A sad birthday party
We attended a birthday party together as a family. Actually, it was a kid's birthday party, the kids were invited, so we tagged along. Time has changed.
It was a very sad moment... it was a kid's birthday party without the parents around (dad was no where to be seen and mum has left very early). The grands were there instead. When the time came to cut the birthday cake, the party host asked if there was camera to take picture of the birthday kid, there was none...no pictures, no parents...no camera just a bunch of kids clelebrating....
Maybe it has become a norm where dual income is a 'want' in the family, where brithdays are celebrated among friends only and the parents just need to foot the bill...maybe I am the old one who is still living in the 'old-fashioned' days where pictures were taken with the birthday child and family...maybe...
I couldn't wait for the party to end because looking at the event gave me a very heavy heart. If we as parents cannot put aside 1 1/2 hour of our time to be present for our child's birthday, then why have it? Not being judgemental...it was a Sunday night and the party only lasted 1 1/2 hours...if indeed there were any unforseen circumstances, then make it just a small family affair.
Happy Mother's Day!
Something to share to all mums out there...and to all dads...thank your wife today.
Why are you crying, a young boy asked his Mom?
"Because I'm a woman," she told him.
"I don't understand," he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said,
"And you never will, but that's O.K.".......
Later the little boy asked his father,
"Why does Mom seem to cry for no reason?".
"All women cry for no reason," was all his Dad could say......
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.
Finally he put in a call to God and when God got back to him, he asked
"God, why do women cry so easily?"
GOD answered......
"When I made woman,
I decided she had to be special.
I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet,
made her arms gentle enough to give comfort... !
I gave her the inner strength to endure childbirth
and the rejection that many times will come
even from her own children.
I gave her a hardness
that allows her to keep going
and take care of her family and friends,
even when everyone else gives up,
through sickness and fatigue without complaining....
I gave her the sensitivity to love her children
under any and all circumstances.
Even when her child has hurt her badly....
She has the very special power to make a child's boo-boo feel better and
to quell a teenager's anxieties and fears....
I gave her strength to care for her husband,
despite faults and I fashioned her from his rib
to protect his heart....
I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife,
but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him
unfalteringly....
For all of this hard work,
I also gave her a tear to shed.
It is hers to use
whenever needed and
it is her only weakness....
When you see her cry,
tell her how much you love her, and all she does for everyone,
and even though she may still cry,
you will have made her heart feel good...She is special!
Each day is a mountain that must be climbed; with courage each step gets easier.
Happy Mother's Day to all mums out there!
So true. It hasn't been easy being a mum...the morning sickness...the sleepless nights of looking after little babies...the post-natal blues...making the decision to be a stay-at-home-mum....to looking for a pre-school...volunteering at school so that they can be in a good school which is near home...till researching for schools in US and now in Shanghai...every step of the way isn't a bed of roses, even then, roses have thorns...there have been many ups and many downs but you know, for mums, one second of joy can wipe out all the years of tears. Mother's Day or not, I will forever take on the role of a mum. Even when Kai and Ann are adults and become parents themselves, there is no denying that I will be their mum and they will always be my little babies.
These are little gifts from my little miracles...
Kai's self-arranged flowers for me. Last year at US, he gave me fresh flowers and we planted them in our garden and they grew very well
Ann's Chinese and English Mother's Day card
Ann's Mother's Day song presentation. I was quite sad that I didn't have my camera with me. The teachers told them that it was a secret
which they had to keep, not supposed to let their mummies know. She kept the secret so well that I didn't realised that she was singing and thus,
did not have the camera with me. The handphone camera did not do a very good job.
Looking back, last year's Mother's Day at Macungie was all so different....and next year, it will most probably be Mother's Day at Shanghai....what is waiting for us? I am not sure but it can only be good things because our good Lord will not withhold good things from His children.
Something to share to all mums out there...and to all dads...thank your wife today.
Why are you crying, a young boy asked his Mom?
"Because I'm a woman," she told him.
"I don't understand," he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said,
"And you never will, but that's O.K.".......
Later the little boy asked his father,
"Why does Mom seem to cry for no reason?".
"All women cry for no reason," was all his Dad could say......
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.
Finally he put in a call to God and when God got back to him, he asked
"God, why do women cry so easily?"
GOD answered......
"When I made woman,
I decided she had to be special.
I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet,
made her arms gentle enough to give comfort... !
I gave her the inner strength to endure childbirth
and the rejection that many times will come
even from her own children.
