Skip And Have Fun!

It was just another Thursday at The Ica Lawendatus' home. When the parents "advised" their kid to skip school to have fun and off to... LEMBANG! 😆 Why? 1. Because it was a weekday. 2. We assumed that the traffic wouldn't be crazy. 3. There wouldn't be any crowds in recreation sites or basically anywhere. 4. ... That's just how the Mister is, telling our daughter that school is not important 😅 I'm against skipping school btw. I think never in my life have I ever skipped school. Not even when I was in Hauptschule In der Krim, Vienna. I started to skip classes when I was already in Uni 😆 

So as I've mentioned before, obviously it was SiBapa's idea. Usually I said no right away whenever he encourages our daughter to skip school. But when the school announced that sadly this week is School From Home again, I thought "Oh what the hell! Okay why not!" Since the chance of our girl paying attention during online classes is less than 80% anyways... Skipping school is better than having her constantly checking on instagram and twitter behind my back. So... Let's go! 

My first choice was actually Bandung but SiBapa said there's nothing interesting (anymore). Not like in Lembang. There are so many places to visit, things to do like adventurous stuff. SiBapa told me to google it and to ask whether the maids wanted to come along or not. So I spent Wednesday afternoon googling about Lembang. SiBapa was right. There are lots of nice places! First thing first, I told kiddo about the plan. She was thrilled. Mostly about the no school idea 😝 But yeah... She was excited. Just like Dewi. It took less than a minute for her to reply my message with "Dewi mau Bu ikut" And many thanks in advance for Bapak, Ibu and Kukka 😆 Sadly though, as I've predicted, Yuli couldn't come. Not only because of her daughter but also because her mother in-law is currently spending the night at her house 😅 Yuli was very sad about it... But yeah... Even my Precious Godsend said that it was too bad Mba Yuli couldn't come along and that we shouldn't forget to bring her "Olé-olé" 🥰 That's how Kukka pronounce "oleh-oleh" btw 😊 

The trip to Lembang took about almost 5 hours. We left home around 8am. The traffic was okay. SiBapa's choice of road trip songs was nice. I had on-off naps mostly because I prefer to look out the car window. Lots of interesting stuff to see out there... Inevitable drama between SiBapa and our driver was probably the worse part of the trip 😂 But that was totally predictable. The situation went calm(er) when we arrived in Bandung. SiBapa told stories about his life in Bandung to Dewi. We all laughed about the fact that Dewi wasn't even born yet when SiBapa and I were already in highschool 😂 I think things got a bit emotional for SiBapa when he saw how Bandung now looks like... Anyways... The first thing we wanted to do in Bandung was EAT!!! 😂 Thankfully I wasn't the only one who was hungry. I was starving! SiBapa took us to Ampera, his favorite restaurant. He told Dewi to try the spicy sambel which made Dewi became all sweaty 🤪 Meanwhile I ate like a pig and could hardly breath afterwards 😂 After lunch we continued to Lembang and finally arrived in... De' Ranch

I remember I was very excited about the horses 🤩 At first SiBapa said that I shouldn't ride on a horse. Can't really remember why... Maybe he was worried I would fall down or... Oh I don't know 😆 Have a seizure while riding on one? But thankfully he said ok. Dewi didn't want to ride a horse because she was afraid. I can't remember why though... She usually says yes to almost everything. So when she politely declined and would rather take pictures of us I was a bit surprised. I enjoyed the horse ride very much. The last time I was on horse was probably in Puncak when I was still...a kid!?! 😄 

Anyways my horse was big and tall. His name is Al Cantera 😎 During the horse ride the mamang and I had a nice conversation about the horses, De Ranch and the visitors. I almost cried as I listened to the mamang's story. He told me that since the pandemic his income becomes very low. The mamang mentioned a specific number of how much money he brings home on weekdays and weekends, before and after the pandemic. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say... In my mind I was like "What??? We have more than that in our coin jug!" Maybe if the mamang didn't tell the story the way he did, I would burst in tears on the spot. On a horse. On Al Cantera's back! "Yaah sekarang mah pulang bawa segini aja udah alhamdulillah neng heheh..." Yes... He chuckled while I tried very hard not to cry 😢 All I could say to him was "Oh... Gitu ya mang..." again and again. After the ride I thanked the mamang and wished him well. With all my heart... 

The next cute thing in De' Ranch were the bunnies in Taman Kelinci. They are surrounded by wired fence and we can play with them. The bunnies were "SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!"!! And big too! They practically followed us everywhere! Some even stood up on 2 legs 😄 At first My Precious Godsend hesitated. "There's so many poop!" she said with an icky expression 😑 I think I said something like "Sepatunya nanti bisa dicuci! And the poop is not smelly! Come here!" She did. And I think she had fun playing with the bunnies 😊 While I was playing with the bunnies I thought of our furry boy at home 😺 I wondered what if Moochi was here. Would he be like...intimidated by the rabbits? Since they are as big as him 🤭 

After De' Ranch we visited the Floating Market Lembang. I don't know why but I felt like I've been there before... But it was pretty much unlikely. So I thought it was just another annoying déjàvu which I should ignore. My Precious Godsend and Dewi enjoyed the Rainbow Slide very much. You can totally see it on their faces 😄 

Next stop was Taman Rekreasi Air Panas Alam Sari Ater. Lots of people were enjoying the hot water. Some I assumed they were there to have fun while some... I don't know how to say this 😄 But I saw men who were standing and/or sitting topless right under the hot waterfall with... Serious expressions? At the end I assumed they were there to meditate or perhaps for medical reasons. Or maybe they were seriously having fun 🤪 Anyways... While in Sari Ater I was actually already very tired. I mean why wouldn't I be? I woke up at 4:30am, didn't sleep in the car, horseback riding, played with rabbits, bloated stomach, ate like a pig... this and that. So when I had my pictures taken in Sari Ater my expression already looked...weird 😅 Had a couple of minor ones in the car like cold tingling all over my body and a bit of teeth clattering. 

