the WAX

3 weeks to being wed, and there can no longer be any shame in talking about the unsaintly taboos of our youth. Having shared widely with curious girlfriends on the topic of contraception, I have completely given up all pretences of ignoring the impending issue of sex, and boldly thus plod I forward. Heave ho!

Dennis requested that his bride be waxed for his first special morning (for he has deemed the night itself far too tiring). I guess you could say it is the "morning after". After what? Legalisation. And no, no morning after pill will be able to skirt these issues.

I have struggled with the idea of waxing for a while now. I've shaved and plucked in an effort to ignore the option of waxing, but I was determined to try it out since it was Dennis' request for the first time.

A friend of mine recommended Plums on Albany Hwy, and the lady was so lovely. It really hurt when she pulled out the hairs and she did a pretty clean job. She told me a lollipop would help and there I was biting on it for dear life as she poured hot wax on places I thought wax should never go. It's starting to itch already though, not unlike a shave, so I don't see what the pros of waxing can be, since I can shave for cheaper. Nevertheless, I am returning for a following up before the wedding in 3 weeks time. Which brings me to the next point- what kind of maintenance does this require? Do I have to fork out a couple of tens a month to keep this going? I could be paying for the internet bill with that money! So.. I don't know what to do after I come back from the wedding. Do I shave again? pluck with resolve? continue waxing?

Argh!

And I hate first time waxes. Horrible. I can see how follow ups are much better.

Now, what to get my bridesmaids for their presents.

The skit that started it all

This is the skit that started it all. The match making, the courting, dating, shopping and bruises.

A snipplet of our wedding photoshoot

By Sara's cousin, Avril

Pleasure State

We bought simple white lingerie on Sunday- with little ribbons. It's a pleasure state set, pretty expensive but on sale at Myer it came under $50 which is really fantastic! I'm glad we were able to pick something we were both comfortable with. I think we're really excited about our first time together. I'm so excited I want to sew a garter for myself! With pretty lace.

Wednesday Love

We're back in Perth and we're in love.

Singapore was lovely. It was hot and smeltering, filled with good food and faithful friends. We managed to eat just about everything we wanted along with meeting a whole bunch of friends. AND we busted $180+ on durians. Hur hur.

We bought some books and devotional material that we're doing together. Its really nice to do devotion with my lovely wife cake. I like hearing what she thinks about things and how she feels. Makes me feel important. Like I have privileged information.

i love her bits.

The weekend before Singapore

It's been a rush- suddenly realising that we were leaving the coming friday was a welcome relief, but it also meant I had to prepare the 10 centrepieces, the reception decor and figure out an ang bao box. This wedding is going to be full of home made goodness. Although we cannot see the point in spending a lot of money on just one day, we still want it to be nice.

We finished some of the packing and have tried to make a comprehensive list of other things that have not been packed. In between that, church and exercise, it's been so busy. I am excited.

I cooked Dennis prata for dinner.

Our eventful weekend

It is 145 days till our wedding.
We are in love.

We went out for dinner for Ashley's birthday. Sara bought a Kookai skirt and we went for dinner with Jo and Shuwen at Vinh Hong. We had a cocktail at 1907 before dinner :)
We are tired now.

We love to sleep in warm beds.

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The invites are underway and being printed. We will have them in July. We don't know what they look like!! Hopefully they will really be nice. :s

love love love is in the air
and in a foot massage.

Terry and Anne's big day- us

Sleeping Together

Today marks the ideation of consummation. We bought a $800 queen sized pocket spring mattress from Bedshed along with a "Bambi" brand mattress protector. It will be delivered in October when we want it! We tried all the beds in Bedshed and Fortywinks, and decided on this Vital Posture Gently Firm one. It was on stocktake sale down from 1000.

We also bought a sake set for $15, with 4 different cups and 1 bottle. And I bought a few more random dishes to add to my collection of random dishes for use during serving dinners. I am really enjoying collecting these things. :)

Dennis has been sick for 2 weeks with a cold or flu with lots of phlegm. Surprisingly, I have not gotten sick from it as usually I come down with things first or pretty soon after. I attribute it to the exercise I have been doing more regularly?

We have just finished putting together the quiz that Rima and Michael have asked us to do and I am sitting in the study looking at my pretty Sake cups, all of different glazes and colours.

26 days to Singapore!

159 days to marriage!

Names for grown ups (eventually)

Philippa (Pippa) Tng sounds like a good name for a girl.

string

I re-strung Dennis' shorts today so he could wear it.

me: So if you didn't have me what would you do about this?

him: Er, throw away lor. Buy new one.

me: Then have girl how?

him: Ask honey to fix it lor.

me: Huh, like that ah.

I like it when the soft look in his eyes is saved for me alone. The muscles in his face and the gleam in his eye tell me what his fumbling words cannot- that I am for him, that he desires no other, and gives praise for the loan of my company for as long as life shall be. He looks so tenderly upon my that even I shy away at times inside, overcome by the love he shows. I am so grateful, and I can want no other.

Give heartful thanks to the great God who has made this be.

new house pore

Sara wanted to say, "and sometimes its yummy."

We are going to Singapore in July to plan more stuff for our wedding! Wee!

That means endless eating, durians, or jian, chee cheong fun, chwee queh and of course, teh halia.

oh and green tea stuff.

We are hungry.

Anyway, our stops in Singapore:

1. Laundromat

2. Tailor for suit

3. Make up artist

4. Wedding photography

5. Dress maker

6. Printer - Invites

7. Hotel food tasting

8. Florist

It'll be a full on, non-stop, power packed trip back.

Oh and Sara wants to buy tank tops in Bugis. Dennis wants good ol' indian food.

I think Sara really deserves a holiday. She has been working very hard and its been very stressful. A nice holiday... yummy.

