Colourful Festival of Light

Please refer to Hazel's Post to see what festival The Village has celebrated today. I had a great day. I wish there was a camera that could catch feelings so that I could share with you how I felt. Like click this button and then some aura comes out and you can feel the happiness and love I had.

Now the pictures of my [work] love life...=P

These are shaped by coloured grains of rice!

Bridal Hysteria - Eeeeek!

I started giving out my first invitations at work today. I'm happy that alot of them said it was cute! Hahaha. Yay. Thanks Dolly and Hazel for helping me choose it...despite that one major error that nobody else except us knows about ;)

I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of October. And then on Saturday it's going to be November!

You guys!!! November is THE MONTH BEFORE December!!! O.M.G.

O.M.G.

I think I'm hyperventilating.

I'm getting paranoid that I'm forgetting to plan something or do something or forget some important detail that needs to be prepared for the wedding....

Okay...breath in....breath out...breath in...breath out...

I'm so EXCITED!

I'm Nervous.

I'm EXCITED!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As Simple As That

As some of you might know I am teaching drama class. I just so happened to be the available one to teach. =)

In the beginning I was really stressed about it. But now things are getting better. I used to dread going to the classes but now I'm actually looking forward to it.

I learned a lesson from myself. Never give up- just try and try until you find a solution. So yeah, now things are going pretty smoothly in both my drama classes.

I like to try to make it intersting for my kids, especially the older ones. So I try to think of some activity they'll like. Today I felt like I ran out of ideas and I went to class thinking that maybe they'll have a boring day today.

But then the kids started suggesting some games we could play. We started off with one game then other students started giving out more ideas. These were the games we played (from what I can recall):

Whoever makes a noise first loses.
Whoever moves first loses.
Whoever smiles first loses.
Whoever laughs first loses.
Whoever blinks first loses.
Whoever breaths first loses.
Who can say the names of bands the most in 1 minute.
Who can say the names of authors the most in 1 minute.

So you see I didn't have to look so far for ideas. The kids are full of them and if they came up with it and its what they enjoy you're in for a great ride in that class.

I was also able to see a whole new side of these kids. For example I have a student who can hold his breath for 1 minute and 4o seconds. Another students who can list 35 band names in 1 minute and also another student who can keep a straight face even though everyone around him is smiling. I could see everyone of them enjoyed and everyone were able to take part despite their differences.

Just the other day I was asking myself if special education is really what I want to do. And now today I have gotten the reassurance that I'm on the right path.

Mom's Birthday 2008 - Dinner!

We waited for Dad to come. He was stuck in traffic but we finally made our way to Oishi Buffet in Thonglor. It was my parents first time there. We ate til' we could barely walk out of the restaurant and we even went over time. But they were nice enough not to chase us out =)

Salad Bar Model

The family minus Bayu ( was the "single" one)

Salmon, Chicken, Beef, Mushroom, Garlic, Potatoes....Green Tea.

"Rice"

I lllooooovvveee this sho-pao with cream filling.

Pudding. They didn't have my favorite
green tea pudding and red beans =( but it was still good.

Richmond picked this cake for Haze...shehhh..=P

Mom's Birthday 2008 - After Work

Today is my Mom's birthday.

Happy Birthday Mom! On your birthday next year I will not be single anymore! Hihihi.

Here are the pictures of the wonderful time our family had celebrating my Mom's birthday (minus Bayu of course T_T huhuh)

After work surprise: Richmond bought the roses and Hazel made the banner.
Then they both collaborated in tying the bows and sticking them up.

I printed and wrote in the card. My mom had a good laugh at what I wrote.
Besides dinner tonight my sister and I will be giving shopping money to my mom.
She always loves a shopping spree.

My sis also bought a watch for her.

We closed the door and when Mom came after work and walked in we were standing there with Richmond playing the guitar and we all sang the Happy Birthday Song.
Dad wasn't here...he was traveling back from somehwer...hihihi.Tsk tsk tsk.

Unpretentious Angels

Angels. We hear about them but alot of times we don't see them. I never realized that they can be everywhere and anyone until last Saturday when Dolly slipped on the steps of the BTS and sprained her ankle.

Just at the bottom of the steps was a man selling juice on a cart and a lady, I'm guessing his wife. He saw what happened and when I went to his cart he knew what I was going to ask and scooped ice from his box and put them in a plastic bag for me. I had asked for a little but he said it wasn't enough and put more inside.

Then I went back up the stairs to hand the ice to Dolly and the lady followed a few seconds later to give us some balm to put on Dolly's ankle.

Then yesterday I was on the Ekamai road right next to California Fitness. I was waiting to cross the road and it was raining. A lady with a yellow shirt and a yellow umbrella stood next to me to cross the road so I put my head slightly under her umbrella and she saw smiled and came closer to me so that we were both under her umbrella. We crossed to the middle of the road and it started pouring really really hard. If it wasn't because of her I would totally drenched.

