Blessed Christmas!

Our very first white Christmas. And nothing like spending it in the company of family's love! Being able to spend Christmas with Sophie, Chets & Jude here in Ann Arbor made this year's Christmas extra special!

This year, I was spared from the crazy Orchard Road crowd shopping for grand-dad. It was nice to just chill at Chet's place, receive lots of snuggles and kisses from Sophie, go sledding and come home to piping hot chocolate! No multiple presents like we use to have, just little tokens of love!

This may be a little late but still ... Blessed Christmas everyone!

Love,

Me

And we are here ....

Sophie has got to be the cutest little munchkin'!!

Hearing her call "Yiyi" can just melt your heart!!

Too cute!!

At last ....

She says "I do".

Her speech made me cry ... I'm so very happy for my dearest cousin.

There was a reason why God took His time.

She found herself a good man and I just know they are meant to be.

[click for snapshots of the beautiful couple]

Just 30 more days!

Just 30 more days to Sophie goodness!!! We're all counting down!! Even if its to sit there and watch you pout, we'll be happy to do that! ... And with both your crazy yiyis with you, it'll not just be your dada's shirt that you'll be wearing! :D can't wait ... so exciting!!!

He ...

... completes me.

Nevermind that we spent our 2nd wedding anniversary on the plane.

It meant the world that we were together.

"These three remain; Faith, Hope and Love. But the greatest of these is Love."

1 Corinthians 13:13

Thirty-One . . .

I had a really wonderful birthday . . . calls/sms/facebook messages from home since yesterday (since it was technically the 6th back home), morning kisses and the sweetest card from the hubs, relaxing brunch by beverly hills, hearing Sophie wish me with her screams, blowing out my candle on the cutest cupcakes ever, window shopping down rodeo drive, flowers surprise from my sister and rounding it all up with a nice dinner in the heart of disneyland!! ... what more can I ask for, I'm loved!

Hello LA!!

... 6 months later, I'm back again. This time to Anaheim specifically where's its Mickey overload. But we managed to take in some sights of LA over the weekend at the Farmer's Market which I visited 2 years ago and to Santa Monica Boulevard over our long lunch yesterday.

I'm here for work and just so that I don't end up spending a lonely birthday and wedding anniversary, the wonderful hubs decided to come along with me. He's more than happy to be sleeping in till 11am, lazing around with his SLR, hunting down In-and-Out burger joints and enjoying his can of beer while I'm at the NAEYC conference.

Its been really warm here in LA. This has got to be my warmest US trip ever! Its hitting 32degC everyday only dipping down to mid 10s in the evening. We're having a good time here taking it as part work, part holiday. I've never been a huge fan of this city though. I've been here 3 times in the past 2 years - all for work - and somehow haven't grown to love it much. The traffic is bad, the people ain't particularly friendly (even the cast members at Disney didn't make me feel I was in the happiest place on earth) and the food nothing to shout about. I much prefer San Francisco.

But its a good break for both of us nonetheless. The past few months at work has been challenging and we needed to get away albeit partially and I'm thankful all the same. It also helps that the conference is just across from my hotel so I can just pop back into the room during those 30 mins break - makes work a little more bearable!

So looking forward to the weekends! We'll be heading to Beverly Hills on my birthday and spending Sunday at Universal Studios before heading home on Monday - I'm missing my sambal blechan!

Red Velvet

I chanced upon a cupcakes and muffins recipe book recently written by the good people at the famous The Hummingbird Bakery, Portobello Market, London.

I remember sinking my teeth into one of their famous red velvet cupcakes last year during our honeymoon!

Excited by the prospects of recreating that little slice of heaven myself, I bought the book and got down to work. The result my friends, brought back sweet memories . . .

The recipe may sound a little fiddly, but let me assure you its worth the effort.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

60g unsalted butter (i used Lurpak)

150g caster sugar

1 egg

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (i used valrhona 70% dark)

2 Tbsp red food colouring

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (i use madagascar bourbon)

120ml buttermilk (herein i believe is their secret)

150g all purpose flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1&1/2 tsp white vinegar

1 quality cream cheese frosting (see below)

a 12-cup cupcake pan lined with paper cases

Preheat oven to 170 degC(325 degF)

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer up to high speed and slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated

In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured.

Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well mixed then add half the flour and beat until everything is well incorporated Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or unitl the cake bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to col slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. To make red crumbs for sprinkling on top of the frosted cupcakes, slice a thin sliver off the top of a couple of the baked cakes and crumble between your fingertips. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the Cream Cheese Frosting on top and dust with the red crumbs.

Cream Cheese Frosting

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g unsalted butter

125g cream cheese, cold

Beat the icing sugar and butter on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed

Add the cream cheese in on e go and beat until it is completely incorporated Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed, Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Do not overbeat as it can quickly become runny.

A new Angel . . .

Coincidentally enough, today was Dialect ministry Sunday. The choir sang a Hokkien hymn. Couldn't help but think that it was Ah Ma who's now in Heaven, joining in the angels and singing us this Hokkien hymn.

She's safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on his gentle breast. There by His love o'ershaded, sweetly her soul shall rest.

A Eulogy for My Grandma - Ah Ma

Some of my fondest memories of my Ah Ma were the times spent in her home back when I was in Primary school some 20 years ago. I recall how after my Saturday ECA classes, I’ll take a long bus ride – the orange number 8 bus to be exact - from my school in the east to her home in Bukit Ho Swee where the family will gather for lunch. It wasn’t anything fancy, just simple home-cook dishes cooked with grandma’s love. My favourite was her Szechuan vegetable with pork slices – I haven’t eaten that in a long time. Lunch would be followed with the cousins messing up the room playing with blankets and toys. I fondly recall that big plastic basin under the bed filled with toys of all sorts. No matter how messy the room got, Ah Ma never raised her voice at the grandchildren. I honestly cannot recall my Ah Ma ever losing her temper at us. Never.

As the grandchildren grew up and as age too caught up with Ah Ma, lunches at Bukit Ho

Swee became a thing of the past. Ah Ma started to move around staying at the children’s homes instead. It was time we returned Ah Ma the favour of cooking us lunches. I recall one dinner when she was staying at my place. I had prepared pasta for dinner – spaghetti with garlic. We weren’t quite sure how Ah Ma would take to it but thought who said Ah Mas can’t eat Italian pasta! To our surprise, Ah Ma polished her dinner! We just told her it was “mee char xing tao”! We always enjoyed having Ah Ma over. Her presence brought much joy, noise and laughter to the home. When she was more able, her favourite pastime would be to ‘niam tau guay’ and ask for clothes that needed mending – like my shorts that have lost its elasticity. When her hands got weaker, we kept her occupied by making her pose for photos. She hated it, not because she was camera-shy but because she was ‘vain’. She would always say the photo would come out ugly because her hair was out of place or that her clothes weren’t pretty enough. I always retorted “Ah Ma, mai hyao la!” and then we would both end up laughing with her affectionately hitting my hand!

There was also the side of her you don’t get to see often. Things she does as you quietly observe her from afar. This was probably a few years ago, not long after she received Christ as her Lord and Saviour. I heard my Ah Ma saying her prayers in the quietness of the living room with birds chirping in the garden. It was a very serene sight. My Ah Ma looked happy, she was at peace. It was her personal time with God. Until her very last days, I believe my Ah Ma kept talking to Jesus even in her state of semi consciousness. God must have heard her because today, she is with Him in Paradise.

I love this photo of Ah Ma. It was taken on my birthday 2 years ago just 2 days before my wedding. Ah Ma had came over to my place to stay and to join in the celebrations. Her smile encapsulates it all – she knew she was blessed. So as we gather to mourn her passing, we also gather to celebrate her beautiful life. Blessed indeed she was as a lady who had lived her 88 years to the fullest. As wife, mother, grandma and great grandma – she has taught each generation well, she has loved each of us selflessly. Her story will be told to our children and our children’s children for generations to come.

Our lost is Heaven’s gain. We will all miss her. Miss her child-likeness, miss her curly white hair, miss her physical presence. But we take comfort in knowing that my Ah Ma is in a better place now and she will want us all to know that she is happy where she is.

We love you Ah Ma.

Happy Birthday Dearie!!

Look who celebrated his 34th birthday!

Better Place

"I want to go home to be with Jesus, He is better"

Spoken in Hokkien

My Ah Ma

Lemony Goodness!!!

I needed to occupy myself with something. A new project, something to keep me busy. So the hubs threw me a challenge a few weeks back. Think Julie & Julia but on a smaller scale. So he gave me 6 months. The deal - 30 recipes (they didn't have to be my own original recipes) and to write this all down as if I'm creating a recipe book. I was pretty game. My baking has taken a little hiatus lately and I wanted to get back at it. What's more, the kitchen now boost a spanking new electric oven - none of all that convention cum microwave nonsense! We can finally fit 4 muffin trays into the oven!

So to kick-off my little project, we got down to working on a lemon loaf. Taken from this gorgeous recipe book " Baked" present to me by my dear Aunt Veron. The recipes in this book are great. The best brownie I've baked was from here. The marble bundt cake didn't fail either. Its in the little details that make the recipes in this book work so well. The ingredients are a little fussier where it's not just all-purpose flour but a mixture of cake & all-purpose flour. The techniques are precise where you're called specifically to fold not with a whisk but a spatula.

Today's lemon loaf was a huge success. The kitchen smelled so good all afternoon, the Dad couldn't resist a slice even though we just finished dinner.

So stay tune as I work on this recipe collection of mine. Next week, we're attempting kaya - a local egg & coconut custard jam. Ambitious I say, but I've a greedy husband to feed.

Moving on ... but not forgetting

I thought I would be over it by now. But when I found myself still tearing every now and then, I realised that I will probably never get over it and that I don't have to. It will forever be a chapter in our lives and part of our story, nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to run away from. Yes we move on, yes we'll try again, but doesn't mean we have to forget ...

A POEM OF COMFORT

I thought of you and closed my eyes

and prayed to God today.

I asked what makes a mother

and I know I heard him say...

"A mother has a baby."

This we know is true.

But can you be a mother

when your baby's not with you?

"Yes, you can,"

He said with confidence in His voice.

"I give many women babies.

When they leave is not their choice.

Some I send for a lifetime,

and others for a day.

Some I send to fill your womb

but there's no need to stay."

"I just don't understand this, God.

I want my baby here."

He took a breath and cleared His throat

and then I saw a tear.

"I wish that I could show you

what your child is doing today.

If you could see your child smile

with other children and say,

'We go to earth to learn our lessons

of love and life and fear.

My Mommy loved me oh, so much

I got to come straight here.

I feel so lucky to have a Mom

who had so much love for me.

I learned my lesson very quickly.

My Mommy set me free.

I miss my Mommy oh, so much

but I visit her each day.

When she goes to sleep,

on her pillow is where I lay.

I stroke her hair and kiss her cheek

and whisper in her ear,

"Mommy, don't be sad today.

I'm your baby and I'm here."

So, you see, my dear sweet one,

your child is okay.

Your baby is here in my home and

this is where she'll stay.

She'll wait for you with me

until your lesson is through.

And on the day that you come home,

She'll be at the gates for you.

So, now you see what makes a mother.

It's the feeling in your heart.

It's the love you had so much of

right from the very start.

Though some on earth may not see

you're a mother with a child.

They'll be up here with me one day

and know you've always been one."

I got my answer ....

"Yet you brought me out of the womb;

you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast.

From birth I was cast upon you;

from my mother's womb you have been my God"

Psalm 22:9-10

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Blowing out the candles
Originally uploaded by pz.sher

Daddy turns 61 today! For being such an amazing dad, he gets treated to my home-cooked squid ink pasta and juicy char-grilled lamb chops!

