thank you

for making me laugh. for wiping my tears. for driving me home. for all the pretty flowers. for loving the things i love. for making me happy. for being happy for me. for holding my hands. for watching my back. for walking with me. for asking me to be your wife. for the eight lovely years and for the rest of our lives.

the insanity has consumed life for the past month. so as i take a teeny weeny breather now before it resumes tmr... here are some snippets of what was, what is and what will be.....

i fainted. recovered. found out i'm anaemic. ate lots of steak at the advice of the doc. am happily settled in the new home. loving the view of bishan park. growing a pot of hydrangeas. waiting patiently for the flowers to bloom and discover the colour. heart to heart with the twin. cuddling up to Love Happens. the little munchkin turned one. caught up with sandra and clydie at cedele. received pretty journals from sandra! can't wait to start journaling in europe. shopped at the baby fair with the cly who is three weeks away from giving birth. amazed at the type of products offered to mummies to be. i can't wait to see baby asher!!!! delighted at the fellowship of the young wives club - loving organised by mummy-to-be. looking forward to more fellowships.

on a wedding prep note,

i've tried a few more gowns and am in a dilemma. a good dilemma. met mili and she has kindly accepted my request to be my coordinator and it's hilarious how we went around shopping for wifey stuff (household items and groceries). we have engaged and confirmed our wedding photographer! we love this quirky husband T and wife G duo and can't wait for the photoshoot in sept. received my first etsy package delivered right to the doorstop... a surprise gift for the gals :)

i think the most meaningful thing we've done was attending our church's marriage preparation retreat. a two day retreat with other couples and our pastors, deacons and their lovely wives. We went into the retreat with several issues yet to resolve and hoping to spend time with God. and God being God...so amazing and incredible...spoke to us and planted loving people around us to share, guide and mentor. we've learned new things about each other and also developed a close friendship with another couple and had such real and heartfelt fellowship. a wonderful time indeed. the boy and i have put what we learned of each other and of God into practice - learning to approach every decision and every possible challenge with "Let's prayerfully consider this."

and... i'm so excited to be flying off to europe again in June. for a holiday with the boy's family. i'm looking forward to London & Paris, having missed these 2 cities out the last time. the best thing is returning to Italy... i cannot wait. :)

December

four weddings. furniture shopping with the family. that pretty coco inspired dress. the mug i've been eyeing from cly. hanging intricate ornaments on the christmas tree. two amazing movies. hot chocolate at borders bistro. playing tennis with the boy. learning to drive around braddell. outing with the kids at kallang river. the funny jordan and joey cookies baked by the crazy kids. sharing the joy and heartaches of the young ones when the results were released. the most yummilicious chocolate almond daim cake from lane. delicious food with the dg. the christmas ritual of watching Lord of the Rings. the boy and the ikea dog we've decided to call 'funny bunny'. the toffeenut frap at novena starbucks. the cozy dinner at the rustic la villa. the quick walks in the rain. the not so nice quarrels that in the spirit of christmas are quicky resolved. the birthday at fourseasons. the giant ham. playing uno as we count down to christmas. the family buffet. the gifts. japanese lunch with the herdies. catching the year end flu. resting at home. wishing i'm samantha brown. going on the american road trips with jamie oliver, being amused silly by the lads in top gear and last but definitely not the least, forever dreaming of europe.

La Proposicion

Thank you for the magic

and loving me the way you do.

{seven}

I want to...

get my hands on Heather Rigdon's cd and play that song at my wedding... watch all the seasons of Gilmore girls and stuff myself silly with Ben & Jerrys.

"It should be magical. There should be music playing and romantic lighting and a subtle buildup to the popping of the big question. There should be a thousand yellow daisies and candles and a horse and I don't know what the horse is doing there unless you're riding it, which seems a little over the top, but it should be more than this."

