I see the rainbow

My digital camera broke, and this pic was taken using my mobile.  It has certainly did a disservice to the beauty of the rainbow I saw today. (can’t see? look closely towards the left of the tree in the middle)

It was so beautiful.  Everytime I see a rainbow, it is probably only 1/4? This time, I see a semi-circle!  It was so beautiful that on the bus (and even now), my eyes went teary.  I have not seen a rainbow for years.  I was in awe and I’m sure Noah felt that way, but in an even greater magnitude.

I asked God if He is trying to tell me something?  And as I alighted from the bus, the word “covenant and promise” came to my mind. – His promise to me.

Hmmm…. I know His promise to Noah when He first made the rainbow.  But, what’s His promise to me?  Has God ever given me any promise?

Yes, He did.  A prophetic words released to me about 11 years ago when I was still in NCC came to my mind.  But I kept fighting it within me.

“No, God is not going to do that.  The situation now look too hopeless.”

But everytime I say this within me, I see the picture of the rainbow clearly in my mind.

This happen again and again.  Went to Crosswalk to search for all the verses relating to “faith” in the New Testament.  As I read through the search result, I felt as if Jesus was rebuking me again and again and again – “You of little faith.”

“Yes God, I confess my faithlessness.  Help me in my unbelief.”

What’s for lunch?

My son has the habit of going to my weekly menu plan to check out our lunch.  Compared to dinner, it is much more easier to get my kiddos to finish up their lunches quickly.  Afterall, they usually only get to eat the same food once a month.  So I usually don’t have to nag Mr E to eat since he normally eats so fast that he wants a 2nd serving.

So what’s for lunch?

Pasta menu

• Sphagetti Bolognese
• Fried pasta w/ capsicum and prawn
• Carbonara w/ mix veg
• Pasticcio
• Lasagna

Rice menu

• Pineapple Fried Rice
• Silverfish Fried Rice
• Char Siew Fried Rice
• Claypot Chicken Rice

Noodle Soup

• YTF claypot noodle
• Simple Mian Xian
• Prawn Noodle Soup
• Macaroni Soup

Fried Noodles (Dry)

• Stir Fried Udon
• Colorful Fried Mee Hoon
• Fried Ee Fu Mee w/ mushrooms and beansprout

Fried Noodle (With Gravy/Sauce)

• Wan Tan Noodle
• Hor fun with Gravy
• Hokkien Fried Prawn Noodle (the one with thick bee hoon)
• Hokkien Fried Noodle (only yellow noodle with dark sauce)

Porridge

• Fish Porridge
• Pork Porridge
• Stew Peanuts with Tau Guah Porridge
• Teochew Porridge

Miscellaneous

• Sandwich (with whatever is left in the fridge )
• Salmon Burger

So here they are.  Even I myself prefer our lunch to dinner cause I like variety   Which is why I was telling my cell members that during fasting period, it is a challenge to fast from lunch.  If only I can have as much variety for dinner, which is always a challenge. Sigh…

When Its Wet Out There

What does Ms Z do when it is wet and we are stuck at home?

Camping!!!!!

Huh?????………….

With a twist…………

This was where Ms Z slept the whole of last night and even tonight!

She loves it RAW

On another note: just found out that Ms Z actually loves salad! 

Specifically, the salad I made yesterday to host my distant relatives was butterhead with balsamic vinegar dressing, and Z loves it!  She also loves the Japanese cucumber. 

Hmmm…. I think I have to revamp my dinner, which is mainly Chinese dishes, to cater to Ms Z’s preferance.

Ms Z’s Doodling

In Jan this year, Z’s drawing of people has head, arms and legs, but no body.  Now, here’s what we have:

a body, fingers, feet, and even dress!  So what’s that beside the girl?

Here’s the big picture: – she was trying to draw a door to the castle, complete with sky, sun, flower and land

Setting Up Secured Network – I did it!!!

Allow me to boast for now …  (hee hee…)

Although I was IT trained, setting up network and anything to do with internet set up wasn’t my forte.  Plus I have been off touch from IT for a long time, really don’t know a lot of stuffs now.

But when I bought my new notebook, I had no choice but to figure out how to set up the network on my own by hook or crook.  And I did it!  

Recently, there were some annoying problems with my IE7 which constantly hang. Went online and found the solution!

And, for a long long time, I have been really annoyed that my wireless home network was set up to be an unsecured network, and there were people who has been tapping on MY network! (Grrrrrgh…………)  Was figuring out how to change it to be secured, and I did it!!!

Ya, these are really so so so simple tasks, I know… But, with an IT savy husband who has no time to help me, I simply feel good that I could get my computer related problems solved.

Yey!!!