I gave her a hardness
that allows her to keep going
and take care of her family and friends,
even when everyone else gives up,
through sickness and fatigue without complaining....
I gave her the sensitivity to love her children
under any and all circumstances.
Even when her child has hurt her badly....
She has the very special power to make a child's boo-boo feel better and
to quell a teenager's anxieties and fears....
I gave her strength to care for her husband,
despite faults and I fashioned her from his rib
to protect his heart....
I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife,
but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him
unfalteringly....
For all of this hard work,
I also gave her a tear to shed.
It is hers to use
whenever needed and
it is her only weakness....
When you see her cry,
tell her how much you love her, and all she does for everyone,
and even though she may still cry,
you will have made her heart feel good...She is special!
Each day is a mountain that must be climbed; with courage each step gets easier.
Happy Mother's Day to all mums out there!
So true. It hasn't been easy being a mum...the morning sickness...the sleepless nights of looking after little babies...the post-natal blues...making the decision to be a stay-at-home-mum....to looking for a pre-school...volunteering at school so that they can be in a good school which is near home...till researching for schools in US and now in Shanghai...every step of the way isn't a bed of roses, even then, roses have thorns...there have been many ups and many downs but you know, for mums, one second of joy can wipe out all the years of tears. Mother's Day or not, I will forever take on the role of a mum. Even when Kai and Ann are adults and become parents themselves, there is no denying that I will be their mum and they will always be my little babies.
These are little gifts from my little miracles...
Kai's self-arranged flowers for me. Last year at US, he gave me fresh flowers and we planted them in our garden and they grew very well
Ann's Chinese and English Mother's Day card
Ann's Mother's Day song presentation. I was quite sad that I didn't have my camera with me. The teachers told them that it was a secret
which they had to keep, not supposed to let their mummies know. She kept the secret so well that I didn't realised that she was singing and thus,
did not have the camera with me. The handphone camera did not do a very good job.
Looking back, last year's Mother's Day at Macungie was all so different....and next year, it will most probably be Mother's Day at Shanghai....what is waiting for us? I am not sure but it can only be good things because our good Lord will not withhold good things from His children.
Brown rice
I have never tasted brown rice before until I went to the US. A new Chinese restaurant which we visited, offered a choice of brown rice or white rice to go with the dishes. For a change and the foodie adventurer inside me, decided to give the brown rice a try. After that, there was no turning back.
Brown rice is basically unpolished rice where the bran is still attached to the rice grain. There are basically two types of brown rice, the fully unpolished rice (whole bran still attached) and the partially unpolished rice (some bran removed). For first-timers, I would suggest that you go for the partially unpolished rice first. It will be easiler on your taste bud.
When the bran is fully removed, we get our white rice which most of us are used to eating. However, when the bran is removed, most of the nutrients, such as fiber and bran oil, are also removed. Bran oil is known to reduce the bad cholesterol in our body without reducing the good cholesterol. In my last medical check-up, my doctor told me that my cholesterol level was high but it was no cause for concern as I have unusually high level of the good cholesterol. That reminds me, I am due for my next medical check-up again.
Goggle and you will find many discussions on the benefits of eating brown rice.
Cooking brown rice is not the same as cooking white rice but it is not difficult to cook either.
Before cooking, soak brown rice in water for a few minutes, drain away the water...1 cup of brown rice to 2 1/2 cups of water. Cook until the water is all soaked up and lower the fire and cook until the rice is fully cooked (usually about 25 mins). I prefer 'hard' rice. I don't enjoy eating soft rice, for me, I usually just add 2 cups of water.
My claypot of brown rice...I can eat it by itself
Having found out all the benefits of eating brown rice, my next task is to convert my family to eat brown rice. It is impossible to make the drastic change all of a sudden, to help them ease into this new found food, I have to do it slowly. One of the ways, mix the brown rice with white rice and eventually...do a complete conversion!
Making food more interesting
Instead of the square or rectangular shaped sandwiches, using a toast cutter to create various shapes of bread can make eating the humble bread more interesting and colourful. If you have problem finding a toast cutter, cookie cutter can also do the job.
Ann loves these dinosaur-shaped bread.
I have never tasted brown rice before until I went to the US. A new Chinese restaurant which we visited, offered a choice of brown rice or white rice to go with the dishes. For a change and the foodie adventurer inside me, decided to give the brown rice a try. After that, there was no turning back.