But the trip was worth every drop of sweat in the midst of cool fresh air. Alhamdulillah the 3 of us had another chance to spend time together. Plus Dewi. My Precious Godsend had new experiences. We brought Yuli olé-olé and a pinecone for Moochi to play with 😸 So yeah... It was another fun and blissful day for The Ica Lawendatus.

 Alhamdulillah 🥰 

46th Birthday Getaway

It was super short but it was very nice 🥰 I'm talking about our... Well... Family tradition if you will ☺️ The 3 of us like to celebrate things by spending time away from home. Even if it's just for 1 night and a couple of kilometers away. After a lot of browsing on my part we decided to celebrate my 46th by spending 1 night in Hotel Kempinski 

But let's start from the beginning. And by the beginning I mean June 22nd midnight 😊 Starting from 00:00 am my phone kept getting messages from friends and families. Beautiful prayers, very loving and thoughtful wishes, funny "Happy Birthday" gif, and everything else. Some I replied immediately but mostly I did it in the morning since I really had to go to sleep 😄 But not before I whispered "Alhamdulillah. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You Allah. For everything." Then I finally went to sleep with a smile on my face.

The next morning I woke up late. Mostly because I was still too sleepy from replying all those lovely messages. I was even too sleepy to give Moochi his breakfast! Poor boy 😄 Eventually I did wake up and went out of the bedroom to turn on my Mac. Suddenly Dewi and Yuli, our faithful assistants, came in and sang Happy Birthday 🥳 Dewi had this big bouquet of Indocafe Coffeemix and Yuli carried a plate of donuts with burning candles stuck in them. I was stunned. I cried.

I cried even more thanks to Dewi and Yuli's thoughtful wishes for me. It was genuine and very personal 🥲 While blowing the candles in tears I couldn't stop thinking what a sweet gesture it was. It must have cost them quite a lot of money. But from our assistants' expressions I could see that they were happy because I was very surprised. So I guess The Dynamic Duo knew for sure that it was worth every penny 😊 After lunch and a long goodbye to Moochi it was time for SiBapa, Kukka and me to go to the hotel. 

Our room number was 515. When we opened the door I was immediately surprised by the colorful balloons on the bed. There was also a big Happy Birthday writing on the window and a plate of yummy cake on the table. It was great 😊 And the surprises kept on coming! Like a long plate of delicious sweet treats and a monopoly board! The day went on with daddy - daughter swimming time and me ordering room service #BURP Later that evening my loved ones went out while I was enjoying me-time in the tub. When they came back... 

IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE!!!!! 😆🥰

I was totally surprised by the giant burger they gave me 😆 I spent the rest of the night hugging it. I think Kukka didn't expect me to like their birthday present that much. Because she said "You really do like the burger huh?!" YES! 😆 The next morning after having a big breakfast it was time for us to go home. Too bad that we could only spent 1 night because Hubs has lot of work to do. But better than not at all, right? 😉 I might have skipped lots of things here but one thing is for sure. 

I am very grateful for everything. I'm 46 and I decided to count my blessings rather than some ugly troubles that are not worth my time, my health, and my happiness. Last but not least, I would like to thank you again, my friends and families, for the love and neverending support, and also to Hotel Kempinski for the lovely birthday treats. May God bless you all. Amen 🥰 

46

 Today I open my eyes and see things with my heart.

I grasp the chaotic debris of my shattered self 

and catch a glimpse of the shining lights, 

which fill up the unharmed parts of my soul.

I'm crushed, I'm broken.

I'm blessed and I'm stronger.

Today I'm 46 and I accept the good and the best,

the worst and the unforgiven.

With serenity and for the sake of my sanity,

I'm welcoming the next chapter of my life

with lots of love, gratitude and new hope.

Amen.

45

Well hello there FORTY-FIVE!

To tell you the truth I had some doubts that I would make it this far. 45 years old. Despite of all the unfortunate events I've been through, I actually feel pretty good about myself. Maybe even better. Why? Well where should I start?

June 22nd, 00:00 o'clock I was at home with my loved ones, covered with a big warm blanket on a comfy bed. I'm healthy, considering. No seizures, no headaches. Then my phone kept on beeping because families and friends started to shower me with heartful birthday wishes. From distant family members to ex boyfriends, from loving friends to acquaintances. Some sent me long and meaningful messages. Some sent me cute emojis and colorful GIFs. One friend I know, a director I used to work with, even sent one a day early 😆 I was especially psyched when I received a message from dr. Rocksy, my neurologist. The first thing that popped in my mind was "Well I made it this far is because of you too. So thank YOU!" 😄 From midnight to midnight again I still received birthday wishes in every apps I have on my phone! I tried to reply every single one of them but please forgive me if I did miss yours 😅

Anyways on my birthday morning I went out to the patio, enjoyed the fresh breeze and the beautiful colors in front of my eyes. The first thing I felt was feeling grateful. I remember once I've stumbled upon this quote "If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we'd be happy with more?" 

This year there was no spending nights in our favorite hotel, no birthday cake and candles or birthday dinner or lunch. We did went out to get my birthday present though. That was the only reason we left the house 😆 Before bed we snuggled together and watched Luca, which btw is a very nice movie. And that my friend, is more than enough for me 🥰

As for my so-called plan for the year ahead, first thing first: accepting reality, not questioning too much, happy thoughts and taking things easy. I also want to be more around people who make me less worried. This is particularly important to me! Less "What ifs" and more "Let's!" All my life I feel like I'm always worried... "Takut ini." - "Nanti itu." - "Gimana kalo nanti gini." - "Awas nanti gitu." It's tiring and evidently it's eating my brain alive bit by bit. The second I'm worried or anxious about something, certain parts of my brain hurts. Like for real! My frontal and temporal lobe hurt. It doesn't feel like a normal headache. It feels more like something sharp is poking the brain, again and again and again. AND THEN a giant rock falls on the top of it and stays there until... Well... In my case until I take my pills. So you see? I don't want to add more pain and huge burden to my injured brain. Most importantly I don't want to pass on this particular bad habit of mine to my cheerful daughter. And hopefully by having a positive mind despite of all the bad things in life that is happening right now, let's just see if it does any good to me. And to you too. Fingers crossed.

