On top of things

My poor baby woked up on saturday at 6am wailing. I watched for a good 10 secs in hope that I can soothe him to sleep. But after 2 minutes of wailing and bawling his eyes and lungs out, I decided to carry him and rock him. But, it didn't soothe him - my poor baby, did he feel unwell or were there any bed monsters that took him away from his sleep via a nightmare?
After almost 3 mins of bawling, I realised tucked at a corner, my beloved Aung is still sleeping away although his son is at the top of his voice that almost translates, HELP ME or I JUST DUN WANNA STOP CRYYYYYYYYING!
Suddenly, I shouted at Aung, WAKE UP YOUR SON IS BAWLING, I NEED MILK! After a few secs of struggling, my Aung jumped out of bed and went on his fatherly duties. After 30 mins, that little imp is back to sleep.

Over at breakfast before I zoomed off to church at 8am first since I am on duty, my aung said with a tinge of cheeky-ness.
Aung: Do you know why I didn't wake up or not at his first cry?
Bun: You didn't hear?
Aung: Nope, I dreamt that we are doing it.
Bun: Ha ha ha Funny lah you
Aung: Yar lah, so i didn't want to wake up
Bun: Hmmmmmmmm
Aung: And... (with expressions of 110% cheekiness overload overbursting)... you are on top. I can't get up!
I have snapshots of our breakfast conversation throughout the whole weekend and I always ended up bursting in laughter even when I typed this. Ha ha ha, my aung and his fat rabbit!

Suddenly, it dawned to me that I have so little...

TIME, to savour the baby moments with Maoster for long when my sister passed me the application form for pre-nursery admission for babies born in 2006. You mean my kiddo's going to school soon???

UNDERWEAR, when I am wearing my bikini for a 2nd time ( no, not 2 days in a row!) to work today. Darn, I didn't know 5 is a very small number or that my inventory control and washing time table has gone hay-wired.

SEX, when my Sister-in-law told me ( I wonder how it got there too) that my brother and her has sex at least 3 times a week!!! And for that matter, my jaw almost dropped when she asked me seriously,what's the record that I've done in a day! I mean... what? Ok, Aung said we need to buck up bef0re we become best friends. I couldn't stop laughing and wondering and continue to be amazed.

For all that that, it dawned to me that I really have so little of so many things in my life, yet there's really not much things that I can complain about. You see, for that little things in my life that I am lacking, I am blessed with many things in my life that may far cover what I have not had in the first place.

On another note:
I gave David a $50 bill because he told me he doesn't have such a big note before ( he's 8 and oh yes, I am nuts abt this nephew of mine). I told him to keep it well.
On saturday night, my sister asked the kids to prepare money for offering for church the next day. David offered to give his $5o bill.
Sister: David, why are you giving the $50 bill for offering?
David: Because I want to repay God.
Sister: What does that mean?
David: Well, God has give me many things, he gave me alot of toys, family and alot of things lah, so I want to repay God.
Sister: Ok, so, you won't regret it?
David: No lah, Give God means give liao lor. Nevermind lah.
David: hey, mommy, I think all my friends will WOW at the $5o when i give it to God tomorrow.
Sister: But david, that's not right. The bible says when we give, we give it discreetly, not to show off. God doesn't like it?
David: Huh? Bible got say?
Sister: Yup. It says so.
David: I get it mommy, tomorrow I will quickly put the money in so people won't know.

For that David deserves another $50 bill. :) Courtesty of Yee Yee Bunster.

David deep in thoughts. A very rare still picture of him cos he's really such a monkey!

SHOUT TO THE LORD!

Shout To The Lord
My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love
My comfort, my shelter Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You
Shout to the Lord
All the Earth,
let us sing Power and majesty Praise to the King
Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work Of Your hand
Forever I'll love You
Forever I'll stand
Nothing compares
To the promise I have In You

***Many thanks to KB for sending me this song and therefore the background music!***

Aung & Bun

Lying in bed:
Aung: I need to exercise.
Bun: Yeah. Me too.
Aung: Ok, I am going to sleep for 5 mins then I will wake up to jog.
Bun: I believe you
Bun: Aung? Aung? Aung?
Aung: Zzzzzzz

In the car:
Bun: Wow, I'm surprised you actually park so nicely in a parallel lot! I'm impressed
Aung: Burst out laughing.
Bun: Ok, there's no car in front and behind your lot.
Aung: Continues to laugh. You see that guy in white top and pants? He likes to help people park. He will ask every car to park and helps them. He came knocking at me to ask me to park and I just followed his instructions.
Bun: ha ha ha, freakish. Oh, that's him?
Aung: Now, how do i get out of this lot? Burst out laughing, ok, he's coming to assist again.
Bun: Oooooo do you think he's from candid camera?
Aung + Bun: Hmmmmmmmm???

