Happy 14th Birthday to the Apple of My Eye...

30th July 2000 - 30 July 2014 - Yvette Rafi

Time flies. My daughter, Yvette Rafi, has turned 14 years old last 30th July 2014.
She was still in he school holiday. Few days before her birthday, she asked me to take her out on her birthday. I thought she was asking for a vacation, I was just about to say no when *I think she saw my gestures* she quickly emphasized what she meant by 'out'. She said "what I mean...let's go to the mall, I just need to buy some new clothes" Hehehe... "Ok...then we'll go to the mall"

On the night of the 29th July, I was still awake, thinking about what movie I wanted to watch when i heard a giggle from her room. I approached her room and saw her still having some chat through her handphone. I asked why she hasn't slept yet? She said, "I'm waiting for the 00". Well...all I could do was smile... :)

Right at 00:00, I stayed still in front of the TV, I gave her some times to received birthday greetings from her friend or whoever that were. 00:12...I approached her room and congratulate her.

At around 9:30, we left the house, headed for Pondok Indah Mall.

We arrived there at around 11:00. Went here and there looking for options of clothes she'd like to buy.

At around 1:00pm, we had our lunch.Then we start to do the shopping. She bought bandanas, necklace, and skirt.

We left PIM at around 4:00pm, and reach home around 6:00.

It might not the fanciest birthday...but I'm glad that despite how she thinks she grew up...she still wants to spend her time just alone with me on her special day. To me...that's the best gift a birthday girl can give to her mom... :) . Well...pretty soon, she might no longer wants to spend it with me (maybe), and I can understand that... I was once her age you know.... :) . So for now on...I'm just enjoying those special time that I still can spend with her.

Happy Birthday to the Apple of My Eye...my sunshine...my bright light....not to forget...my fighting partner as well...my precious...my Yvette Rafi. Love you to the moon and back. 

Cinderella got a pair of shoes. From Prince?? Nope!! From a secret admirer....hhmmm..

(I created this  around early of June, just got a chance to post it today as I haven't got a chance to took the shoes picture :) )

Two days ago when I came home from the office, my daughter came to me with a package in her hand. She showed me the content, it's a pair of cute flat shoes.

Yvette: "I found this in my school table's drawer in school. My friends knew who put this thing but they wouldn't let me know."

Me: "......." *speechless* "Well.... I guess you have to try to find out first where it came from. Who knows that it was put there mistakenly"

Last night.

Me: "So, have you find out who that shoes came from?"

Yvette: "Yeah. From this guy, new student. Younger class"

Me: "Wooww...he likes you?"

Yvette: "Yeah..., something like that"

Me: "aaw...aaww...can I borrow it some time?" :))

Hahahahaaa.... Can't help my self to stop smiling continuously.

2006....mourning yet confidently crawling

I hope you have read the story in my other writing, where I had to struggle in 2005 at the same time I lost my beloved Mom in 2006.

Yes, 2006 was a big mourning period for me. I lost my Mom on 11 March 2006. She struggled hard to get cured from her sickness, stadium 4 of breast cancer. Until today, I always been haunted by the tought that I was the one whose making her condition's worst. She was sick, she still had to took care of us, me and my daughter. She must had not just physically tired, but I must had put a lot of burden to her mind.

Despite of all this mourning and lost, other part of my life was just about to have a promising period. Yes, I got a job.

My background was from hospitality industry, I have a lot of friends in that industry who were willing to give me a job. But I really cannot take it since hotel work has to be on a shift, while I was looking for an office hour job so I can be with my daughter at night.

Thank God, not long after my searching, there's a BIG local Oil company who was interested in my CV.

I was 34 that time. it wasn't  really an easy time for someone to get a job at that age. I was accepted as a Receptionist. My other colleague was those young girls at their early 20s..oops...there's even one girl at age 19.

I am having a hard time adjusting with this new job thing. I have been vacuum for almost 6 years. And when I have to go back to work, I have to be in a very different working environment compare to the one that I used to work with, in a hotel industry.

After working for a short period, I got another offer from a friend of mine. The post was as a Secretary, a better job with a better salary. So I took it. Move to a new company. It was an International School.

With this new income, I was able to manage to have some saving. Yes, I had to have it. My daughter will be enrolling to the elementary school very soon.

We, Me & Yvette, start to have a better life.

I think the point is that I always been grateful and thankful to whatever I got from Allah SWT.

