The gift of love is more important than a big fat wedding
What a silly child I was, to be worried about ridiculous things like photo shoots and gown patterns. It all made sense when I saw how happy John was when I said my wedding vows.
It’s not about whether the roses are the right shade of pink, or if your gown is custom-made Vera Wang. All that matters is you’ve got each other.
I also got this letter from Mum, just before the wedding, when I was at my most stressed about it.
Dear Leng,
I am sorry I read your internet diary but your computer was on and I saw what you wrote.
I never wanted a big wedding. I just wanted you to be happy.
And if a smaller wedding is what you want, that’s fine with us too. Really. After all, your Papa and I didn’t even have a wedding dinner. And we’re still together after 30 years.
Your Papa and I love you very much and we only want the best for you. If baking and giving tuition makes you happy, then that’s what you should do. I have seen how much joy your cakes bring to other people’s lives and I am proud of you. Very very proud.
With all my love,
Mum
Words cannot do love justice. But Mum’s words come very close.
Private Post. Only Anna and Huimin can read.
Mum proved me right yesterday by showing me that words can really hurt – more than you ever thought possible.
Out of the blue she said all the wedding plans were coming along great, but she wondered whether I was truly ready.
Because she always felt I was a dreamer and how far did I think baking cakes could take me?
And now John has no job… and… and… oh! I’m so upset. I can’t write any more! I’ll finish this blog entry later…
I think my student is trying to give me high blood pressure.
During our lesson today, I noticed that she still had problems with subject verb agreement. I caught her writing ‘I are’ in her narrative essay and almost fainted. She’s in secondary school; she should know better by now!
When I asked her about it, she claimed that ‘I are’ was correct. After all, one of Timbaland’s songs is titled ‘The Way I Are’, she pointed out blithely.
Argh.
Nothing like some feel-good food to cheer me up. Tiramisu for the frazzled bride-to-be!
I don’t know what John was thinking, challenging Steven to a RACE?!! There’s a reason why Steven is my ex.
I had a word with Steven and told him to leave us alone. I think he got the message.
And to make things worse, Mum was at it again yesterday. She cheerfully mentioned that “your cousin Jasmine got a promotion and she’s now a VP at her bank. Isn’t she the same age as you are?”
I really want her to be proud of me. I have to make this big fat wedding work, but now with this whole issue with the liquor… arrrgh!
I’m glad I still have my tuition kids to keep my mind off things when they get too intense.
And on a lighter note, English As It Is Broken is a good, easy to understand site that answers questions on the usage of English, with a Singaporean twist to it. It helps my students as most of them are foreigners who struggle to understand English. And just yesterday, one of them asked if he could nominate me for the Inspiring Teacher of English Award! So sweet! I had to explain that it was only open to teachers from the civil service. 
I can't believe Steven sent me this video...
I really don’t know what to think. Everything is happening so fast.
I overheard Mum saying something to Dad about stopping me from making a huge mistake.
Does she think John is a mistake? Perhaps it wasn’t my imagination after all, when I thought she was being frosty towards John at the dinner. And this was before we all started arguing about shark’s fin soup and alcohol.
This past week has been too crazy for words. First, Steven shows up unannounced, then my folks get into an argument with John’s folks at the food tasting session!
Steven explained why he’s been meddling. He thinks that John isn’t good enough for me! At first, he claimed that he felt this way because John is… well, he’s pudgy (for now). But he was only half-serious about it. He thinks I deserve better than an unemployed fiancé. He said he’s still in love with me, but I laughed at him. The truth is that he will always love his biceps more than anything else in this world. That creepy video he sent me just proves my point. I don’t know whether to laugh or be grossed out!
Private post. Only Anna and Hui Min can read.
I am going to strangle Steven if John doesn’t beat me to it. What was he thinking? Showing up unannounced at my door in the middle of my engagement party?! It was over between us years ago – years!! It’s a good thing Anna never lost her cool, even for a second, and dragged him away from John before they could start World War 3 in my living room.
My tuition students are driving me crazy.
I caught one of them saying ‘two waters’ during yesterday’s English lesson. I stopped him and asked him if you could count water.
To my horror, he nodded, pointed at my glass of water, and then at his, and said brightly, “Can! One water, two waters. There. Can count water what.”
I had to patiently explain countable and uncountable nouns to him all over AGAIN despite the fact that he learned about them approximately two years ago. When I tried to explain that sand was NOT a countable noun, and thus, should be used with ‘a lot of’, ‘ a little’, or ’some’, instead of with ‘many’, he objected, insisting that ’sands’ was a valid word.
“What about Costa Sands? My parents brought me there in June.”
Argh. ( And your parents didn’t ‘bring’ you there! You went there.)
Well, you can’t say I don’t work hard for my paycheck.
Private Post. Only Anna and Hui Min can read this post.
What a beautiful island Tioman is, and what a great husband John will be.
He saved me from an ugly, big sea urchin that could have given me a really nasty infection.
I was swimming around, looking for my fin, which had slipped off when he yelled, ’sea urchin’! Of course, it was through a snorkel so it came out ‘Slbbbblbbb’ but I caught the general idea. 
Sigh… wish I could stay on an island like that forever, but cake orders await. Real life is what buys you paradise.
Counting down the days…
There’s a package to Tioman that looks very good right now. I know John definitely deserves a break, and it’s been a long time since either of us have had an island vacation.
I think he’ll like the laid-back feel of the island… a few days in the sun with nothing on our minds will do both of us a world of good.
Look at this adorable little fellow! How can you stay stressed when hanging out with one of these fishes among the corals?
This is the heart-shaped durian that John got for me as part of the surprise. 
Isn’t it cute?
