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.

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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!

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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