Brown rice is basically unpolished rice where the bran is still attached to the rice grain. There are basically two types of brown rice, the fully unpolished rice (whole bran still attached) and the partially unpolished rice (some bran removed). For first-timers, I would suggest that you go for the partially unpolished rice first. It will be easiler on your taste bud.
When the bran is fully removed, we get our white rice which most of us are used to eating. However, when the bran is removed, most of the nutrients, such as fiber and bran oil, are also removed. Bran oil is known to reduce the bad cholesterol in our body without reducing the good cholesterol. In my last medical check-up, my doctor told me that my cholesterol level was high but it was no cause for concern as I have unusually high level of the good cholesterol. That reminds me, I am due for my next medical check-up again.
Goggle and you will find many discussions on the benefits of eating brown rice.
Cooking brown rice is not the same as cooking white rice but it is not difficult to cook either.
Before cooking, soak brown rice in water for a few minutes, drain away the water...1 cup of brown rice to 2 1/2 cups of water. Cook until the water is all soaked up and lower the fire and cook until the rice is fully cooked (usually about 25 mins). I prefer 'hard' rice. I don't enjoy eating soft rice, for me, I usually just add 2 cups of water.
My claypot of brown rice...I can eat it by itself
Having found out all the benefits of eating brown rice, my next task is to convert my family to eat brown rice. It is impossible to make the drastic change all of a sudden, to help them ease into this new found food, I have to do it slowly. One of the ways, mix the brown rice with white rice and eventually...do a complete conversion!
Making food more interesting
Instead of the square or rectangular shaped sandwiches, using a toast cutter to create various shapes of bread can make eating the humble bread more interesting and colourful. If you have problem finding a toast cutter, cookie cutter can also do the job.
Ann loves these dinosaur-shaped bread.
Local fare
It's May Day - a public holiday in Singapore. We decided to head for some local food which we have missed out during our stay in the US. What better place other than the Makansutra Glutton's Bay.
This is an open air dinning with lots of favourite local dishes such as fried hokkien mee, or zian (oyster with fried eggs), satay (Malay style bar-b-q meat), chicken wings and much, much more....
Rows of hawkers selling different types of food. This is also a favourite place to eat among the tourists.
Satay...you can choose to have either bar-b-q pork, mutton or chicken and some rice cubes.
Is that all for the food pictures....erm....sorry...too busy with the eating but if you want to see more, check out this site
To all our US friends, we were not kidding when we told you that you could savour all kinds of food in Singapore!By the way, this isn't the full selection yet ;)
It's May Day - a public holiday in Singapore. We decided to head for some local food which we have missed out during our stay in the US. What better place other than the Makansutra Glutton's Bay.
This is an open air dinning with lots of favourite local dishes such as fried hokkien mee, or zian (oyster with fried eggs), satay (Malay style bar-b-q meat), chicken wings and much, much more....
Rows of hawkers selling different types of food. This is also a favourite place to eat among the tourists.
Satay...you can choose to have either bar-b-q pork, mutton or chicken and some rice cubes.
Is that all for the food pictures....erm....sorry...too busy with the eating but if you want to see more, check out this site
To all our US friends, we were not kidding when we told you that you could savour all kinds of food in Singapore!By the way, this isn't the full selection yet ;)
Another joyous day
Remember I blogged about this great cooking friend Gina? She has finally set up her own retail shop selling anything that has to do with cooking and baking.
I felt really happy for her and of course went to give her my support!
That's the shop - Kitchen Capers.
Blk 71 Kallang Bahru #01-531F Singapore 310071
(just below NTUC Kallang Bahru)
Monday to Sunday 10.00am to 9.00pm
If you are into cooking and baking like me, go and check out her shop, you will sure to find things which you need!
Remember I blogged about this great cooking friend Gina? She has finally set up her own retail shop selling anything that has to do with cooking and baking.
I felt really happy for her and of course went to give her my support!
That's the shop - Kitchen Capers.
Blk 71 Kallang Bahru #01-531F Singapore 310071
(just below NTUC Kallang Bahru)
Monday to Sunday 10.00am to 9.00pm
If you are into cooking and baking like me, go and check out her shop, you will sure to find things which you need!
A joyous day
Yesterday was 'hao hao nan ren's' special day! Yes, it was dh's birthday. The kids were excited.