Bonus: I've stumbled upon this article about How To Stop Worrying. Worth to read.

Dear Kukka: Congratulations!

YOU ARE NOW OFFICIALLY AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADUATE!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!

After all those ups and downs, dramas, tears, laughters, frustrations, celebrations, tensions, surprises, adventures and everything in between in Sekolah Cikal Cilandak and Sekolah Alam Tangerang, you, my forever-baby-girl, are now off to the next level of your life: JUNIOR HIGH. 

Good God!!! 😅 I'm still having a tough time to believe it. No. To PRONOUNCE it even!!! To say it outloud whenever later on people ask me what grade you are in now. And I would answer "Oh my daughter in first grade...junior high!" 

Don't get me wrong. I'm obviously very happy and excited about it. But to tell you the truth, I'm also kinda nervous. I mean... Come on... You? In junior high? Considering what an adventurous and headstrong girl you are, I bet junior high will be...a blast? 😬 And as I wrote before on the previous post, your teacher, Bunda Rurie said: "Kukka memiliki keyakinan diri yang kuat dan tidak mudah diatur." 😂 Okay, okay, I'm such a drama queen but so what?!?!?! I AM YOUR MOTHER! It's God-given nature to feel and act this way toward your child. And it's totally normal for you to be annoyed and think "Argh! Okay! So what?!?" 😆 BUT!!! Like I've always said to you... 

One day, when you do have a child on your own, you will finally understand why I can't stop hugging and kissing you, why I get angry whenever you do things just for the sake of doing it when I know that you actually can do so much more, why I can't stop biting those smooth, beautiful yet thankfully still chunky long legs, and most of all why I'm having these mixed feelings about you going to the next level of your life. But for sure, babycakes, wherever you are, I'm very proud of and I'm with you all the way.

Ich liebe dich, Mein Ein und Alles. 😘

Kukka Merantau II: To Desa Hanjeli

December 9 - 13th was quite an adventure for my beloved Godsend. And for me actually! It was Kukka's second outing and it was my first time ever being without her and not having any communication whatsoever for so long. This time the outing was called "Merantau II: The Harmonizer - Menjadi Generasi Yang Berani, Peduli dan Bermanfaat" The destination was to Desa Wisata Hanjeli 

Kukka's adventure started right after I dropped her off at school. As you may know by now, things in Sekolah Alam Tangerang is not easy. Travelling included. There was no fancy Full-AC busses or such. The kids and their mentors had to take trains, walked on their own carrying big and heavy backpacks, on-off angkots etc. It really was a tiring adventure. The actvities started very early in the mornings, doing fajr prayers and dzikir in the mosque. They even spent the first night in the mosque if I'm not mistaken. In Desa Hanjeli the kids did lots of activities which they couldn't do in the city. It was quite impressing and I was actually happy when I saw the pictures. I mean... In this adventure Kukka did things that she probably could never do if she's travelling with her parents. She actually stayed in the local villager's house. She learned how to play wayang golek. She went to turtles conservation. She had to use squating toilettes which she doesn't like :)) She planted Job's Tears or Biji Hanjeli. She made this snack which she called "rice crispies" but I think what she meant is rengginang :p Kukka also mentioned that in the village there were lots of chickens and dogs and that the dogs like to eat tempe :)) The most memorable moment for Kukka was when she visited the waterfall in Curug Sodong. She said it was very beautiful. Oh! And Kukka also made this beautiful necklace for me from scratch!

 

There are also lots of stories, funny ones, that are too secretive to share. It involved embarrassing moments that happened to some of her friends hence the secretive. "Don't write the name on your blog!" she said. :)) I asked Kukka how much she missed me. Very much and I cried, she said. Oh baby... I did too... I cried because I missed you so much and I didn't know for sure how you were. And I didn't hear your voice for THAT long!!! It was almost impossible. The maids, Dewi and Yuli always checked up on me. Especially in the evenings. They were really worried I would get seizures and such and because it did happened once or twice. I'm very thankful for having them around :) I did use the time when Kukka was away for my regular check up with dr. Rocksy, having lunch with friends and spent some me-times.

On the day the kids were coming, the moms were very busy preparing surprises. When we picked up the kids from school we made sure that there were no cars on the school parking lots. So the kids wouldn't know that their parents were actually there. Waiting to hug and kiss them like crazy. We decorated the hall, prepared lots of food for the kids etc. 

                                                                    

And when the kids showed up... Oh my... I couldn't hold my tears. I screamed my baby's name, hugged her soooo tight and cried. I was so happy that my baby was back in my arms healthy and happy. My baby looked fresh and healthy alhamdulillah. The only thing that was different was her skin which looked a bit darker. After lots of hugs and kisses I gave her a welcome home gift from SiBapa: 1,700 ROBUX! There's nothing else she would appreciate more. In fact Kukka was probably happier receiving those Robux than being squeezed by her SiBubu :))

Kukka Goes To Hanoi

So... It started with a phone call from a number I didn't recognized. I almost ignore it like I always do to unknown numbers. But this time I decided to take it. It turned out it was from Skaci, Kukka's computer course. The first thing that popped in my head was "Uh oh... What did she do?" :)) Skaci told me that Kukka was chosen to compete in ASEAN Cyber Kids Camp 2019 in Hanoi along with Cloudine, another student from Skaci. I was like "...HUH...?" ASEAN??? Hanoi??? Kukka???" I asked her to repeat everything from the beginning. Slowly. :)) It took a bit of a time before I told Hubster about it. Because... Well... Kukka did win the Skaci Bintaro Cyber Kids 2 years in a row but I didn't expect this to happen. 

