Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The End
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Flowers
Beng has been very supportive when I say I want to learn flower arrangement and hair-cutting. By this, I mean he will send me to classes and fetch me after classes. In between, he will help to take care of the children. After having a hard time with the children at home, he will still smile and ask how the class is and compliments me on my amatuerish arrangement. Well, you may think what is the big deal. Many years ago, he was not like this. He will say, "go what class, stay at home and spend time with the kids lah!". Then he will go out and meet his friends, Toh and Jaime for kopi!
Now, I am trying to persuade him to let me cut his hair. He arrow my Dad and Brother, saying that I should try on their heads first and when I am more comfortable, I can try it on his head! (Dad and my Brother are my strongest supporters! I did not even ask Dad. He ask me to cut his hair for him when I told him that I was learning hair-cutting. My brother lagi best! When I was doing my confinement after having Engie, he was the one preparing the formula milk for Engie at 3am in the morning!)
Coming back, even though Beng was recluctant to let me cut his hair, he successfully persuaded his oldest sister to let me cut her hair! Although the result was a bit *ahem*. But, Beng tells sister Kheng that the hairstyle looks fabulous on her! Anyway, Kheng and her husband, Myron have been very supportive. She did not go and get another haircut, neither did Myron ask her to go and get it fixed!
Yeah! My wonderful family! I am so blessed!
Monday, August 25, 2008
My surprise present for Beng
(Note: Beng does not have many bad habits and undesirable attitudes that I can't stand. He used to have but he makes effort to change himself to please me, just like how I change some of my habits to suit him as well. Marriage is all about compromising and changing for the better for each other. And the most important thing is that God is instrumental in making our marriage works!)
Beng has not given me our anniversary present yet : (
He thinks that he needs to spend thousand of dollars to buy me a gift that he thinks I want. Darling, I tell you now! I want to have a life-time vouchers of calf massages, redeem wherever and whenever. And, don't you dare to buy a baby cow back! Calf here refer to the fleshy part of the back of the human leg below the knee and not anyone's calves ok.... only my calves!
So, if we are shopping and I say, "darling, my calves are tired, can you massage for me?" You must say, "yes, my dear." There shall be no "but, there are so many people around!"
Hey, the best part is, it does not cost you any money!
Don't want to give ah. Ok lah, never mind then, give me my Osim iMedic! Thanks yah!.
Dawn's Speech
[I have made an impromptu Chinese speech before this English speech below. As such, I do not have the script.]
We are honoured and thank you for your presence. Today is a very special day for Beng and I. It is our wedding vows renewal ceremony and our 10th wedding anniversary celebration. We were pre-believers when we got married and therefore did not go through a church wedding ceremony. Although this is not a wedding ceremony, we pray that after the vow renewal ceremony, God will honour our marriage and bless our union.
Our marriage is like any other marriage, with its up and down. However, our love has deepened and strengthened over the years. This is especially so after we accepted Christ in 2002.
Although 10 years is not a very long time compared to 30 to 40 years of marriage. But we truly thank God for being faithful and keeping us together for the past ten years. We also prayed that He will continue to bless our union for the rest of our life.
Last but not least, today, I would like to present a Best Husband Award to Beng. This is to thank him for his effort for being a good husband for the past 10 years, for 10 years of marital happiness and 2 beautiful girls.
I hereby ask my lovely girl, Leiya to bring the award up.
Andy's Speech
Thank you for taking your precious time to attend our wedding vows renewal ceremony. We would like to thank some people for making this so special and memorable for us. First, we would like to thank Ps Edward for solemnizing our vows, Pastor David for the Holy Communion, Brother Sunny for the wonderful music and Brother Larry for being our MC. Brother Sunny and Brother Larry were only contacted at the very last minute and they agreed to help us without hesitation.
Second, we would like to thank the hosts who have helped us to welcome the guest. ([sic] Sister Melissa and Sister Joanne)
And I would like to thank all the guests for taking their precious time to attend our ceremony.
Last but not least, I would like to thank my lovely wife for coming up with this idea of organizing the vow renewal ceremony.
Our Marriage and Ring Vows
Marriage Vow
Dawn, this day before God as our witness and these friends, I receive you into my life to be one with you in marriage. As Christ loves the church and gave himself for her, so I gave myself for you to be a loving, faithful, and godly husband.
As Christ is head of the church and is responsible for her, so this day, by the grace of God, I assume full responsibility for you, not only materially, but also physically, emotionally and spiritually. No matter where the Lord may lead us, I pledge you my life, as a loving and faithful husband.
Ring Vow
Dawn, as God has demonstrated throughout history His relationship with man giving a token as a sign of His covenant with man, so I too give you this ring as a token of my new relationship with you.
Dawn
Marriage Vow
Beng, this day before God and these witnesses, I commit myself to you in marriage, knowing that God meant us for each other. I accept my responsibility to submit to you as the head of our household as a service to the Lord. I will strive to bring our children up in the love of God, instructing them always in His ways.
Today, I covenant and promise, before God and these witnesses to be your loving and faithful wife; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish as long as we both shall live, according to God’s holy ordinance. No matter where the Lord may lead us, I pledge you my life, as a loving and faithful wife.
Ring Vow
Beng, as God has demonstrated throughout history His relationship with man giving a token as a sign of His covenant with man, so I too give you this ring as a token of my new relationship with you.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Our Anniversary Part III
My second surprise for Beng for the day was the presence of Toh and Alan. (Recap: first surprise was the studio photography but it was not a pleasant surprise, rather it was a why-am-I-not-fat surprise!)
I invited Toh and Alan, Beng’s best friends, without his knowledge. I told them not to let Beng know about it and if Beng invites them, they must turn him down immediately. They agreed and Toh, despite having a newborn on Aug 6, came and stayed until 10.30pm because
Cost of studio photography: $135, Cost of Beng's shirt: $35, Cost of the surprised look on Beng’s face when he sees Toh and Alan: priceless. He was like, “eh, how come you are here!” Twice!
The ceremony went on as planned and smoothly. We recited our vows perfectly. Pastor David calmed our nerves greatly before the march-in and Pastor Ed cracked some jokes during the exhortation. Overall, the experience was great and the memory is priceless. We ended the ceremony with a thank-you speech by Beng and a speech by yours truly, plus my present for Beng. (my third surprise).
I will post our speech and our vows , plus a picture of my present for Beng in my next post while waiting for the photos to come in.