That's the very beautiful thing about children. Simple things make them happy. Although, there was no big birthday bash, they were still hopping around in the house. After school, Ann and Kai came home and did their individual birthday cards for their papa. Then we went out to get birthday cake and ice-cream to have after dinner. I think the greatest surprise for dh was when Noel delivered a birthday gift to him in the office!
No, there wasn't candle light dinner at any restaurant because these days, the kids have to be in bed early and they are so used to having us around before their bedtime, we decided that we will all celebrate papa's birthday at home. Anyway, the kids are excited to be involved in the celebration!
Ann's birthday card to papa
I love you daddy. She is a daddy's girl
Kai's card to pops - that's how Kai likes to call dh sometimes
Kai is a very sensitive and sentimental boy. Expressing his gratitude to his papa and giving him a 'car' as a present ;)
Aglio black pepper seafood pasta. What exactly is 'aglio'. A check in the cooking dictionary, I found out that 'aglio' simply meant 'garlic' in Italian. So when you have aglio pasta, it was just garlic with pasta. Adding a twist to the usual aglio pasta, I have added bacon, capsicum, outopus, white clams and salmon belly. It was simple yet delicious and what a great way to feed the kids with healthy food - SALMON!
This is a cold dessert. It's called 'gula melaka sago' Using pearl sago, I steamed them till they are cooked. Pour melted gula melaka or black sugar and coconut milk over it...adding mint leaves gave it a very sweet and refreshing taste. Great dessert for hot, hot sunny island of Singapore! DH's favourite dessert.
(Remember, we still have our things in the boxes...so this year, no mummy dearest home-baked birthday cake.) The kids chose the cakes. Instead of buying a huge birthday cake, we bought two small cupcakes instead. (No wastage!) Well, from the ornaments on the cakes, you should be able to guess who chose what. Looks more like their birthday cakes than dh's. And yes, those two candles were magic candles, the fire never got blown off. DH was pretty amused and of course, the kids had a great laugh!
.
What is a birthday celebration without pictures! More good years to 'hao hao nan ren'!
Recalling last year when we celebrated dh's birthday at Macungie...
Yesterday was 'hao hao nan ren's' special day! Yes, it was dh's birthday. The kids were excited.
That's the very beautiful thing about children. Simple things make them happy. Although, there was no big birthday bash, they were still hopping around in the house. After school, Ann and Kai came home and did their individual birthday cards for their papa. Then we went out to get birthday cake and ice-cream to have after dinner. I think the greatest surprise for dh was when Noel delivered a birthday gift to him in the office!
No, there wasn't candle light dinner at any restaurant because these days, the kids have to be in bed early and they are so used to having us around before their bedtime, we decided that we will all celebrate papa's birthday at home. Anyway, the kids are excited to be involved in the celebration!
Ann's birthday card to papa
I love you daddy. She is a daddy's girl
Kai's card to pops - that's how Kai likes to call dh sometimes
Kai is a very sensitive and sentimental boy. Expressing his gratitude to his papa and giving him a 'car' as a present ;)
Aglio black pepper seafood pasta. What exactly is 'aglio'. A check in the cooking dictionary, I found out that 'aglio' simply meant 'garlic' in Italian. So when you have aglio pasta, it was just garlic with pasta. Adding a twist to the usual aglio pasta, I have added bacon, capsicum, outopus, white clams and salmon belly. It was simple yet delicious and what a great way to feed the kids with healthy food - SALMON!
This is a cold dessert. It's called 'gula melaka sago' Using pearl sago, I steamed them till they are cooked. Pour melted gula melaka or black sugar and coconut milk over it...adding mint leaves gave it a very sweet and refreshing taste. Great dessert for hot, hot sunny island of Singapore! DH's favourite dessert.
(Remember, we still have our things in the boxes...so this year, no mummy dearest home-baked birthday cake.) The kids chose the cakes. Instead of buying a huge birthday cake, we bought two small cupcakes instead. (No wastage!) Well, from the ornaments on the cakes, you should be able to guess who chose what. Looks more like their birthday cakes than dh's. And yes, those two candles were magic candles, the fire never got blown off. DH was pretty amused and of course, the kids had a great laugh!
.
What is a birthday celebration without pictures! More good years to 'hao hao nan ren'!
Recalling last year when we celebrated dh's birthday at Macungie...
Books exchange
Over 57,000 books change hands in NLB's first Book Exchange
By Seet Sok Hwee, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE: The National Library Board held its first Book Exchange on Saturday to celebrate World Book Day, which fell on April 23.