Anyways after that surprising phone call, the commotion began. Starting from discussing whether or not we should let Kukka go to Hanoi alone (with Cloudine & 1 Skaci chaperone) to finally deciding that I do have to come along with her to Vietnam. The (next) biggest problem was right on those dates when the event was held, August 12th - 15th, Hubster's schedule was packed. Really. I saw his timeline and there's no free time at all. Finding the right person to go with us was not an easy thing. Why not just me? Well... You know :) Or not? Well... There's always a possibility that I might get seizures like...anywhere? Plane. Hotel. Tourist sites. I could even get lost!!! I still get lost in the middle of my favorites malls for god sakes! This is so annoying -__- So yeah... I really had to have a chaperone of my own :)) Now... I can't really remember how this idea came and who had it first, but after lots of well-thought-out discussions Hubster and I finally decided that I should bring Dewi along to this trip. Yes. THAT Dewi. Our maid. She's been with us a long time now which means we can trust her. Dewi knows my condition and has experiences how to treat me if anything happens. She's smart, healthy and quick. Dewi also has great initiative to do this and that. Basically she was the best person to come along with me and Kukka to Hanoi. It was Hubster who told Dewi about the news. I don't really remember exactly what Hubster said but when he did Dewi surely was very surprised and obviously happy. Next was making a passport for Dewi since she didn't have one. I had the duty to find the best deals of airlines tickets and hotel. We decided to take the same planes, Singapore Airlines, and stayed at Melia Hanoi, the same hotel with the kids and Ibu Sofie, the chaperone from Skaci Pusat. And so the adventure began.

Day 1, August 12th

When we arrived in Hanoi a guy from the event picked us up and took us to Hotel Melia Hanoi. His name is difficult for us to pronounce and too hard for me to remember :)) But he is a very nice guy. The minute we all sat comfortably in the car he gave us a box of Vietnamese local cake. They look and feel sort of like mochi. But more colorful. Anyways... After exchanging phone numbers I finally understand the chaperone's name: Dan Le. But still. I couldn't pronounce it correctly. :)) On the way to the hotel we passed by some historical buildings and famous local places. Dan Le gave us informations just like a tourist guide would do. But I didn't pay too much attention because all I wanted was take a shower and just lay down on the bed. AND SLEEP!!! :)) Yes. Those were the first things I did when I finally got in the bedroom which I shared with Dewi. Kukka stayed in the same bedroom with Bu Sofie and Cloudine as she supposed to. I told Kukka again and again that the fact I was there shouldn't change a thing. That she should...pretend that I wasn't there. Just because I tagged along didn't mean that she could sleep in my bedroom and be with me all time. I told Kukka that me being there in Hanoi with her was for my (and her Bapa's) peace of mind. That...at least I was in the same city, the same time zone, the same country with her :)) Then after an evening stroll to a restaurant named Quan An Ngon and back to the hotel,  Dewi, Kukka and I decided to go to sleep. Because we needed it. Very much. Zzz....

Day 2, August 13th

Alhamdulillah I had a very good sleep. I don't think I woke up even once which I usually do since I'm taking the necessary pills. Then at 6am in the morning, when it was time for me to take my morning pills I heard "Selamat pagi Bu..." I almost jumped out of my bed!!! LOLOLOLOL!!!! I TOTALLY FORGOT THAT DEWI WAS ON THE OTHER BED NEXT TO MINE!!!! Dewi laughed and thought I was being hilarious. Well... The shock was real!!! :))) Then it was time for breakfast. My favorite moment. My baby and I met in the restaurant. She said she had a pretty okay night sleep :) BTW this was Dewi's first time enjoying breakfast buffet in a hotel. I told Dewi that she could eat whatever she wanted which was served on the buffet. She was like "Huh??? Ngga bayar Bu???" My mistake :) I didn't explain how things are working in a hotel. I guess it was because I assumed that everybody knows :D Minutes after I told her that everything is free, the food, the drinks, the dessert and other stuff, Dewi ate a lot! :)) She basically tried every single thing in the buffet, I had to remind her that we still had 3 more mornings/breakfast times. After breakfast I saw this lady on the Buffalo Tours tourist desk. Her name is Nham Thi Van and her english name is Lucy. Lucy is probably the first and only person in Hanoi who I can understand very well. Her english is excellent! Because I could understand her very well, after I booked a half-day trip to Ha Long Bay, I decided to ask Lucy about other tourist sites in Hanoi. Thanks to Lucy, Dewi and I finally had a tourist map! :)) She circled and written all the places that we should visit. Starting from the hotel and back. Meanwhile this day was Kukka's first day in ASEAN Cyber Kids Camp in the hotel's Function Room. And since I already booked a tour for tomorrow, today was the only time Dewi and I could walk around the town and buy souvenirs. Most importantly Mom's wish: a handbag :) 

But first thing first: The Vietnamese Women's Museum. It's on my list and was worth every minute of it. After that Dewi and I went to the Red Bridge on Hoàn Kiem Lake. 

