Eventful 3 years

Since my last post, so many things has happened and changed... and maybe because of all the things that happened, i did not post anything. Yst i was with some friends and we were talking about the list of criteria we look for in a man and hence i came back to my blog hoping to find it, but cannot find. But what i found was far more precious... I found the contemplative side of me who used to love writing.. I found some entries that meant so much to me.. 2018 was a year of exit. It's NEVER easy to leave.. Never easy to move out from a place you are used to, a place you are in more than half your life. Never easy to go to a new group.. as an extreme introvert, its hard to go into a new group and meet new people. If given the choice of my own, i know i would and will end up still remaining in the same place for another half my life. But i guess everything happened for a reason.. God allowed it to happen so that the move is possible At the end of the day, i am reminded that its God's move, not mine and not because anyone did something or failed to do something.. The exit was hard, the silence was defeaning, the cuts were deep.. I still love the people i loved and they will always have a special place in my heart. 2019 was a year of entering.. Thankful for all the people who made it easier for me Taking some time to settle in, finding my footing in the little familiar things There were times i felt uncertain and unsure because of the ways things were done and were taught to me previously But as the year is coming to an end, i felt safe Things works very differently around here "Relationship preceeds ministry" has always been my stand and i think its the same here! This is also the year we shifted to our new place I joined new ministries started painting, resin art, alcohol ink art~ 2020 is like a year that skipped by, things are constantly changing its moving fast, we are like sitting in a boat in the middle of a fast current We need to be aware, we need to be close to God and we need to hold on to one another We grew closer than ever The new found friendships grew.. and i am just thankful to God for this group Thankful for the venture together, thankful for the unity as Christ is always the center among us We started "The Common Good" and "The Space Artistry Pte Ltd" together and then we went into "Resin Art workshop" and "Art Jamming workshops" and i started my carousell business.. I think 2021 is a year of building and developing where we continue to grow and build ourselves up from what we have started Develop and refine the processes... New things are coming~ and of course, tomorrow is the wedding day of Quan Soon and Steffi! We are thankful to be apart of this milestone with them :) And thankful that through them, i also got to know some more lovely people honestly, i was a bit intimated by the whole group of entourage when i first met them for the briefing because most of the people i do not know but i am thankful that they included me in being involved with the "gate crash" thats very challenging with social distancing rule and also the bridesmaid outing to Universal studio It's my first time going Universal studio hahahaha it was fun even though it was not what i expected at all Some of my weaknesses that i got to constantly remind myself to be mindful about is Don't make it about me Don't always talk about me Listen more, talk less!

Leakage in pre-launch batch of Novita H-MIST02 Faulty

being a big supporter of Novita, i am feeling quite disappointed with the leakage in the pre-launch batch of the Novita H-Mist02.
Water was leaking into the battery compartment causing the batteries and the compartment to become rusty.
There's so much water in the battery compartment when i open up, having water in the cap and also dripping out.

I wrote in to the customer service and they mention they will do a 1-to-1 exchange for me at their customer care centre:

Novita, 9 Koi Marketing Pte Ltd

8 Tagore Drive #04-00

Singapore 787624

Mondays to Fridays 9am to 5.45pm

Honestly, the customer care centre is very inconvenient and out of the way. If you are not driving, you need to walk at least 10-15 mins from the bus stop to get there and then walk out again. Timing is also not convenient for people who are working because they will be close by the time you end work and they don't operate on Saturdays.

Hence, i have not make time to go down to do the exchange..

Heard of Novita H-MIST02 yet?

What's small, light and easy to bring around and eliminates 99.99% of pathogenic surface-bound germs to keep my baby safe? I'm so glad Novita came out with this handy version where i can carry it with me wherever i go and even on holiday!!! Look whose ready to keep it handy?

Novita launched their latest H-MIST02, the complete disinfection control! It transform water into (OH-) Hydroxyl Ions through an electrolysis process (Hydroxsystem Technology), that eliminates pathogenic surface-bound germs instantly with a remarkable performance of more than 99.99% in just 30 second of exposure!

If you are wondering whether it is safe for use on babies and young children, i thought the same too!
Especially when it comes to babies, we tend to be more careful what we expose them to and whether it is safe for use on them.

It is safe for use as it is does not contain any chemicals. The (OH-) ions will form back into (H2O) and be dispersed back into the air. :)

Anyway it is really easy to use! Even Zara knows how to activate it!
Fill it with water and 3x AAA batteries.
There's a sensor below the bottle and the blue light will go on when it is in action!

To be sure that i can bring it with me on the plane, i even checked with the friendly staff to make sure that this will be allowed on the plane!
It only contains 30ml of water max so you will not have any issue with the liquid limit.
I am so going to use this on the plane!
What better ways are there to disinfect the toilet seat, without having to touch it :p
Look at the extensive list of pathogenic surface-bound germs that can be eliminated!

