Girlfriends' Outing

Can you believe it? My hubby is actually letting me travel with my girlfriend, Nina, without the kids tagging along. Ok, it started out with me hinting (via sms) that other husbands are taking their wives travelling and such, while he is busy working. However, I should put a note here that he did take me and the boys to Iran, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon last year, but after 3 months without seeing the outside world, I am going crazy. At least I am giving him credit for putting up with me and my travel requests. Of course, he said he cannot go on a holiday now due to his busy schedule and I happily replied, "Oh, I am not asking you to go, just let me go on my own." And that night when he came home, he asked, "So when are you going?" I was totally dumbstruck. Of course my answer was, "HUH???" My heart was doing some somersaults and secretly I was hoping that my ears were completely functional and I had heard him correctly. He later reconfirmed that I can go to Dubai if I like and most importantly, just with my girlfriend(s). "Yesssssssssssssss!!!" My heart leapt for joy and I have already imagined myself in Dubai, SHOPPING. :P

And with just one more day to go, I find myself having mixed feelings about this trip. I am happy but also sad to leave the boys on their own. My husband is around, but it will not be the same, I guess. I am worried that they would not be able to cope without me around, not eating, not taking their shower, them getting sick and daddy's too busy with office work that the boys will be left to fend for themselves (not that I haven't ask the kakaks here to help cook lunch for them - so lunch is taken care of). Dinner, according to my husband, will be prepared by him - which I am doubtful, but luckily, the complex cafe is just a few steps away.  Ahhhhhhhh, a lot to think about. 

And today, someone asked me, do you not feel sorry that you are leaving behind Danish, all alone? It got me thinking, do people think that I am selfish to leave behind my kids so that I can enjoy myself on a holiday? There is no right or wrong here, I guess everyone has their own opinions. And of course, each of us has our own way of dealing with our problems/issues. Mine is, I need a break. Period. From the daily life of a homemaker. From cooking day in, day out. From reminding my kids to take their shower, day in, day out. From picking up all the dirty laundries all over the house every morning and night. From shouting at the kids for their loud quarreling, morning till night. From having to schedule my time around everybody else. From everything. So that I can spend my time on my own, being happy simply doing what I want to do and taking my own sweet time. So that I can come back home and realise how much I miss my family and would not want to spend another day without them until I need another break. Of course I love my husband and my three kids to pieces, but hey, I deal with my issue my way, with my husband's generous blessing. No one is the same and we do not think alike. Each family has their set of values which are different from one another. What works for me might not work for anyone else. Let us cherish our differences, always. 

So, to answer the spoken and some of the unspoken questions - yes, I am absolutely thrilled of the Dubai trip, but I will still miss my family. Bye-bye Sudan and take care peeps, see you in 5 days time!

2 Weddings and a Doa Selamat

Arrived JB quite late on Friday night as the highway was all jammed up right from the Mahameru highway all the way to Seremban. The kids were pretty starving when we arrived at the Seremban R&R and we decided to have dinner at KFC. As soon as we arrived in JB, we were greeted by hugs and kisses from my mom and dad. Phewwwww... I have just realised, I missed them terribly and the kids did too. The kids were ecstatic to meet Atuk and Nenek and vice versa. I couldn't help but smiled... Both Atuk and Nenek didn't get enough sleep that night, attending to their grandchildren, one wanted apple juice, the other wanted something else and Danish wanted Atuk to himself. Hehehhehehe...

We were up late the next morning and left JB for Batu Pahat rather late in the afternoon. Went straight to my second cousin's wedding in Bagan (ok, we were late, but better late than never kan) and had Nasi Ambeng. Perghhhhh... sodap!!! The kampung house has a "kolong", a void under the house - sort of a basement but sits on the land itself and the  wooden house is built several feet above the ground. The kids had a blast there playing with the "bunga manggar" and running around the huge compound. My parents were happy to meet with all  our relatives, reminiscing a bit here and there and then it was time to go. 

We went straight to my grandma's house in Peserai (still in Batu Pahat, not far from town) and she was really happy to meet us. I didn't have a chance to visit her during our trip last December due to limited time and of course it was high time for us to visit her. There is nothing more that makes her happy and I could see it in her eyes. I wish I could've visited her more often and I would do so while I am here.

That Saturday night, we went for the doa selamat as another cousin was getting married on Monday. Menu was white rice with fish sambal, asam pedas and a lot more. I was filled with glee simply by looking at the dishes. hehehehhehee... Met a few more relatives, reconnecting with more people and then back to grandma's house. Of course, I had a good night sleep bearing in mind the food that I have ingested... sigh... makin tembam la...

Sunday was a wet day and we started the day late. I was supposed to take my grandma and my aunt for check-ups that morning and of course I missed it and my mom and dad ended up taking them. Everything was ok, both of them got their hypertension meds but nothing to worry about according to the doctor. My grandma is about 80 years old I think, and although she can walk on her own, she still needs someone to watch over her and my aunt, Mak Zah is the one staying with her 24/7. Luckily another aunt, Mak Yek, lives behind my grandma's house, so there are people close by that they can rely on.

Later after Zuhur, we left Batu Pahat and headed to Kluang for another cousin's wedding, errr probably a niece's wedding. I am not sure anymore of the ties, we are not that close, so a bit difficult to zoom into the exact relationship, suffice to say that she is one of my relatives. hehe.. Had Nasi Beriyani at the wedding and we left soon after.

Arrived back in JB exhausted and a few loads of laundry to do. sigh... but all in all, it was a good weekend, a lot of ticks on my to-do list and I am happy :) 

I Love You, Mummy

The day that I became a mum was the day that I truly understood my mom's sacrifices all this while.

My mom is a no-nonsense lady. She might be construed as heartless sometimes, but she has your best interests at heart. When my siblings and I were young, we were not allowed to watch tv during weekdays and limited sessions during weekends. I didn't have freedom to go out with friends to the malls and she knew all my school teachers (she is a teacher too, and the fraternity was small during that time and everybody seems to know everybody) to the point that she disapproved a friend of mine simply because a teacher in school was of the opinion that my friend was a bad influence - of course, I was pissed off at both my mom and my teacher. 

But I know now that she just wanted her kids to excel in our studies and become better people. My mom will cook whatever dishes I requested for, she is always around whenever I needed her even when she is sorely exhausted. She loves her grandsons to pieces. She wanted to resign from work just so that she can visit us more often before we moved to Sudan. Because she loves us, she loves me. 

That, I am fully aware now that I have become a mother, myself. And I love my kids. I will do everything that I can in their best interests. Period.

So, I love you, Mummy for everything that you have done for me and I will love you, always.