The park was beautiful but the weather was too damn hot for me to be on the famous bridge. And there were too many people taking pictures on it. Just looking at the crowd made me dizzy already. So I took some pictures with the red bridge as the background. Just for the sake of having a proof that I was at least NEAR that bridge. Right??? Right???? :)) I took some time to relax on the park bench right next to Hoan Kiem Lake, enjoying the shade under the trees, looking at the people here and there. It was really nice. I think I even managed to snooze a little bit. I can't really remember where Dewi was. I think she did manage to be on the bridge after I told her to go. She made sure I was okay  and bought me a sausage stick for snack. Then the journey continued. It was already noon and I thought it was time to look for some souvenirs. So we went to this area which is apparently quite famous for buying souvenirs. Luong Van Chan Street. I walked passed lots of souvenirs shops but none of them felt right. For example, shop A is too expensive while I considered shop B's owner to be rude. Why rude? Well... I don't want to spend my money in a shop where the owner just sit around on a leaning chair, sweating and "offered" me by pointing the stuff with words that I couldn't understand. She didn't even bother to stand up. No thank you. So I continued to walk and walk again with sweat all over my body. After about 3-4 shops I finally found this souvenir shop which has nice goods and most importantly the young lady in the shop was polite and friendly. After I looked around and finally set my heart on cute notebooks for Kukka's friends and a gorgeous handbag for Mom, it was time to bargain. The bargaining was quite tough because of the language. It was hilarious too. The three of us, the shop lady, Dewi and me used everything to be able to communicate with each other. English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Sunda, Bahasa Jawa, Vietnamese, Google Translator, fingers, hand gestures, drawings, calculator... :)))) At the end, the young lady gave up :))) I got everything I wanted and didn't have to spend too much. At least not as much as if I went to other souvenir shops. Finally my heart was at ease so I decided to go back to the hotel. After all... The next day would be Ha Long Bay. I needed all the energy I could have. I even ordered room service for dinner so I wouldn't have to move my butt :))

Day 3, August 14th
While the girls were getting ready to impress everybody with their presentation, my destination was Ha Long Bay. Ah yes... The second you hear that name you'll be thinking of this beautiful place ALLAH has created. To be honest I was a bit worried because I did read here and there that Ha Long Bay now is not as beautiful as it used to be. That there's a lot trash in the water etc. But... When I got there........ WOW. I said good luck and goodbye to Kukka and Cloudine then I got into a luxury bus from Buffalo Tours with Dewi. The bus was full of tourists #DUH. Mostly old couples. The guide's name was... Well... I only remember his english name: Ben. Ben's english is very good. Very understandable :) He's funny too. Ben explained almost every historical building we passed by. The first stop was the pearl farm on the way to the harbour. Ha Long Pearl. OH. MY. GOD. The pearls....... EXQUISITE!!!!! I really wanted them all!!!! Even the smallest one caught my eyes but of course they're very expensive. Even the tiniest earrings cost about... Oh nevermind :)) And so the journey continued. Next destination was the harbour. We got into a cruise ship, one of Genesis Cruise. I recommend it. Worth every penny. Seriously. Anyways... Our cruise stopped at Hang Luón or Luon Cave and it was time for kayaking. Yes. :)) At first I hesitated because it was a medium-sized kayak (10 adults) but then I thought "I'M HERE!!! MAKE EVERY MINUTE COUNT!". I got in with Dewi and 7 other passengers from the Genesis Cruise and 1 kayaker. We caused quite a ruckus when we got into the kayak. It turned out it wasn't that easy!!! The kayak kept swaying left and right everytime a passenger stepped it. And all of us screamed like it was the end of the world :)) Ben said some passengers did fall down into the water and that story certainly didn't make us feel any better :)) Then we all finally sat down and the kayak moved slowly. All of us listened to Ben carefully and enjoyed the breathtaking view. The kayak moved in to Surprise Cave. When we were in the cave I wondered how it would be like to spend the night inside :D Then we passed by The Monkey Island. It was beautiful AND funny. Why? Well... First of all it's beautiful because the island itself is full of lush trees in the middle of serene water. It's stunning. Aaaaaand theeeen... The monkeys! They were just...there. Minding their own business. I saw a mother with her baby. Then there were these 2 monkeys hanging from the trees. The funniest part of it was the fact that it felt more like they're the one who are watching us. Not the other way around :)) It's like "Oh hey! Humans!!! Aaaawww..." :))) 

Next was Ti Top Island where you can climb on 400 stairs and if you get to the top of the island you can get the best view down into Ha Long Bay. You CAN. Me? I COULDN'T :)) I caused quite a ruckus here. Before we got out of the cruise Ben already warned us about the 400 stairs that we have to climb to get up. He also reminded us about the heat. So if you think you couldn't make it, just stay in the cruise, enjoy the cold drink and wait for us, he said. Dewi reminded me to think it through. I felt...challenged? I said again and again that I could make it. I would just walk slowly and take my time, I said. Dewi gave up. I think not only she was worried that something might happen to me, but also IF something happened, she would be the one who is responsible for it :)) So yeah... I joined the others and took about 5 steps on the steep stairs. Did I tell you that the weather was very very hot??? Yeah... Okay. 5 stairs more or less. Then I started to shiver. My eyes were blurry and my hands were shaking. Still I thought I could make it. But then my sane self warned me something like "Hey you! If you keep doing this and somewhere in the middle of these steep stairs you get a seizure... You are a danger to other people. You fall down, the person behind you will be next and so on. There are old people here. Think about them" ................. I gave up. I told Dewi I would wait for her in the ship. As if walking back down the stairs didn't already cause a lot of trouble... Our cruise ship already got off the dock because it would be harbouring on the other side of the island!!! It took Ben, the people on the harbour, a very loud speaker and the people on the cruise to come back just to pick me up. Sorry guys... :D Oh yes! Did I already say that IT WAS VERY VERY HOT?????? :D When I got back in the cruise ship the first thing the crew did was giving me a wet towel :D GOD! At that moment all I could think about was the bathtub back at the hotel. But the experience was totally worth every drop of sweat. So while Dewi and the rest of the gang were "fried" outside, some old couples and I were enjoying cold drinks and leaning on comfortable seats. I don't know how long it took until they came back looking like they just got beaten up by sunrays LOL!!! Dewi kept saying that it was the best decision for me to go back to the ship. By the way the most annoying part of this whole trip was the lack of communication I had with Kukka. Although I already connected to the local operator, the signal was bad. All the time I was having fun I also couldn't stop thinking about my baby back in the city. After all... Today was Judging Day....  

