What Happened ? This Happened.

Dreaming of Milk...



Sayang (love)

One of his fav toys from Aunty Mae
Another of his joy, his fingers, thumb, fist ;)

A Prelude to Valentine@s day our 4 years together




Chinese New year 2009

Gabe and Noah ;)

Its been wonderful taking care of Noah. He is almost 5 months now and 8.7kg . During these last few days it has been really tiring as David was away in Thailand and i had a bout of gastric flu and yet another stye under my right eye lid.

Yet despite the tiredness and sickness it is wonderful to wake up each morining , breathing in his sweet baby smell and thanking God for this miracle of life that is part of me.

It`s a new year and almost 3 months into it. I feel like i have almost awoken a new chapter in my life. Some days are mundane others filled with wonder and joy. Joy. I need more of that. I pray for a direction that God will give me and for the Joy in living and loving.


I am still reading " Passion and Purity " by Elisabeth Elliot in it she reminds me:


" What to do with Loneliness-

Be still and know that He is God. When you are lonely, too much stillness is exactly the thing that seems to be laying waste your soul. Use that stillness to quiet your heart before God. Get to know Him. If He is God, He is still in charge. Remember that you are not alone. `The Lord, he it is that doth go with thee. He will not fail thee neither forsake thee. Be strong and of good courage.`( Deut. 31:8. ) Jesus promised His disciples, `Lo, I am with your always` (Matt 28:20) Never mind if you cannot feel His presence. he is there, never for one moment forgetting you. "


Seems like God is telling me something. Sometimes when you look back at what you have read it suddenly dawns upon you ;)

Have a blessed week my dear friends.

Babe in the Woods

I attempted to write a while back, one night. However my mind drew a blank at the @_____.com . No matter how hard i tried i could not remember the _______?!? I tried blogger, hotmail, yahoo. Every thing but gmail. Haha i felt so defeated as i was at it for over half an hour. I decided to sleep on it and finally remember the next day.

Why the babe ?

I remembered going to the Chinese Physician (sinseh) and wondering rather naively that they would be giving me some herbs and send me a packing home ;) The 1st time they told me to cover my hands in wax (repeatedly for 5mins) after that Doc J snapped my wrists back to positions and did some rather painless but frightening acupuncture. They did this for about 3 to 4 sessions and finally it my wrists got better. However my stiff neck was another problem.

This was scary. Doc D asked me to relax as she stood behind me with my hands behind my back. She stretched me out like a pretzel and snapped my neck too.....oohhh Felt kinda strange actually but good ;) I tried to remind myself they have degrees from Nanjing University and one of them is a professor. Images of vampires came to mind as they sunk yet another needle into my neck.

Next they told me to lie down and my head was wrapped round a rather strange device. Every so often it would click and pull ( and i mean Pull) my head back a little. Needless to say i felt rather "light -headed" after it all.

For my last trip they told me i will be going for "tui na" sounds good. I wondered if it was the lack of sleep or lack of chinese knowledge i actually thought it would be some sort of a nice massage. Boy was i wrong.

This rather cute boy used his fingers to pull and press on every single painful spot on my neck for about 20mins. He asked if it was painful at some points. ( It was!) I managed to hold it together praying that this will all work out good. After he was done i thought i was finally over but our Professor came and she told me she will be doing "ba qua" . Didnt know what it was but if it was good for me what the heck;) It turned out to be the little glass bulbs that they burnt and placed on your back. Haha it felt like i had big, gigantic lechers sucking on my back at one point she asked if it was painful as she rubbed with the lech across my shoulder.

Having said all of that , the fact that i can type this blog proofs that it did work after all ;)

So I`m glad and Praise to God for bringing me thru it all. After all what Can be worse that The Labor Pain .

After 30 days

Our photos of the last month ;)
dun bother me please...


i love the feel of a soft bib...zzzzz
Me in my stroller




My 1st haircut by paternal grandma ;)



Red eggs for the celebration of Noah`s 1st month. To celebration a good 1st month of Noah`s life according to chinese belief.




Isn`t my Grandma and Nai Nai pretty?


Hmmm do i like my bounce???
Maybe...



Bath time again.


nap time.

It`s been a wonderful month of napping, changing diapers and early morinings. Noah is a wonderful baby except when he is hungry or hot then he gets really impatient.

I spoke to David yesterday and we both agreed that being a parent takes up lots of time from each other. When D goes to work i am usually asleep and when i am feeding Noah at night D has to sleep earlier. But God is good and reassuring - just as he had given Abraham a sacrifice in place of Isaac so has HE reminded us that we do our best as parents and as a couple and have faith in God that HE can guide us through. HE can heal all hurts and tiredness. HE is our ultimate teacher and provider.

We told ourselves that we have to remember to cling on to God 1st and maintain a good, loving relationship with one another.

