The Lord's Prayer

We could see the children's insecurity... No, they haven't been naughty or seeking negative attention if that's what some parents might think, or insist -- but we know our own children and we know when it's a real menace or fear.

Joy has been crying and clingy at nap and bed times. Couldn't do anything with her -- she wouldn't let me carry her if I wasn't leaving the room with her; but I couldn't because Faith needed me too, and it's bed time. Eventually, KH couldn't bear her wails and picked her up from the foot of the bed. She struggled to get off just like when I tried to carry her, but was calmed in seconds and fell asleep in less than 5 minutes -- yes, she's THAT tired! Not because her day was stretched; she's just that tired from all that stressful crying!

Later on, KH told me he only sang The Lord's Prayer to her and before he even finished, she was asleep. That has been going on for more than a week now, and it seem to have bonded Joy to daddy a lot. It's a blessing that she's taken to daddy for her needs just before the arrival of her new sibling. How wonderous God's timing.

Faith, on the other hand, has been more fragile emotionally for quite awhile...very, very sensitive. Sometime back, it was she, who requested one evening when she was teary and apprehensive about going to bed, "Mommy, Jesus pray...". I couldn't understand her, so I asked her what she meant, and waited. She thought again quietly and pointed to a framed cross-stitch that was just passed to us by our friends who were leaving Shanghai, and said, "Mommy sing...Jesus pray."

All I could think of was The Lord's Prayer, but I wasn't sure because I don't remember her hearing it much after she was born -- it was only sung in the Catholic church and she's been attending protestant Sunday schools since we moved to Shanghai! I do remember deeply, though, that she leapt in my womb when The Lord's Prayer was sung at Good Shepherd.

So I asked her if she wanted me to sing 'Our Father in heaven...'. She repeated, "Sing 'our Father'." I sat her on my lap and sang. I could feel her comforted and calmed in my arms. After that night, she cuddled up to me more often again, and would often spontaneously hug and kiss me, telling me, "Mommy, I love you, too."

Last night she sang herself to sleep with the prayer for the first time -- tired after all the crying and talking -- I had to discipline her over some bedtime issue. She only sang 'Our Father'; I sang the rest. She was asleep before I finished. Tonight she sang again after she asked KH to sing. Her voice was so sweet when she said, "Papa sing 'the Father'?" When we sang quietly with her, we realized she could now sing 'Our Father in heaven' clearly. What followed that she couldn't remember or pronounce yet, she waited to hear us and tried to follow. Music has so far been the best way for me to teach her anything. Praise God for that! Recently we're seeing too, that she's taking to doodling and telling us her story as she doodles with pen, crayon, pencils or paint. I noticed that started and evolved dramatically since KH sat down with her and drew her sad story of her balloon being blown away.

We are so grateful that God has given us this labour of love to be parents, and have been teaching us to enjoy them, with His wisdom and His love. Indeed, in all circumstances as we give thanks to You Lord, You have blessed us. Amen.

Our Mac Photo Booth

Testing out my Mac Photo Booth while Joy was posing again. These days she likes to cock her head to one side and say 'chee-ese'. :) So here's our family photo for 2009 -- it'll look different again next year...need to squeeze more. :p

Peaceful Moment

Thanks to attachment parenting...they're growing closer to each other by the day. Now they can even keep each other asleep this way! :)



Whenever I'm not in the room, one of them tend to wake when they turn and realise I'm not with them; cry and wake the other up too. This afternoon when Faith turned and felt Joy under her arm, she continued sleeping. Joy, on the other hand, was also lulled back to sleep by the security her big sister's arm provided, even though she stirred quite a few times.

Isn't it great? :) It's worth everything to me. Doing up their room can wait (gives us more time to save up for a bigger budget for nice stuff too). KH and I decided we're not ready to miss their company in our room yet.

Where got time to cook ('_')?

With a 2 year old and a 3 month old fighting for attention -- and no household helper, no drop-in babysitter -- how to cook...or do anything else?

You might shake your head and go 'tsk tsk' if I tell you how I do it -- I cook more when I prepare dinner and reserve a portion for lunch. Don't tell me 'it's not good to keep overnight' or 'always better to eat fresh'. Spending time playing 'masak masak' is an idea too luxurious for a mom with 2 babes to tend to, laundry, cleaning, etc. among other household chores. :p

Get a maid? Won't even think of that if it means risking my family's safety; especially my children's. Sure, we've had good helpers before I was married to the family and some of my friends have had excellent helpers for years too. But each time we get a new maid, we're bringing a new stranger into the house; whether this new stranger turns out to be a good helper, a 'headache' or a danger depends on individual's luck.

I choose not to risk. :p I'd rather survive with the mess and just do what I can.

抱着你们的感觉

今天无意中想起心悦出世后出院那天的感觉。细细回想．．．当时我抱着心悦在等冠雄办出院手续；心里莫名的喜悦，好象小时候得了奖或礼物一样――那份喜悦好象满得要从我心里、嘴里溢出来一样! 希彤初生的时候，我抱着她，也有同样的感觉。这次的感觉稍微不同――好象在做梦；因为是第二次，所以感觉似曾相识。

其实，你们姐妹俩本来就是上帝赐给爸妈的无价宝。

Terrorists

To a family, that is. To be more precise -- seemingly well-meaning people around us whose words or actions can be more of 'breakers' than 'builders' to our family.

Remembered this term from a pastor's sermon for C&WK's wedding. The term just somehow kept returning over the last three years of our marriage at different times to alert and shake me to vigilance.

* Those who say things that cause disharmony between my spouse and I -- creating doubts between us, trying to rouse us to power struggle with each other, etc.

* Those who say or do things that cause sibling rivalry and jealousy among my children -- telling the children that we love one more than the other; showing obvious preference before the children, one more than the other; saying things that compare them to each other or other children; say or do things that affect my children's self-esteem and sense of security.

* The harder ones to detect are those who are well-meaning but try to discourage or hinder us when we make certain decision or choices that we feel and know for a fact that it's best for OUR family.

Over the years as I grow as a Christian, I've learnt that vigilance takes a lot of strength -- supernatural strength from God. I continue to pray for that strength constantly and I know that I will be able to do that only with the supernatural love from God, our Father.

对婚姻和家庭的启示

今天早上天父给我的启示：

每一个人的岗位都是重要的；虽然可以互相替换，却缺一不可。如果全在前方打仗，那谁在后方支援?

想起以前我们俩都全职工作，回到家又要照顾孩子和家务。虽然我们总是什么都一起分担，但还是俩人都身心俱乏。现在，一个专心工作；一个专心看好孩子、打理家中所需。起码，下班的，只需要回家吃饭、陪陪孩子；在家的,就算需要２４小时＂待命＂，白天累了还能小睡；不至於因为双方压力都太大而日子过得不快乐。

当然，这样的婚姻及家庭生活可不可行，就见仁见智了。对我们来说，可行，那是因为我们共同的人生目标是为了所爱的人。不只是提供物质上的需要，更重要的是能和所爱的人一起笑、一起哭、一起成长、一起吃喝玩乐。

多少现代家庭，在赫然回首时，才发现和至亲已成陌路。