naughty corner" had not been used for a long time now as discipline takes a rather different approach for them at this age. The girls are more reasonable and are able to accept verbal warnings. I haven't seen melt downs for quite a while and I really, really thank God for that.
For the past few months, quality time with the munchkins were spent indoor playing dough, doing colouring, playing blocks, watching DVDs and occasionally reading together. At times, the adults were requested to leave the room because we don't belong to their "school" or whatever environment the girls' imagined themselves to be in. Sometimes I get pretty amused by how En and Xuan could understand one another's imagination and play along. You know, like when the things they talked about were virtual (like catching a fish without a rod or net) or the environment they verbalised literally doesn't exist (they pretended to be mermaids from the deep Oceania). Kids are a lot more than you think they are!!!
We go outdoor most of the weekends now. If I need to work on my assignments on a particular weekend, Di and YaYa will bring the girls out without me. The munchkins had gotten more "acquainted" with the malls than before. McDonalds were not encouraged in the past when they were younger. We now visit the fast food chain every fortnightly. Furthermore, with the munchkins' allergy conditions and asthma under control, they are now allowed to have ice-cream when we dine out. So you can imagine how much they love outings, especially after Sunday school! They can name the various malls we've brought them to and state their preferences. Needless to say, those malls with ice cream parlours and Kiddy Palace gets top votes in their list of "My favourite Shopping Malls".
A family portrait taken for Father's Day in May, so here's one to share. Seated on my thighs is Xuan. En has got her arms around me.
I may not be able to post as often as I'd love to, but I'll continue to try. Perhaps when I'm back in the hospital in mid August, I'll have more time to write again. I'll "see" you around. God bless!
As of today, the munchkins are about 2 months away from their 4th birthday. They are a lot more expressive nowadays, can hold a decent conversation and they play with each other most of the time. The "naughty corner" had not been used for a long time now as discipline takes a rather different approach for them at this age. The girls are more reasonable and are able to accept verbal warnings. I haven't seen melt downs for quite a while and I really, really thank God for that.
For the past few months, quality time with the munchkins were spent indoor playing dough, doing colouring, playing blocks, watching DVDs and occasionally reading together. At times, the adults were requested to leave the room because we don't belong to their "school" or whatever environment the girls' imagined themselves to be in. Sometimes I get pretty amused by how En and Xuan could understand one another's imagination and play along. You know, like when the things they talked about were virtual (like catching a fish without a rod or net) or the environment they verbalised literally doesn't exist (they pretended to be mermaids from the deep Oceania). Kids are a lot more than you think they are!!!
We go outdoor most of the weekends now. If I need to work on my assignments on a particular weekend, Di and YaYa will bring the girls out without me. The munchkins had gotten more "acquainted" with the malls than before. McDonalds were not encouraged in the past when they were younger. We now visit the fast food chain every fortnightly. Furthermore, with the munchkins' allergy conditions and asthma under control, they are now allowed to have ice-cream when we dine out. So you can imagine how much they love outings, especially after Sunday school! They can name the various malls we've brought them to and state their preferences. Needless to say, those malls with ice cream parlours and Kiddy Palace gets top votes in their list of "My favourite Shopping Malls".
A family portrait taken for Father's Day in May, so here's one to share. Seated on my thighs is Xuan. En has got her arms around me.
I may not be able to post as often as I'd love to, but I'll continue to try. Perhaps when I'm back in the hospital in mid August, I'll have more time to write again. I'll "see" you around. God bless!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Reflections
An hour ago, I had a short chat with Di when I arrived home from my last day in KK Women and Children's Hospital (clinical posting). Di shared good news about his colleague's wife being successfully pregnant after years of trying to conceive with history of previous miscarriage. We were really happy for them. And Di was truly thankful it didn't take us long to get pregnant when we finally decided to start a family back then.