You can find out more about this item on their website! http://novita.com.sg/web/H-Mist02/

Is it really experiencing the power and beyond?
Let me do a better review after i use it for a period of time, to tell you how effective this is :)

Anyway i have been eyeing on their Air/Surface Steriliser NAS12000, Zara is going to pre-school in 5 months time and i really hope i can get my hands on it so that i can be sure that her room and everything in her will be kept clean, disinfected, sanitised and sterilized!

C H R I S T M A S

This Christmas is different from the past ones, more than just the decorations... It's about being a mother... I could understand better how much a sacrifice it was for God to send His only begotten Son. Sending is not the matter, but for the Son to go through all the torture on the way to the Cross and at the Cross.. is something no parent will ever want or accept to see their child go through.

Having Zara open my eyes to understand that we are God's adopted people. We were not the chosen tribe and was never given a place in the house, till Jesus paid the price to bring us Home.

Someone once commented to me, that no one will love a child whose not their own as much as their own. I think I must say that I totally disagree with it and I believe many mummies who are like me will say the same. Whether I have another child, it's up to God and His timing.. but with or without, Zara is still my very loved daughter. Nothing is going to change that fact, since the day she came into this family. I believe the same goes for us, as we enter into God's house. If you cannot accept that a mother can love their adopted child as her own, then you will never be able to accept the truth that God loves us as His own.

Decorations done by: ME!

I'm so constantly reminded of God's love for us, the price Jesus paid on the Cross.. and how much God loves Zara, to give her a future and a hope.. having all these planned for her, that she may be in His house, even before she is born.. and how much God loves us, to bring her into our lives.

it's ok to be not ok

I have a friend whom once I asked "are you ok?"

And she gave me a really honest response that very often when people ask her that question, she can't tell them that she is not, so she will end up just saying that she is ok..

Since that day, I never asked her that question anymore..

Maybe it's easier for her to feel how she's feeling without her having to answer "ok" whenever someone asked that question.

I just want to say that it's really ok to be not ok.

I'm thankful that she could share that with me

I am not and will not be stumbled, but instead I felt so much love for her because she could be real.

Being in church more than half my life, growing up..

Sometimes it seems like we have to be ok... all the time, every time..

Does being not ok means our faith is low? No!

We don't have to be ok all the time, we can afford to be not ok when it's not ok!

The truth is, no matter how long we have been in church, we will always need to depend on God through the different seasons of our life!

And most of the time, we depend on God more when it's not ok..

The heros of faith too had their struggles..

And today as I was just having this conversation with God..

He said to me, "her faith is so beautiful.. having faith doesn't mean that we will never doubt or be afraid.. having faith doesn't mean that we will never struggle.. but it is in the midst of all these, and yet in simple steps, she put her trust in Me again and again.. bit by bit.. that her faith is so beautiful in My eyes.." and He smiled.

I delicate this post to 'my friend'.

I am not just here in good times, I'll be here all the time.

You are my hero of faith :)

The Parenting Journey

I have been down with flu the past few days and cannot stick close to Zara.. so i decided to take some time to write about how was the journey thus far..

The past months have been quite a journey as i learn to be a mother..
learning, reading, experimenting about parenting...

The one thing i learnt is really that parenting is like a religion and you should NEVER enter into a debate with anyone about parenting style :p

There are different school of thought for EVERYTHING!
- Eating methods
- Sleeping methods
- what milk formula
- what moisturiser
- discipling methods

There are always different ways of doing things and which is the best way?
I believe, different parents + different child = requires a different method
Even same parents, different child requires a different method
A method works for one doesn't mean it will work for all
but i think parents should be open to try different methods if one does not work, until you find the method that works best for you :)

TRANSITIONS
When a training method is in place, there may be times that you will realise that you are moving backwards in the training.

Take for example: sleep training, suddenly you realise that your child wakes up in the middle of the night for milk.
don't panic :)

There are different transitions that will cause sudden change in habits example:
- growth spur
- travelling
- break in other routines
- sickness
- changes in environment
- new inclusion to family

Don't worry about these periods because they will pass and they do not mean that your method is not working :)

I am her's and she is mine!

2 Days back, we had our first Baby Shower for the relatives. As usual, relatives will have a lot of 'DOs & DON'Ts' for you. But the best advise i heard that day is " you are the parent so you decide what do and what don't".

Some relatives were 'concerned' that family's friends are asking how come they did not see me pregnant and blah blah blah. They told me that i should not let people know that she is adopted, and maybe i should not post her photos so much on social media to avoid questioning and just 'lay low'.

Yes! I did not disappear from my friends and family members; hide from the world; delete my social media for 9-10 months so that people will think that maybe i was pregnant and they did not know, and i will definitely not stop posting photos of Zara or 'lay low'.. 

Because i will not for a moment be ashamed or embarrass of her!

And not for a moment will i ever want her to feel that we are not proud of her!

She is not an accident. 

She is beautifully and wonderfully made in the image of God.

She is chosen, an elect, destined to be placed into this family and into His house (City Harvest Church)

She is now mine and i am her's

She will have everything i had planned and reserved for my child

Nothing less.

Everyday i am reminded of God's mercy and His goodness in her.

I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine!