A Bit of Blue Sky...

Been busy up to my neck recently..so busy that even the drive home seemed so long.

Recently, while at a stop in front of the traffic lights, I saw that bit of blue sky.

This little bit was hidden amongst the thick white clouds..then amongst the leaves of the trees.. as my car moved, the blue sky grew smaller..and it changed colour..to orange..the work of the evening sun..nature is such a wonder..

I began to think and feel of the skies I saw away from home and the moments I thought that would leave me with deep impressions of the place..then when I recalled that and related it to friends back home, everyone was telling me it's the same piece of sky we are staring at right above our heads..

We may be living under the same piece of blue sky but once we take our eyes off it..we are back to where we are suppose to be. So..shouldn't we just take a few moments a day to gaze up and out of what lies ahead so that we can all take a breather?

In Beijing...

Was honoured to be able to participate in the Conference on mental health for school children. Held in Beijing, China, the Conference saw keynotes from Singapore as well as America and the locals. Topics were generally varied and focuses were on the education of mental health and the research outcomes on the topic.

I had no idea how I ended up on the plane. I had no idea how this was going to be useful to me. I had absolutely no idea if this marks the end of my career if anything should go wrong. I went with question marks.

6 days in Beijing got me into a better position. I got to know more friends who were at first colleagues. I got to see the other side of my Bosses, I got to understand how important decisions were arrived at. I got to sense how I should improve on my understanding of certain issues. It was another steep learning curve.

I must admit this was a stressful 6 days so far and my only de-stress exercise was going for retail therapy with my new found friends.

4 more days to go before I leave for home.

I have only 96 hours to the conclusion of this trip and this is yet another trip that I had embarked on without my kids.

How I miss them...

Heart-Wrenching...

Was out for lunch.

Many thoughts were running through my mind especially when a bomb was dropped on me this morning.

Suddenly, amidst all the hustle and bustle of the lively street, there was a commotion. Curious passer-bys stopped to watch. My thoughts were disturbed by the noise level and I just had to see what was going on.

It was to my horror.

A woman in her late thirties was kicking, punching and dragging a poor boy of about five years old on the ground. He was screaming hysterically.

No one knew what was going on. Just when I was about to step forward to stop the woman, a middle-aged man went ahead to pull the woman away and shouted at her " This is not the way to treat a child!"

The woman stopped. Another woman and man came forward to bring the child away while he was still sobbing hysterically. He was holding a file in his hands, tightly.

No one knew what happened. All they could do was to look on as a crowd...some throwing stares at the episode by the chinese nationals.

My heart was totally wrenched whenever I recalled the sight of the boy on the ground, screaming away...receiving blows from the adult.

As we are all exercising caution on the imported goods from China, they are still selling the "tainted" goods on their shelves and people are still buying them at reduced prices for their children.

So much about one child policy. Is life really that worthless in a country with overflowing population?

Appreciating..Family

Came across this commercial video from MCYS now and then on TV..and it has always struck a chord in my heart..not that I went through the entire episode in real life or that I am emotional..but that it is almost true to many..learning how to appreciate is a skill not known to many.. in a fast moving paced city like Singapore, we have failed to treasure and have taken for granted on the people around us until come one day...it is too late to even say "thank you"...

Don't miss out on the little things in our lives...

Something BIG...

I am embarking on something BIG...something which I made up my mind to embark on after thinking through for one whole night...and it is growing BIGGER...simply because my mind has been set on it.

The decision was not easy..as one can tell..mainly because I will miss my kids. They are not BIG issues but they are definitely a BIG part of my life.

The next BIG issue is the process..it is taxing and tedious even before the whole BIG race has started. This is the second BIG decision..after I decided to marry the father of my kiddos..in my life. I wonder if I can relly cope with it mentally and physically.. it's going to be an Amazing Race for me.

I suppose different stages of life have different expectations...I have this feeling which cannot be described but it was exactly how I felt when I first knew I was going to be a mummy. Everyone was there smiling about the test results and the outlook was positive. I hope this time round..the effects are the same.

As we salute the nation..

Been catching up on a few glimpses of the trailers on "Singapore Mothers" on Channel U. I guess this was featured in salutation to the Great Mothers of Singapore..just as we salute to our Nation on 9 Aug 2008. Now I finally know why a nation is always referred to as a "SHE".

The programme zoomed in on mothers who went against all odds for the best of their children. No matter how difficult times may get, they never give up. Nonsense I thought..there must have been times when they all felt like ending it all or giving it up..we are after all just humans.

The undying love and sacrifices a mother can give to her child is definitely more than we can think of. From as small as losing sleep over the child to giving up her own life in exchange for a baby to be born..what kind of love can be greater than that?

Of course, we have often heard of lovers killing themselves (or each other) like in the recent case of the Chinese man who wanted to commit suicide along with his Vietnamese lover in tow..but ended up dead himself. But these are, at least to me, more lust than love.

The love we want to see is the compassion of giving and the generosity of letting go. How many of us can do that? I don't know.

As we grouse about inflations, rising petrol prices and expensive housing, I really wonder if all these could really bring joy as compared to spending a few hours each day marvelling about the wonders our little ones have learnt and displayed..this may seem a torture to some but it never fails to bring a smile upon my face..especially when Megan "accidentally" stuck a panda sticker on Kaden's back...

Being Mindful...

Recently, both kids have been down with bouts of flu and fever. As a result, I lost quite a lot of weight.

There have been too many thoughts hanging in my mind and I have been quite disturbed. Am not really being very positive about a lot of things these days but am trying hard not to affect those close to me. It was only when I heard of friends who are getting married, friends who are preparing for weddings and friends who have just had an addition to their family. These made me smile cos I know they are happy.