So yes, people might have this view that angels are beautiful, magnificent "creatures" but actually they can be the ordinary, lowly people that pass us by everyday.

And I realize that by just those simple acts of kindness and the warm feeling it gives me in my heart; I can also be an angel to unsuspecting people.

Quote unQuote

Just some quotes that are stuck in my head from some people in my life...

That is too much oil. - Mom

Not all change is bad. - Shimona

Wake up! - Hazel

God's abundance litters the land of Singapore too. - Renee

No! You're my backup. - Papz =P

Don't say if only [so and so were here], say wait until [so and so is here]. - RJ

I'm a vegetarian and a Liar. - Anonymous =D

Lugubrious News

Look up lugubrious to see what it means. Well, maybe you don't need to if you don't know what it means. After reading this post you'll understand.

Well, obviously we are approaching the end of the month. The end of the months comes salary =) and bills =(.

Okay, let me get to the point. The points is. My wedding is less than 2 months away and I have calculated the budget and lets just say we're on a very tight budget right now. You see Bayu and I have no sponsors for our wedding therefore we are coming up with the ka-chings ourselves.

This means that in the month of November, the last "full" month before the wedding, I'll only have enough for the Newsong retreat and after that its save, Save, SAve, SAVe, SAVE. I'm sorry you all but this means not eating out in glorious places such as Sugaroma or Coffe Beans, or Sunrise Tacos. It also means no shopping (for myself but yes for wedding stuff) or spur-of-the moment outings.

Sorry to you, sorry to me but that's what its going to have to be like. Please help me okay!

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

I think we can still have fun without spending money luxuriously right? Right?! Hehe just trying to comfort myself.

I know God will provide but of course I gotta help Him too right? Teamwork.

Thanks you guys 'n girls.

Beauty & the Buncit

Happy Family

My "sinful" Nature

Yesterday

Yesterday is history! And I want to talk about history. Yeah, just to post something up I'm gonna write about a few things. Just to blah blah blah. I've had a loooong weekend - it started since last, last Friday already! Of course it didn't feel that long at all. =( It's not that I don't like work but It's the part of not being able to sleep in. I know I'm still fortunate enough to wake up at 6.10 but still it's early!

Wow, the weather this Sunday morning is ideal for sleeping in - gloomy and rainy. What am I doing up? I guess after this I'm going to go back to sleep. About this past week. It's been by so fast it's like a blur and I'm only able to register now what has happened and what it means to me. Another reason of why I'm in this contemplating mood is that the month of October has practically flown by and I know November will fly by too and then my wedding day will come!!!

About the wedding I'm so excited and nervous and just overwhelmed. These feelings inside me are building up as the the time gets closer and will erupt soon! Hahaha. I'm really behind in the schedule I made for myself regarding the preparations. But I'm still going to try to look at it as something fun and exciting that I'll only do once in my life.

Okay back to my weekend. I was able to spend lots of time with family and friends. Which is just what I love to do and it's more meaningful and precious to me because I know I won't be able to do this with them all the time. It's like God has given this week of break just for me! I've gotten to make new friends, become closer with other friends, and catch up with old friends. It's been amazing because these friends have, in a their own way, helped me with my relationship with God. It's been great being around friends who build you up, especially spiritually because that's what I really need right now.

I didn't realize it but I do need and am grateful for the spiritiual support and conversations we have. To make a such a big decision to get married and move to another country can be overwhelming and I've felt that I've never needed God so much in my life. This week has made me see that I really do need him more and more. I can't get enough of God. That's why Roots Rising and SML has been a really great help to me as well. I feel like I must get as much as I can of God right now before I go abroad so that by then I have built up enough strength to start my new life.

Sure, I've been having a wonderful relationship with God but I know I can still get to know Him better and be even closer to Him. I just want to let my guard down and let Him take over my life. I just wanna say that SML and then last night at Newsong and my friends has made me realize some things about myself and God. I guess this is one of those points in your spritual life when you feel an awakening or something. This is probably the second time I've experienced and gone through this spiritual awakening. I tell you, worship really can do wonders. I'm talking about the kind of worship where a whole bunch of people as a group or church get together and just praise God in singing and talking.

Almost lastly =), I now want to say what I mean by this spiritual awakening I'm having. For a very long time I can say that I've had a relationship with God but after a while I guess I started taking it for granted. It's like I'm just in lah lah land with God. Half a sleep or a zombie talking to Him. But now I'm awake and want to change that. Singing during worship and really listening to the words made me realize that my prayers to God should be like the words of the songs or the song itself. Even though I didn't come up with the lyrics but those words can by my words of praise to God because it comes from my heart. Sometimes I find it hard to praise him but now I realize that I can use those words already written in a song and give them to the Lord.

