Nesting

I tried to clean up the house on Saturday morning. Apparantly there is this term called the 'nesting period' which is often the indictation when the bub's almost due (about 7-9mths pregnant). Haha this nesting seems 'pre-mature' for me, i vacummed, mopped and scrubbed the shower. Even disinfected the toilet bowl rims etc. I am still aching from the whole works. Its getting increasingly hard to even crawl under the desk to fix something!

In her last days

I found this photo when I was clearing up my stuffs on my virus infected laptop. This was taken about 5 months before she passed away. Such an woman she was on the picture, but no matter how old she was, her child-like mannerism still tickles me. Miss her so much and I doubt this would ever change.

Notting Hill Bench

Notting Hill Bench
Originally uploaded by kelvin and chia yen

Weekends of Weddings

We attended 2 weddings 2 weekends in a row. I love weddings, shows the love and commitment of couples and it also reminds me of every moment of my own :)

Congratulations to the 2 new couples - Don & Grace; Joseph & Phuong

You guys are going to enjoy the journey ahead.

Weddings are fun when you get to take some shots afterwards, especially since both have got finger food served in pretty gardens.

Get connected

Get connected to the right source. So that attitudes can be synchronised with the mind of Christ. So that the heart can be cleansed and purified so that His voice is the only direction. I have been so busy catching up back log at work (which continues at home); catching up meeting people up; catching up on blog entries and many other ministry admin stuffs. I need to more so get connected to the right source so that I can be rested in the knowledge and understanding of His kneading and handicrafts.

Mr Wonderful

This title was inspired by a an article from ungrind and this entry is a continuation from the anniversary entry couple of days ago.

I have been tremendously blessed over the past year. Many people used to say the first year of marriage is a honeymoon time, but for many who have walked through will say it wasn't that of a honeymoon. Conflicts, working out differences, I think we were always asking in our hearts why we behaved/thought/spoke the way we did. An sms from a trusted friend a day after the anniversary said, happy anniversary, you've survived. Yes we did survived, and in my opinion, it was tough but not that bad. The covenant of God made it more than possible and the best part of marriage is that we know we will work it out; an exit is not even an option. It's not the same as compared to times in courtship. Though then, we had common understanding that we will try our best to allow God to work through this relationship to marriage, there were still questions and sometimes doubt if things would work out.

The past year has assured me of this "Mr Wonderful" that God has blessed me with. Though Kel may not be the perfect person, the flaws he has shows me the depth of his love just because he was so willing to grow and overcome. I am far from perfect too, some ingredients of marriage I used to take pride in (cooking, cleaning, giving, understanding, loving) fell flat in the presence of pride and many other weaknesses. I am guilty of the many times I made him stay up late in bed to "work things through" because I was too prideful to let things go.

Of course there was the tremendous joy that outweighs. I enjoyed every laughters we shared even in the silliest jokes. (I may not always get his jokes) And there is that increasing agreement where we would just have to look at each others' expression and we understood. There is also countless times when we were the resounding boards of one another especially in areas of ministry.

I am glad that God has led me to wait. Though I once had an ideal age of 25 to get married, it was clear then that I wasn't ready. It was so tempting earlier in the years to go "trying out" in relationship, God has shown me it was worthwhile a wait.

So, all in all, its been a great 1 year. We've both matured more in the way we handle one another and challenges. I am sure God will bring about more situations and areas we can both grow more in. We embark into our 2nd year, with more anticipation of what God's gonna do. We have a whole big family of people to impact and grow we are still asking God to help us synergise more. We have an additional member awaiting to be part of it all.

Ivy's Birthday

The gang of girls
Originally uploaded by kelvin and chia yen

We had a lovely time celebrating Ivy's Birthday last night with all the core team girls of J1. It was a nice time just chatting over the dinner table with a bunch of girls. To top that off, the food was great with free entree (any entree of your choice) that came with the main course. I haven't had so much food to my satisfaction for such a long time but was definitely 'lusting' over the fresh oysters and the oyster shots. Had to settle for the cooked ones ... poop. Click on the picture for more pictures of the night.

Hope you had a great time Ivy, thank you for being such a great pal over the years and this girls team would not be where it is without you too! :)

My New Desk

My New Desk
Originally uploaded by kelvin and chia yen

Presenting my new desk (and the lamp, thanks to AL's suggestion heh!) So happy to now have a work place at home without having to clear the dining table all the time. The best is that this desk can be closed off to hide the mess. Could have gotten a simple 4 legged one that will cost much less but Kel got this for me as a Mothers' day (dat bit early for me, but since pregnancy hasn't been that easy ... heee) and Anniversary gift. Took him the whole of Saturday night to assemble since ikea's over simplified instructions arn't always the most friendly, and this whale looking wife here can't do much except to limp here and there to offer some weak encouragement whilst preparing for a little sermon. Thanks dear! You're the best!

