Caysha and Empress

Would you believe Empress was just a small puppy a few months ago? Dogs grow so fast! She rarely barks though. I find that a huge plus. I'm not too fond of dogs barking loudly all the time. She looks adorable. But she's awfully fond of jumping up on people. She's so friendly.

Baby Caysha, she is grouchy when she's sleepy. Her hair's so dark and she has so much of it. Her eyes are fringed with the sweetest long sweeping lashes. But I've got this paranoid fear of carrying babies so young. She's just 3 months and her neck's still lolling about. She's so fragile.

I am so not ready to be a mom.

Beautiful skies

Dusk, on the 28th of October 2007.

Sunrise on the 13th of November 2007.

Birthday 2007

So what is it like to be another year older? The truth is, it is a little depressing, to know that you're getting on in years. Another question. How does it feel on your birthday? I didn't really feel anything special. Now I know that it's supposed to be a day to be cheerful to be looked forward to.

But honestly, maybe it's all part of growing old/mature, birthdays doesn't hold the magic it once does for me anymore. When I was younger, I would count the days till it came. More often than not however, the day didn't turn out as spectacular as I thought it would be.

Maybe it's the disillusionment of so many years of birthdays, maybe it's just part of growing up. My birthday this year was just another ordinary day to me.

The little girl part in me wants something different though. I want my birthday to be as magical as a fairy tale. But what ingredients or events justify that illusive description?

:) I really don't know...well, I hope I do find out next year. There's always hope.

Esther

Went to dinner's at godmom last Sunday. Esther was in an especially chirpy mood. Got tons of photos of her smiling away. Naughty little girl.

Seremban Grilled Crabs

Lured by the promises of grilled crabs, we made a day trip to Seremban. Interesting. I've alwasy wondered why some places insist on selling fresh seafood when they're no where near the sea.

But the crabs and seafood we had in Seremban was surprisingly fresh and tasted quite alright. The grilled crabs still had the saltwater taste on it.

The fried squids were right up my sisters aisle. She liked it. The fried rice was for the benefit of the sister as she doesn't take crabs or prawns.

The salted egg prawns were slightly disappointing. If they had peeled of the shell and let the salted egg yolk marinade the prawns, I think it'd be much better.

The buttermilk crabs too were not too fantastic. Bearable.

It was quite worthy a trip to discover the food in Seremban. Though I must say, it is a rather congested town to live in especially down the older parts. The Jusco shopping mall reminded me of my home town one.

"Pursuit of Happyness"

I know this movie speaks and empathizes with at least one person. A person whom I had not been in contact with for almost 2 years, not by choice but by circumstances. If that was the horror he went through, I understand now. My heart aches for him now.
I could feel Chris’s desperation when the world was closing in on him. There was no pity and more and more cold water upon him and his son. If that was what he really went through, I feel his pain. What a man could do for his son and for survival out of desperation, is beyond what I can imagine sitting in relative comfort here.
The world is not as merciless as it may seem. Trouble happens. But if Chris hadn’t taken on the internship with no pay, he would not have ended up opening his own stock brokerage firm later on in life. Surviving for 6 months without pay and having the government seizing your money is beyond what I can feel.
The tears running from his eyes when he finally made it and got an offer from the firm to join as a broker WITH pay this time. The relief and thankfulness, the shakiness of his hand when he fumbled to take the notebook on his desk, his desire to see the son at daycare and to hug him, to finally be able to tell his son that everything is going to be alright. The future looked bright with hope. That feeling must truly be felt to be believed.
A 5 year old boy, the strength and reason that his father was holding on, striving. Those words that he gave the father must mean more than anything that the father ever heard in those bleak days of his life. “You’re a good papa”. Those words made everything that Chris was going through worth going through.

There as a scene when the son dropped his toy when they were chasing the bus, tears were streaming down his face when he was silenced by his dad when he wanted to go back to pick up the toy but they were rushing to go to the shelter for the night. He never blamed his dad, didn't hold a grudge. The forgiveness in a child may be more than what I have in me for the mildest of offences towards me. The bond shared by the father and son touches even the most stony of hearts.
But life teaches many lessons, not in the ways one would expect. But in life’s books, there’re always clouds with silver linings. The bleaker it seemed to be, the more down in the dumps we seem to be trodden into, the faster help is on it’s way, the faster our circumstances will change, for the better.
We need hope. We need to cling on to it even though the impossible seemed to be impending. For Chris, it was a long, long 6 months. For some it may be a long winter, for another a long 12 months. But at the end of it all, at the end of the season, things will get better.

I love the picture where he just picks up his son at the beach and with light heartedness, swings him around. The picture in the diner had Chris looking at his son with affection even though that was where they were staying for the night.