Perhaps I should change a job that will make me smile from within everyday..a job that will enable me to put a smile on others' faces. Perhaps Uncle Tan's idea of setting up "www.weddingsaigang.com" is a good idea...

I have been thinking long and hard about getting a break from all work but have yet to get it materialized. Sometimes I really wished I can have a short holiday with just hubby alone. Not that I dun love my kids but I need some space to breathe too..but thus far, this is the most difficult challenge I am facing. Hopefully this wish will come true before regrets set in.

Being Appreciative...

Recently, I had this strong feeling about being appreciative.

Top on my list was feeling appreciative to my parents who are the caregivers to my 2 little angels. Especially my mum who had to work OT at times when both hubby and I were bogged down by work. I really cannot thank her more. Words are beyond descriptions.

Second on the list is being appreciative of a supportive husband. He who works hard and play hard. It is not easy but he tries his best to be with the kids after work everyday and full days on weekends. He is our driver, baby-sitter and great friend to play with on weekends. Am amazed at the part whereby he can snooze off in just a matter of seconds after putting the teat of the milk bottle into our little boy's mouth. But I also applaud at his energy level when we are out in the park playing with the kids.

Third on the list is being appreciative of my bosses. They are really too kind to be true. I felt I was really a lucky one to be working with them But sadly, they are all moving on in their careers and it is really sad to see them go.

Fourth is being appreciative of having good buddies who are there for you. I have never felt so appreciative and appreciated by them. Each one of us are growing older and moving into other phases of our lives but yet, we still keep each other close to our hearts.

Last on the list is being appreciative my myself. If we can't even appreciate the way we love ourselves, how can we even love the others?

Being appreciative can be very subjective but yet it is the most unspoken of. I hope on this mother's day, I can show my appreciation to my mum by telling her I LOVE HER.

Recipe for Zha Jiang Mian

I had this sudden craving for Zha Jiang Mian (Sweet Sauce Noodles) recently. So I went online to search for any clues on how to prepare. After much research, I came up with this very own recipe. For those of you who love Zha Jiang Mian, this recipe is really worth a try!

Copyright Joyce Mama 2008

Ingredients:

1. La Mian (bought as dried goods)


2. Minced Pork/Beef/Chicken (own preference)


3. Cucumber


4. Tofu


5. Hoisin Sauce (Lee Kum Kee)


6. Spicy Black Bean Sauce (Lee Kum Kee)


7. Shallots


8. Spring onions

Preparations:

1. Fry shallots in pan till aromatic.


2. Add minced meat, stir fry.


3. Add 1 tbsp of Hoisin sauce and 1 tsp Spicy Black Bean Sauce and 5 tbsp of water.


4. Bring to boil.

You will need to cook the la mian like sphagetti in boiling water for about 20 minutes. Drain it and serve in big bowl. Cut the cucumber into shreds and lay across the noodles. Pour the mince meat sauce over them. Bring the diced tofu into hot water and lay them onto the mince meat sauce. Serve with chopped spring onions.

YUMMY!!!

Quality vs Quantity

2 weeks is the time Megan is spending away from her mummy and daddy. She has embarked on a learning journey to New Zealand with grandpa and grandma. So far so good..from the video conferences we had with her, she was telling us happily on her encounters with the new animals she met and greeted and how the weather was over there. I would say it is a good journey with the right teachers.

On the other hand, mummy and daddy have been kept busy and well entertained by Kaden back home. Despite the fact that mummy had not been well, we had quite a lot of activities lined up. They were activities which took off as walks in the parks. Quality time was spent and the quantity of time we had was just nice to last through the energies Kaden had for a day and every day.

Meanwhile, we are all looking forward to Megan's return...

2008

2008 came like the wind...with a gush, we have lived by January..

Megan has been happily attending her music and drama classes. She is currently learning to attend the music class herself..or rather, it was under request by the teacher that parents should leave babies in the class and be back only for the last 15 minutes. Megan has been handling the "independence" quite well..no wailing, no crying and when I peeped in at her, she was dancing happily with the teacher. Well done Meg!

Kaden is now a 4 tooth cutie pie. 2 on top and 2 below. He is a happy baby by nature and smiles at anyone who walks by. The only part which mum could not understand was the fact that he loves to be hugged and carried..he hated strollers. It was not until our excursion to the Singapore Bird Park that we realised we could keep him seated on the stroller as long as he has a "musical instrument". Mum had just finished her bottled drink and when she casually dropped a small rock into the bottle, the "noise" that was created actually attracted the attention of Kaden. Needless to say, for the rest of the trip, he was sitting happily in the stroller and playing with his new found musical toy. (For those who have yet to meet handsome boy face to face, he can be quite a load to carry..especially over time)

Megan also tried, for her first time, to play in the water theme park outdoors. Like the zoo, Jurong Bird Park had this small water theme park. It was not populated, which made us happy because that would mean less waiting time for kids to try on the games. We took quite a lot of pictures of this excursion..it is now only a matter of time that we upload them. Meg was wet thoroughly but she had a first hand experience of getting wet fully clothed and yes, she was totally thrilled!

Both the babies have been growing well and learning well.. Just recently, Kaden has started calling "Pa Pa" loud and clear..but somehow, I can't help but feel that my concentration span for Kaden is sometimes taken off when Megan requires my attention and at other times, vice versa. One of my resolutions for this year will be to continue to let the kids learn through play..nothing less.

And oh yes, all fatigue and anger wheels off when you see the 2 kids giving you silly smiles.