The event enabled members of the public to exchange their used books with other book lovers.
From April 11-24, members of the public were encouraged to drop off used books at public libraries all over Singapore in return for one-for-one book exchange coupons. Over 57,000 books were collected, more than double the original target.
The coupons were then used to change for books at the event on Saturday. About 5,000 people showed up at the National Library building, some as early as 8am...
Of course, we couldn't miss this exciting event especially when we have two kids who simply love reading. Kai, especially was very excited. Last Friday, we brought 15 old books to the Queenstown National Library to exchange for 15 coupons. We could have exchanged for more but Kai was very reluctant to part with his beloved books. In the end, he only chose 15 and Ann also contributed some of her books.
On the day of the book exchange, Kai was up and going at an early hour. Quite unusual for him on a Saturday morning as he was usually the last to wake up. There was no stopping him the moment we entered the National Library Atrium. He was just buried among the books.
An unknown author once wrote "TV. If kids are entertained by two letters, imagine the fun they'll have with twenty-six. Open your child's imagination. Open a book."
How true.
Part of the 5,000 who have turned up
Over 57,000 books change hands in NLB's first Book Exchange
By Seet Sok Hwee, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE: The National Library Board held its first Book Exchange on Saturday to celebrate World Book Day, which fell on April 23.
The event enabled members of the public to exchange their used books with other book lovers.
From April 11-24, members of the public were encouraged to drop off used books at public libraries all over Singapore in return for one-for-one book exchange coupons. Over 57,000 books were collected, more than double the original target.
The coupons were then used to change for books at the event on Saturday. About 5,000 people showed up at the National Library building, some as early as 8am...
Of course, we couldn't miss this exciting event especially when we have two kids who simply love reading. Kai, especially was very excited. Last Friday, we brought 15 old books to the Queenstown National Library to exchange for 15 coupons. We could have exchanged for more but Kai was very reluctant to part with his beloved books. In the end, he only chose 15 and Ann also contributed some of her books.
On the day of the book exchange, Kai was up and going at an early hour. Quite unusual for him on a Saturday morning as he was usually the last to wake up. There was no stopping him the moment we entered the National Library Atrium. He was just buried among the books.
An unknown author once wrote "TV. If kids are entertained by two letters, imagine the fun they'll have with twenty-six. Open your child's imagination. Open a book."
How true.
Part of the 5,000 who have turned up
Dilemma
The confirmation has finally arrived. We will be heading to the east - Shanghai. Now, I am in a dilemma...
The kids are happily settled down in their schools. Kai is happy and is enjoying himself inspite of the intense heat. Ann is making lots of friends and inviting...(ahmen)...admirers. She is such a sweet, vocal, independent little girl and she loves to play with her classmates. When she was in the US school, all the kids adored her. I remember on her first day of school, she was treated like a favourite china doll in class. Every kid loved her...
Now that everything is settled, it hurts me to pluck them out and shift again. But on the other hand, I know this is a great opportunity for dh. From the west to the east, it's a great career move for him. Inspite of the not so ideal economic climate, he is still offered this posting...it can only be a miracle from God. This reminded me of what one pastor once said, in the midst of difficulties, God's people will remain safe. How true.
The welfare of the kids is always in my heart but as a wife, I also want to support dh... dilemma....
The confirmation has finally arrived. We will be heading to the east - Shanghai. Now, I am in a dilemma...
The kids are happily settled down in their schools. Kai is happy and is enjoying himself inspite of the intense heat. Ann is making lots of friends and inviting...(ahmen)...admirers. She is such a sweet, vocal, independent little girl and she loves to play with her classmates. When she was in the US school, all the kids adored her. I remember on her first day of school, she was treated like a favourite china doll in class. Every kid loved her...
Now that everything is settled, it hurts me to pluck them out and shift again. But on the other hand, I know this is a great opportunity for dh. From the west to the east, it's a great career move for him. Inspite of the not so ideal economic climate, he is still offered this posting...it can only be a miracle from God. This reminded me of what one pastor once said, in the midst of difficulties, God's people will remain safe. How true.
The welfare of the kids is always in my heart but as a wife, I also want to support dh... dilemma....
Why change
In case you are wondering why the change in my blog title...
Looking through my blog, I realised that many times I have written about raising my kids. Even though we are 'nomads', moving from place to place. The environment may change, the people around may change but I will always be a mum to my two kids. It was a done deal nine years ago. Even if I do become a working lady one day, I will be a working mum. So you see, I will always be a mum, nothing will change that...and yes, of course, a wife too ;)
I hope writing about my experiences as a mum will in some small ways, bring delight to your reading.
