Our Long Weekend!

Billy helping dada water the plants.

Hi All! It’s exactly one week today since my last post. I am doing great, still have my allergy but I am much better now. It’s getting warmer and humid here in O.R. This morning, we decided it is time for our air conditioner to start doing it job again. The heat is just unbearable and yet more to come as summer is approaching.

Mommy's little helper.

Nothing much is going on here in O.R. I was as usual busy with Billy and house chores, of course. Since the weather is warmer and Billy is now allergy free, I let him play outside more. Most of the time, if we were on the porch where his sand and water box are, I would drag my laptop with, do my internet thingy while keeping on eyes on him. It works pretty good for me. Sound very much like an internet addict mommy, huh! Okay, maybe should say a creative and multi tasking mommy …..haha!


On Saturday, I had a pretty bad headache. Thank God, it was gone after some meds and nice rest and we were able to attend the noon Mass service on Sunday. Glad we made it to the church as it was Fr. William Oruko last Sunday Mass. He is leaving to his home country tomorrow. Have a nice trip, Father William! After church we went straight to the store to buy a 'good-bye' card for him.


On Monday, Billy and I went shopping at the mall while dear hubby run to the lab for some quick work. It has been a while since just the two of us went shopping without dear hubby. Billy behaved extremely well, no complaint at all. I was enjoying the shopping, text dear hubby to take as much time in the lab so I could shop more….haha! So there I was shopping away from 12.30pm – 4.30pm. I bought 3 blouse for myself, 2 shirts for dear hubby, and 5 for Billy. Not bad for 4 hours shopping, huh!

I Feel So Bad!

There is something bothering me in this past week. I just cannot get it out of my head. Deep in my heart, I feel pretty guilty. Not sure if I have done the right thing but guess it does not matter anymore. How I wish had done otherwise so it did not come to hunt me back.

Okay, here is the story. Last week, just a couple of days before we went on our trip, a guy in his early 20’s, came and knocked on my door. Normally, I would not open the door for strangers especially when dear hubby is not around. But since the guy saw me from the porch,(sitting in front of my computer, of course) thought it was rude for just ignored him while we were staring at each other, so I decided to open the door and talked to him through the screen door.

He introduced himself as one of our neighbors, living just a few blocks away from us. I have never seen him before but it's a vast neighborhood. He told me his heartbreaking story, his mother has just passed away and he is trying to make a buck for her funeral by doing odd jobs. How sad was that? He asked me if he could cut our lawn. But dear hubby just mowed the lawn two days earlier. He then looked at our yard and say he could pick the sticks or if I have any other job for him.

I was speechless and nervous. Just say sorry about his mother and sorry for I do not have any job for him. Actually I want to just give him some money but not sure if I have any small cash (or any cash at all) in my purse. I do not want to make him wait at the door with some hope but then return with nothing. That's very mean. So I just say sorry, I have nothing for him. The poor guy said it’s okay and left.

I felt so bad after he left. What if he was sincerely trying to make some money for that particular reason? A few bucks could make a big different for him. So I decided to do what I feel was right, grab my purse, took out $10 (that’s the most I would give) and waited if I see him again. He might walk on the same street on his way back. Unfortunately, I have not seen him again.

So that’s the story. I know there was also a chance that he might have made up thing to get an easy money. But he was not asking for free money but work to earns it. So most likely he was very sincere. If he were doing it to go to college maybe I would not feel that bad, but man, this guy was trying to make money for his mother’s funeral. And to make it worse, it was just a couple of days before Mother’s Day. I wish had the guts to just tell him to wait and see what I can find in my purse. If only I had given him something even if a couple of bucks, I might not feel that bad. God, I feel so guilty. Am I too hard on myself?

Creating Happier Morning.

Got this from Billy’s school press today. Love the tips and thought should share it here so other mom/parents can use the ideas too. I am going to incorporate it as my new habit started tomorrow. Wish me luck!

‘Rise & Shine’ Ideas To Get You and Your Children off to A Brighter Start.'

1. Create a hot breakfast meal together. Have your children help you make oatmeal, pancakes, or your family’s favorite breakfast together.

2. Tell a story to your child as you are getting them dressed. If you don’t know any, make one up! Create an ongoing story about a dinosaur or a friendly caterpillar. Be creative and have fun! The story line is only limited by your imagination!

