quaint melody

His proposal pal, froggie.

Everyday I wake up with happy thoughts
There’s someone behind the fountain of joy
How I remember the days we’ve been together
All the secrets we shared, silly things we’ve done
It only seems like yesterday where I meet this big boy with the kindest smile
Who shook my hand and brought me to the wonderland
They are all fond memories I hold on dear to my heart

Oh my love, you’re the one
The one who holds my hand when I despair
Be by my side and assures me hope
Reminds me of dreams and love
I dedicate this to you

I love you, for being the friend you are, for being the lover you are, for simply being you.
When it all comes to an end, I’ll still hold on to you tight, for the memories will live on forever.

You make me live with no regrets.

Happy Birthday to my Mr K, the very source of my dreams and happiness.

I present you my husband, Mr K. The heart and soul of my life, the sweetest and kindest man I’ve ever met, and the very person who introduced me to photography (heh, now you know my secret! ).

Today is a big day. The story started 31 years ago, a giant (literally) was born in a town in Malaysia. He was a sweet little boy who went on and grew into a gentle, considerate and kind man whom I met and fell in love with 24 years later. He is the kindest, most nonjudgmental person I’ve ever met, a man who has the purest heart ever. As early as a month after we had met, a little bird told me that he’s the man I’m meant to be with, that he is the person that I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. It was a surreal feeling, yet incredibly real.

Over 7 years have passed, and my feelings just proved to be true. Everyday with him is like heaven on earth. I am eternally thankful to have met and married a guy who love me for who I really am, helped me through thick and thin and sailed through the rocky weather together. This is someone I laugh with, live for, dream with, love; the one who makes my life complete.

Well, you all must know this is Mr K I’m talking about. It’s his birthday today, so send some love his way y’all!

I’m so gonna get killed for this photo. Haha.

To many, 30th August marks the eve of an important day to a nation; to me, it marks the birth of a remarkable lady, without whom I would not have existed. That’s right, today marks the 55 years celebration of life for my mother. Like many in the 50s, my mother was born into a big family of 7 siblings. Growing up, she’d tell me the many tales of a kampung(village) girl roaming around the village. As a traditional woman, she grew up holding strongly to her beliefs and values. That’s just one of the many treasures she has instilled in me.

Growing up, I have a strong and close relationship with my mother. She’s always there for me when I need her. Those difficult days of adolescence weren’t easy, but her understanding and support helped me through. She’s always there 100% behind my every decision, even though sometimes she might not agree.

Once again, we are celebrating your birth today my dear mum. There’s no presents, cards or words that can fully expressed my feeling of appreciation for you. I just want you to know that though we’re apart, our hearts have never been closer. You are one of the most important forces to pull me through many difficult times. Thank you mama! I am so proud to have a mother who is my closest confidant, my biggest fan and my best friend.

Kick back, relax and have a wonderful day!

Mr K is a saint. This fact is normally a talking piece amongst some of my friends and family. Some for the love of god cannot understand how a saint like him married a siao (crazy) person like me. Well, go figure! Neither can I! That guy is the father of all saints I tell you. Nothing gets him angry at all, nothing! I have not seen him loose his temper once, not once in the 7 plus years I’ve come to know and love him. He can stay calm under any circumstances. Scolded? One ear in, one ear out lor; Blamed for something he didn’t do? Ignore it lor, cannot do anything what; Someone being rude at him? Aiya, no need to pay attention to those people one; Fire? Evacuate lor. Just to name a few.

He is the first and only person in my life that does not have a temper, at all. I mean, nothing zero, nada, zip! It really intrigued me in the beginning. The evil me even intentionally tried to make him mad from time to time, just to prove that everybody gets mad sometimes. But no! That is just not in his genes. The few times he tried to pretend ended in laughters. When asked why he doesn’t get worked up at all, I mean doesn’t he get angry or has the urge to throw something sometimes? His answer: Erm…. don’t know ler, I don’t know how to do that.

If you ever tried to picked a fight with someone, you’d know it’s no fun trying to pick a fight with a saint. You can’t get anything out of him. That’s why in our relationship, I am the evil one who’s always making trouble. Or, maybe being a saint is his devilish plan to entice others! Ever thought of that? Huh? Huh?! (stop it cc, just let it go!) Saint people make others go crazy. Heh. Ironic.

Another failed attempt to make him look bad. Damn it!