Staring at Mao asleep:
Bun: Our boy is a big boy
Aung: Yar, his legs are very strong. The other day he kicked my face, my eyes hurts for a long time.
Bun: He always box me when he's asleep. Need to move him in his octopus bed liao lah. Cannot take it.
Aung: yar lor.
Bun: He's very bad tempered hor. Wah, can stamp feet and whine at the very instant. But hor, all pretend one, less than 30 secs ok already.
Aung: Ha ha ha ha, acutually he behaves exactly like a rabbit. You also behave like that one lor.
Bun: *^&^&%&^$%^

Cos I am living in a material world...

The papers of late has been discussing about the US recession. It talks about depressingly, food scarcity and of cos, how the more unfortunate countries are not having enough to eat - and we are talking about staple here and not the kinda of feeling where you are queuing behind a buffet line and someone in front just scooped the last bit of fried rice on the tray. That's why I refused to allow my dear son who developed this love to play in the kitchen, opening the drawer and scooping up the rice to play. One grain lah, grandma says - Bunster says NO NO NO. Not even a single grain. It doesn't please both parties very much, the oldest and the youngest. But then discipline needs to be maintain in this house.

Then there's this thing about the economy crashing and that people will lose their jobs and then we all need to rely on our savings. And i think it's a good reminder of how we should reflect how we leave. Sometimes, really, we simply throws money away without much thinking. Even if we don't save that up, isn't it better feeding some poor children at some part of the world or helping a kid get access to basic medication, or help stop global warming etc. HALO BUNSTER!

Then there were inflation, rising costs. The government tells us to buy more housebrands to save more. The radio is asking us to buy frozen meat instead of fresh ones.

Seriously, I lavished at the thought of a simple person with simple needs and less expectations of the material sense. Hello Bunster???

Honestly, when you become a mom ( Oh stop those mommy goodie talk!), you simply want to be the person doing the right things because you hope you would be an inspiration to your little ones. Don't you want your kid to know that he is not rated by what brands he is wearing and can be comfortable just becos knowing he is unique and created and his very existence is to and to Glorify the Creator. Don't you want your kid to look at you and say, my mommy is sexy and beautiful because she has the kindest heart and the greatest capacity to love and to share and has the most geniune humour to calm the world. You want your kid to start this project that reaches to the minority, to spread the love and to make a difference. Darn, I am even wishing that Mao would be a pastor!

My childhoood memories hold of none of any of those travel trips, no restaurants ( except wedding dinner) and I remember how we needed to share packets of food among us ( one packet per kid is something beyond imagination!). I remember how i needed to roll down my socks becos the rubber has gone loose, I remember those holes in my shoes where u poke your feet real hard to make it bigger soon to be able to qualify to be thrown away. I remember my mommy's home made wantan mee, homemade laksa, homemade whatever u can think of. Even homemade pratas ( disaster though). I remembered how eating out used to excite me that i really puked before i eat each time becos i was too excited and nervous ( to my mother's dismay though and disapproval). But what I seemed to be deprived of, doesn't hurt me. I don't find myself being at the losing end. I had all that I needed.

I hope Mao would grow up feeling adequate, confident and happy. Servant of God and a blessing to mankind. I hope one day he will lecture me and say, "Mom, are you seriously thinking about that Loewe bag? Fight consumerism. Never get labelled. "

I know if that day comes, Gee would be beaming with pride too.

Munching strawberry laden with cream that was on top of a birthday cake. Simple pleasure of life that make Maoster so happy. And hey, he didn't had a clue that it was not from a "branded" cake shop. Do we care?

The way God likes it.

The Aung family tries to maintain an active participation in church ever since Maoster's arrival. I must say, it isnt' as easy as it can be. Not only it is tiring, but logistically speaking, it can be rather trying. It got better with Maoster getting bigger - but then that means meals must still be prepared way earlier to ensure goodness packed food every meal. Such is a feat especially if we got to be in church at 8am in the morning on sundays when either one of us is on duty on Sunday. Before Maoster was able to eat pasta bolognaise, I had to wake up at 6 plus to do his porridge beforehand as I won't have much time to do it after service.

It's always a struggle for all parents with young kids to juggle between family life and church life. It's really easy just to go to church and zoom back after service, declining most functions and the opportunity to serve. I have said NO plenty of times to many of the activities and also in some ministries that has asked my help. Sometimes, they were moments of weakness, sometimes, it was just really beyond our physical capabilities and mental possibilities and sometimes the hours are just not suitable for Maoster, sometimes Maoster can be a distractor.
However, as we press on doing what God instructs us to, to serve joyfully and put God first, God puts into our hearts the spirit of his JOY and GOODNESS. As parents, we are both reminded to put God into our offspring's heart so that from young, they know who's the real BOSS!

Yesterday, Aung got to be in church for music practice as he's on duty on Sunday and being late, Maoster and Bunster got to tag along as there's no more time to do a drop off first. We spent lots of quality time together as a family of God and with the family of God! We sang, we danced, we praised our God and had great fun! See here.
I am glad my family serves in church. It's a blessing for us. The way God likes it- that's the WAY.

I do, Sometimes

I believe I was my dad's girl. From very young, I knew I was the favourite. He brought me out to his drinking session. He praised me in front of his beer khakis. I was the favourite no doubt about it. I can see it in his eyes although they were not clear as he was drunk most of the time.