家家有本难念的经

Last night, Ms Z was wailing badly, saying that she wanted so much to play with daddy.  And so today, I decided to skip church, just so that we could be home for the children to spend time with Dan (who doesn’t go to church now )

BUT, Dan went out of house early morning!!!!

Here we were, staying home to fit into his timing, just so that we could be with him more, but he was not there!  I was so sad to see the children so upset over it.  I can never forget another incident when E was anticipating Dan’s phone call from oversea, and became so traumatised, screamed and yelled the moment the phone rang.  It was really heartwrenching.  They miss him and they long be with their father that much.

And so, the bad start got me really moody and irritable.  Blew my top a few times after that. By late morning, I was so frustrated and lost with situation at home, that 3 of us were all crying in their bedroom together.

家家有本难念的经 – How how how true this is…

I grew up with a very committed dad who is always there for me and my sis, but a mum who is always out of home.  And so, even during my Poly days, I told myself that I will stay at home for my children, so that I can “make sure” that my children will grow up in a “perfect family”.  And so I thought everything is “under control”, but over the years, I find myself loosing control! 

I realised I’m really not in control on the kind of childhood my children will be having.

I realised its beyond me.

I realised I can’t provide the perfect family for my children.

I realised I have to humble myself and submit the children’s life into God’s hands.

I still want and pray towards a more ideal family situation, but, it is not I who can build this house.  As I write this, Psalm 127 came to my mind:

“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” ~ Psalm 127:1

Yes, now I know… I finally realised… it is not I who can build this house, but the Lord.  How foolish and proud I have been to think that I can be in control. 

I still don’t know what it is to let “the Lord builds the house”.  But what I know is, I can only pray that whatever situation my children are under, HE will be with them, and HE will take charge of them, and HE will build their character through this family the HE has placed EZ in.

Back to our day… E woke up from nap bright and shine.  Came to me with a sunny “Good afternoon mummy.  Let us put our morning behind us, and look forward to a better Sunday for the rest of the day.”

“E, thank you, thank you, thank you…”

K-drama, K-forum, K-friends

These are my source of outlet…. WOHMs probably have their working environment and colleagues to talk about things other than children… But for SAHMs like me, sigh… day in day out, topics with friends revolve around kids… schools, discipline, resource, homeschool, etc etc etc… All these can make ones’ life pretty dull… At times, I meet up with my single friend, and tell her specifically, “talk anything except about kids”…

Well, I’m still watching K-dramas … In fact, besides parenting forum, I’m also active in K-drama forums, so much so that there are a group of Singapore friends that I know through the forum, and we meet up once a while, usually for a gathering with our “international k-drama fans” … and we just met up today to meet our fellow k-drama fans from S Korea.

For me, its like a hobby, and very therapeutic, and what I really enjoy most is - the friends that I get to know from around Asia. Not just Singapore, but also Indonesia, The Philippines, S Korea, etc… A few of them came to Singapore for holiday, and they will always inform us so we can meet up, and finally put face to names that we know online.  Chat times with them are my true true breaks from my ‘professional work’ .

Dinner today with my 2 Korean friends in S’pore for holiday

 

On a sad note…

this last few days, our fellow K-drama fans were mourning over the death of one of the up and coming young star in Korea, who lost his life in a motorbike accident.  The death was simply sudden, and shocking… For those who watch Coffee Prince which was aired on Channel U few months back, you probably know who he is:

Condolences to Eon’s family and friends

PS: Just in case people think I’m one of those who spend endless wasted time watching K-dramas… no, I don’t… I have been disciplining myself to watch at most 1 episode a day, probably about an hour, very much like anyone else who watches our local dramas, or some of those dramas like CSI, Heros, Lost, etc… and its after kiddos have slept. Basically, my form of R&R for the day.

Let’s go see the dentist!

This is the day, EZ’s official dental check up.  Not E’s first since I once sent him to a dentist cause of a toothache.  But that wasn’t counted since there wasn’t any check up done.

Z was really excited over it since 2 weeks ago when I announced the dental appointment.  E, being VERY E, was freaky.  But thank God, I didn’t need to drag his feet there.  On the way there, except for the once a while sulk, he was pretty calm.  I guess little Ms Z’s courage was contagious.

Where did we go?

School Dental Centre

3 Second Hospital Avenue

#04-00 Health Promotion Board

Singapore 168937

Tel: 6435 3782

Process

 

(Erm, actually no photography and video taking is allowed.  I didn’t know, and by the time I know, I have already snapped a few using my handphone )

The dentist and her assistant were very assuring and encouraging.  Both EZ were very comfortable with them.

Before the checking, they let them wear a pair of sunglass.  Guess its due to the dentist chair’s bright light.

During the check up, whenever she has to use an equipment, she explained and kept assuring them that it would not be painful.  Even said something like ”I’m going to use this MacDonald’s straw to help you feel more comfortable.”

