Philadelphia: City of Brotherly Love

While I am doing catch up with my updates of Japan, we are kinda making Philly our home. We have been here for 18 days to date and it has been an eye opener. Kids are excited that they have finally arrived in America [the country that they hear so much about] and we are observing and learning as we go along. 

So far, we have explored Philadelphia's Historical Monuments, celebrated my Mommy's birthday at Penn's landing, spent a day at the kids' absolute fave spot - Please Touch Museum, headed to New York City, seen Central Park,visited the World Trade Centre, plucked apples and gobbled up remnant raspberries from bushes from Linvilla Orchards....not to forget, learning to read, write and do their Math and swimming a lot in the hotel's indoor pool:)

I think I will never be able to catch up with my updates....oh well...

Exploring Takashimaya Time Square

Exploring Tokyo is such an easy and safe endeavor. The streets are safe almost anytime of the day and the city lights are bright. With two toddlers in tow, it was still easy. It was one of those mornings out where we spent the entire day playing at Tokyu Hands and reading at Kinokunya [Foreign Book section]. Out of inspiration, I bought two books only to learn that they would have cost me much less through amazon. Oh well - inspiration is priceless:)

A Day at Ueno

Headed to Ueno for a Saturday with Dan's Japanese colleague. 

National Children's Castle at Shibuya

We had no idea that this place existed until we found ourselves there. Our day started when mommy wanted to bring the kids out to play at the 'free' admission Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Hall at Shibuya. As we headed out of the station, we were lost. It was a massive and busy junction - pedestrians and cars zipping right across our faces. My attempt to ask for directions fell flat as my English could not be understood. And a major part of the reason why we couldn't find the place is that the Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Hall has been closed since the March 11 2011 earthquake in Japan.

But of course, we knew nothing of it. So, right in the middle of busy Shibuya, we did a 'Pied Piper of Hamlin'. Since it was Japan's summer holiday, we saw Japanese mothers, with their distinctive hats, umbrellas and sun sleeves and their children all walking towards a particular direction. So, we followed the 'silent music' and found ourselves at National Children's Castle - a 6 storey playarea filled with lots and lots of children. But it was so big that we were comfortable. I think we spent a total of 5 hours there, only scooting to a nearby onigri shop because Sarah and Sammy wanted to eat and pop right back to the play area.

Settling down in Tokyo - Konichiwa!

Here we are - at our hotel apartment which is to be our home for the next month. Things are settled down nicely because everything is very convenient - a 24 hr Tesco Express just beside our lobby, the local Chuo Line station which is 2 minute walk from our lobby and many many restaurants line our street, including the famous Menya Muashi Shinjuku flagship branch which is a 10 minute walk from our apartment.

It's back to our usual routine of studies for the kids, home cooking, heading to the gym - peppered with lots of sightseeing and exploration. 

Three and Half Countries - Transit through Thailand

According to Sarah, Thailand is her fave country ever. Haha... and we only stayed there a night, did not even enter Bangkok city because we were transiting there enroute to Tokyo. What sealed the deal for Sarah was that  there was a pool [albeit small one] which Sarah had a whale of a time jumping in. Armed with 2 ring floats, Sarah would sprint about 1 meter from the edge of the pool before flying right into the pool with a great splash and emerge exhilarted with the experience. I would have stopped everything to snap a shot but I was enjoying the moment too much. I think she did about 30 jumps in total. Sammy had already long retired into his hotel room, complaining of the cold. Haha.

For Dan and us, revisiting Thailand was memorable for us. Squeezing in those short getaways whenever there was a uni break, hopping onto to budget flights and enjoying the yummy, spicy and very affordable Thai food. Those were the days - without kids:)

Thailand was fun while it lasted. 

Our Next Adventure across Three Countries

Daddy's off for his work attachment again and this time we are off to Japan [again woo hoot!], USA and Canada for 3.5 months.  We were full with 100 kg of luggage carrying kids and food supplies. 

Our seasoned travelers:)

A New Year Ahead and Much to be Thankful

C.A 125 - 6.4 and a good mammogram

I have much to be thankful for. 

Sometimes when I put my kids to bed, the occasional thought of 'not being around for them' crosses my mind. And it makes me very grateful - to be around for the kids in all their growing, learning and mischief. I am grateful and so thankful for my family. 

Had a really enjoyable 36th birthday celebration in a quiet part of Singapore.

4 Years and Counting

Today is July 12 - 3 days short of July 15. Always an emotional time. Always a reflective time. Always a time of praise and thanksgiving. 

In a year fraught with many life threatening decisions to make, I was yet faced with another difficult situation in July 2008 [i think this is something that I have never blogged about]. I was about done with my fifth cycle of chemotherapy. My sixth and final cycle was another dilemma. There were two options. The first option: Should I go ahead with my sixth cycle of treatment? Doing so would mean that my body and bloods would have lesser time to recover before my scheduled caesarean and hysterectomy. That might bring about a host of complications during operation. The second option: Should I wait till Samuel is delivered before I resume my final cycle. A break in the cycle might render the previous cycles less effective and there may be a chance of recurrence. These options were really not the easiest to make and each option paved roads unknown. [Side note: It's stuff like these that reset my perspective and made me realize what are the essentials and non-essentials in life. Enables me to shrug my shoulders easily over trivial things]

Well..we eventually opted for the former - to go ahead with my final cycle. That was after deliberation and prayer and understanding why we did our chemotherapy in the first place. As we entered the month of July, my bloods fell dangerously low at one point of time. The implications could mean an inability for my blood to clot during the operation and it could mean serious blood loss. There were quick decisions for blood transfusion to be done. So, when I though my hospital days were over till July 15, it wasn't. I headed to the hospital for another two times to do my blood infusions. 

After close to 6 months of treatment, my body has taken a toil. Nurses were finding it hard to locate my veins. We could only pray that my body could withstand the long operation that was to happen on July 15.  Miraculously it did. And I know that it was the Lord who who carried me through this journey, and perhaps my family too. 

So, on July 15 2008, by the grace and to the glory of God, our dear Sammy was born [like a little lizard] - with legs and limbs as fragile as toothpicks. But he was a precious precious gift from God. In And so here we are now, 4 years and counting. 

Blessed birthday precious Sammy Boy - our emblem of God's grace, hope, faithfulness and power! To God be the glory. 

Samuel Tan Hsien Ern [Xian En] - The Lord has Heard

A Scrap Page by Auntie Chiao Chi

A special birthday drum cake from Godpa, Godma and Elliot:)

Hakone

Our stay at Hakone was lovely. We engaged a tour guide from www.toursbylocal.com again and we had an elderly man Hide-San bring us around Hakone. Hide-san is a learned and well travelled man who was a business man in his earlier days. His work brought him to many places [including Dubai, Singapore]. After he retired, he decided to put his multi cultural experience into good use as well as meet people and signed up as a tour guide. He was a joy to talk to and like Auntie Kaoru, it was kinda like having a Japanese friend bring you around. 

We spent a day travelling in his car and heading to beautiful spots, had lunch at a soba and ramen joint famous with locals, Hakone Gateway, a wood mosaic workshop and he was so accommodating to bring me to search for the famous chimoto at Hakone even though we have exceeded our allocated time with him.