He's a blessed man! A wonderful wife, 3 beautiful daughters, 2 great son-in-laws and a cutie pie of a grand-daughter (who learnt how to say 'duck' on grandpa's birthday) - what else can a man ask for!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Happy Birthday(s)!

Hello Dada!
Originally uploaded by ghetto of our mind

As little Sophie blows out the candle on her little vegan cupcake, so too does this blog.

And with the new year comes a new blog skin! I <3!

New year, new beginnings. Like Sophie, I too feel I've grown!

Happy Birthday Little Darling!!! Yiyi love, love, love!!!

ttfn . . .

Your stay with us was brief, but we love you all the same

Its like you came, checked out the place and figured you didn't quite like it yet

Maybe the playground up there is more fun than the small little pool here

So to make you happy, we let you go, you playful little one ...

Have fun but know we miss you much so promise us you'll come back soon k!

Its amazing though what you've taught me in this short time.

That life is precious and that seriously, certain things are just not worth that much - like work

I'll work on that I promise. I'll work on prioritising my life and getting things in order.

Thanks for the lesson -I had to learn it the hard way.

So till we meet again, be good! We love you!

The Answer

I believe you are the answer to every tear I’ve cried

I believe that you are with me,

My rising and my light.

Give me strength when I am weary

Give me hope when I can’t see

Through the crosses I must carry

Lord, bind my heart to thee

That when all my days are over

and all my chores are done,

I may see your risen Glory

Forever where You are.

************************************

Grace, Mercy & Peace

The very words I need .... extracts from today's ODB

Grace is what our holy God gives that we, as sinful people, don’t deserve. In Acts 17:25, we learn that “He gives to all life, breath, and all things.” His gifts include our very next breath. Even in our darkest hour, strength is given by God so that we can endure.

Mercy is what God withholds that we do deserve. In Lamentations 3:22, we read, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed.” Even when we’re wayward, God gives time and help for us to turn back to Him.

Peace is what God brings to His people. Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). Even in the worst of times, we have inner tranquillity because our God is in control.

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. —Flint

God’s grace is immeasurable, His mercy is inexhaustible, His peace is inexpressible.

Enough is enough ....

Imagine slogging 11, 12 hours everyday in the office where there are no tea breaks and when lunch means eating out of a plastic box while cleaning up other people's crap work.

Now imagine your team mate, blatantly skiving, going for morning tea breaks, long lunches and shutting down his laptop at 3pm and disappearing for the rest of the afternoon.

I had enough and finally plucked up the courage to report this to my boss.

I've worked a good 8 years and have never told tales. This is a case gone too far.

Enough is enough.

God through ABC and 123 ....

• If you think you are Good, you are actually O (nothing) without God
• You can't be Good, without God
• J0Y is when there is 0 (nothing) between Jesus and You. No sin, no obstacles.

Let earthly desires like wealth, promotion etc = 0 and Let God = 1

• If you put earthly desires before God; the value of your life = 00000000001
• If you put God before your desires; the value of your life = 1,000,000
• => Get your priorities right, put God 1st

World's Coolest Grandpa!

This is how cool our grand-pa can get!!!

An ipad each for every Koh family!!! Woot woot!!!!

Weekend Talks

For posterity .....

A) Over lunch @ P.S Cafe, on taking on your husband's name

Me: Do you know that when you talk your husband's family name, you should take his entire names as well? So technically, I should be Mrs Foo PZ not Mrs S Foo.

Sam: Eee, Foo goes better with a Chinese name

Mum: Who say so, you got Grace-foo, Beauty-foo, Wonder-foo

Me & Sam: :o

B) In the car, on convincing mum to get a dog for Sam

Sam: You know I almost convinced mum to get a dog yesterday

Me: Oh really! How so?

Sam: I told her she can take the dog for walks (our mum is into a walking phase at the moment) and she was like 'oh yeah!' ... then after that she say 'No lah no lah - who's going to look after'

Me: Mei, you sure you can take care?

Hubs: Ya, you have to walk the dog *everyday*, rain or shine

Sam: Just get a threadmill and let it run on it lah!