From the Baby Center @ 16 weeks

*@ 16 weeks 2 days ... ok discount the bad lighting and my posture. I am really starting to feel like a whale.

Your baby is now about the size of an avocado (11.6 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighing 100 grams). In the next three weeks he'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling his weight and adding centimetres to his length. In or out of the womb, babies are playful creatures. Yours may already have discovered his first toy -- the umbilical cord -- which he'll enjoy pulling and grabbing. Sometimes he may even clutch it so tight that less oxygen gets through, but don't worry -- he doesn't hold onto it long enough to harm himself. The circulatory system and urinary tract are in full working order, and he's inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid through his lungs.

1st Anniversary :)

It's our first anniversary today (yesterday) I can't believe I actually missed by 1 minute to have this entry dated to be 12th May. I've got heaps to share, not too sure if I am actually able to even put it to words. Shall put them to words when I am a little more awake. It's been a good one year, one of the best year of my life.

We're just back from a really nice and simple Ra men dinner followed by groceries shopping and a nice show (Made of Honour - really enjoyed the show) after that. It's been ages since we stepped into the cinemas! It was a really nice time, just the 2 (+1) of us , spending some no frills time together.

-Entry to be continued :) -

A little galloping horse

We finally heard the little buddy's heart beat on Friday! It sounded like a little galloping horse almost double the speed of a normal adult heartbeat. We were just grinning from ear to ear and I had strange thoughts of wanting to put that little doppler thing into my bag so that we could try hear it ourselves everyday :) That must be one of the most exciting part of pregnancy so far, when the little one made himself (we don't know the gender yet - 'him' used generically) real to us; a turning point from just the endless toilet trips to throw up and for Kel only visually seeing my tummy become haha fatter and rounder each day. We can't wait for the next ultra sound and feel the flutters and kicks! (how I wish we could just peep into the belly through the belly button or something, like a little window but that's so anti-climax i know...)

From the Baby Center @ 15 weeks

You may not know it when it happens, but your tiny tenant frequently gets the hiccups, which babies master before breathing. Babies don't make any sound because their trachea is filled with fluid rather than air. Although you've probably gained between 2.2 - 4.5 kilograms, the fetus weighs in at around only 70 grams. It is 11 centimetres long, crown to rump. Legs are growing longer than the arms now, fingernails are fully formed and all the joints and limbs can move. You may be able to find out the gender of your baby by ultrasound now, since the external genitals may be developed enough that the ultrasound technician can tell you if you're going to have a boy or a girl. If the idea of having a baby seems so remote, nothing makes it feel more real than feeling your baby move for the first time. Most mums-to-be discern movement (called quickening) between 16 and 20 weeks. If you've been pregnant before, you'll feel things earlier rather than later. What you may first think is a rumbling stomach may be your baby doing some back flips. [I am still pretty sure it's my hunger rumblings ... ] Make note of when you first start feeling the baby and tell your midwife at your next visit. This middle stage of pregnancy is a good time to start exercising.

Thoughts of the week

I had such a good time this week catching up with all my "non-sheep" JG and leaders. One of the best thing is discipling is seeing how God is always doing something in each persons' life and it's always so exciting and gratifying. I am just so excited because each and every single person I've met this week have just reflected so much growth in their character maturity and their journey with God! Though there were still struggles and challenges, their willingness to continue to seek His face and longing to be led by God more just encouraged so much! Thanks guys (incl. girls), I look forward to meet you all more often and I am looking back at each conversations thinking of how much I have enjoyed each session too! Keep walking and looking ahead, and be found faithful in every single aspect of your life!

grwwl ...

The weather is turning berri cold and dry. And i just couldn't get a proper night's rest because the throat is just so sore. It's so bad that I wake up uncountable times through the night wondering why I have to sleep with my mouth half gapping open thus getting my throat so dry and sore. It has been happening for a few days plus the late nights I have been having and the still throwing up syndromes at night that I finally succembed to taking the day off and just sleep. The sleep still wasn't working well that I had a prayer in the afternoon pleading God to grant me a good sleep so that the headache would at least go away. Praise God it did! Even managed a catching up time with one of my JG and drop in to the supermarket so "cure" my hungry stomach which still hasnt been absorbing food well. I can feel the headache creeping back so i should head to my pillows soon. I am still not getting enough food to tame that growling stomach ...