Maybe it was because my older siblings didn't really responded well to his drinking habits. They were both far older than I was and therefore, they felt the embarrassments and frustrations of a alcoholic father, they felt the impact of all the arguments in the family that arised from the drinking. For me, I was still a baby. At 4 or 5 years, there was no treats more than a journey to the coffeeshop where I had access to all the food that was to be offered. Cakes, Siew Mai, French Fries.... ooooo and the uncles will let me play at the playground and bring me Fanta Grape....


I remembered I was the errand girl, I bought beers for my dad during my primary school days... 2 carlsburg, or sometimes 1 carlsburg and 1 ABC... i knew the cost my heart then, $4.60 and $5.20....



My dad would call me after work to ask me if i wanted to eat anything. Fried Kwey Teow, Spring chicken... it was a daily thing....

I wasn't oblivious about what his drinking brings; arguments with my mom, the accidents at the road, the running low of cash for the family, how "not normal" my family with the non existent father figure. But, I guess, I wasn't as impacted as my siblings, in a way.

My dad passed away in 2000 today. Well, I'm not sure if any of my siblings remember that today's the day. I can't for sure say if I miss him or that his absence made any difference to my life.
However, many times as I see father's basking in their role of fatherhood or grandfather's playing happily with their grandkids - I feel sad for my father. Sad because, really, it was his loss that he's missing out on all these great family lovely times.

Sometimes, I wished he was given a 2nd chance to be a better person, but we all know that 2nd chances are never guaranteed and he for all I know won't take it.

But, seriously I do sometimes think about him. I do, sometimes.

Jokes, The Ones We Treasure

It's April's Fool.



Nope, there wasn't any jokes that were sprung on me yet. And nope. I've not sprung any this year. I've matured. Ok, don't believe me. That's my joke for this year.



Over the years, my family has collected quite a few classic ones that we always talk about them during the CNY - to mock at each other. It's our family thing. To laugh at one another and to laugh at oneself is a lesson that is taught at least annually back at home. After all, a family that mocks "affectionately" at one another stays together. Of cos, eating does the trick to. Normally this combination is lethel.



The Treasured Jokes - to name some in case one day my humour runs dry.

Mom's best: The "hello hello" bi si joke

My dad was hospitalised. He broke his leg in a motorcycle accident. He can't move. We were at the hospital to visit my grouchy dad. I wonder if it's the hangover or his leg that makes him grouchy... anyway.


Dad to mom: I want to shit
Mom: Oh how? You can move meh?
Dad: Need potty
Mom: Ok I call bi si. Mom pretend to act very smart, can settle it for dad seh. No help needed. Mom reached out for that buzz that's normally by the patient's bed.
Suddenly, my mom took up the buzzer and started talking to it... hello hello bi si bi si (nurse in hokkien), my hubby needs to shit. No response? Repeat conversation.
She had that undercover look just without dick tracey's suit.
We were all staring at her.
Then we looked at one another and started bursting out in laughter.
My brother then said: Mother, press button can liao lah. It's not a speaker phone.

Who? Fell?

I was at the gym with my sister at her country club. While at the threadmill, we started our yaking session.
Sis: Girl, do you think I should have an English name? Just for people I don't really know lah, just for convenience lah. To salesperson or whoever lah.
Me: Okie, so what are you thinking of?
Sis: How about Val?
Me: Hmmmmmmm
Personal trainer walks to us and strike a conversation: Hi ladies, how's your exercise? What's your names?
Me: Hi, I'm becky
Sis: Hi, shyly, gigglying, I'm Val
My sister beamed with pride that she has a new name!
After our "fake" exercising, my brother in law came to meet us at the gym
Me to brother in law: Hey, my sister got a new name!
Sis to brother in law: I'm val!!!
Brother in law: Huh? You fell?
Sis to brother in law: No, I am Val
Brother in law: How did you fell? Where?
Apparantly, Val fell through. It didn't quite work out. My BIL don't get it at all!

The enthusistic soldier

Aung: Bun, I need to go army for one day. It's for some celebration or some gathering thing. One day only. Stupid right, sigh.

Bun: Hmmm ok, when?

Aung: It's 4th of February

Bun: Huh, so near CNY? Army wants to celebrate CNY with you ah. No choice lor, so how?

Aung: Stay at serangoon for the night lor, i won't have time to send you guys from home. Need to be in camp by 7am

Bun: No choice then

On 4th of February, aung woke up at 6am and left serangoon and zoomed to army.

At 8am, the full dressed army boy with his full bag pack was at serangoon at 8am

Bun: Huh? So fast finish already? Thought full day?

Aung: Slightly embarrassed. It's not today. I made a mistake. The letter writes: 020408

My hubby works in US company lor.

My mom and sister run to the living room and laugh so loudly and then they saluted to the soldier and march around him. It's super funny!

There's still the one how i got stuck at the parallel bar. How my mom got lost in Cityhall MRT and we have to intercom her via the public system ( that's another top!) and alot more.....

Think about a joke that happneed on yourself and laugh about it! It's quite fun to do that, trust me!