life with a grade schooler: silkworms

After the golden week, you’ve been gushing about how in a few days you’ll be receiving eggs. Silkworm eggs that you’ll be taking care of. Fast forward a couple of weeks and they’ve grown. You’ve been heralding us of your silkworms’ antics and how the two seems to have different personalities. And yes, they have names: Shiro and Kumo; and that you can tell them apart because of the little black marks on their body.

And then, for over a week, you’ve been praying for a sunny Friday; apparently they could die in the rain hence you can only bring them home when that Friday is a sunny day. Told you I’ll pray in turn for a rainy day.

But your prayers were heard.

Thankfully they need to be housed in a closed box with some holes on, I wouldn’t be seeing them always. I feel like shrieking whenever I see them, my heart feels like it’s being squeezed.

Come Friday night however, my heart is being “squeezed” by an altogether different matter: your thanksgiving prayer.

After your evening prayers and you getting tucked in for the night, you suddenly bounced up, positioned yourself in prayer, and with sincerity in your voice, you prayed with gratitude on how your prayers were answered. And that you look forward from now for more answered prayers.

Such faith. Such gratitude. My work is done. Love you baby.

Hatsuhinode 2021

This year’s first sunrise was so breathtakingly beautiful it fills one’s heart with so much hope and love for the future. I wasn’t able to capture how the sun made everything golden before it fully rose; but it will remain in my heart.

We got a bonus too, after Church. Unobstructed view of Mt Fuji. Marvellous.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

For the last seven years, I have been participating in the annual joint celebration between my church and a neighbor Anglican Church. We call it the Nine Lessons and Carols, patterned after Kings College’s. This tradition in Yokohama has been going on since the 1970s. This year however, brought a challenge, as we couldn’t gather as usual. But our magnificent Choir director was undaunted.

She made guide piano recordings for each of the four voices, plus some solos, and emailed extensive instructions. The recordings started early September. We were supposed to record only roughly seven songs (including descant versions), but I didn’t imagine how difficult it would be, considering my late nights from work.

I was planning to record the last song (with descant, and yes, it’s Oh Come All Ye Faithful) during the long weekend in third week of November. However, after an out of town trip in which I sat beside the driver (hence I chatted ALL THE TIME), I lost my voice. Tried to record during the week that followed but I just couldn’t reach even the lowest soprano note.

On top of that, our choir director gave that Saturday as deadline. Tried again during that day but I just couldn’t. I asked for extension till Monday (goodluck with work overtime!) and choir director graciously allowed.

Come Monday, I almost gave up recording. But somehow, something inside me pushed me to “finish the race”. I still couldn’t sing the high descant part so I aborted that second recording. But I think the usual Soprano part, I did well.

Today, I received an email from our choir director asking me if she could use part of my recording as solo, to be used in our teaser recording. And I got the chills after hearing what she had put together.

I couldn’t believe how good it sounded. And to think I lost my voice. And to think I almost gave up. To think I almost said “no, I can’t with the last song”. I am glad I made the push.

A reminder for me to not give up.

It’s actually a perfect cap for me after my first client meeting, with my new Lead with whom I had to fight so he could recognise me. After the meeting, he told me I did an excellent job. I am glad I did not give up.

December 2020

Ever since we bought our Christmas tree and its ornaments for our second Christmas on our new home back in 2015, we’ve pretty much used the same decors from then.

Thought of starting a tradition of buying something special and pretty every year.

For this year, we had these pretties.

A bold Elsa, with her water horse. Loving her stance.

Somehow, she reminds me to be bold and keep on the fight.

This pretty, pretty star.

Looking at this always puts a smile on my face. 🙂

A blessed Christmas to one and all!