Sunday School

Long overdue but we finally brought them to Sunday School last week.

AN enjoyed the worship and sang and danced. ER was clingy and refused to sing. He even grumbled when I sang -_____-"

When time comes for them to be separated into respective classes, AN wasn't too keen. I stayed with her in the class till she was a little more warmed up before bringing ER to the nursery class. AN reminds me of myself. At 34yrs old, I still dislike putting myself in a strange environment with not a single soul that I know.

After AN settled in a little, I carried the clingy boy over to the nursery class. To my surprise, ER blended in immediately. He ran towards the kids and held hands with them to form a circle the moment we stepped in. And he forgot about me. He IS a more sociable child than AN. And friendly too (when he's not cranky).

I returned to AN's class upon seeing that ER had no problem with my absence. And I noticed that AN was participating and volunteering answers when I got there. She turned back to check on my presence and smiled when she saw that I had come back to her.

Both of them were happy after church. ER made lots of friends and would run to talk to them when we walk by each other after 'school'. And he would hug every familiar adult that he noticed from the worship session earlier on. He had been asking when we will be back to church school. AN enjoyed the worship and is constantly singing the songs they sang. ER sings with her.

Makes me want to go back to church too. I need revival. I'm dying spiritually, if not already dead. I'm resentful and I can can't carry on this way.

It's time I fight the rebellion and hate in my heart.

I try hor.

Happy Birthday Baileys

Darling you are 9 years old. I'm sure you are having white hair now but I am not with you to count them.

I pray that you will never need to feel pain in the next few years of your life.

I'll see you again. If there's one time I wish rebirth is real, this is it. Maybe when your beloved human kids are grown up, I'll invite another k9 into our home.

And when I see those eyes again, I'll know it's you.

Baileys I love you. I wish I can hug you on your special day but I gave that up.

My Prince Royal. Happy 9 years old. .....

Noah Drying His Cars?

Saw something hanging my their Noah's Ark's table.

I think Noah's cars need some drying from getting caught in the flood.

My Mum Knows Nothing, Except Sacrifice

My mum is a traditional grandmother. She is not good with encouraging words. She can't speak words of wisdom, can't write poems and articles.

She doesn't have bombastic theories based on books she reads that she can share with us. She can't even properly explain interesting tips she read on the papers when we ask for more inf0.

She is not an expert in early childhood.She doesn't read about how to discipline children or why they should not be punished.

She doesn't know what aliens and spaceships are. She doesn't know who is prime minister of Australia and who is president of USA. Or where on the globe is Italy.

She has never gone for a facial or manicure. She is not very familiar with any of our smartphones.

She knows what is good for us and what is bad but she doesn't know why.

After she bought her first tablet, she came to our place asking to learn how to use it. And requested that l install apps for the kids so that they can learn using it. She did not ask for Candy Crush or apps for her to watch drama.

l casually told mum AN had craving for sticky rice this morning and next thing I know, mum messaged me that she's on her way to get it for us. It's not from somewhere nearby. And it's now raining heavily.

My mum loves the kids right from the bottom of her heart. The most sincere and direct type that didn't get tainted by advises and instructions from childcare experts.

And she doesn't contradict my chosen way of disciplining the juniors by quoting experts who write that they have other better solutions.

She leaves the reading up to me and continue to love them her own uneducated way, like how grandmas love grandchildren.

She will do for them, what their other grandma finds a chore. There has not been anything she will not do for them. Or us. If only we ask.

And l do not like to ask for her help when l already know she has prior arrangements. She deserves to do what she likes during her free time and l know she will cancel her appointments to help with them should l ask.

She is the type of friend my MIL would gossip and complain about.

That tells a lot about different priorities each has in their lives. And not how some has exclusive rights to put down others who places family and children in utmost importance.

It's clear who is more deserving of respect.

Chilling Out

On some days, AN will not insist on visiting her favourite websites but instead spend her time teaching ER from sites that benefit HIM.

On those good days, ER will sit still beside AN without attempting to click on every single line or picture.

AN will hug him like they are the best of friends and him not going "I don't want jie jie!"

On such good days, I do not mind them staring at the computer for longer than usual because such good times do not always come by.

Appreciate them while they last :)

"What Do You Want"

AN will be having her graduation concert on 9th November and there's ticket sales this morning.

I invited my mum who is obviously excited to watch AN perform on stage for the last time.

He asked his mum this morning.

"Ma are you free on 9th November? "

Her selfish reply that isn't much of a surprise by now: "I'm not staying here by then. What do you want? "

No. We're not begging you for help.

And yes I understand that you will not be staying here with us by then and you have all the rights not to help us. Like even when you stayed here, you have never had to sacrifice your appointments to help us. You never will, anyway. We totally understand.

It was my fault for suggesting that Mr Liow asked if she would be keen to watch AN perform.

I really never learn, right?

Mr Liow replied her that it was AN's concert and asked if she was interested.

The Empress replied: "我现在不知道。到时有空我就去。"

耍大牌。

Mr Liow was offended by then and said that we were going to purchase tickets and if she was keen, we'll have to get extra ticket.

She said she wouldn't be able to make it on Saturday evenings.

Am I not prophetic?

It was just an invitation. Not a plea.

We had to plead with her to help us with the kids when all of us were having fever at one time and she refused to help. It happened often enough for us to  finally see that she will only do things for herself. At least I recognized that fact long ago and I look down on that. Especially when she goes lying that she moved in with us because we needed her help.

*cough* Did she say we........."needed help"???

She questioned on and only after hearing that ER will also be performing did she agree to go.

No we didn't beg her. Suddenly her tight schedule has an empty slot without making any adjustments.

Seriously.

I can only roll eyes at her high and mighty attitude.

Hey, I GET YOU LOUD AND CLEAR WHEN YOU WENT: " I WON'T BE STAYING HERE BY THEN. WHAT DO YOU WANT? "

IT'S OBVIOUS ENOUGH TAT YOU MEAN WE SHOULD NOT BE ASKING YOU FOR HELP.

I GET IT.

BUT DO NOTE TOO, TAT YOU HAVE NEVER GIVEN HELP ANYWAY FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, EVEN BEFORE YOU MOVED IN WITH US.

PLEASE WAKE UP YOUR IDEA.

Washing Dustpan in the Kitchen Sink

There are 4 basins in the house. And 2 shower points.

Of all these 6 water points, she chooses the kitchen sink to wash the dust pan. That's also where she washed the fan, using the same sponge for dish washing, on machine grease on the dusty fan blades and face plate.

And that's where she dries washed cups, rims down on the same dirty table top right beside the sink. Despite the drying rack just above that table.

I cannot comprehend the wierd way she does things.

I've constantly reminded her (before I stopped talking to her altogether) that what's for washing dishes IS SOLELY FOR WASHING DISHES!

The last time I reminded her before I stopped totally, was that day she insisted I told her not to wash the brown-oiled stained non stick pan. I replied for the last time: "mother. 我一向来都强调卫生最重要。我不可能叫你不要洗锅的。"

You know when it's pointless saying more because she's ready to pick a fight and accuse me of disrespect and I'm not ready to do it in front of my kids.

But how?

He's tolerating the remaining of her stay here and reminds me that she's leaving when I tell him the amazing things I discovered. She gets her way now because she's leaving.

And we wonder why the kids do not recover. ER gets soft stool constantly too.

I'm ruling in lactose intolerance for now and will cut down on milk to find out.

This intolerance got worse after she moved in with us.

We'll find out by end of this year IF she does move out.

And she has the decency to criticize me in front of AN. Really lol at such thick skin.