yeah!

My better half is back after being ten thousand miles away.

The kids are happy with all the goodies from the grandparents - and for once "going home for good" seems attractive to them!

i'm just glad that he is back.
Two is better than one, that's what the Good Book says!

in appreciation

it's ladies night!
a lot had happened since we met two Mondays ago.
this group of ladies offered not only their prayers but their hands and feet,
and listening ears too.
many faraway friends were as near as their prayers and concern for me.
no man is an island - it is in receiving one learn to give.
thank you to all my
dear sisters
both
near
and
far.

more comfort food

i made a trip to the Asian grocery store the other day.
somehow we all craved for the familiar snack/food we ate when we were little - my fourteen years old was no exception.
all the concerned Anties took turn to bring rice porridge, chicken soup, paozi, red bean bun and his favorite: chocolate chip banana bread.

SRT

what is SRT?
The Silver Ring Thing event is a three hour show with high-tech sound, lighting, special effects and comedy performance about guys, girls, dating, love, second chances and choices....
here 's an excerpt from SRT Mission:

to bring awareness to the rising epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases through the promotion of faith-based abstinence education as part of a national plan to decrease premarital sex. This is accomplished by pointing youth to a personal growing faith in Jesus Christ and calling them to a life of purity and sexual abstinence until marriage.

the youth were encouraged to go to the event, and i wanted to check it out first just to make sure! i was trying to get a ride all day and was close to giving up; but at the very last minute Luther picked me up,and we made it before the whole thing started. (the poor guy was on his way back from NC, a good nature and sweet brother.)

there i was in a room packed with a large group of highly charged and excited middle/high school kids.
honestly speaking, the disco lights and the super loud music were giving me a headache;but on the whole it was a very informative session and things the youth needed to hear.
this generation, being internet savvy, are constantly bombarded with the media and current trends,where everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes and there is no absolute truth.

click here to see the pictures from their participation.

a day in the life of...

up at 6 am
the little one left the house at seven,
fixed breakfast, did laundry and fed the Dog.
answered phone calls, made appointments, call the school,
write notes for teachers.

tea time:
made snacks for my fourteen years old, he did tons of make-up work!
made many phone calls, rescheduled appointments.
what's for lunch?
met the PE teacher at 2:15pm, picked up the book on tape from the library,
stopped by Walgreen to get more gatorades.

three hours in the kitchen, baked 2 batches of chicken wings,
one tray of pork ribs and 3 batches of cookies.

walked the dog while the little one roller blade, it was good to have some fresh air.
ate dinner and cleared the sink.
read emails, talking on the phone while watching "Lost".
tucked the boys to bed, did another load of laundry.

11:30 pm light out

Mom knows best

not really, at least in my case.
i should have -
take my child to the Doctor when he had a lingering cold,
say no to him when he wanted to go to the soccer practice,
tell him it's okay to miss the first game of the season, and
put my foot down and say no Frisbee on Sunday ...
and i should not have sent him back to school even if he wanted to.

i had to pick him up from school at noon.
he looked sickly, shivering in cold, fingers had turned blue.
"the headache came back and my lower back hurt.
the PE teacher made me dress out and do stretches.
mom, i can't do the jumping jack."
"you were not suppose to do all that!"

i was mad and scared at the same time.
i was mad at the PE teacher.
i was mad at myself for letting him back to the school.

plates of love

the balloon said it all...and what better way to perk up ones appetite than cookies and deserts?
friends and church family took turns to bring us food which was a tremendous help for me; i was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally and was plagued with guilt of not being a good mother!
my boy is on the mend now even though i wish that he don't have to return to school so soon!
(i think i have seperation anxiety after coming so close of loosing him...)

do the sum

One very sick kid
Five hours in the ER
A lot of silence waiting

I asked my fourteen year old when was the last time he was in the hospital.
"Fourteen years ago." He said matter of factly.
It was not as scary then.
CAT scan, spinal tap and blood work were unfamiliar words.
After the spinal tap I explained to him,
" Just like how they tap the maple syrup."

During the fifty five minutes wait (for the result), we watched the Iron Chef.
It was a good distraction because my second one like to watch cooking show.
He used to watch Julia Child:Lessons with Master Chefs on PBS all the time.

At the end it was confirmed that he had viral meningitis.
In the wee hours as we were heading home,
i can only sum up the day with God's goodness and mercy.

Today was this season's first soccer game!
While the boys were on the field in the morning,
i was in the kitchen preparing a special lunch,
their favorite beef rendang - spicy beef stew.
Now, they may not be keen with the squash, but i was sure that they will like the chocolate covered strawberries!
Dinner was the monthly fellowship meals:
hotdogs and hamburgers!

a personal interview

For his Language Arts project, my little one conducted a personal interview while I was preparing dinner.
Here were some of the questions:
How did you get your name?
Month of birth and it was raining season.
What details of your family that you like and dislike?
•I have seven sisters and three brothers. My father preferred boys.
What was something that will surprise other?
Two of my sisters were given away few months after they were born.
What was your favorite book when you were growing up?
Journey to the West.
What was your favorite activities with your family?
Singing English pop songs with my siblings.
What achievementement you are proud of?
•Self published a book with a friend.
What is your motto for life?
If you are content you will be happy.
Who is your role model?
My mom.
What other detail that most people do not know about you?
•I lived on the world oldest ocean-going passenger liner for two years.

through this simple interview, i was reminded once again how good and gracious God has been to me!

"be all you can be"

We had breakfast at school today.
My sixteen year old has been working very hard in trying to graduate from high school in 3 years, and he was nominated for a special award.
i'm proud of you son.
well, i still can not get over what high schoolers wear to school these day - high heels and flip flop!

a taste of Polish

Early Saturday morning, i awoke to the pattering of tiny footsteps down the hall way and children speaking in Polish. Our Polish friends from the North came and spent the weekend with us. Our friendship went all the way back to our first week here in the States. After all these years, he graduated, met another Polish girl and got married and now have two beautiful kids.

So here i was speaking English to the little boys who only spoke Polish: BENZYNA-juice, JAJKO-egg, SAŁATA-lettuce, PROSZE-please, DZIEKUJE-thank you etc.
Polish was harder to learn (and speak) compare to Chinese!

We had Polish dish for Dinner: MAKARON Z SOSEM MIE, SNYM
macaroni with meat sauce (and vegetables).