After – gave both stickers.

Verdict

The dentist is certainly very experience with little children and is able to anticipate and prevent the children from being fearful.  Certainly thumbs up on this.

But I thought there should be certain degree of teaching on dental hygiene, which was not given.  I wonder if it is because both EZ’s teeth were alright with no problem, which is why she didn’t go into that.

But overall, certainly happy with the visit.  The plus point is, it is cheap.  Our check up today cost $9 for each child.  And, it can be paid using Baby Bonus’ account.

After the checkup

Pop over to “Health Zone” which is just next door after the appointment where the kiddos had fun exploring the exhibit.  Just to make the trip all the way there worth while.

PS: Both their teeth are clean.  Z did a polish and E needed a little scaling on his bottom from 2 teeth.

Baby Tooth Holder

 

Baby Tooth Album with Mr E’s 4 teeth inside.

This is really so so so cool.  I can now hold my kiddos’ milk teeth into these holders.

All thanks to another fellow homeschool friend who organised a bulk purchase to get these from the BabyToothAlbum webiste Bought one for each of my kiddos.  Z was so amused by it that she said she wants her teeth dropped!!!

But unfortunately, I lost E’s lower jaw’s lateral incisor that he dropped on Sunday when we were having lunch outside   Really so so so sad.  Went back to the restaurant to look for it, but to no avail.   From now on, gonna bring a little small medicine box to hold any tooth that drops when out-and-about before loosing more of it!

PS: GT, thanks again for organising everything.

Impatience Management

If there is one thing that I want God to take away from me, it has to be my impatience.  Doesn’t help that I am someone who is quite ‘target orientated’.

Chance upon this book:

Anger: Handling a Powerful Emotion in a Healthy Way By Gary Chapman From road rage to daily exasperations in the home and workplace, Americans are getting madder! Offering up-to-date stats, facts, and real-life examples, Chapman discusses helpful—and surprising—insights on the reasons behind our anger and how to not only manage it, but use it for good! (Formerly titled The Other Side of Love.) 208 pages, softcover from Moody.

 

and spent sometime on Sunday ALONE (!), reading it at a cafe.  It is helpful and gives practical tips on managing anger.  But still felt that something is missing.

I just feel that there are situations and scenerios that prelude my impatience.  I have to prevent myself from getting into such situation, than I should be able to stay calm:

• Stop packing my day with back-to-back appointments – It has been 6+ years of motherhood, but I still tend to forget that I now have children and having children means that I can’t run as fast as I used to be.
• Don’t over-commit myself – I think I am too greedy and even over-estimated myself, wanting to do too many things in a short time.  I have rearrange and even drop some commitments that I have made.  And learn to be more careful before making another one.  I have to stop being a ‘hero’ at the expense of my children.
• Have some discipline to sleep early and wake up early – Simple, but I tend to be more grouchy when I wake up late (which is quite often )

This last few days, I have been consiously shifting my appointments and also stopped a not so important favor that I have been doing.  It seems to work, and the day is more free-up with a calmer me too.   With the tips from the book, and more commitments that have to be re-arrange or dropped, hopefully, there will be a more patient, less angered, and more smiley me, especially when I’m home.

Just Do What Noah Did

Among friends from various differnt groups, topic on how corrupted and challenging this world has become, is quite a common issue that many of us worry about.  From the pink is cool among teenage boys, to little 5yo being shown games that have anime women’s naked body, and their parents have no qualms about.   How the devil is slowly ’stealing, killing and destroying’ can sometimes be overwhelming.

Basically, we are worred about the kind of temptation and negative influence that our children will be exposed to, and how things that clearly wrong in the bible has been packaged by the world in such way that it is acceptable.  It is really scary, and I am scared too.  In fact, negative influence is the key reason why I have been considering homeschooling my children beyond kindergarten level.  Many times, I ask God “How?”. How am I going to parent my children so that they will always choose to follow God’s way instead of the devil’s way.

Was reading the story of Noah and the Big Flood with the children tonight, and something clicked within my mind.  It dawn on me that what we are facing today is really nothing new.  Noah faced it!  So did Lot when God has to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

What set Noah apart was his faithfulness to please God despite the negative influences that prevailed during his time.  There were sins around him, but he chose to walk the way of righteousness, and was finally rescued from the flood.

I used the opportunity to remind Mr E that there will always be a lot of things that friends around him will do that are not right.  Will he choose to do what Noah did, and be saved, or will he choose to follow the wrong way and be finally drowned in the flood?

Well, he said he will follow what Noah did, and do what the bible says is right.  Of course I know that being child, there will certainly be times when he forgets and do what is wrong.  But I pray that by and large, EZ will always remember to “Just Do What Noah Did”.