And theeeeen finally at 16:05 I received the news from Ibu Sofie - Skaci. "Alhamdulillah dapat SILVER". WOW!!! I was sooooo surprised and obviously proud! I mean... The fact that Kukka was chosen to be one of the kids who represent Indonesia in this event was already a big prize itself. I didn't expect her and Cloudine to win an award. Not to mention Silver!!! Ibu Sofie called and I spoke with Kukka on then phone. She sounded very happy and I think the first thing she asked me was "Are you proud of me?" My precious Godsend :* I couldn't wait to go back to the hotel and shower my baby with kisses. After taking a long bath of course :D So yeah... When Dewi and I finally got back to the hotel, my baby came to my room. I hugged and kissed her like crazy! And of course. The most important part of this winning thing was the fact that if she won any prizes, her beloved Bapa would buy her Robux -_- She reminded me again and again about this. #SIGH 

Anyways since it was the last night in Hanoi, I decided to get an extra bed for Dewi and pushed the twin beds together so that Kukka could sleep with me. While I decided to stay in the room and rest, Dewi asked for permission to go out. She said "Kapan lagi Buu..." :)) I think she came back around 11pm. We flew back to Jakarta the next day and alhamdulillah we arrived at home safe and sound. Healthy and happy :) 

Dear Kukka: HAPPY ELEVENTH BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Eleven years ago an angel came down to brighten our life up.

Beautiful, caring, funny, mischievous and smart.

All lightness that can make the gloomiest heart instantly bright.

Along with a pack of toughness to make everything just right.

Her curiousity turns every day an adventure.

Lots of questions about this and that.

Loads of opinions about who, why, when, where and what.

One thing is certain because it has always been there and will forever stay.

It's our endless love for this blossoming flower.

Our precious Godsend.

Our Kukka Aiko Farza.

Dear Kukka: Live It Loud!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Today you're officially one of Sekolah Alam Tangerang's 6th graders! One of the big kids. 5th grade was quite a ride. It surely did have its ups and downs. Now Bapa and Bubu are looking forward to join the ride with you on the last grade of elementary school. Am I worried? To tell you the truth, yes :)) But I have faith in you. As long as you keep your promise not to be lazy, pay attention and ... Well just read this post again! Dear Kukka: Please Learn Your Lesson. You know what things I want to say. Bapa will probably add some more later. In private.

Anyways, being a 6th grader (and tomorrow 11 years old tween, In shã Allãh!!) will have its differences, more or less. Surely you will have more responsibilities, from - at school, surrounding and home. This might sound cliché but just be the best of yourself and show it to everybody that you do enjoy the ride! Ask questions when you have doubts and confusions. Share your happiness and help others who need it. Have lots of friends inside and outside the school and do spend time with them. Be nice and always be polite to your teachers. Be brave and don't be scared to be different. Live the life you're excited about. Have goals and try your best to reach them. 

And baby, remember this. Most importantly you always have me. To get some answers, to share your feelings, to show your excitements or just to be with. No words needed. Ich liebe Dich, Mein Ein und Alles. Good luck and have fun! 

Take It Easy Being Forty-Three

Yeah… I’m officially 43 years old now. And my beloved Godsend made sure I remember that by saying again and again that I’m old :)) The first person who sent me a birthday wish was MamaHenny. She sent me a long prayer/message at 00:15 am. Then they, my beloved ones who were busy playing games, came to me and started to sing Happy Birthday in their own annoying ways :))

After midnight I started to get lots of messages. Friends and families from everywhere sent me birthday wishes via chat apps, Facebook, Instagram ea. I was very touched by one particular “present”. A message, telling me to read Al-Baqarah:286. It says:

“ALLAH does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability; for it is (the benefit of) what it has earned and upon it (the evil of) what it has wrought: Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not lay on us any burden as Thou didn’t lay on those before us. Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear, and pardon us protection and have mercy on us, Thou are Our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.”

(“ALLAH tidak membebani seseorang melainkan sesuai dengan kesanggupannya. Ia mendapat pahala (dari kebajikan) yang diusahakannya dan ia mendapat siksa (dari kejahatan) yang dikerjakannya. (Mereka berdoa): “Ya Tuhan kami, janganlah Engkau hukum kami jika kami lupa atau kami bersalah. Ya Tuhan kami, janganlah Engkau bebankan kepada kami beban yang berat sebagaimana Engkau bebankan kepada orang-orang sebelum kami. Ya Tuhan kami, janganlah Engkau pikulkan kepada kami apa yang tak sanggup kami memikulnya. Beri maaflah kami; ampunilah kami; dan rahmatilah kami. Engkaulah penolong kami, maka tolonglah kami terhadap kaum yang kafir.”)

Perfect :)

After that the day got even better. The 3 of us just chilled out at home, doing our own things, relaxing and waiting for the time to leave for my birthday dinner. Before we left I was very surprised by a beautiful birthday package from my beloved friend, Dinda. I immediately called her, thanked her and I cried :)) It wasn’t just because of the beautiful present, which I bet she totally thought about it thoroughly. I mean come on!!! A coffee mug and a diary??? That’s practically…ME! :)) In the advertising world we say it “very insightful” :p But I shed some tears because of the fact that she spent some time to even think about it and…made it happen! It was one of the sweetest things a friend has ever done for me.