In the discussion last night at Newsong about Barnabas and the Barnabases in our lives I talked about how Bayu has really helped me to be who I am today and what I think about myself today. He has helped me to step out of my comfort zone and he has encouraged me so much. Because he has helped to build self-esteem in myself I am also able to help others. I really realized that if I can't believe in myself in the first place how can I believe in someone else. And Bayu has helped me to believe in myself. After that talk I realized that I never really thanked God for Bayu. So then and there I thanked God for showing Himself to me through Bayu. Another really important realization was that I'm not afraid to spend my life with Bayu. I've been thinking alot about how I'm going to leaving everything I know and love behind but I know God has just reassured me last night that there is nothing to worry about because Bayu is from God.

Do yo notice my paragraphs are getting longer and longer? Hahha.

Oh and another thing is I signed up for the Newsong retreat. I saw their promo video clip and it looked like so much fun and I just decided to join. I hope it was because the Holy Spirit moved me to do it. It's not like me at all to just join something like this with a whooole bunch of people I don't know. This is what I call me stepping out of my comfort zone. But I don't know when it started but when I realized I won't be here in Thailand for much more longer I just wanna try and do all the different things I can do before I leave =). Another things is that I'm kinda testing God. I realized that when I go to Singapore I won't know anyone except 1 or 2 people and I'll be in new situations. So I wanna start practicing not knowing anyone and being in new situations that's why I signed up for the Newsong retreat too!

This brings me to another thing I have discovered this past week. This time from a friend. She told me through her experiences to pray specifically and boldly to God. And now I'm telling God that through this retreat if He can bring me through it that means He will also bring me through what I'll be facing in Singapore. I know it sounds dramatic Haha. But I mean like I said I want to start practicing being in situations where I don't know anyone. And how I prayed specifically is that :

1. I won't regret going on the retreat.
2. I can open up myself and be myself in the retreat.
3. That I can know where I really stand in my relationship with God.

Maybe nubmer 3 won't be answered that weekend but yeah I want to start the habit of really meaning what I say in my prayers and praying for specific things and not rambling like I'm doing now.

I guess that's all I want to say. Thank you God. Thank you Bayu. Thank you friends. Thank you family.

Just a Start

I hadn't eaten breakfast and it was already lunch time. Dolly had left her spices here from yesterday so I was like what the heck. Let me see what's in the fridge and I'll cook something up based on what I learned yesterday.

I tried to stay calm and to listen to that still small voice of Dolly in my head. I tried to kill the vegetables the best I could! I also tried my best not to panic and there were no fatalties.

What I found in the fridge and what I put together??
3 Tomatoes
1/2 Onion
1/4 Cabbage
Tofu
7 Chilis
Salt and Spices

Chopped and ready to put on the fire!

I burnt the chili a little. And when I put in the cabbage it suddenly struck me - do people really fry cabbage? Is this going to work out??Haha I was like what the heck. It turned out as expected though. The fried chili and onions the melted tomatoes, etc. Oh and the sneezing from all the chili.

Wow! I think I just had a good start!...
HOHOHO according to my standards lah~

P.S. It is not kimchi!! =P ...aiyaa...actually I'm embarassed to put up this post...

Cooking Class

My mission to be a wonderful house wife and pastor's wife! Ha! Well, I made a date with Dolly to let her teach me her Indian food recipes. So off we go to the literally wet market. It's waaay cheaper than going to a supermarket. And what can we make with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, okra (lady fingers), egg plant, chili, cabbage, spinach and yoghurt??? 6 DELICIOUS DISHES!

I didn't have to put ALL the pictures up because it takes up alot of space but I did because it's more for me than for anyone else. I didn't exactly jot it down so basically these pictures are my recipe. We kinda cooked everything at the same time so its not in order but I think you'll get the sequence. And well like I said it's mainly up there for me. So no matter what, I know I can always come online to refresh my memory about the recipe.

Just chop, dice, wash, fry, peel, cough (from the chili!), cry (from the onions), stir and enjoy the food! The 6 dishes were: 1.) Eggplant and tomatoes 2.) Potatoes with chili and onion 3.) Potatoes with chili 4.) Spinach and onions 5.) Okra and 6.) Salad with yoghurt!

It was sooo delicous. Thanks Dolly! I'll never forget how you helped me start my journey to be a wonderful cook!

The spices the most important! -
Curry powder, Yellow powder (tumeric) and chili powder.

I'm such a beginner at cooking that Dolly
had to teach me how to slice and dice the "correct" way.

I Luuuuuv spicy food!

The cooks!!

P.S. Pappu, Shimona, my mom and dad were the tasters.