3. Institute a ‘calm voices’ rule for the mornings. Define when the morning period ends- perhaps when breakfast is over, beds are made, or whatever works for your family. Model this for your children and they will follow.

4. Prepare for the day the night before. Nothing upsets the morning routine like being unprepared and being late! Take a little time the night before and lay out the clothes, etc…..to aid in the morning routine.

Trip To Chicago.

Hi all! How were your weekend looks like? Ours was okay. Billy went back to school this morning, after been absence for the whole week last week. You should see the big smile on his face when his red school bus come to pick him up this morning. He did not even bother to wave good-bye to mommy.

Hello!

Okay, a little story about our trip. We left on Sunday at about 10.00am, drove through Kentucky and stop overnight in Lafayette, Indiana. It was pretty late in the afternoon when we arrived in Lafayette. Dear hubby as usual, decided to drive on a state highway, adding about 100 miles more to our trip. With the gas price close to $4 per gallon nowadays, nah tambah koyaklah pocket kawan…hihi!

Arriving in downtown Chicago. The tall building with the two antenna is the Sears Tower.

We arrived in Chicago at about 2.00pm on Monday. After a short rest at the hotel we went to Sears Tower which is only about five blocks from our hotel. It’s so nice to finally set our foot inside the Sears Tower building as all this time we only look at it from afar or from the plane when we fly to or from the O'Hare airport.

Billy & mummy just outside Sears Tower.

Sears Tower

The next day, we went to Museum of Science And Industry. Dear hubby told me that this is one of the must visits museum ……hihi! He visited the museum twice when he was only 12 and 15 years old on a school field trips. He said it was much more exciting then. Haiyaaah! So long time ago already lah(LOL). I am not a very big fan of science and energy stuff but to my dear hubby everything in this area was very exciting to him. I guess that’s why he is in that field and I am not……haha!

One of Billy Favorite area.

Hi ! It's me.

Billy listening to energy audio.

Anyway, I guess we picked the wrong time to visit the museum as many interesting areas was close for maintenance. Oh well, we will probably be back for another visit when Billy is big enough to understand some of the thing there.

Inside the Idea Factory.

Hi!

We left Chicago around noon on Wednesday, drove on the highway along Lake Michigan to Michigan City. Unfortunately, we cannot see the lake from the road. The rest of the trip was pretty nice. We stop for dinner and overnight at Kokomo, Indiana. The next day we drove to Indianapolis, had lunch in one of the busy food court there before heading back to TN.

To All Teachers in Malaysia - Happy Teacher’s Day.

We are back in town. Actually we got home about 5.00pm on Thursday. We had a good trip even though we drove through the rain on most of our trip. Hmmm…. I am not going to talk about our trip in this post. Perhaps, I would post about it tomorrow.

Oh yeah, today is Teacher's Day in Malaysia. Happy Teacher's Day to all teachers in Malaysia!

To all my friends in Labuan, you guys are a wonderful teacher, keep up the good job!

This is one of my favorite poems.

GURU OH GURU
(Nukilan Sasterawan Negara Dato Usman Awang)

Dialah pemberi paling setia
Tiap akar ilmu miliknya Pelita dan lampu segala
Untuk manusia sebelum manjadi dewasa.

Dialah ibu dialah bapa juga sahabat
Alur kesetiaan mengalirkan nasihat
Pemimpin yang ditauliahkan segala umat
Seribu tahun katanya menjadi hikmat.

Jika hari ini seorang Perdana Menteri berkuasa
Jika hari ini seorang Raja menaiki takhta
Jika hari ini seorang Presiden sebuah negara
Jika hari ini seorang ulama yang mulia
Jika hari ini seorang peguam menang bicara
Jika hari ini seorang penulis terkemuka
Jika hari ini siapa saja menjadi dewasa;
Sejarahnya dimulakan oleh seorang guru biasa
Dengan lembut sabarnya mengajar tulis-baca.

Di mana-mana dia berdiri di muka muridnya
Di sebuah sekolah mewah di Ibu Kota
Di bangunan tua sekolah Hulu Terengganu
Dia adalah guru mewakili seribu buku;

Semakin terpencil duduknya di ceruk desa
Semakin bererti tugasnya kepada negara.
Jadilah apa pun pada akhir kehidupanmu, guruku
Budi yang diapungkan di dulang ilmu
Panggilan keramat "cikgu" kekal terpahat
Menjadi kenangan ke akhir hayat.