I, on the other hand, am more thankful than ever, after spending the past one month in the paediatric, obstetric and gynaecology ward. When I witnessed premature infants arriving in the ward with complex medical conditions or awaiting for corrective surgery, I can't thank the Lord more for a relatively smooth pregnancy, allowing me to carry the munchkins to term and giving them good health. Women with reproductive disorders also reminded me to count my blessings each day. What more can I ask for...
Thank You, Jesus, for everything!
Were there no God, we would be in this glorious world with grateful hearts and no one to thank.
- Christina Rossetti
I, on the other hand, am more thankful than ever, after spending the past one month in the paediatric, obstetric and gynaecology ward. When I witnessed premature infants arriving in the ward with complex medical conditions or awaiting for corrective surgery, I can't thank the Lord more for a relatively smooth pregnancy, allowing me to carry the munchkins to term and giving them good health. Women with reproductive disorders also reminded me to count my blessings each day. What more can I ask for...
Thank You, Jesus, for everything!
Were there no God, we would be in this glorious world with grateful hearts and no one to thank.
- Christina Rossetti
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Paediatrics
It has only been 3 days into my paediatric posting and I am feeling down and depressed, on one hand, yet tremendously grateful on the other. In fact, I am rather convinced paeds are not my cup of tea, and I certainly hope this discipline would not be my calling. I struggled to keep my professional composure at work and found it challenging to cope with the emotional roller coaster ride the moment I am out of the hospital.
I love children and I think they are beautiful gifts from God. So it pains my heart to see the little ones suffering. Oh, I forgot to mention I am posted to paeds surgical ward. Looking at infants or toddlers born with congenital conditions and hoping for a chance to lead a normal life post surgery is heart wrenching. Of course there are a handful of them who are admitted for minor conditions and their speedy recovery plus angelic laughter are a joy to many.
However, there is this one child who makes my heart ache even at this very moment. She was admitted for second degree burns (scalded by boiling water) due to abuse/negligence. My heart sank the moment I saw her. Wrapped up like an ancient Egyptian mummy, I could tell she is about the munchkins’ age. The quiet child, who refused to talk for the first 2 days, finally opened up and answered my few questions yesterday after I gave her Princess and Thomas & Friends stickers. Later on, she cried softly when we wheeled her for dressing change. After coaxing her, I promised to get her some Strawberry Shortcake stickers today. And I hope these little items would bring pain relieve and joy to her on her journey to recovery.
I spoke briefly about her condition to the munchkins last night. Told them about her burns and the fact that no one truly cares for her (I have not seen any visitors except for police officers and social workers). En graciously (lived up to her name) offer to give the girl her Thomas & Friends piano while Xuan fret over which of her favourite toys to give away. In the end, I chose a ball which changes colour when it is thrown in the air, and asked if Xuan would like to give away the ball. She nodded with a smiley face and that warms my heart.
So now, I’ll have to go pack the stickers and toys in a nice paper bag and get ready for work. Keep praying for me too, that nothing will happen at work that I'd be unable to handle. Thank you!
I love children and I think they are beautiful gifts from God. So it pains my heart to see the little ones suffering. Oh, I forgot to mention I am posted to paeds surgical ward. Looking at infants or toddlers born with congenital conditions and hoping for a chance to lead a normal life post surgery is heart wrenching. Of course there are a handful of them who are admitted for minor conditions and their speedy recovery plus angelic laughter are a joy to many.
However, there is this one child who makes my heart ache even at this very moment. She was admitted for second degree burns (scalded by boiling water) due to abuse/negligence. My heart sank the moment I saw her. Wrapped up like an ancient Egyptian mummy, I could tell she is about the munchkins’ age. The quiet child, who refused to talk for the first 2 days, finally opened up and answered my few questions yesterday after I gave her Princess and Thomas & Friends stickers. Later on, she cried softly when we wheeled her for dressing change. After coaxing her, I promised to get her some Strawberry Shortcake stickers today. And I hope these little items would bring pain relieve and joy to her on her journey to recovery.
