Too Much to be Thankful For

Cheers to 2013.  I love my man and looking forward to meeting my little man in 2014.

For the Record - New Year's Eve 2013

Bayu and I are spending New Year's Eve at home.  We have currently been residing in the guest room because the master bedroom's aircon is spoiled.

Today I was craving Japanese curry and so he cooked that for me and even had it over Japanese rice.

We had a little devotion and discussed the Passover in Exodus.  After that we started reflecting our time/life here in Singapore since our first house in Clementi.

We also tried to remember what we did each year for New Year's since we got married.  We then got onto my blog and looked back on what we did!  See it pays to have a blog indeed!

We said a prayer together.  We have really been blessed and have seen God work in our life through the ups and downs.

We said a special prayer for next year we will be embarking on a journey we have never embarked on before - parenthood.

I don't have any New Year's resolutions.  Being a parent/mom is going to be so new I don't know what to resolutionise as a parent haha.

But I think as much as possible I want to get back to my running again, continue to build my relationship with God.

As uncertain as next year looks I know it's going to be a year full of hope!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

For a special treat I made chia seed pudding for Bayu and I.  I will post a recipe on this.  It's really easy and yummy and heallthy!

5 minutes into countdown we hopped into bed.  Cuddled in the blanket and I found a website that would countdown to neew year.  We count down together.  Said happy new year! Gave a kiss and nyt nyt! hahahah simple but special :P

End & Start the Year with a Crib!

God indeed blesses us through our church family.

Charice and Orielle are helping to plan for our baby shower which will be on January 11, 2014.

They gifted us with a beautiful awesome crib (see pics below) and so many more!  It really helps us and I am so grateful and thankful for that.

THANK YOU.

The people from Kiddy Palace came to install the crib.  At first they said there was only white left but I insisted they tried to find the brown as the church had requested brown from the beginning.  Yay, they were able to give us the brown crib!

This crib came on the last day of 2013.  So I woke up to clean up and prepare space for the crib.

It's becoming more real guys!  Baby is coming!!

As if the crib wasn't enough they asked me for my list of things I needed and they help me to get some really important stuff from that list!

I was involved in the planning of the Baby Shower.  I'm looking forward to it.

Free Dating

After we sent off Fauler and Sonya to Batam, we took the cable car to Mount Faber.

We found a really nice spot with a bench and a beautiful view.  It was so windy and breezy.  We talked and just enjoyed the sounds, sight and smell of nature.  It was really peaceful.

We also played some i-spy with my little eyes game.  I think we sat there for almost 2 hours.  Yup, free dating because we didn't have to pay for anything.  Except the cable car which we had to pay for when we brought Sonya and Fauler to USS anyways hehe.

On the way to our dating spot. Look at my biggie belly and boobies hahahaah.

Sonya & Fauler's Visit!

My sister-in-law

Sister and bro-in-law at church

They waited for us and Bayu to finish our duties and meetings at church then we took a cab to eat a golden mile (Thai food!!) We took a walk from Godlen Mile to see the sites (see pic below) then ended up at Marina Bay Sands and we (Sonya and I and Javan) had cake from Au Chocolate.

 

On Sunday we went to USS and took the Cable Car.  It was my first time.  Loved it!

View from the cable car of the cruise ship we took last year with the SDA Conference staff retreat.

Of course we got hungry and had to eat first.  Those were veggie burgers for Bayu and I.

Had to bring something healthy to snack on hehe.

Bayu telling his stories on the cable car.

Happy to see them so sweet and loving and in love and growing in their marriage.

Glad Sonya finally got to go into USS!

Great times.  I had a great time with them even if for a while.  It's always so good to have family.  I'm glad family were able to come for holidays this year as well.  It was sad to say goodbye.  But we will meet again and Javan will be born by then.

5 Years Away

On Friday night I got up to pee (as is so common in pregnancy) around 2am in the morning.  It was hard to get back to sleep (common also!) so I decided to write out what I would say for our testimonial Sabbath.  I knew it was the end of the year testimony Sabbath and I couldn't let the year go by without going up and sharing about God's love and goodness.  I had been feeling depressed (pregnancy hormones definitely to blame).  Because it had been 5 years since I left Thailand and my family.   A lot of times here in Singapore have been really lonely for me and I have always prayed for friends.  Anyways, here is what I shared that Sabbath morning.  It was really embarrassing  because I cried a lot while up front.  Oh well...haha.  Despite everything I cannot deny God's love, goodness and faithfulness.

5 years ago today. I moved to Singapore.  It was one of the hardest things for me to do - leaving behind all that I had known and love.

I came here not knowing what my future would hold.  Would I ever get a proper pass to live in this country?  Would I be jobless forever?  Would I get used to this place, people & culture?  Would I have any friends?

It turns out I did get my pass (dependent pass). I did get a job and held 2 passes (dependent & work permit). I got used to Singapore and learned to enjoy the food, malls, parks.  I knew this place even better than Bangkok. I did make friends in unexpected ways and places.