- Lorelai in Gilmore girls

p.s: How cool is it to be able to bump into clydie at the contemporary dance appreciation series with 26 of my chinese dance girls in tow :) something tells me there's more of such surprises to come.

a waltz in the night

A night not so long ago, the boy and the girl watched a magical love story unfold before their eyes. The lovers waltz with the moon and stars against the beautiful nightsky. The boy and the girl were enchanted by what they saw. They walked away, keeping a little magic in their hearts.

something old, something new

March 2005
Our first celebration.
turning three.
by the lake, under the stars
picnic basket. fresh flowers.
light coming from the laptop.
watching before sunrise.




July 2006
the one
before you left.






valentines 2008
clinking of glasses
monochrome love

Cluny park.
A spot so familiar to us.
I can walk the same path a million times and know that every walk with you is just as special as the previous one.



----------------------------------------

Our new haunt.
rustic surroundings
quain little houses
green green grass
complete with art galleries
few restaurants and a piano bar

we could laze around on those soft cushions all day basking in the sun and digging into the rich chocolate ice cream of Laurent's cafe & chocolate bar.



A place with swings is definitely one worth visiting! love the gorgeous greenery.

He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star
He's the song in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do...

[My kids call me retro, so here's one from their generation :)]

Paint the skies with love

It didn't seem that long ago when little bear entered my life. It didn't seem that long ago when we walked back from Newton hawker centre and you held my hands. It didn't seem that long ago when i'd take the 45 minute bus ride to your place every saturday. It didn't seem that long ago when silly bear entered your life. It didn't seem that long ago when we would lunch in school and you would fetch me home after late nights at law link. It didn't seem that long ago when your night was my day and my endless summer became your freezing winter. It sure didn't seem that long ago when you serenaded me along the coast of Amalfi as the waves crash into the honey stars rocks.

Six years on and I thank the Lord that I'm just as deliriously in love with you as before, if not more. How do you survive me for all this time, i wonder. i guess you're also a fool. Fools for love, we are. (:

Hope rests firm in Him

My hope rests firm on Jesus Christ,
He is my only plea.
Though all the world should point and scorn,
His ransom leaves me free;
His ransom leaves me free.

My hope sustains me as I strive
And strain towards the goal;

Though still I stumble into sin,

His death paid for it all;

His death paid for it all.

My hope provides me with a spur

To help me run this race:

I know my tears will turn to joy

The day I see his face;

The day I see his face.

My hope is to be with my Lord,

To know as I am known;

To serve Him gladly all my days

In praise before His throne;

In praise before His throne.

Words and Music by Keith Getty and Richard Creighton

Copyright © 2001 Kingsway's Thankyou Music/MCPS

Jan 2008

pulled a muscle in the rib in the midst of all the coughing. Doc's painkiller is uber strong. Lasts for close to 12 hours before pain resumes. Conversations with you over the phone in my loopy state of mind is kindda funny. It's nice to know that after all this time, i'm still deliriously crazy about you and knowing you feel the same way too.Happy anniversary, special boy.

~ Swan Lake ~

23rd Dec-The long awaited Swan Lake.

A double date with clydia and haiks.

Fooling around at the intermissions. The performance was exquisite. The costumes were breathtaking and the sets were elaborate. Dancers... beautiful. 3 hours. Truly a fairy tale affair. The whole evening was simply magical. Kudos to Singapore Dance Theatre for going all out.

Pretty lights in Esplanade

Merry Christmas Peeps!

:: as time goes by ::

It has been a wonderful 1.5 weeks despite being overwhelmed by a cough & sore throat that saw

me missing 3 classes. I've discovered the tremendous joy in tutoring my kids... God has increased my patience & capacity to love them through my weariness and frustrations... sessions this semester with the BT boys, shanice & Gerwyn and Koh Eun have been fun! Laughter has done wonders.... especially with the BT boys & Gerwyn. 8pm classes with the boys has never been good... i'm tired after school and they're so distracted and restless.... but this sem perhaps it's knowing that it's the last leg for both of us( their O levels & my last sem), we have been cracking up alot during lessons.... teaching chinese on tues was fun. I just ended my lesson with them at 11pm and i'm not tired at all! & i only had 4 hours sleep last night!

