4 years to the day...

April 10th marked our 4 year anniversary of our arrival in Singapore... and this year we found ourselves at the Korean Embassy getting our visas for our relocation... So many mixed feelings but a great past 4 years for sure.  We are so sad to see this journey in Singapore end but the thought of doing it all over again in another country is exciting... so Korea here we come... we are official and ready to go.  Stay tuned for more details about Korea.

However in honor of our time in Singapore here are just a few things that we are thankful for and have enjoyed in the past 4 years:

1)  Meeting and becoming friends (great friends) with some amazing people in Singapore that will for sure be friends forever no matter where we roam.
2)  The food of Singapore... wow we will miss you
3)  Living in Asia and so close other countries that we can visit
4)  Our church home... IBC you have blessed us in so many ways
5) Tita our helper... where could I even begin
6)  Blake's work... he has grown in so many ways
7)  The various cultures... never could we have experienced all that we have with the various cultures, traditions, people if we stayed in the US
8)  Pierce's school... Pierce started school here and will forever be a chapter in his life
9)  Family and Friends back home... the fact that they have not forgotten us is amazing
10) Visitors... we have gotten to spend some great time with friends and family that have stayed with us over the years and made lots of memories.
11)  Our God... learning and seeing first hand just how BIG He is... How He has been with us every step of the way and has enforced over and over again He is the God that was, that is and is to come.

The next pics are not great (sorry I did not have my good camera) but we wanted to remember this day... so here we are at the Korean Embassy.
 

 

Off to the next adventure (soon)...

6 on the 6th!

August 6th 2011... mark the day of Blake and I's 6th wedding anniversary.  I have officially been married to my best friend for 6 years and we always try to reflect on this day where we have been, what we have overcome, remember God's favor and celebrate (in advance) of what's to come.

I love you Blake and am so proud of you in so many ways... and so blessed that God made me for you and you for me.  I am honored to stand beside you as we continue this journey together.  Love Love.



Thank you babe for everything...

Even the night is beautiful...in Maldives!

Have I told you lately...that I love you Maldives...

Oh how we loved Bali..

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For an early 5 year Anniversary trip... we went to Bali, Indonesia... just Blake and I and we had a great trip... we were only there for 2 nights/3 days but jammed as much in as possible... stay tuned for more about our trip.

We have sort of a tradition that we started on our honeymoon where when we are on a pretty beach I do a cartwheel and Blake takes a picture... see our blog post here when we went to Malaysia last year.

Here is our pic of the Bali beach... beach Nusa Dua.

Wearing the same outfit 5 years ago on our honeymoon... a beach off of Puerto Rico...
More to come...

Has is really been 2 years....

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I can hardly believe it... we just had our 2 year anniversary since arriving in Singapore... if you would have told me 2 years ago that your time in Singapore would be gone in a blink of an eye... I would not have believed it... but it is so true... we were originally told that our stay here would 12 - 18 months and then it quickly turned into 2 years and we are still here... we are projected to leave in June but I am not going to hold my breath... we have learned to be flexible...

Speaking of learning... we have learned so much... I think that is a natural consequence to change... this blog entry could be a very long one but I am going to try to keep it short and just talk about all that has changed in the last 2 years.

Singapore the country is still as wonderful as it was 2 years ago... we love this country... there has been some change in the last 2 years... new people, new buildings, new food, new adventures, etc. Every time we have visitors that come and want to see Singapore I see and learn new stuff every time... this place is constantly under construction to make it bigger and better... it is a great place and we love Singapore...

Pierce has done alot of changing too... When we first got here he was 16 months old and he is now 3 years and 3 months... he has spent most of his life in Singapore and a place that we hope he always calls home. He was barely walking when we got here, not talking much and was a huge and little plump with not that much hair... now he is running faster than me, talking non-stop, still huge but thin... and has alot of hair... oh how Singapore has been so good for our family and given use a safe place to raise our son.

This picture was taken on our first day in Singapore in our hotel room after a 14 hour rest after getting off the plane...

And this is our little buddy now... this picture was taken on the anniversary and I was not posing him for this picture... and he just happen to hold up one finger...

Blake and I have changed a little... I think we look the same but our heart has grown for different cultures, different foods, different smells, different experiences, new friends and we have a new appreciation for just how big our GOD really is...





When we first got here Pierce loved the water... we were blessed to have 5 pools just right down stairs from our condo... he loved to slide down the slide but he had to crawl up the steps....