Me & hubs: :o

C) In the car, on what Sam's going to do with her life

Sam: I really don't know what I want to do with my life

Me: You should go be a journalist

Sam: No way, I'm not going to wake up at 4am and go down to some scene to report a news

Me: Maybe you should be a civil servant too, both your sisters got Civil Service blood. Continue the tradition.

Sam: No way,I can't imagine myself as a teacher or doing some office job

Hubs: I know, I know what you can do - go work in SPCA (see B)

Me & Sam: :o

Desert Song

Just so that you know you're not alone in the desert,

here's something to get you through the coming week.

Things that made my week . . .

Work really has been quite quite insane. We're clocking in 12-13 hours everyday and on top of that, we continue working after we get home. While work may be crappy, some things made my day the past week that reminded me that sometimes, we just need to slow down, put work behind and enjoy life and the people around us .... So here's what made my week (in no particular order)

• being reminded at service today that I worship an awesome God who's far far bigger than all my work stress put together!
• relaxing with the hubs over episodes of Glee - all that dancing and singing takes away all that thought of work in my mind
• getting myself a nice big order on Etsy for a bride who liked my daisy button place-cards enough for me to create them for her wedding!
• pampering myself at the eye lash bar and treating the little sister to a relaxing mani pedi session before her church camp
• receiving news that my darling cousin is finally getting married!!! finally all four of us are settled down!
• making space in the store room for a new pair of 4 inch heels - this time, its a nude pair for Zara! Its the only thing I told myself I'll get during this GSS.
• being appreciated by one of my kids for the support that I've given her as she goes through a rough patch
• seeing dad and mum share a stick of magnum ice-cream after our pizza dinner @ Pepperoni's and how that lead to dad cracking us up with his usual 'embarrassing' mischiefs and to top it all,
• being entertained by the cutest 10 month old kiddo not just once but twice in a day! that's precious man!! seeing that 'happy face' of hers is enough to take all that stress away!!

What made your week?

Amazing Love ....

There is an endless song

Echoes in my soul

I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come

I am holding on

To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise

How can I ever say enough

How amazing is Your love

How can I keep from shouting Your name

I know I am loved by the King

And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes

In the darkest night

For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You

Knowing You'll see me through

And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times

Sing when I win

I can sing when I lose my step

And fall down again

I can sing 'cause You pick me up

Sing 'cause You're there

I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord

When I call to You in prayer

I can sing with my last breath

Sing for I know

That I'll sing with the angels

And the saints around the throne

My kind of day . . .

After clocking in crazy hours at the office this past few weeks, I declared today no work day - read: no checking and replying emails even though it was a public holiday!

The family had planned for an outing to visit Resorts World, not to visit the casino or universal studios. Just to check it out and see if it lived up to its hype. I started my day with a nice 7ish

km run. I had wanted to head to the beach to do a longer run but had to shelf those plans since the oil spill had polluted the air at the beach. Waited for the sleeping beauty of the family to get up at her own appointed hour before we headed out for some brunch at our good ole Tiong Bahru chiok.

While if the entrance signage was anything to go back, we certainly didn't have high hopes of the place being great. For some reason, the 'R' was missing in the 'Resorts' - shame! Typical as my family is, we had nothing but criticisms. My dad even loudly (and by that I mean *really* loudly) declared that he will never check into any of the hotels! He did it intentionally and

Sam and I really wanted to bury our faces in the ground! Nothing particularly memorable except that we went home with $40 worth of Garrett Popcorn (which sadly falls short of the real stuff in Chicago) and a really huge Reese's orange mug from the Hershey store!

Managed to stay away from the office laptop for the rest of the afte

rnoon, chilled in bed catching up on my mindless fashion magazines, pampered myself with a DIY manicure and watched the bio of Vera Wang on cable. More great stuff awaited our evening - chilli crabs @ Palm Beach and a trip to Abu Dhabi with 4 of my favourite ladies!! Woohooooo!!

