Sorry for not updating since my last post. It had been quite a big roller coaster ride since my last update.
Well, things at home were still quite a big frustration for both Eric and I. It's like almost to a breaking point where it was affecting even our own relationship with each other. Going to the women bible study every Wednesday morning helps to allows me to be with other older women, who would listen and share experiences. And at times, it was amazing that the discussions would touch my heart, to the deepest point.
One day, I received a book from my pastor's wife Carmi. She asked if I would like to join their book club, reading through this book together and discuss as a group every 2-3 weeks during lunch.
This event was a God sent. The book they were going through was not only helpful for a newly wed wife like me, it teaches us how to be a Godly wife to our husband and family.
It talks about how to love and communicate with our husband. How we work with our husband, so that we are there for each other's needs. How to love and teach our children. How to prioritize our life's, with work and home, of want and need. How to not succumb onto temptations of sinful nature, such as greed, anger, bitterness. Oh how it touches my heart!
It wasp quite hard, trying to seek the truth and admitting to the sinfulness of my own. But praise God for softening my heart. Thank God for the many older women who were there to share their struggles and their listening ears to mine. Everyone who were there, had struggles of their own, as a wife and mum to their family. It was a good opportunity for us to open God's words and read the guidance God has for us. It felt so supported, encouraged, and guided. No one teaches us how to be a wife, especially Godly wife. No one teaches us how to raise a child. Examples from our own families may not be the best model. Oh how much I learned.
Eric and I also met up with the pastor for counseling one afternoon. It was a great opportunity for us to talk about things which had been bothering us for a while. Like the house renovations, moving out, living with in-laws, clinic work.....
So Jeff, our pastor sat there and asked abut our issues and listen to our situation. It helps a lot as there is now someone who can see it from a third person's point of view. So the conclusion at the end was that we should moved out from this place and Eric should get his decision ready and get things moving (for both the renovations and clinic work).
And so we did! We moved out the following week after the session with Jeff. We moved our beds there, so we are sleeping there at night. However, the rest of the house is still in a mess. Or day time work is either at the in-law's place inspecting the construction work, or at the other home, doing the wall paper removing. And I'm still in charge of cooking at the in-law's place. So we will have dinner together before we head home.
At the end of November, my clinic work finally started too! My first patient is our friend at bible study. And since then, I have another two regular patients. We promoted our clinic at Eric's uni friends gathering around Christmas, and we got a few interest clients. Haha. But so far, we are just thinking of going slowly and just treating people we know, because we are doing home visits. Eric is not comfortable with me visiting stranger's place.
Relationship wise, has been much better between Eric's mum and me. His sister's absence for a month for her holiday in HK, helped a little. (Less people to worry) His mum had a sudden scare of sciatic pain shortly after the Boxing Day, which sees us sending her to the hospital's A&E, staying in there for 6 hrs and finally discharging with just a script of painkillers. They could not find what was wrong with her. So today, after 3 weeks in pain, she finally is going to see her GP for a referral for MRI scan. This had caused a bit of stress in Eric with his mum, as it was so difficult for us to coax his mum to take pain medication. It was like coaxing a small kid, and without the medication, she could not sit, stand, lie down, nor even go toilet! What's more, there's three levels of stairs for her to climb at home to get to her bed room! Sigh.....
To add on to the stress, there was the construction at the front of the house to fix the foundation of the house. It is now finally done! Took 3 weeks in total.
For the Christmas, we invited Eric's aunt and uncle to our house for Christmas dinner. His aunt had recently became a Christian. So happy that at least we have another relative who is also a Christian. She is my in-laws sister. I made some food for that night. Also baked the Japanese cheese cake for dessert, but it did not turnout as pretty. Taste wise, it's awesome. Hehe. Need to brush up my skills.
Then new year was a time where we were look after the 'kid' who refused to take pain medication, and also housing a visitor from Canberra. We brought him to see the famous new year fireworks on new year eve. O my, it was sooooo chaotic!
We went together with three other friends from our bible study.
Unfortunately, the location where we were at was not ideal for the fireworks. Our conclusion for the night was: sitting at home watching tv for countdown, would be much more comfy than being at the site where we were. Think my brother who saw it live on tv in Perth,have a better view than us. Lol.
We were into fishing lately. So this is Eric's catch of the day on last Sunday. It was really the catch of the day! The fish got hooked within 1 second! Really. ONE SECOND! And for the rest of two hours, we caught nothing. Haha.
Tonight, we are inviting his aunt and family over again for dinner. His cousins will be joining too. We are making vietnamese rice paper roll for dinner. Nice and easy. Hehe. Lazy me.
I hope u all have a good start to your new year too!
Kcan