I spoke briefly about her condition to the munchkins last night. Told them about her burns and the fact that no one truly cares for her (I have not seen any visitors except for police officers and social workers). En graciously (lived up to her name) offer to give the girl her Thomas & Friends piano while Xuan fret over which of her favourite toys to give away. In the end, I chose a ball which changes colour when it is thrown in the air, and asked if Xuan would like to give away the ball. She nodded with a smiley face and that warms my heart.
So now, I’ll have to go pack the stickers and toys in a nice paper bag and get ready for work. Keep praying for me too, that nothing will happen at work that I'd be unable to handle. Thank you!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Why Blog?
Some people blog to document their journey in parenting, career development or relationships with their better half or higher being, etc. Others choose blogging as a means to express their innermost thoughts and feelings, whereas for some, it is a mode to share with others their love for their hobbies (eg. photography, music, handicraft, etc.). No matter what their reason is behind blogging, I enjoy reading blogs because they reveal a lot about the writers, even though you may not know them personally.
But there are blogs written by my friends and they sometimes bring tears to my eyes. These are people I know personally yet we do not openly discuss our thoughts and feelings when we meet. Why? Because we are Asians and that’s it! It is in our blood and that’s hard to change. Our parents were reserved and we didn’t have good role models to guide us in expressing ourselves in our younger days. No doubt we are a lot better than our parents in terms of communication now, but still, something is lacking in the Asian (or rather Chinese) culture which makes it a challenge for us to pour our hearts out to our friends. And I guess it didn’t help to have another barrier to overcome – pride. Blogging, however, became a great avenue for some of us to pen our feelings and share with friends and strangers (pardon me for using this term if you happened to be reading this blog for the first time).
I got to know a few high school friends better when they started blogging. We don’t discuss what was posted when we meet face to face, but we do drop each other little notes (or exchange text SMSes) when one is feeling down. This morning, I spent a whole 2 hours reading the blog of a high school friend who just passed away on 30 January 2010. I was tearing most of them time when I read about her fight against cancer for the past 15 months. The fact that she left behind a pair of twins made me think what I’d do if I were to be in her shoes. Will I be as strong? What will I say to my own twins if I were to face similar situation? I really don’t know…
Nonetheless, I hope all my friends will continue to blog, and I will try my best to catch up on your blogs whenever I can. It may not be the best way to keep in touch, but it is one of the ways in which we can share and support one another, ya? Let's not wait till the next call to gather at a friend's funeral wake to catch up with one another, okie? “See” you around and take care!
But there are blogs written by my friends and they sometimes bring tears to my eyes. These are people I know personally yet we do not openly discuss our thoughts and feelings when we meet. Why? Because we are Asians and that’s it! It is in our blood and that’s hard to change. Our parents were reserved and we didn’t have good role models to guide us in expressing ourselves in our younger days. No doubt we are a lot better than our parents in terms of communication now, but still, something is lacking in the Asian (or rather Chinese) culture which makes it a challenge for us to pour our hearts out to our friends. And I guess it didn’t help to have another barrier to overcome – pride. Blogging, however, became a great avenue for some of us to pen our feelings and share with friends and strangers (pardon me for using this term if you happened to be reading this blog for the first time).
I got to know a few high school friends better when they started blogging. We don’t discuss what was posted when we meet face to face, but we do drop each other little notes (or exchange text SMSes) when one is feeling down. This morning, I spent a whole 2 hours reading the blog of a high school friend who just passed away on 30 January 2010. I was tearing most of them time when I read about her fight against cancer for the past 15 months. The fact that she left behind a pair of twins made me think what I’d do if I were to be in her shoes. Will I be as strong? What will I say to my own twins if I were to face similar situation? I really don’t know…
Nonetheless, I hope all my friends will continue to blog, and I will try my best to catch up on your blogs whenever I can. It may not be the best way to keep in touch, but it is one of the ways in which we can share and support one another, ya? Let's not wait till the next call to gather at a friend's funeral wake to catch up with one another, okie? “See” you around and take care!
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