As for my tiny terrors (Ger & shanice) Food has become my primary weapon. Chocolates... chips... macs... I bought this boy an apple pie and he squeezed out the apple fillings into a cup, eating only the crust. *faintz*

On another note, i cannot believe i am 23 yrs old this year! ahhhh! i was going through To Kill A Mockingbird with Shanice last thurs for her test. TKM is not only my favorite novel of all time but it was also my sec 2 lit text! oh my gosh! It's been 8 years! *sobz* i feel so old. It was nice though to look at the book again. i love it so much! i love scout.. jem... atticus... miss maudie... love them all. to show you how much i love the book, i made a collage!

~ You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. ~

Because the boy's in mexico.. and i am super super envious :)... plus i know some (actually i think only teresa & clydie) are interested to know what he has been up to for the past 6 months. here's a sneak peek... oh and this did not come from the boy.. he's too lazy to upload anything on the blog.... so i copied off his friend's blog.

trip to new york which took them to Harvard Law School... see how excited they are! I think the boy must be feeling so over the moon standing there. His dream is to do his masters @ Harvard. If that happens, that's another year away from me. hmph! nah...i'd be real happy for him. Seriously :)

oooh i think it's really apt to put this quote found inTKM here,

" Lawyers, i suppose, were children once."

~ Charles Lamb

to the boy, i know you'll like this quote,

"there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal-there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen is a court. It can be the Supreme court if the United States or the humblest J.P court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve. Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levellers, and in our courts all men are created equal." ~ Atticus in TKM

Fun in the snow!

so yup the boy is in mexico city now...Really thank God for seeing him through all this while... keeping him safe. I am officially counting down the days till i see you! (85 days!) and also to our BIG 5! (37 days) wheeeeeee! :):):)

Everyday is a celebration of God's love for us.

For you and me.

May we grow stronger in His love each day.

Loving each other.

Loving Him.

~We loved because He first loved us~

1 John 4:19

:: Sonnet 116 ::

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

~
William Shakespeare
(1564 - 1616)

:: penguin and hippo ::

I never get tired of saying this.

:: Happy Anniversary ::

Thank You Lord.

:: separation ::

it's only been 4 months... and there's still 5 to go... i know you said it will fly by... indeed it does seem so but it doesn't stop the onset of sadness... it doesn't make it any better given that we hardly talk at all in december. with u in ny/boston, we had a total of 10 mins conversation so far in the last 10 days. separation- some says it's harder for those whose relationship has just started before they are separated. i guess for me it's not about how long we've been together. being together for a long time doesn't mean i'll miss you less... in fact... coz you've been there by my side for so long... i miss you even more. sorry to those who are reading this may seem really sappy but i guess i'm in an emotional season... i do miss the boy very much. it just occurred to me it doesn't make sense to address the boy in 1st person coz he rarely reads my blog so he shall henceforth be officially 'the boy.'

I thank God for coming across this prayer in a lovely book given by Ying, Yve & Peiyong. i guess that's all i've been trying to be - 'not sad' with many going don't be sad time will pass by quickly. I am sad. i want to embrace the sadness and move on. And this prayer it shall be, for me and for friends who are also separated from their loved ones. May the ache in our hearts be the strengthening of our hearts. May the longing bring resolve, conviction and purity to our love.

Till i see you again, your heart i carry with me.

(I promise a happy post up next. plenty of thanksgiving. Love you Lord!)

:: querido ::

Major change of plans! If all goes well & smooth! i'll be seeing the boy in SPAIN! wheee! he called me this afternoon to inform me of the new plan.... the tix to madrid is at least 700 dollars cheaper than to toronto/ny and his flight to spain from toronto is ard 700 sing so we decided that we shall go spain!i am so excited! Spain has been my dream destination for the longest time! wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! i can't wait!