Then. I started to wonder if I could survive the stress of my job.  How could all the bills and expenses be paid with my pay which is less than what I would get paid in Thailand.  Would I ever get to make use of my degree which took me 4 years to get??  And still would I ever have any friends?

Almost 4 years into my job I did not get fired. I haven't gone hungry or kicked out of our house for not being able to pay the bills. I enjoy teaching preschool children and have gained experience in ways I could not have gained anywhere else.  I have made life long friends even though most of them eventually leave.

I have a blog (a journal that is online) in which I write down different experiences in my life. I started writing in it since 2008. This week i just looked back on it and I have seen my worries and how things have turned out even though I couldn't tell at that time how things would turn out.

It reminded me of a quote by Mark Twain "I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened."

For me, I can say personally that all my worries didn't happen because God has had a plan and has guided me all along. I have seen him work miracles and open ways and work things out. Over and over again I want to knock myself on the head because I should have known I could bring it to God and he would indeed answer my prayers.  Time and time again I have caused sleepless nights and sickness that were unnecessary because even if I couldn't see it in that moment He was there all along working things out.

My life has always been and I have a feeling will continue to be like a roller coaster ride with its ups and downs. My one constant and my one best friend has been Bayu. He has been so patient with me and does all he can because he wants to see me happy. Then I think, if Bayu who is a human can love and care for me and want me to be happy how much more God whose love is higher,wider and deeper than the sky, universe or ocean?

Today I can't say I have no worries. That would be a huge lie.  In fact, I'm going through another phase of questions and doubts and fears about my life and the future. Can we make it on one income next year? How am I going to raise a child? Will I have to have a c-section? Will I have a friend that stays longer? And the list of questions go on.

I will leave this pulpit this morning and this year 2013 with these questions in my mind but I will be leaving with hope in my heart. I cannot discern the future but I have seen God work in my life for the past 5 years here. He won't be stopping there. I just need to look back at his word at how he's been there for my family and not forget what he has done. I will cling to him despite all my doubts and I know one day I will testify once again of his goodness and faithfulness in my life.

Farewell to Ellen

Ellen, Mrs Goh's helper is leaving us.   I'm glad we got to meet and she will be missed.  May God bless her in her life back in the Philiippines

The ladies (all filipinas!) in Pastor's Bible class. :)

Pregnancy Update 30 & 31 Weeks

Before going to our childbirth class...or...I can't remember where...

Was craving some form of mexican food.

Was craving something sweet.  Strawberries and muscavado sugar.

31 weeks.  Can't really tell but my tummy is huge!!

We went to see the doctor on December 23.  This is the update.  It's looking more and more like a c-section.  As long as baby arrives safely.  Can't wait to meet him.

Christmas Day!

After our Christmas Eve party last night we stopped by the supermarket to buy the above so that we have a little something special for Christmas day.

I made breakfast for us.  The hot chocolate and and ice cream we bought gave me this idea. :D

The pancake recipe is from Laura Vitale on youtube.  This is her basic pancake recipe.  Very easy and yummy.  The texture is a little different because I use soy milk instead of cow's milk.

Good morning my dear!

Pizza from Dominos for lunch and dinner :P

This is the first year in many years where I'm not celebrating with family or close friends.  It's fine.  Haha I got to stay in pjs all day and sleep and just be a bum.  I don't know why everyday feels special but I think it's because I'm gonna have a baby and I know that things won't be as it is anymore - not in a bad way hehehe.

Christmas Eve Party Door Gift

 In a previous post I had bought these spice jars from IKEA and decorated it.  In that post I tell you where I got these ideas from.  Now I show you what I fill it up with and the final product!

I fill the first half with puppy chow.  You can see the recipe in the post below this post. Or click here.

Cute bottle.  The whole budget for 32 people was around $64.  The m&ms were donated :D

I then fill the top half with m&ms

This was for the kids

Chocolate Hazelnut Puppy Chow (not dog food)

I made these puppy chow (holiday snack/finger food) to put into the jar of my door gift.  The recipe and steps are below.  I got this from youtube.  It's so yummy but very sinful.  Good for snacking on once a year. :P

Recipe:

4 and 1/2 cups of cereal similar to pic below

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut butter, Nutella, or other hazelnut spread

2 tbsp butter

2 cups powdered/icing sugar

I doubled the recipe. 

Put the nutella, chocolate chips, and butter in a bowl.  Slowly melt it in a microwave like in the video.  Or if you don't have a microwave like me....

Get a heat proof bowl and put it over heated water but don't let the bowl touch the water.

Stir until you get this consistency.

Add it to the cereal.

Mix gently, making sure not to crush the cereal, until all is coated nicely with the chocolate mix.

Put icing sugar and the coated cereal into a big ziplock bag.

Shake the contents until it is well coated with the icing sugar.

You can now enjoy it!  In my next post I'll show you how I packaged the puppy chow.