Hi! Welcome to my blog of our family milestone moments.
I'm Karen. I'm a stay-at-home-mom (who recently turned 37), an active parent volunteer and, believe it or not, in this digital age of smartphones and ipads I'm still a loyal fan of the traditional pocket planner. In recent months I've devoured books by John Green, Jane Green, Veronica Roth, E.L. James, Stephenie Meyer and have even been introduced to some of the classics. I surely made up for lost reading time in the past years.
My journey as a stay-at-home mom in a foreign land began in 2001 when Kelvin (my then fifteen month old son) and I moved to Singapore to join my husband a year after he was offered a job in the IT field. EVERYTHING was new to us. We definitely had a lot of adjustments to make. That was start of our transoceanic family adventure.
The first few months and years were very challenging (so is every chapter of our family life). New family, new country. No friends nor immediate family around. You could imagine how difficult our transition was. There were a lot of mothering and parenting issues that needed to be addressed, and not having a support group (aside from my husband) to turn to was crippling at times. Trying to be a good, responsible SAHM and wife was a daily struggle as boredom, loneliness and sometimes depression set in. This was in addition to the many unknowns we as a couple had to face and learn about living abroad, raising a child and married life.
The highlights of my life in Singapore which taught me life lessons and blessed me with lasting frienships? My short stint as a travel advisor (my first employment after uni) under the tutelage of the best and most passionate in the travel industry (in my humble opinion). The arrival of our unexpected second child, Ira. My participation in online discussions on parenting/mothering/living abroad, where I made great friends who have become the pillars of my motherhood journey, constantly reassuring and uplifting me when times go bad. My involvement in the parent support group where I became a parent volunteer and loved every minute of it. Being in the company of like-minded parent volunteers (fun-loving and caring ones, I must add), I think somehow I found my calling.
The highlights of my life in Singapore which taught me life lessons and blessed me with lasting frienships? My short stint as a travel advisor (my first employment after uni) under the tutelage of the best and most passionate in the travel industry (in my humble opinion). The arrival of our unexpected second child, Ira. My participation in online discussions on parenting/mothering/living abroad, where I made great friends who have become the pillars of my motherhood journey, constantly reassuring and uplifting me when times go bad. My involvement in the parent support group where I became a parent volunteer and loved every minute of it. Being in the company of like-minded parent volunteers (fun-loving and caring ones, I must add), I think somehow I found my calling.
Thirteen years, two kids and an HDB-flat-of-our-own after, I'm still a stay-at-home-mom but no longer lonely or bored or lost in the middle of it all. My husband Mark and I are celebrating our 17th couple anniversary next month. Fourteen of those years were spent as a married couple in this foreign land we now call home. He is the family teaser/handyman/bread winner and his patience with me through the years have brought us this far.
My sons have also found their own group of friends in school and in their catechism classes. Kelvin is already in Secondary 2 is a proud school councilor and devoted member of the school chorale. Ira, our little ball of energy, is now in Primary 4. His participation in the Science Club (his CCA in P3) made him decide to become a self-professed naturalist. He also loves reading Young Scientist series and is eager to share every bit of information he gets from it.
I started this blog so that I could share our family stories and photos to our family and friends overseas (especially my mother who always wants to be updated). Thinking about the confused first few years and struggles we've had, I also wanted to share some stories about what I have learned about life and living in Singapore through the years. I hope that I may be able to help others better cope with raising a family abroad knowing that there are bits and pieces of information (either researched or personally experienced) from my blog that may come in handy.
May wish is for readers of my blog to also be able to find wonderful and caring groups of friends who will be with them through their life's journeys (aside from the company of their own families). I believe this will lead to a happier and more meaningful life of contentment.
May wish is for readers of my blog to also be able to find wonderful and caring groups of friends who will be with them through their life's journeys (aside from the company of their own families). I believe this will lead to a happier and more meaningful life of contentment.
Come and join me and my family as we go through memorable experiences of milestones after milestones of overseas family life.
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