Love the crabs, love more the movie! I remember 2 years ago around this time, I watched SATC by my lonely self when I was in LA on a work trip and how I made the then boyfriend watch it with me again when I got back. He knew how much I wanted to watch SATC 2 so he got the tickets the minute they were released and brought me on a treat with my favourite ladies! Still as entertaining, still ever so fashionista - even in Abu Dhabi. Makes me want to spend my weekend re-watching all 6 seasons of the series that I have on DVD!

Such days are precious these days with work driving both of us crazy. The hubs promised that we'll have some chill time out tomorrow too! I'm so looking forward already!

High Risk

If the article from yesterday's edition of Mind You Body is anything to go by, I'm said to have 60% higher risk of suffering from heart disease if I continue working at this rate!

My Saturday . . .

• chomped on a prata kosong for breakfast. yummy!
• read all about our former DPM Goh Keng Swee's contribution in the ST
• packed up my room in anticipation of mummy's return tomorrow
• registered for an ebay account cos I'm contemplating selling off some of my clothes (to make room for new ones naturally)
• brought the younger sister out for some wantan mee fix @ Roxy where she and the hubs discussed her GP essay - "Should freedom of speech be constricted?"
• rented some videos from Video Easy
• napped
• worked out at the gym alone cos the hubs was too lazy to come along
• came home to freshly squeezed orange juice
• went to Made with Love to replenish our scrapbook stash and got 25% off our entire purchase!
• chomped on really good pizza, squid ink pasta and fried mozzarella cheese wrapped with parma ham @ Pepperoni's at Greenwood!
• had fun seeing the hubs and the younger sister battle it out over Angry Birds on the iphone - they are obsessed!
• watched the younger sister finish her first Pina Colada only to see her knock out in the car from all that rum!
• came home and made her some Trader Joe's Bedtime tea - hopefully that will cure that mild hang-over
• set the alarm for 4.30am tomorrow morning to welcome my parents home! we've been told lots of Hokkaido chocolate awaits us!

Cool Gramps

I think its kinda cool that I have a 87 year old grandpa who can still meticulously check through his travel documents, sort them all out properly by the flight sector, sign where his signature was needed and was so eager to direct my parents to the right counter for check-in. Did I mention he was all dressed up in his cool denim long sleeve shirt - definitely a far cry from the white singlet and khaki shorts or serious office attire I'm so accustomed to seeing him in! That's my cool gramps man!

On that note, the Koh folks are off to Hokkaido! Let's bring on that $15 organic milk!!

Air Time

I calculated. I spent 87 hours and 30 mins of my past 1 month flying.

So here's how I survived . . .

• a good book
  
• my ipod with
  
• the hub's Bowers & Wilkins noise canceling headphones
• emergency exit row seats!
• my Muji neck pillow
• absence of crying babies
• aromatherapy scented eye mask
  
• Professor Layton on my Ninetendo DS
• loads of orange juice
• my very own Trader Joe's peanut butter sandwich - by the 36th hour of flying, I was going to puke just seeing another box with an aluminum foil cover!

To the cuz out there, if you're reading this, I hope you survived yours!

gwork

Imagine ....

• having your employer make a donation to a charity of your choice each time you choose to cycle to work
• enjoying free buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner and we're talking good food from pizzas to naans to a full salad bar, grills, chinese pork in 2 sauces, aglio olio. Odwalla juices and organic cookies
• having a pantry in every division of the company with free flow of cereal, coffee, smoothies, chips, M&Ms, candies
• getting 1 day of the work week off to do anything totally unrelated to your area of work - the gmail was invented as a result of this initiative!
• bringing your dogs to work
• having a workstation done up anyway you like it even if it means building an inflatable tent around it
• playing volleyball with your team at 11am in the morning on the sand pitch and hearing your boss say - 'they're having a meeting, its collaboration at work!'
• doing some stationary swimming over lunch - think small shallow pool and you're swimming against a strong current aka swimming on the spot!

Cool enough? You can start sending your resume to Google!