Noah is growing each day. Learning to smile, stretching his head to look at the world. Devouring milk with all his might one minute and falling into deep slumber the next. A part of me wishes he stays this way forever another can`t wait for him to take his 1st steps and grow. I never knew one could learn so much from such a tiny person. Just like God our father loves and molds us.

I am looking forward to learning and being teaching Noah each day.

"Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?". Abraham answered, " God himself will provide the lamb for th burnt offering , my son"- Genesis 22:7b-8

Our boy ~ Noah Chong

Just born 8th Oct 2008

About 1 week old
19th oct

We welcome our dear little angel , Chong Wee En, Noah ( Great Grace i chinese). Born on the 8th Oct 2008, 7:35pm weighing 3.6kg. We Thank the Lord for a safe natural birth after 7hours labor. All of us are doing fine and he is fully on breast milk now and growing stronger each day!

Thanks for all the well wishes and gifts!!

~May the Lord continue to guide us and mould us as parents. ;)
love,

proud mummy and daddy
Phoebe and David

"By faith Noah, being warned by God abt things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. " Hebrews 11:7

Cure for the Soul

Present from my GF



Psalm 103:15 "As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts."

My Husband knows actually what i need to cure my cold. Nope not his hugs and kisses, though it`s great to get that. And not bouts of medicine. But the "Cure for my Soul".

He has been trying to get me to listen to our Japan Church MCC, message from Pastor Roger Horwood ( a guest pastor from South Africa) and i had been thinking, " Well i had been attending church here, was it necessary ?"

http://www.englishchurchtokyo.org/message.htm

It was! I listened to the massage on " I love you", his last one before leaving japan and heading home to South Africa and realize indeed. God wants us to have a full life, full of Joy, Excitement and Love abundance. He gave love so we can love others!

Why have i been so downcast and sad?

I should look forward to the future with great Joy an remember the promises that God has given. Like the ones below that Pastor Roger had mentioned.

"Sometimes we wonder if God has forgotten us . . .
- or has ‘missed’ something
Isaiah 54:10 “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
But does that mean we won’t have any problems?

Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

I think back on the 30 years that God has given to me. The past trials, the joy of redemption and and love, friendships that withstood time and distances. Bonds of family, marriage, peace, hope and a future as a mother. What more can i ask , but to sing Him praises and thanksgiving.

I hope to be a true believer, i want to have the joy and be a women that can give more, a wife and mother that God can be proud of!

May the Lord grow and mold me each day!!!!



Ps* We have about 4 more weeks till Noah is born! Pray for us! Heal me Lord of my Cold and my Soul!

Little Rain

For Noah

Little Rain

Pitter-Patter,
it descends from the window panel
to the land of my home,
like the music in my heart,
I count each beat ,
till the time we meet,
the pitter-patter of your tiny feet.

Like a melody of sorts
I am so intrigued
by the beauty that God has created
this body growing inside of me.

Mesmerized & in awe
i cannot wait to received this
rainfall of sunshine given
to us,
how blessed are we.

A Simpler Me

It`s been almost 5 Weeks since i came back to this sunny island.

I`ve been taking in the heat and trying to get get used to the reversed culture shock.

Honestly i thought it would be easier coming home than it was leaving for japan. Perhaps its the hormones or the lack of independence (being a homemaker for this long) I found Singapore faster than i remembered, less familiar and in general changed. It is nice to catch up with old friends and to go to rekindle my love for Singaporean food :p

I enjoy staying with my mum, having her around during this time is such a blessing. Still it takes getting used to staying with someone even if you love her so. I find her lifestyle sometimes too taxing and wonder if it has something to do with her frequent headaches and pain.

My sister has been working for about 6mths now. Her working hours are long and yet i can tell she truly enjoys her job. It so meaningful to her helping these students. I teared listening to her sharing. She is going to be a married woman and me a mum. How we have all grown. ;)

D and i skype and talk almost each night and his sweetness and patience is so reassuring. Sometimes i get impatient and moody but he always reminds me that God is foremost the most important in our life. When we place our faith in Him he can work wonders and give strength.

Happy Belated Birthday Honey!

Baby is doing very well in my tummy, he seems to be moving more these few days and even kicks back when i poke my tummy sometimes. I think Noah has to be 2.2 kg by now ;) I shall be seeing the doctor on monday and look forward to it. The Doctor is very nice but i wished she is less introvert. Well the important thing is that she is experienced and that everything will go well.

I am still kind of looking for a prayer group and i believe that God will provide during the right time. Pray for me that i can strive in doing my quiet time daily and that i can trust in God to provide for all in the future.

Sorry but i feel so uninspired to write the important thing i guess is i be patient and that i continue to have faith in all senses.

" I live my eyes up to the heavens , where does my help come from, My help comes from you creator of heavens..."

" On my bed I remember you, I think of you through the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings, My soul clings to you, your right hand upholds me. "Psalm 63: 6-8

I have kind of recovered from a cold and i finally when to see an eye doctor, she did an cut on my eyelid to remove the little bit of the stye. May the Lord heal my eye and body ;)