Category Archives: life

life with a kindergartener: thirsty

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We were waiting for our turn on a shop to pick up your bags that we’ve order-made for your grade school. Thankfully, there were couches around, so we could lounge while waiting. At first you said you wanted some gumi candy at the neighbour drug store. I’ve been teaching you some independence recently and so I gave you my PASMO (for our future reference: essentially this is a train pass. But you can charge it so that you can use it to pay your purchases or pay your meals. On hindsight, I should really stop giving you my pasmo but give you bills/coins so that you’ll learn more about counting.)

After finishing off your pack of gumi, and just when we were about to leave the premises, you then complained to me that you’re thirsty. And so once again, I gave you my pasmo. It took you a lot longer though to get back. So I headed to the drugstore and saw that you were already at the counter. I rushed to get back to our sofa because the point was for you to feel some independence and it definitely will not help you if you see me lurking around.

Then you came out the drugstore with plastic bag and looking like you’re carrying something very heavy.

Before you reached us though, you announced that you bought me my favourite milk tea and daddy a bottle of green tea, and water for you.

My thoughtful and perceptive baby. I thank God for his goodness. I pray you grow up well.

things to be thankful for today

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  • Friends and family who made me feel very special and who are generous to share their time and blessings
  • I’m working on a ve~~~ery challenging task
  • Our Client now, with whom I’ve worked with five years back, openly told me he was very happy to see my name among those in the top of the TO
  • The one year old baby I’ve been trying to get chummy with seems to have already warmed up to me. When I arrived at daycare and after Yui hugged me & pressed her cheeks against mine, little boy toddled towards me and (to my big surprise) also pressed his cheek against mine. I made him laugh too.
  • The author of a Japanese-English book I once wrote a month ago finally replied to my email and acknowledged that my comment was right. 😍

Yui’s tales: The Cat Who was Once a Prince

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After a long afternoon walk, we chanced upon a nice homey cafe/ bar that was like a haven for Yui; they have a dog, a cat, and a tank full of fish.

It was a cozy place to rest after a breezy cold walk but for Yui, it was so much more than just a cozy place.

After some time, the dog had to take a walk and she was left to petting the cat and having a staring contest with it.

Then she told me a secret.

Mommy, the Cat was once a Prince, a long time ago. He battled with a dragon but he died. He then became a cat.

Hatsuhinode 2019

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Welcome beautiful 2019!!

I usually do the countdown and the cleaning thereafter. So never, in my entire life, have I tried to catch the first sunrise of the year.

Hence I was surprised with the well of emotions I felt, seeing the beautiful orange rays of the sun shining through dark, ominous clouds. Suffice to say I was moved to tears.

Thank you, Lord, for this beauty and for this new year!

PS

Didn’t have any difficulty waking Yui up and from making her walk for thirty minutes so early in the morning. She was so excited! Grateful for this beautiful start of the year, and with good friends at that too!

Baptism anniversary

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It’s been exactly 6 years since you were baptised. We were looking at your photos earlier, the ones posted on Facebook and you yourself were giggling at your chubbiness and was laughing how in all your photos you seem to be only either asleep or drinking milk. You were looking for your photo of the actual baptism, when the Priest poured the Holy water on your head. You then kept on asking “why” when I answered it was not posted and was in our computer. I remembered only now why we didn’t post it; because a friend took the photos and the ones I posted were only the ones from my camera.

Anyways. You seem to be almost always asleep that day. But another remarkable thing happened that day too. After your baptism, we had coffee with your Ninang Maj. And in that cafe, you smiled for the first time, to someone other than me or your Dad. And yes, it was to your Ninang. We were so surprised and happy we laughed hard; which got your surprised too.

Today, 6 years after, we had a milestone too. Today, for the first time, you sat away from me (just a pew behind me, nevertheless) and yet behaved and stayed seated for the whole hour. You sang with the choir, and you passed around the offertory basket and laid it at the altar. I was very proud of you and told you of it again and again.

My baby, how much you’ve grown and I am ever thankful to the Lord.

a chance meet-up with kindreds

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Today was our Church’s Coffee Social for the month. Mass finished at 10:30, our practice for the Nine Lessons at The Christ Church (Anglican) is at 11; but I queued for coffee and cakes so Yui could have a couple of cakes and have some snacks to fuel her up while waiting for me finish our choir practice.

I ended up eating 90% of the cakes (my planned diet tossed over the bin again) as little girl was having fun running around.

But I didn’t mind, because I was inspired while eating the cakes. I happened to share the table with a visiting couple from the US – a Filipina wife and a Japanese husband. The wife introduced herself and held out her hand to me first. I liked her even before she extended her hand (because of a sugar episode earlier while queueing).

We’ve talked for but 15 minutes. But I already loved the wife’s humour and nonchalance and elegance. The husband; he has twinkling eyes, a distinguished gentleman. A happy and contented face. They called each other “Hon”. And they already have grandchildren.

Our conversation was only 15 minutes. But it was more than enough for them to inspire me. To be infected with their positive aura. Certainly more than enough time for me to wish that I hope, someday, I’ll inspire in the same way, a young couple.