One God

After being away from home and missing church for the past month, I found my way to the Glide Memorial Methodist Church - a street away from my hotel here in San Francisco - this morning. The place was filled with so much energy all ready to worship God. The band was armed with their saxophone and the works. The gospel choir really got the congregation onto their feet! The atmosphere was amazing and the hearts and passion of the people as we worshiped was truly an eye-opener for me. We held hands throughout the sanctuary, said the Prayer of St Francis and exchanged warm hugs with the people around us. Strangers came forward and gave me a hug making me feel most welcome! ....

2 hours later, as I was waiting for my colleagues to finish their dim sum brunch at the San Francisco Chinatown, I found myself walking into the United Chinese Methodist Church were a cosy, intimate worship session was being conducted in a hall that looked like a basketball court by day. The songs were sang in Cantonese and in contrast to the morning's service, there was all but a keyboarder, guitarist and a violinist. I was ushered to my seat where I found myself just enjoying listening to those Cantonese hymns. I may not understand Cantonese very much myself but I figured it out a little and did quite well deciphering the Chinese lyrics projected. Funny how the very first Mandrine service I ever attended will be all the way here in San Fran.

It was a Sunday morning well spent and a good reminder that across continents, time zones, races and skin colour, we can all worship the same one Great God.

Cupcakes

Magnolia Bakery - Cupcakes redefined!

Home

After 18 hours of flying, a 4 hours transit and a plate of tuna sushi set and negitoro maki at Narita, we are finally home. The very first thing I consumed - a bottle of yakult from our ever stocked-up fridge. Came home to a chilled room, new linens and heated bathe - our helper Jess is the best!

Breakfast this morning was a packet of good old nasi lemak with otah. This is our default next day's breakfast after arriving home from a long trip! We are surprisingly doing very well coping with our jet-lag - Melatonin rocks! Managed to unpack, repack, slot in a quick touch up at the eye-lash bar, pick the younger neglected sister up from school, chomped on popiah for lunch and am now pampering my badly dried out skin with SKII moisturising mask. My skin is definitely not happy with the US and airplane air!

Come tomorrow, I brave myself for another 23 hours of flying and bad airplane food. Thank God for mothers with good connections at SQ - I managed to secure a emergency exit seat! I think I'm going to be terribly home-sick by the end of my 2 week work trip! New York City, here I come!

Bye Bye For Now . . .

We said our goodbyes to my sis, Jude & Sophie today as they left Chicago to return to Ann Arbor and it broke my little heart saying bye bye to my little niece. I don't think I felt as sad when they left Singapore in January. Maybe its cos I knew then that I was going to be seeing her in 2 months but I think more because the last 10 days with Sophie was just so so very precious.

I teared as we parted ways outside the Chicago Arts Institute and again when we got back to the hotel room as I was looking through the many photos we took in the past week. A call from my sister and a quick skype with Sophie who greeted as with her mega watt grin brought this Yiyi some reprieve knowing that somewhere in that little inquisitive mind of hers, she remembered her Yiyi & Uncle Piao.

Darling Sophie, Yiyi misses you much much already! We'll snuggle you come December again OK? In the meantime, Yiyi better go rescue your Ergo from the Disney store. Maybe Yiyi should hug it to sleep tonight - perhaps all that Sophie-smell might make me feel better!

Power of the Cross

POWER OF THE CROSS
Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

Chorus:
This, the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Every bitter thought,
Every evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the victory cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the power of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us
What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Goodbye Ann Arbor . . .

Ann Arbor 2010
Originally uploaded by pz.sher

So its our last night here in Ann Arbor. It has been nothing less than a truly wonderful week. From the time we got off the Amtrak train from Chicago and were greeted with that big huge grin from Sophie to right this moment as we're tucking into homemade apple pie with fancy vanilla ice cream from Tahiti, we've enjoyed every moment of our stay here. The morning cycles, the many many trips to the supermarket, the chill-out afternoons around the campus, cafes and bookshops, the whipping up of dinners. This is one holiday in a long time that we can say we *really* just chilled! No pre-planned itinerary, no travel guide book, no rush for that 10.02am train, no google maps for directions.