4 more days and you'll be in NY. have fun sweetie! can't believe you'll be there for christmas and new year! it's the ultimate! say hi to the gigantic christmas tree for me! is it at times square? i can't wait for us to be together in May! so looking forward to it. 5 months to go! and it's bye bye NUS and hola to the boy!

thank you God for everything once again. for seeing me through the entire semester. for reminding me time and time again how sovereign you are. how faithful your love is. love you so much.

"better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper at the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

~ Psalm 84

::: sodalicious :::

browsing through getty images & came across the above pic and i thought of our pic we took 2 years ago!.

so adorable! haha... miss you so much.. especially during this time of the year... no christmas without you but yeah i am so looking forward to springtime New York in 6 months!

2 papers down. 3 more to go. this sem is the WORST sem ever! i think the grades will truly reflect how bad it is. But nope not going to let it get to me. so yup love you! study for your exams too!

~ I miss you ~

2 months have flown past us.... it hasn't been easy.... i've struggled and i've managed.... with God's grace and the love of friends.. i've managed. i'm sorry you had to put up with my emotions... see me through the stressful periods of essays and deadlines... and it hasn't been easy for you too. thank you for being so patient with me. thank you for loving me. =)

I'm happy that you're having so much fun. loving every minute of school and travelling. Coz you deserve every moment of it. Love you and i'm really counting down the days. 6 months till i see you again. In the meantime... here's what i miss and i realize some of which will become a distant memory when i start working & you'll be at BTC. No more memories of school.

:: You ::

Dear you, (yes the boy who made me changed the photo above because he thought the previous one wasn't cute enough *eyes-rolling*. i think the previous one is cuter but since this post is abt you...)

Without you here... every little thing reminds me of you.. of us.

I miss you walking past crusade corner after your lessons ended, how you would ruffle my hair and say goodbye after your lessons. i miss seeing you come out of lt 15 and waving to me.
I miss our lunches at biz canteen. I miss our $2 sandwiches.
I miss waiting for 151 with you. I miss lying on your shoulder as we travel to your place.
I miss us walking through your carpark...buying snacks and fruit juice from your provision shop.
I miss taking the lift with you... 23 stories high.
I miss reading the papers in your living room while drinking green tea. I miss you making green tea for me.
I miss us sitting at the balcony as we feed the baby koi, sipour tea & look at the distant lights.

I miss our slow walks to Serangoon Gardens, admiring the stretch of pretty houses & dogs along the way.
I miss having coffee at coffee bean.

I miss our bread and soup at cartel.

I miss our ice-cream at swensons.

I miss renting DVDS from video ezy.
I miss our sundays of watching Boston Legal.

I miss our mondays of watching Grey's anatomy.
I miss our scrabble sessions on your carpet.
I miss your presence in church.
I miss our movie dates. I haven seen any after you left.
I miss shopping with you. I miss the way you go crazy at finding the clothes you like. & i'm the girl here haha. =)
I miss our late night pratas. I miss our drive throughs at KAP Macs.
I miss our picnics by botanic gardens.
I miss the long drives from your place to town and back from town to my place.

I miss our house exploring adventures through cluny road and 6th avenue...
I miss our old church building at Adam Road. I miss us eating at Adam Rd Hawker.
I miss our $6 meals at Coronation Prince.

I miss you waiting for me while i buy flowers....
I miss the way your face lights up when i got you bacon sticks.
I miss Dilbert and how he makes you laugh.
I miss the way you roll your eyes at me when i'm clumsy (when i spill my drink)
I miss the glint in your eyes when something's up your sleeve.
I miss our competion to see who can finish walking the stone path in the park in the shortest time. I miss the way you shout: "not fair.. you're holding on to the bar."

I miss the way you gel your hair in front of mirror.

I miss your pasta. I miss your mushroom and cheese springroll thingies.

I miss your dorky specs, blue shirt and white shorts.

I miss our team work while washing dishes- one wash, the other control tap.

I miss our parting each night as you send me home.

I miss you and pooky bear together.

I miss our walks by the river..

I miss dancing with you... my feet on yours.

I miss everything about you.

I MISS YOU.

Love, Joey