The Day After the Carnival

What a day we had yesterday! The St David High School Carnival was so well received by everyone! I couldn't believe the crowd that came. We expected about 2,000 people but there must have been more than 5,000 people at the carnival yesterday! Thanks everyone for joining in the fun while helping us build our new school block!

All the hard work put in by the committee members truly paid off & the stress & pain just disappeared when the school principal said: "This carnival is a roaring success!" The Chief Minister came & spent about 45 minutes going around the jumble sale, food & games stalls, checking out the ponies & flying fox, & he even went into the Haunted House put up by the students! What a good sport! Our initial target was to raise RM20,000, but from yesterday's estimation, we may have collected more than 3 times our target! YAY :D 

Thank you so much especially to my wonderful team of strong-willed mothers who were the backbone of this event: Josephine, Natty, Puteh, Wan & Fazy - your commitment & strength has inspired me to work even harder. It is not easy to find a good team of volunteers who are so committed & pleasant to work with, in spite of all the challenges & hurdles. I am so proud of our team & leading all of them have been a real privilege. Thanks also to some of the teachers who embraced our vision, Puan Tan, Shikin, Noraini, Azimah, Mr Tay, Mr Lai & most of all the supportive school principal, Mr Chay - who must have been initially shocked by the new PIBG committee members who are so persistent & wouldn't take no for an answer :) We really hope to raise enough fund for the new school block within these 2 years.

Today, the day after the carnival, my whole body is aching, my hands are so sore, I cannot feel my legs & my back is totally numb. Worst of all: the piles of sunscreen SPF50/PA+++ totally melted away in the hot sun yesterday & I am left with a glowing RED face with brand new freckles popping merrily on my cheeks & nose! YIKES!! 

But, I am so happy & proud beyond words! Feeling very warm & fuzzy inside. I really hope everyone had great fun at the carnival yesterday! Thanks for all your support, especially my sistas Buttercup & Bubbles (who brought along their whole troupe!) & Linda, Raha & Ijan - thanks for making the time to share the day with us. It really means a lot to me.. (^_^)

PS: Adlan's burger stall was a sell-out. I didn't even get the chance to buy a burger!  

PPS: Adlina wrote about her experience at the carnival here.

St David High School Carnival

SATURDAY 27/6/09 from 10.00am

Adlan's school, St David High School is having a Food & Fun Carnival on Saturday 27th June 2009 to raise fund for a new School Block. The PIBG committee members of SDHS have been busy organizing so many things to make the Carnival as fun as possible & here are some of the highlights of the events you can look forward to:-

Jumble Sale, Pony/Horse Rides, Abseiling, Archery, Wall Climb, Free Health Screening, RM5 haircuts, Nail Art, Face Painting, Book Sale, Fashions & Accessories, Food, Food Food :0 And loads of FUN :D

If you are in Melaka: Please come & join us at the Carnival!! We welcome you to St David High School with open arms & lots of fun + laughter (^_^)

Khatam Al-Quran

It was a very proud moment for AZ and me yesterday when we celebrated the special occasion of Adlan, Hakim & Adlina having finished reading the Al-Quran for the first time. Thank you everyone who came to share the event with us late Friday afternoon; Thank you so much to Linda, Radhuana, Tati, Kak Midah, Eyta, Faizah, Asalina, Cherryl, Noridah, Kak Tini, Kak Wan & Jerd for the kueh-mueh, cakes, chocolates, fruits, gifts and angpows; Thank you Mak for coming all the way from Raub to be with us; Thank you Mak for the pulut kuning; Thank you Kak Sapura for making the curtains in 2 days :) (I hope I haven't forgotten anyone!). We are truly blessed to have so many wonderful and supportive friends and family around us. 

Finally, Special thanks to Ustaz Norzaki for teaching our kids for the past 2 years. We really appreciate your commitment and patience.

This is such an important milestone for Adlan, Hakim & Adlina. To my darlings, Mama is so proud of you. Love you all so, so much.

Syukur Alhamdulillah (^_^)

* Pictures of the event will come soon.

In Sickness

It's been a little quiet the past one week, mainly because I had the flu. Adlina got the flu bug about 10 days ago, passed it on to papa last week & then mama. Adlan & Hakim caught it 2 days ago & finally Anas this morning.. Of all the residents of Danau Kaseh, Mama got the worst of the flu - the whole works - fever, completely blocked nose, extremely sore throat & excruciating coughs! Finally feeling a bit better today after 2 days of antibiotics. 

Having said all that, I know I have a lot to thank for. This is nothing compared to the news that I just received about the passing of a senior in school who was just 2 years older than me. Kak Angah passed away yesterday after suffering from breast cancer for just 4 months. I just cannot imagine how her children would cope without their beloved mother.. It's so painful. I don't really remember Kak Angah who was our Blue House captain in 1984, and I feel so terrible that I can't really have a clear image of how she looked like. It has been more than 25 years after all.. Semoga rohnya ditempatkan dengan orang-orang yang beriman & I pray that Allah will protect her children and give them the strength to move on in life. Al-Fatihah.

In Malaysia, for every 5 women, 1 will suffer from cancer - breast & cervical cancer top the list. This means that I could be one of the 5 - the statistics is so staggering. Why is it so prevalent? Is it the food we are taking? Is it the stress? Is it the environment? Could it be our lifestyle? Takut rasanya nak fikirkan.. Doa Allah jauhkan penyakit ini dari kesemua ahli keluargaku dan kawan-kawanku. Amin.

Of Love and Betrayal

A close friend just discovered that her husband has a second wife, who is now pregnant with their 3rd child. Needless to say, she is extremely devastated. There are no words to say to make her feel any better. I cannot think of anything to say. So, we just both cried while i held her hand when she poured out her story. About love and hope. About trust and betrayal. About what life has been for her and her 4 children. Her husband must have been married for at least 5 years: All 5 years of lies, deceit and betrayal. It's terrible.

I cannot imagine how some men could live a double life. I've been informed by a man who is living a similar situation that he didn't want to hurt his first wife, whom he loves, by telling her about his second family. How can you love someone and lie to them on a daily basis? How can you say you love someone and betray her trust in you? A Husband is the closest person to a Wife, the person she trusts most with her life. He is her protector, her ardent supporter, her lover and her best friend. Well, that is what I feel a husband should be to a wife. And vice versa.

So, what do you say to a person who discovers that her best friend, her protector, the person closest to her heart & soul, has betrayed her for the past 5 years? There are no words. It goes far beyond pain and hurt; it is affecting her self esteem and self worth. She feels she is a failure. That she has lost everything that she had carefully built all these years. She has lost her best friend and soulmate to someone else. It's just too painful to bear. 

I just wish all men would realize how deeply they affect the women in their relationships. A husband is almost everything to a woman. He is her strength and her weakness. He is her source of joy and happiness. His being with her boosts her confidence and self esteem. He is a part of her. She needs him to be with her and to reassure her that he will always be there for her when she needs him. To love and trust. This is the whole basis of a marriage, to a woman. When this trust is crushed, what is left is an empty shell. 

To my dear friend, may Allah give you the strength during this difficult time. I pray that Allah will guide you to the correct path as you make this very important decision in your life. Take care, and hang in there.