Special Day Aug 20

Dear Diary,

It's a public holiday today but more than that, it is a very special day for me as I become a bride in 2 months. It is my Engagement party with relatives and the Guo Da Li ceremony. During the meet the parents session from both sides, my dad had asked for a roasted pig and wedding cakes to distribute to our relatives. And finally, today is the day where K brings the huge roasted pig, 12 oranges, 30 boxes of lovely heart shaped wedding cakes, pin jin Hong bao & bridal jewelry gifts to my house. 

I could tell that my dad is really looking forward to this day. He invited all his relatives and started making 100 hakka yong tau foos yesterday afternoon. :-) Everyone helped out - my mum, sis, sis-in-law, brother...all except me as I was still sleeping soundly! Too tired in the afternoon. This morning, my parents woke up early and got to work. Making curry chicken with vegetables (I saw parts the cooking process as Dad asked me to learn. It could a signature dish in future and my abilities to be a good wife will be enhanced if I can cook), fried bee hoon, vegetables & the yong tau foo. He even bought 4 bottles of coke for the guests. :) I love my parents and am really touched by their enthusiasm and love to prepare these for me.

Shortly after at 10+am, the 30 boxes of Prima Deli cakes arrived. It's a really sweet heart-shaped cake with fresh white, pink & green cream with vanilla cake inside! Sis-in-law suggested that we use Baby B's play mat to place the cake boxes on the floor so there's enough space on the table to put the pig. Soon after, K and one of his groomsmen C came over and brought the 20+kg pig to my house. It is so beautifully roasted and crispy! It even has a silly red flower on it's head, and some red puff of frills on its tail, and a middle section wrapped with a huge red "Xi" that signifies marital bliss. :D It is seriously huge. My dad of course, was delighted and beaming! As a christian family, there are many wedding traditions that we don't follow but this is a unique tradition that my dad cares about. Having grown up in a kampung at a tiny island, meat is only eaten on special occasions such as Chinese New Year. Roasted meat is his favourite, and a full roasted pig of substantial size is even rarer to see! Perhaps during weddings, and this could feed the whole kampung. Hence, he is beaming when K's family bought this for him. 

Relatives from my Dad's side came, and my grandma & 2 aunties from my mum's side was there too. I like such a happy & warm environment whereby everyone is talking and in harmony, in buzz and excitement. Even Baby B was downstairs most of the time.

:) It's amazing how such a special day that I thought was trifle-some had became so lovely & memorable. It's all worth it, I told K. Just look at the people & smiles, and praises for the tender & juicy roasted meat dish that was done so well it's a sell-out during lunch! Delighting our parents and honoring their wishes for such a special event is worth it as we'll all have fond memories when we think back. Marriage of the children is important to our parents who brought us up sacrificially, so let's compromise and go along with their wishes whenever it is possible.

xoxo, 

principessa 

Happy Birthday to me :)

Dear Diary,

This birthday had been enjoyable and relaxing. I am very blessed to have two days of rest & celebration this year, being able to feel unemployed for two days and doing the things that I don't usually do. Such as enjoying a weekday lunch with my parents, going shopping with them for a bridal jewelery gift, casually walking around town and exploring shops at leisure, and meeting my dear in casual wear on a weekday night! It wasn't so smooth in the morning but it worked out perfectly, thank you God! 

I love the 916 gold jewelery that we picked together from Poh Heng. It has modern finishes and is something that I'll actually wear. The lighter gold color flatters my complexion and in my heart, I like the design of having two circles on the necklace & earrings. The bigger circle encircles a smaller circle, as if my parents are enveloping and protecting me with love. I didn't tell them this of course. It was also a wonderful trip and a satisfying buy as my parents both agree on the pieces, it's a blessed purchase and something I'll always keep to remember their love with. Of course, our parents love is more than that, there are so many precious memories & sacrifices they have made that is far more important than precious items of mementos! So don't get me wrong. :)

Can you believe that thereafter, my birthdays will be celebrated as a different status? A change from Single to Married? From under my parents warm & protective roof, to a roof of our own? Ours = K & Me. That is amazing, exciting, yet nerving as everything would have changed. When I wake up on my birthday, it won't be my parents that I see but my husband or my parents in law. But thank God again as they are Christians and we all belong to the body of Christ, we are one big family! So I pray oh Lord, please help me to be a kind & caring daughter to my parents, and a loving, gentle & faithful wife, and a peaceful & understanding daughter in law!

Today, as K brought me to Gardens by the Bay for my birthday celebration. I saw manmade super trees amongst cultivated nature of numerous species, soothing chirping sounds of birds caught on tape, cooling mist & flowers of all kinds from deserts to mediterranean climates! It is a beautiful experience to be in a place that brings about natural species from all over the world! People may applaud at how Man had advanced so far as to create artificial climates & trees in a tropical city like Singapore, but I applaud God for his marvelous creation because Man is only but trying to imitate the Creator of the Universe. We can create air conditioned & cloud mists conditions to maintain the life of plants living in the cloud forests, but these species still require the right conditions determined by God to survive. We marveled at the manmade "Paradise Falls" and treetop walks, it is such a delightful experience to be there with my love, but the reason of my marveling is because it reminds me of the real waterfalls that I've seen before! It only but reveals the majesty of my Creator God. 

Another highlight of today is the Flower Dome. We walked and smelt the flowers, plants and soils and each subzone gave us a different feeling. I saw bottle trees and olive trees and am reminded that Jesus is the true vine and we are the branches. The branches of the olive tree are tiny but the trunk of the tree is huge! Life and nutrients are stored in the trunk, nourishing and bringing life sustaining nutrients to the branches & leaves so that it can flower and grow fruits. :) K mentioned that he was reminded of the smells of Europe when we walked past the Mediterranean sub-zone. :)

Last but not least, we had a relaxing cup of afternoon tea & scones at TWG Tea Salon. It was a delightful experience to sit there, chat and have tea. The scones were made wonderfully and it was neither too buttery or too sweet, just perfect with the cream & tea jelly that's made in house. It is such a dream to be able to enjoy a cup of afternoon tea with loved ones. Sharing and savoring these little moments of bliss together. 

So thank God for answering my prayer to have such an enjoyable and relaxing time with my family & with K. Being twenty something is a gift, and so is every year of our life. 

Talking about the mid twenties, I have to do something and follow through on what I set out to do. 

love,

principessa