Thursday 22 December 2005

City of Blinding Lights

The kids are both so into U2's "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" album, they can practically sing along and know all their favourite song titles.

Yesterday, Matthew was talking about the sun and saying that it was the brightest thing, and I casually mentioned that God is even brighter than the sun. He immediately extrapolated that to saying something about heaven being like the "City of Blinding Lights" (one of the songs in that U2 album), that it'll be so bright we'll become blind there.

I clarified that heaven isn't likely to be blindingly bright just because God is there, because our bodies will be special by then and we can see Him. This must not have gelled with his current concept of heaven, which is that it's a place one gets to after death, because he came back with, "But when we get to heaven, we'll just be all bones right?"

Took me a bit of further explaining to get across the concept of the resurrected body...

Friday 9 December 2005

Daddy! Must kiss Mommy!

That's what Sarah insisted when I was about to leave them for something, after kissing both kids goodbye.

Of course, we gladly complied while she kept a careful watch to make sure everything was done properly.

Really. The kids help us keep the sparks flying whether we want to or not!

Thursday 1 December 2005

2005 Nuclear Wrap

The year’s almost over.

Major milestones: Matt started preschool in February. My father got baptised in May (okay this bit's not nuclear but it's too big not to mention). Third child came to be in August.

Pluses: S got a substantial raise. I got the grad cert in IP law and passed one of the papers to qualify as a patent agent. Lots of other positive things happened but they're too many to detail.

Minuses: The kids had asthma episodes now and then, with Sarah needing to go to hospital a couple of times. Luckily not warded.

Interestings: S and I went for a short beach holiday with my parents. S was closely involved in Matt’s school’s dinner and dance, being an mc as well as singing in a fathers’ band! I must say they were pretty darn good. I’m doing an attachment at a local firm, apprenticing under a registered patent agent. Matt is getting to be really keen on electronic games and a fun opponent in Snakes & Ladders. Sarah is getting fluent in speech, as well as really good with her jigsaw puzzles. Baby is under the care of a different OBGyn, who suggested I try yoga now and water labour when it's time.

Next year Sarah starts Nursery 1 in March, just after she turns three. Happily, Matt’s school is going to run her N1 classes in the same time as his K1 classes, so we don’t have a problem sorting out her transport anymore. S’ll have a few in-camp trainings, and I’m not looking forward to the sleepless nights and expressing after baby arrives in May (God willing), but I think it promises to be quite exciting and positive overall. We may even buy a second car, a little weekend thing, but we’ll see how things work out first.

To finish up 2005, we're going to spend the last month together as a little family on our own, with our trusty helper gone home to the Philippines. We’ve already got plans lined up, like a stay on Sentosa, a trip to the zoo, a Christmas party, and other mini outings when S and I take turns to be on leave with the children. We'll also be going to see the baby in a detailed scan (all 5 of us squeezed in the little ultrasounding room) - hope to find out if it's a boy or girl!