Then it was time for birthday dinner. After doing some "research" we randomly chose a South American restaurant called El Asador. When we got there I was quite surprised by the ambience of the restaurant. I've read that it’s a family restaurant but I didn’t expect it to be that… Relaxing? The place is comfortable, the waitresses are very nice and most importantly: the food is delicious!!! I don’t know why but I’ve been craving for juicy steaks lately. That was also the reason why I wanted to try this restaurant. From the reviews I’ve read, they said that the steak in El Asador is very delicious. And yes it is! Kukka sticked to her choice: Spaghetti Bolognese -__- I ordered Bifes Con Cebolla: Grilled marinated steak, glazed caramelized onions, served with green salad and seasoned french fries. Hubster ordered Chivito Al Pan: Toasted soft bread, churrasco tenderloin steak, lettuce, tomato, beef ham, beef bacon, mozzarella cheese, fried egg, olives, and homemade mayonnaise, served with seasoned french fries. I must admit although my choice was delicious, but when I saw Hubster’s? I was jealous :))) Well… Since the dinner was a success, I’m pretty sure there will be a next time and that Chivito Al Pan is what I’m going to order! The second the waiter came and put down my plate, I immediately digged into that super juicy medium meat. I didn’t even take a picture of it! :)) It was so yummy my plate was super clean! I meant it! I probably only left some sauce stain on the plate but that was it. Ask Hubster! :)) Kukka also finished her spaghetti and the portion was big!!! For dessert I had Flan With Dulce De Leche. It was also delicious and it came with a Happy Birthday song :) Man my tummy was so full I didn’t even order the (birthday) wine that I’ve planned to have :p

So yes! My 43th birthday was lovely. I’m healthy. I spent it with the ones I treasured. I’m showered with love, prayers and thoughtful wishes from those who care about me. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. 

Alhamdulillah :)

Dear Kukka: Happy 8th Birthday!!!

Excuse me but can you tell me again how old you are now??? You are eight years old??? Are you sure, baby?????? I mean... 8????? I’m sorry but I’m having a very hard time to believe it. I know, I know. I say that every year but... Come on!!! EIGHT????? 8???????????????? This year we celebrated your birthday at Oakwood Premier Cozmo Jakarta. I think this is going to be our usual place to celebrate our special occasions. Why? Well... Because so far it has everything we want. Nice place and good food. That’s it. 

Anyways, there was an extra happiness going on this year. Uncle Ferry had spent 2 nights at our home before and that event alone had already made you, made US, very very happy. You had a great time playing with Uncle Ferry, Bapa had a partner to play his favorite online game and I? I had the chance to see two of my beloved people, my baby brother and my baby girl, snuggled up and snoring together from night until the next afternoon. Too bad Uncle Ferry couldn’t be there on your birthday morning. But at least you guys had a great swimming time together before he went home. And I had a superb quality time with your beloved uncle. We've shared moments that we'd probably very difficult to repeat... Especially when he's going back to his campus. Let's just hope he'll finish his study very soon so he can be with us again.

Now about your birthday... Bapa, you and me. No fancy party, no fuss, just us. You were very excited when you found out that we were going to spend a night at a hotel. We could’ve spent more days but Bapa had to go to Bandung to attend his high school reunion. Anyways, the minute you set your feet inside the hotel building, you were very excited. And on your birthday morning... When Bapa and I woke you up and sang you Happy Birthday... You were so surprised. Even though we only brought you a cheese quiche from Starbucks, decorated with a single candle, your eyes sparkled and your smile was so wide. You kept saying “This is the best birthday ever! You are the best parents! I love you!” And then you hugged and kissed me and Bapa. Now tell me!!! Which parents don't feel proud to have such a loving and grateful daughter?!

Dear Kukka, 

You are the most precious daughter parents could ever wished for. 

There's no day passes by without us thanking ALLAH SWT for giving you to us.

The most beautiful, smart, grateful and loving little girl. 

Our beloved Godsend... 

Our pretty Si Baiyi...

Surprise, Surprise!!!

Exactly at 00:00 I received a surprise from my babies. They brought me a chocolate birthday cake with a flickering candle and they sang Happy Birthday to me. What a surprise!!! My eyes were immediately teary...

After receiving birthday hugs and kisses from them, they gave a present, with two things inside. Cooking books!!! Hahahahaha! This was such a surprise!!!! One is called Indonesian Kitchen: 300 popular recipes across the archipelago and the other one is Fancy Cookies!!!!! I was laughing because I didn’t expect these and I also was laughing and got teary eyes because.... I mean... Cooking books???????? Does my husband really think that my cooking is or can be THAT GOOD?????? Hahahahahaha!!!! I’ve been cooking him home made food lately and so far my husband likes my cooking. Since then he’s been encouraging me to cook even more often. But I never thought he would think that I could be this good #LOL I mean, come one!!!! Indonesian recipe book??? Indonesian dishes are probably the most difficult ones to cook! But I guess Hubster has that much confidence in me, eh?! After having some birthday cakes we went to bed. And.....................................

When I woke up again this morning, I saw another surprise on the night stand beside me!!!! Oh my God I didn’t expect this at all!!!! I hugged and kissed my love ones and I laughed and laughed and laughed!!! Because I was really, really surprised and also because of the writing on the envelope!!! I was too surprised and too excited to open the present. But then I finally did it. And.....................................................

I laughed again! So hard and even more surprised!!!! A rose gold iPhone 6 SE!!!! The exact type and color I’ve wanted!!! I’ve been whining about wanting this to my husband. I've even browsed about it on the website in front of him! But Hubster always scolded me and said that my current iPhone is still good enough. And that there’s no point of getting a new one, which is true. But now??? I have it in my hand!!! So THIS is the real deal!!!! Hahahahahaha!!! After all these years, my loved ones, especially the big one, can still surprise me.

My babies, thank you soooo much for everything yaaaa! 

Both of you make me really, really happy and feel blessed. 

Not only today, but always. 

And hopefully I can give both of you even more love and happiness in return. 

Kisses!

Wien, Ich Komme!!!

I’m starting to write this post with a smile. A wide smile. A wide and happy smile. Yet also with a hint of sadness in my heart and tears in my eyes. Yes, you’re right. I just got back from my favorite city. I’ve just returned from Wien, Österreich. 