This is Ann's drawing of herself and mum
In case you are wondering why the change in my blog title...
Looking through my blog, I realised that many times I have written about raising my kids. Even though we are 'nomads', moving from place to place. The environment may change, the people around may change but I will always be a mum to my two kids. It was a done deal nine years ago. Even if I do become a working lady one day, I will be a working mum. So you see, I will always be a mum, nothing will change that...and yes, of course, a wife too ;)
I hope writing about my experiences as a mum will in some small ways, bring delight to your reading.
This is Ann's drawing of herself and mum
Not ordinary
The early morning is a busy time for me. Getting breakfast ready, seeing Kai to school, dh to work and sending Ann to school.
Once the mad rush is over,after the housework is done, it will be a few hours of 'me' time before the kids come home. I treasure that few hours every morning. Some of the things I will do are, walk to the market, blog, read, listen to audio messages or simply just enjoy the quietness.
As the kids grow older each day, especially for Kai, he will soon be a pre-teen. I know there will be challenges, even now, there have been a couple of challenging times. My prayer is now asking God to give me wisdom to raise up my kids. You know something, if you can raise kids, you can do anything!
God didn't answer my prayer by giving me '10 things you need to know in raising up a pre-teen'. Instead, through a message by Pas Joseph Prince...in the message, it talked about the barren women in the Bible. These women gave birth at a very old age but all their children were champions of God. Giving examples such as Issac, John the Baptist and Samson. These boys of barren mothers were all extra-ordinary.
I was reminded of myself...I was a barren mother too and God blessed us with two wonderful kids and these two kids are not going to be ordinary too.
Two days ago, Kai's class teacher called and said that Kai has settled in very well in class. Considering just one month back in Singapore from the US and back to school, he has in fact done very well both in his work and getting along with the class. His teacher was most impressed by his academic performance.
Yes, I am proud of Kai. I know he went through a very tough one year when we were in US. Going to the US school and coming home to the Singapore school. In school, he has to slow himself down, at home, he has to bring himself back...it was a tough one year for a then, 8 year old boy.
While kids were playing outside, he had to do his Singapore school work with mummy. There were times, I wanted to give up (a mother's heart is always soft). There were times, Kai found it unbearable and cried. But we both pressed on, we did as much as we could manage...
Today, he is proud to be often chosen as one of the few, to solve Math problem for the class. It is indeed a joy to hear him says 'it's worth it!'
The early morning is a busy time for me. Getting breakfast ready, seeing Kai to school, dh to work and sending Ann to school.
Once the mad rush is over,after the housework is done, it will be a few hours of 'me' time before the kids come home. I treasure that few hours every morning. Some of the things I will do are, walk to the market, blog, read, listen to audio messages or simply just enjoy the quietness.
As the kids grow older each day, especially for Kai, he will soon be a pre-teen. I know there will be challenges, even now, there have been a couple of challenging times. My prayer is now asking God to give me wisdom to raise up my kids. You know something, if you can raise kids, you can do anything!
God didn't answer my prayer by giving me '10 things you need to know in raising up a pre-teen'. Instead, through a message by Pas Joseph Prince...in the message, it talked about the barren women in the Bible. These women gave birth at a very old age but all their children were champions of God. Giving examples such as Issac, John the Baptist and Samson. These boys of barren mothers were all extra-ordinary.
I was reminded of myself...I was a barren mother too and God blessed us with two wonderful kids and these two kids are not going to be ordinary too.
Two days ago, Kai's class teacher called and said that Kai has settled in very well in class. Considering just one month back in Singapore from the US and back to school, he has in fact done very well both in his work and getting along with the class. His teacher was most impressed by his academic performance.
Yes, I am proud of Kai. I know he went through a very tough one year when we were in US. Going to the US school and coming home to the Singapore school. In school, he has to slow himself down, at home, he has to bring himself back...it was a tough one year for a then, 8 year old boy.
While kids were playing outside, he had to do his Singapore school work with mummy. There were times, I wanted to give up (a mother's heart is always soft). There were times, Kai found it unbearable and cried. But we both pressed on, we did as much as we could manage...
Today, he is proud to be often chosen as one of the few, to solve Math problem for the class. It is indeed a joy to hear him says 'it's worth it!'
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