And if you thought I was going to say that he does not like the water now... I gotcha.... he still loves the water and can not get enough of it... and still loves the slide... some things are always the same... here is pierce doing a trick down the slide on his fast "skate board".


Since our time here in Singapore we have made some lasting friendships with some amazing people... people that not only have loved on us during this time but ones that have brought us closer to God and true example of what it means when Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself.

This picture was taken when we first arrived in Singapore and the first time we went out to eat with new friends...

But something we have learned too in the last 2 years is to remember your old friends... friends that have made an impact in your life... this is the time to give back and love on them...
We have learned so much... change is usually hard but it is what you do with it that can either make you or break you... we decided when we got here to "make it"... and God has blessed us.

Our life verse for the past 2 years has been this...

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "

Thank you God for giving us a wonderful 2 years as a family in Singapore... and thanks to all the people that made this time AMAZING.

Not saying Goodbye (yet) to Singapore just saying thanks for a wonderful 2 years...

4 blissful years with the man of my dreams...

Wow... I can not believe it has been 4 years since Blake and I wed on August 6th 2005... we have a tradition on our anniversary to we talk about; where we have been, what we have accomplished and where we are going... it is always a fun conversation to have bc it is full of memories and as a planner it gives me a sneak peak into the future (although our future is not in our hands... it is nice to know what my husband wants to do).

To my "Handsome Prince" -

I absolutely adore you and am thankful for the past 6 years we have known each other but even more thankful for the past 4 where I have been your wife. I look forward to 144 more years together.... Jesus is my rock but you are a close second.... love you baby!

OK... here is how our Anniversary went this year... check here to see last years... we are much bigger fan of this years celebration.

Around 11am I got a knock at the door and a man was holding the below flowers and a card... It has taken a couple of years but Blake now knows that I really like flowers on our anniversary... and they were gorgeous... Lillies are my favorite flowers. Around 12:20 Blake walks through the door, bc he took half a day to spend it with me at the Spa.

Cena came to the house around 2pm (after Pierce was down for his nap) and Blake and I were off to the Spa Botanica on Sentosa Island (recommended by Jess... thanks girl). We had signed up for a 3 hour couple massage that included:

- 15 min foot bath

- 45 min dry massage (deep)

- 45 min scrub

- 10 min shower

- 20 min couples bath

- 45 min aroma massage

Can I say wow... we had never been rubbed on for this long and it was a little piece of heaven... but the best part was we got to use the facility beforehand... we got there around 2:30 and our session was at 6pm... so we had a couple of hours of relaxation outside before the massage.

Here is the couples pool, with a cascading waterfall... there was another lap pool for couples and a women's only pool... we hung out here most of the afternoon and caught some rays....

It was too hot... so Blake got in.... I soon joined him.

The sounds of the waterfall would put anyone asleep.... can I tell you how quiet it was here... no kids... :-)

After the sunbathing we decided to try the mud bath (highly recommended).

I went first... and totally lathered up... the lady told me at the front desk to make sure I put it in my hair... oh why not????

After the mud bath and rinsing off in a 5 point shower (wonderful).... we headed over to the cafe to have our light dinner....

It was the best chicken wrap I have ever had... oh so good... and check out these plates...

Before we knew it... it was 6pm... and we were called into our Couples Suite for the 3 hour tour...

We first sat down for our foot bath and waiting for us were these beautiful flowers from my parents,ViVi and grandad Pierce,and a spa kit... it was such a special treat and it really topped off the whole experience. Thank you ViVi and Grandad...

After our dry massage and scrub we had a shower and then headed for the tub... check out this tub... I need one of these...and it should have flowers in it everyday... fresh ones of course.

Blake was a little bored with the bath but he of course made it fun... we started throwing flowers at each other and then it turned into the 'Pedal Helicopter' game... who could spin the flower to float like a helicopter the longest... it is always a competition with him but it sure made bath time fun...we had other ideas but there were 2 sweet ladies waiting outside...

What a relaxing afternoon... the last massage I had to fight to stay awake so when I got home I crashed... on the floor... I had the flowers in my hand so I looked like Sleeping Beauty... and just like the real sleeping beauty there was only one way to wake me up... and Blake came to my rescue... again. (the below pic looks a little morbid but you had to see how I wanted to just pass out when we got home.... all that hard work...)

The spa was our treat to each other but I am glad that I got Blake this beer mug (I broke one of his the previous week) since I got my beautiful flowers...

Love you babe... look forward to #5.