It all started with Ernst’s idea to have a Hauptschule reunion. A proper one. Complete with the teachers and both classes, A & B. I don’t remember how it started but yeah... It was his idea. Or as he called it, it was HIS project, HIS baby. The second the date was set, Ernst started to nag me everyday. He wanted me to come. He really wanted me to come. He said everybody expected me to come. I told him it was impossible. First of all because of my health. Second, the expense. Third, I had to have someone who’d accompany me. But yeah, I still tried. I thought what do I have to lose. 

Long story short, Ernst’s nagging sessions paid off. It turned out I could come to the reunion!!! First, I asked my husband and what do you know... He said okay!!! The second person I asked was my doctor and she said okay too!!! She even said that it was a good idea. Traveling and meeting with my old friends could do me good, she said. So that’s it! The next thing I had to do was to find the right friend to accompany me. After a serious consideration and discussion with Hubster, I chose SiTante Erna, my longtime girl and Hubs’ confidant. From that on it was pretty chaotic. I had a lot of things to prepare but I did it excitedly. When everything was settled, tickets and visa and all, I told Ernst the news. There was silence from his side for a couple of seconds and then... He screamed!!! Loud. Very loud. Almost busted my eardrum :))

And then the time came. On March 3rd SiTante and I arrived in Vienna. And there he was, Ernsti, already waiting for us by the Ausgang. I was sooo happy to see him. After a tight big hug between us and proper introduction between SiTante and Ernsti, we drove to the apartment where we would stay for the next 10 days. It was a nice small apartment which was perfect for the both of us. Ernsti showed us how things around the apartment worked and then he left us to rest. And man did we need it!!! SiTante and I dozed off like we haven’t slept for days. Well, we practically hadn't with the time difference and all... But since then everything was great. SiTante and Ernst got along very well. Too well actually #LOL The chemistry between them was awesome. I was so grateful I brought the right friend with me. The language difference between them didn’t matter. From Day One they already teased and made fun of each other. All I had to do was laugh and occasionally save SiTante from Ernsti’s “bullying”. But yeah... The two of them became friends in a sec. Their friendship already involved shouting-yelling and making fun at each other, shoving and even lifting-up-and-throw-down on Ernsti's side #LOL

Then the night came. The reunion. The long-awaited “Klassentreffen”. I was so excited yet also nervous. I practically begged Ernst to stay by my side the whole night because I was scared. But he said he wouldn’t do it. On the contrary he said he would ignore me and stayed away from me so that I would spend time with the others. At first I was upset but then... Well what do you know?!? I had sooo much fun!!! And I wasn’t even a second being clingy to Ernsti!! #LOL But what made the night even greater for me was the fact that everybody still remembered me and they expected me to come. They were very happy and thankful that I came. Frau Maresch, my class teacher, was hysterical when she saw me. Frau Löffler, my PE teacher, was so happy to see me she practically squeezed me. After that the kids came. Some I still remember, some changed so much I had to ask for their names :)) Especially the one from the B Klasse. But from my class, A Klasse, I had no problem to remember. My favorite boys, Nenad and David, my girls, Susanne and Monika, Tanja, Sonia, Bettina, Zeljko, Kathrin, Cemile, both Alexanders, Frau Tomecek, and many others! They were all there! The reunion was a success!!! I didn’t expect to see them all in one place like that. And the most surprising thing was my German was good!!! Everybody understood me!!! #LOL I think I used minimum english word that night. In short, the reunion was a blast. 

So having the stress of arranging the reunion behind him, the next days Ernst took SiTante and me out around Vienna. We visited the Schönbrunn, Donau, Prater, Rathaus, etc. We couldn’t visit a lot of places because Ernst had to work but SiTante didn’t care much about tourist sites. Every day before Ernst picked us up, SiTante went shopping for shoes!!! She said she’d be out to go jogging but then... She came with 3-5-6 until 12 boxes of shoes!!!! #LOL Thank God I chose to stay at the apartment, watching tv and sipping coffee!!! As for my health, I had minor episodes but it wasn’t bad. No seizures whatsoever. I just had to rest for a while and then everything went back to normal. On March 8th there was a surprise. A very lovely surprise. SiTante and I woke up in the morning and saw snow flakes falling from the sky :) We were sooo excited because we didn’t expect to see any snow since it was already March. But there it was. SiTante’s first encounter with snow. It wasn’t much but it was still pretty. On March 10th, I met Susanne, Monika and Alexander Dietrich for dinner. It was very nice to see them again since the day after would be my last day in Wien. 

Then it came. The day when we had to go back to Jakarta. On March 11th morning Ernst, Alysha, Lena, SiTante, David and I went for a superb lunch and some coffee in Donau Zentrum. After that David and I said our goodbyes. It was so sad but I was also very happy being able to meet this bad boy before I flew back home. After that it was time for us to go to the airport. And yeah... It was really time. I gave Lena and Alysha big hugs and showered them with kisses. These sweet, sweet girls... I’m so looking forward to see them next year, hopefully in Jakarta. I didn’t expect it but yeah... Saying goodbye to Ernsti and his girls after 10 days was hard. As SiTante and I went inside the gate, Ernst and his girls made funny gestures, shouted goodbyes and blew kisses in the air. People were looking at us. It was like a scene from a movie #LOL Tears were running down my cheeks... I couldn’t control it. Lucky me a nice lady next to me gave me a tissue. I was still shedding tears when the plane was already between the clouds.  

And so that’s how my adventure in Vienna ended. The closure was sad, sweet, beautiful and certainly worth to remember forever. Last but not least, I would like to thank Ernsti for being such a sweet, sweet friend and a great host. And of course thank you to my lovely SiTante, for taking care of me and being with me, all the way from Jakarta to Vienna, in sickness and in health. 

Ich liebe Dich.