Until my next writing... :)

My Teenage Girl...Love is in the air... :)

Around two weeks ago, my daughter Yvette, who is in her 2nd grade of junior high told me that she requested by the school to do a singing performance on the school graduation event for their 3rd grade students.

I did not give her permission since she has to go through her own final exam when the event occur.

Last night, she came to me. She said this boy who she adored so much ask her to do the singing performance with him for the said event above. She was like begggginnng me for the permission,

Well....what can I say? This boy has always been the topic of her conversation. If I were her, I also do not want to miss this chance. So, there goes my permission flew out of me. :) . She was like trembling, jumping around on it.

My girl...my little girl... :)

The New Beginning of The Old Footsteps...

Jakarta, 23 May 2014

It's been long while that I've been longing to have my own blog. I've seen many belongs to other, got amazed and wondering how they do it??

I tried and tried few times on creating one. I remember I once suceeded on having a blog, but then I was neglecting it for some times due to other things that I need to fix on my line. When I tried to sign back in, I forgot the password :D. Typical isn't it??

So today, like what I put on the title, is going to be the new beginning of  the old footsteps... :). Hopefully this one footsteps stays for good.

AA

It was 2005... the beginning of 'Just the Two of Us'

It's been 9 years since I decided to end my marriage and brought up my daughter all by myself.

I'm not going into the detail of why I ended it. To me, what happens next is way more interesting.

It was 2005. Yvette, my daughter was only 5 years old that time. She is now 14 years old, a big girl.....well......almost. She's a teenager.....adolesence.......aarrgghhh...... *sigh*

She was already at Kindergarten at that time. We just enrolled her for about 2 months when I decided to tkae her out of the school and move her to another school.

I feel pretty lucky that the school approved my proposal to get my enrollment fee back. Well, at least I got 50%  from the total. I'm badly need the money so I can move her to a different school in the area where I decided to move to.

From Cibubur, we move to Depok. We rent a house, a really small house. We have to went here and there using public transportation, looking for the new school. I feel sad and sorry for her. She was so little, I believe she was tired that she had to follow me everywhere, but then, it was only us, just the two of us. I had to take her everywhere.

Other than that, I want her to feel happy with whichever school that we're going to choose.

After some long days and a very detailed calculation with our financial, I decided to choose this kindergarten near to our new rented house. It was a Catholic based school. Although we're Moslem, I saw that this school has a good environment and best teachers amongst others that we've been surveyed to.

There goes my saving...for her school. I have to start on another struggle. Trying to find a job. While I haven't had one, I got income from selling hand painted t-shirt, I did some catering service as well. There was once when my daughter's school was going to have an outside gathering, I offer them if I can provide the hand painted t-shirt for the kids uniform. Thank God they accept it.

I also provided the catering service whenever they have an event in the school. I got help from my Mom and Dad, they're just awesome. Until I finally got a permanent job in May 2005. It was such a relieve.

I hired a house maid to accompany my daughter to school and to take care of her when I'm in the office. Mom & Dan are still visiting us once in a while to supervise the new maid. It's just that I didn't know that my Mom was already sick that time. She had breast cancer. She passed away a year latter in 2006. :( . No wonder she often looked tired when she's in my house, but she didn't tell me what happened. She usually just said "oh my God, it's so hot outside, I'm dizzy, I need to take a rest."

You know, I can get carried away by this...I got too emotional whenever I talked about my Mom. It's just so sad...I feel like I made her condition got even worst that time by having her to took care of us while she's the one who actually needed to be taken care of. I'm sorry Mom.... ;((

I guess that's it for now. I'll try to post some more during my free time some time.

Happy 64th Birthday Papa...

Yesterday (25 May 2014) was my dad's 64th birthday.

I didn't come to his house. The reason: it was Sunday, his house is quite far from my house. If I went there, I will be too exhausted when I reached back home. While I have to work today.

I am not very happy about it. Actually, apart from that silly reason, my relation with him is not really that good. There are many quarells between us. Other than that, currently, I'm in a situation that I cannot spend too much money since I have to pay for my house credit.

Again...I'm still not happy about it :( . I realize, whatever reason I have will not be good enough to be stated as a reason for not showing up for his birthday. I mean, c'mon...tired? exhausted? work? no money? for your own Dad?  I'm sorry Pa..... ;(((

I wish and send zillions of prayers that you will always be given health by Allah SWT. We love you...

AA

This is the picture from his last year's bday. That's my daughter, Yvette and his Eyang Kung. We brought him a bday cake.