Though all is said, I feel extremely lucky and thank my lucky star everyday for him. Where to find another guy like him, who loves me and spoils me as much as he does?! After all, he is the rock that binds me on my feet so this siao woman doesn’t go too crazy. As my father once said when I first went out with MR K seven years ago.

He’s your perfect match, my princess. You won’t find another guy who can stay saint living with you!

So evil, but he’s right…again!

saint

I wanted to buy you a gift, but there is no amount of gifts that can really show my gratitude towards you; I wanted to write you a poem, but my tears overflow whenever I started to do so; I tried to call and say I love you, but my mind is so overwhelmed that I shiver every time I pick up the phone; I attempted to write a letter to you, but it is so difficult because there’s no way to begin and no end.

You have always strived hard to be a role model. You doubted and blamed yourself when I did something wrong. There were times when we went through a tough patch and didn’t talk for days, we were both too strong headed and stubborn then. A father’s love is truly an amazing thing. You shower your love via your unique ways, the unspoken ways, the unconditional ways. Daddy, there is no words to describe how I feel. I just want you to know that what an amazing dad you are, and how lucky I am to have you in my life. When I thought of your own journey, I cried, for you lost your own dad when you were merely a new born baby and have gone through a difficult path to become who you are today, the successful and well-respected man. How do you come to be a great dad that you are, I do not know. I guess I’m just trying to tell you how incredibly appreciative I am to have a father like you.

People say they see you in me as I grow older, I can’t even start to tell them how proud I am. Thank you, dad. I would not have fought through the difficult and thorny path had it not be your constant unconditional love and support. I know I can always count on you. I could not have asked for a better dad.

I struggled to translate my feelings through the limited words in my mind. I love you dad, from the bottom of my heart. You are my hero and strength beneath my wings. You are forever in my heart and deepest thoughts.

Happy Father’s Day!

father’s day daddy

Today is 1st June. To many, is it just the start of winter in the southern hemisphere, but to me and MR K, it signaled a start of a beautiful journey together. Exactly seven years ago today, we officially became a couple (pak toh/go steady lah). Many have asked us how we met and started going out. I have never really told the story in full, until now.

Well, it all started from a summer bbq…

We both came to Auckland to study at the same university. As usual, Malaysian students normally hang with the same crowd, so we were introduced by a mutual friend during an evening bbq. My first impression of MR K? Quiet, soft-spoken and a total kayu (wooden). After the courteous greetings, we hardly talked to each other (well, he hardly talked). As we are both good friends to our friend V, we often hang together with the same gang. So eventually I started to notice him more and felt sparks loosely flying around. Heh! He on the other end, being the mr nice, timid, reserved type, didn’t feel a thing. Though that being said, our friendship grew stronger, and he started to open up to me and tell me things deep in his heart that had never told to anyone else before. Of course, being the kayu(wooden) that he was, he didn’t realise the sparks, and needed to be reminded by our mutual friend V, who has been in-the-know all these while. So on the faithful early hours of 1st June 2000, he asked me to be his girlfriend when we were chatting via icq (hey, that was the in thing back then ok!). And the rest, like they said, is history.

Some of my friends were quite surprised for my choice of boyfriend back then as we are the total opposite. He is quiet, reserved, nerdy and kayu(wooden). On the other end, I am noisy, passionate, talkative and warm. You can see we are at the total opposite ends. Right down to our educational backgrounds and families. He is a banana from a pure English speaking family who hardly speak Cantonese, let alone Mandarin; I am from a pure Chinese speaking family who speak mostly Mandarin. God certainly likes to play match-making in the strangest ways.

I remembered my dad’s words just before I left for New Zealand, ‘don’t get a boyfriend who is of different descent, I won’t approve.’ So instead, I found a banana who is somewhere in between. I am sure my father’s heart died a little when he knew this (just joking lah, my father likes him very much). So imagine the scene, me speaking to him with my broken English and Cantonese, and him trying to figure out Mandarin. Luckily. years passed and my English and Cantonese improved a great deal since then(thank you MR TV!); him on the other end, is still trying to figure out Mandarin. Though the once kayu and geeky guys actually turned out to be a warm and fun-loving man. So, underneath the icy exterior, there is a warm mussy heart. Heh!

So there, my love story, hopefully it is not too lovey-dovey to read.