In retrospect, if I had to do up a itinerary now, it'll probably go something like this - Every Sophie-waking moment - do silly things to make Sophie smile! Seeing Sophie smile and make funny noises has got to be the highlight of our day here. Yes the mushroom sandwich at Zingerman's was yummy, the fried veggies at Blimpy's was greasy but oh so good, the outlet shopping was - let's just say - fulfilling, not forgetting all that yummy home cooked dinner my sis & I whipped up; like her yummy BBQ chicken wings! But at the end of the day, its Sophie's smiles that wins them all! Yes, this trip is pretty much all about Sophie. Its about seeing her polish up her bowl of sweet potato with peas, voluntarily letting her pull my hair, seeing her off to school, watching her chew on her many many toys and seeing all these for ourselves and not on Skype. Its about being involved in her routine which is something we don't get to do much of with her being so far away from home. Its just about watching her grow up - even if its just for 7 days.

I have to say its also very heartwarming seeing the hubs shower her with so much love and attention in a way I've never expected. I mean from the gentle massage he gives her to calm her down from her meltdowns to the snuggles he gives her as she wakes Uncle Piao up from his morning sleep, I just know its not about getting her to pose for his camera face. And the best part is Sophie loves it, she loves all the attention she's getting from him and from the big smiles she gives her Uncle Piao, she's happy to let him know!

We head for Chicago tomorrow and will spend 3 more days there with Sophie, my sis and Jude. We're gonna miss being here in Ann Arbor with them and so now will have to find a way to convince Sophie's grandpa and grandma that Skyping alone does not do their grand-daughter justice and so the family should be back here for Christmas!

Look Who Greets Us With Her Smile Every Morning . . .

Its Worth it ....

After eating three meals out of plastic boxes with aluminum covers, 18 hours in the air, 2 hours walking in the freaking cold Chicago weather and 5 hours on the Amtrak train. We were greeted with the biggest smile a 7 month old can ever give! That alone makes that 30 hours door to door traveling time all so worth it!

We are at my sister's place!!! 3 YAYS for the next 10 days of vegetating, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's shopping, couch potato-ing over Food Network, sister bonding and sophie ogling!!! Woke up this morning to Nigella Express, a cuppa of Ghirardelli hot choc, home-made biscuits and a bunch of Sophie cuteness!!

We're off to the markets today to pick up ingredients for a steak dinner! Pictures to come once the hubs gets over his jet-lag!

My weekend in bullets

• Did work at 7am on a Saturday morning! - I'm officially crazy
• Got my 1st Hep A + B shot
• Treated my folks & sister to the best chirashizushi @ Yoshida! (although according to the younger Koh, the uni still can't compare to Japan's sushi-zanmai)
• Got myself 3 pairs of leggings at Uniqlo's weekend 'Leggings Special'
• Heard from the hubs the life story of our hairdresser! Apparently he's celebrating the 20th anniversary of his very special life this year in style - a holiday to New York & Vegas.
  
• Was told that I have features that scream 'She's a Teochew ah niah'
• Packed suitcase A for holiday to Ann Arbor & Chicago!!Yippeeee!!!
  
• Packed suitcase B for work trip to NY, Pittsburgh, LA, San Fran & Seattle. Not so yippeee.
• Curl up under my blankkie watching DVD on a rainy Saturday afternoon
• Woke up at 6am on Sunday, this time for a nice 6km run
  
• Celebrated YeYe's 87th Birthday! 7 children, 5 children in-laws, 17 grandchildren, 5 grandchildren in-laws and 7 great grandchildren. Definitely what they call 'hang fuk' in Cantonese! (translation: blessed and fortunate)
• Vacuumed the car cos the hubs was too lazy to do it
• Had home-cooked Teochew muay (read porridge with tua guay, fried fish and fried egg with chye poh) for dinner, the kind of comfort food after a weekend of feasting and before the next 1 month of what I imagine to be greasy American food!