-

We've also put the land down and got a builder for our house(s), and chosen an architectural design and colours and tiles. But its far from finished! Pre-start is coming up. Its gonna be sweet as. Yes, sweet as. I don't know what, but it just is.

More updates soon!

-

Other than that, Sara has been wonderful. Then again, when was she not? She cooked vege curry for me last week and she's been really good to me. It is strange cause she is stressed because of her job, but she's made extra effort to not be grouchy. Not to be fake, but to not take it out on me. I am thankful for her. I do wish that I earned enough so that she didn't have to work, then she can work because she wants to. That'll be nice eh?

Anyway, we've been busy with church and cell. Worship, retirement village, community leaders blessing dinner, easter fair, mother's day outreach... a whole bunch of everything happening. Everything seems to happen all at once. But its good.

ANZAC day was a blast. We had a luxurious day of doing nothing that we didn't want to do. Feel like sleeping, sleep. Feel like eating, eat. Feel like laundry, wash. Feel like cooking, cook. There is joy in uninhibited free choice and spending it all with Sara. =)

Written by: Dennis

A rectangle of dirt

As of the 28th of March 2010, Dennis and I now own a rectangle of dirt.
We are planning to build a house on it! :)
Our names are in joint tenancy, which means the entire estate goes to the other party should one be deceased. We finally have one thing in our name!

1 year after the proposal

2nd February 2010.

I don't smile for the camera, I smile because I just can't help it.

Marriage.

I hung up my singlehood and traded it for something else.

I'm not sure what the something else entails, but I'm ready to find out. Well, some call it marriage, my boss calls it "death row". People have different ways of looking at things don't they.

I don't remember having a more exciting and joyous time in my life. It feels like life just started all over again. Everything is fresh and exciting. Boundless opportunities await in my life because God says so and He's put someone in my life to tell me that. I've got someone to read the bible with, to pray with, to worship with, to share in Jesus with. I've get to share my inheritance in Christ with someone and to share in her inheritance in Christ.

I'm amazed everyday at the beauty that she is, and the genius that hides behind that wonderful frame (a polite term for smokin' hot body). She brings a new depth to having a heart of compassion and continuously opens my eyes to things of the Spirit. A better woman cannot be found in a million lifetimes.

She says that I think too highly of her, but she only has herself to blame for that.

In the fashion of LOL cats, I say: I HAZ A WIFE!!!

Wedding.

Well, I am legally and contractually married (or registered as we would say in Singapore), but not ceremoniously wed. We have not had the wedding ceremony in the church honouring our God, the tea ceremony at my house honouring the parents and relatives and the banquet honouring everyone else. Nor do we stay together in the same house or sleep on the same bed.

So are we married?

If you're only concerned with paper and legal matters, yes we are.

The hot second day of work

It has been hot. I have been having headaches after work and perhaps I am just stressed about starting a new job. Yesterday, I fell asleep at 7pm because I was so tired! So Dennis left and I woke up at 8.30 pm feeling sad, dark and alone. And I was scared. I told myself that this time round, with this job, it is not hard, so I should not be scared. But my over perfectionistic self that wanted everything to go right would not comply, and I was feeling over anxious. I always think I have "something"- like an anxiety problem, but Dennis feels that it is because I am very cautious and aware of workplace dynamics. He sees things in such a good light, and I wanted to talk to him badly because I knew I was not seeing perspective.

To be honest, I felt quite sad that I only got 20+ kids because that's half a full timer's work. One of the reasons I walked from Swan team is because they could only offer me 20 kids as well!! If I had known the amount of change this was going to take, I would certainly have honestly kept my Joondalup job!!!! But I know that God has His time and His ways. I cannot deny that this is His move not mine, and thus He must supply me all I need.

Dennis came back to see me because I woke up, and we walked to G'fun (anyone know what that stands for?!?!?) to eat a sago dessert. I felt better after we talked and everything came into perspective. Things are not good, or bad, they are. And also, God has His plan and time. God has something for me to learn that I can grow from!

Thank you for helping me to remember this.

The days before yesterday

Your yesterdays are all boxed up
and neatly put away.

I know that you are not proud of your past.

I thought that you had let me in, but today you told me while we were talking that you were actually scared to let me know too much, in case I measured you by your past and checked you over like a medical.

Today, you let me in.

Thank you. You made it real, you became so real, and I saw you for who you are. I am ok with who you are. I like who you are. And who you are is changing too, because God is working on you. I will continue to like who you are.

I am never too proud of who I am because I feel like I can be very challenging for you, more than you are for me. But today, I felt like you gave me a chance to share in you, to extend my bargain side of unconditionality. I hope I did ok.

I cried for the regret you had, and part of me wants to charge in, guns blazing, and write an end to the sad story. I want to twist her arm and make her. But you have the foresight and the patience to know that change does not come straight away. And I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of being able to make you suffer. I don't want her to know that deep down inside you feel badly about it, I don't want her to know that it showed on your face. Let me hold you in my arms when you do remember, but I won't give her the satisfaction of thinking she yields the power to inflict even discomfort.

The past is such an uncomfortable place for you, and it is like a piece of heaven to me. Our pasts are different. But please understand how important it is for me to understand yesterday's you. Understanding fundamentals helps me to understand the present and the future. And when you became real to me, I connected with you in a really deep way. In a way I had connected with other good friends. In a philosophically deep and unspeakable way. In a way where we could nod, but not explain ourselves. When I come to this place, I do not need my words anymore. But the words are the mountain I climb to reach it.

I guess the Na'vi say it the best, and there is really no english word for it. I've seen you tonight. and in 10 months, I will know you (in the biblical sense of the word). I'm ready to connect. I know it's for life.

o