*banana = yellow on the outside, white in the inside. Loosely describing Chinese who doesn’t speak Chinese.

love story 1st june

She fanned me to sleep whenever there was a power cut.
She woke up early in the morning and waited for the bus with me throughout the secondary school years without fail.
She was always there waiting for me with an umbrella if I came home on a rainy day.
She played monopoly with me even when she was tired.
She told me she didn’t like drumstick because she wanted me to have it.
She feels guilty whenever she’s having a good time and I’m not there.
She blended into my world and adapted all my interests during my adolescence years so she could communicate with me better.
She sees to my every needs without fail.
She is always there with a shoulder for me to cry on.
She is my best friend, my rock, my mother.

Mommy said I learnt how to stick out my tongue at 40+ days, so I did it in every photo sessions.

There is no words to describe my gratitude towards you mum. Thank you for your undivided attention and support over the years; thank you for being there for me every single time; thank you for re-assuring me when I started to doubt myself; and most of all, thank you for loving me for who I am. Though we’re hundreds of miles apart, our hearts have never been closer. I love you mum, and I think of you everyday. You’ll always stay very close to my heart. I just hope when the time comes, I would be as good a mother as you are.

Happy Mother’s Day!

*I finished typing out this emotional-charged post in many sessions, my tears just couldn’t help but overflow every time I think of my parents.

Technorati tags: happy mother’s day

Now that we are back at home with everything settling down, I finally have time to look back on what happened in the past two months. It’s been such a roller-coaster ride and it’s been pretty much like a dream.

I flew back to Singapore from NZ via SIA just before CNY. We had decided to spend the first few days of Chinese New Year in Singapore quietly so that my dad could rest well and avoid all the hustle and bustle back home. After that, we spent another week at home before we sent my dad to the hospital in KL.

I cannot start to describe how I felt throughout this whole ordeal. It must have been the most taxing and agonising period in my life. I was almost in a daze most of the time and could not really comprehend what was happening, though I may not have shown it. My mum and I knew what was to happen, but it was not until the briefing the day before the surgery that reality really sunk in… my dad was going to undergo a major heart surgery.

The surgery was scheduled on 1st of March in the morning. Dad did not really say anything but I could see he was worried sick. We tried to fill the air with lame jokes and empty conversations. Finally the moment came and we accompanied the nurse to wheel my dad to the operating theatre. It was a dreadful journey. Nothing but silence filled the air. As we approached the operating theater, I feared deep in my heart that it would be my last moments with my dad. But I tried hard not to cry as I didn’t want my dad to see that. Once my dad had entered the OT, we waited outside in the waiting area. We had been told it would be a 4-5 hour surgery, which turned out not to be the case. It would have been an agonising wait had it not been for my friends who dropped by and kept me and my mum company, thus lifting our morale.

After roughly two and a half hours, a nurse came to the waiting area and told us the doctor would like to have a word with us. Now, if you are an avid TV series fan, you would think that this would be bad news; doctor wanting to speak to the family of patient half-way through the surgery. Well, we thought so too and walked towards the door with our hearts almost falling out of our chests. Well, DON’T believe everything you see on TV (like a fool we did), this was not the case. There, we saw the doctor and with a big smile on his face, he told us everything went very well and the surgery was a success. PHEW~ we felt a big big weight being lifted from our shoulders right then and there. (They should really teach the nurse not to scare people like that!! We almost had a heart attack right there!

Then we were directed to go into the ICU area to briefly see my dad, who at that stage still hadn’t woken up yet. No words can describe how I felt at that moment. It was the strangest feeling looking at my dad, lying on the bed, all weak and powerless. The reality really hit home at that very moment.

Dad was transferred out of ICU and into normal ward the following afternoon. I was pretty much in a daze for the following few days. Sleep deprived and being on an emotional roller-coaster is definitely not a good combination. Luckily we pulled through, the hardest part is behind us now and we just need to concentrate on making sure my dad takes one thing at a time and let his body heal (and believe me, it is the toughest part yet). That’s right, no hurry dad! You hear that?!

Special thanks.

A very special thanks to all my friends who have been incredibly supportive and went out of their ways to help us. I am deeply touched and no words can express how glad I am to have kind souls like you in my life. Well, you know who you are. It is people like you who helped us through the difficult times. And for that, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I would also like to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who have sent prayers, texts, emails, messages our way. Thank you very much for your support and encouraging words. We really appreciate all the kind thoughts. Thank you!