Her Secret

Growing up, my dad was one of my best friends. I almost told him everything happened in my life. I knew, he was the only friend I really could count on, that I knew when I told her something in secret it wouldn’t go any further. My secrets were always safe with him. I was growing up happily.

Now I am a mother. It is my turn to  listen to my daughter's secret.

Everyone has secret, especially as a growing up kid, they have more secret. Why some people are not so close to their parents, I believe one of the reasons is that they seldom share their children's secrets, especially during the children growing up period.

Parents are always teaching too much on how children should do, but listen too little what children want to do.

I always try my very best to provide my daughter two listening ears when I am at home. She likes to tell me all sorts of funny things happening in the school. She tells me about her friends, her teachers, her happiness and her fears. One day she told me she love one boy in her class. "LOVE" ? I almost want to laugh, HaHa!  She was 9 years old that time. But I didn't laugh at her, in fact, I listened to her, "Does he handsome? " "Is he your good friend? " I asked her some this kind of questions. You may think that I am a silly mum. But I can tell you I communicated well with my parents during my growing up times. So do I now. I communicate well with my daughter during her growing up.  I do share with her a lot of my own opinions, my secrets such as how I got married to her dad, how I have been gone through a time period being a new wife, a daughter-in-law in a big family...That is a good feeling if you can share some secrets with your kids even those secrets actually are very small matters and looks silly in life. Because I am listening to her secrets and my lips are sealed, for example when she asked me to keep the secret from the father, I will do that. I gain her trust so I gain the chance to guide her grow up healthy and happily. Although a lot of time the news she shares isn’t exactly what I am as a mom want to hear. But I know that is when it is even more important that I am there for her to listen when she shares.

How about you, do you share your secrets with your parents? Do you share your secrets with your children?

Is your life turning out the way as you planed?

Is your life turning out the way as you planed? After many years of marriage life, do you ask yourself such a question? What is your answer?

I like to think of myself as a planner, I am proud I can manage and plan my job, my career to turn out the way as I expected. But I can never fully plan everything in life, something so called love, something so called marriage.

I guess many of you are same as me, right?

I wonder how many people are really very satisfied in their marriage. I wonder how many people knew that the marriage will be sure turning out as their plan. Does anyone really know for sure?

I don't think so.

A lot of people still are very happy with their marriage though the life is not turning out the way as they expected. Why? Are you happy? Why you are not happy? All depend on our attitude towards life.

Life is not just what we see it but how we see it.

Happy or not is your own choice. You can either blame life for your circumstances or you can embrace them and grow. There will be a lot of culture shock among international marriage, especially as foreigners who married to Singaporean. Life is never turn out as you planed. Marriage life may not turn out as you expected. But you still need to make yourself happy.

Why not. Take what you have and make it the best.

About this blog & me

This blog is not only a personal journey. It is about Singapore lifestyle, about relationship in a marriage, religion and belief, love and forgiveness, wedding culture in different country and more, it is about anything can be happened in our daily life.

International marriage is indeed complicated. Not only we must decide for everything but also we must consider parents in law of both parties. Aside from that family rule must abide culture and hierarchy.

How many people from other country married to Singaporean? I hope through this blog we can share some thoughts and know better about this country and culture.

Anyway, life is not just what you see it but how you see it.

How to register for your marriage in Singapore?

How to register for your marriage?

Age Requirements

  • 21 years and above.
  • For person aged between 18 and 21 years, the applicant will require the parents consent to marry. Both parents and two witnesses above 21 years old with NRICs/passport must also be present during the solemnisation of marriage.
  • For person under the age of 18, the applicant will be required to apply for a special marriage license.

Other Requirements

  • For marriage between a Singaporean/Permanent Resident (PR) and a foreigner :

If the foreigner is a work-permit holder, prior approval must be obtained from the Controller of Work Permits, Ministry of Manpower.

  • For marriage between foreigners :

One of the applicant must have stayed in Singapore continuously for at least 15 days before the date of the Notice of Marriage.

Procedure

  • Apply for the Notice of Marriage at http://www.rom.gov.sg/ or web kiosks at ROM.
  • You can also choose to e-file your Notice of Marriage.
  • It has to be applied at least 21 days and up to 3 months before the date of solemnisation (wedding date).

Documents to prepare for electronic filing of notice of marriage

For Applicants

Singaporean: NRIC or Birth Certificate

Permanent Resident (PR): NRIC or Birth Certificate

Foreigners: NRIC or Birth Certificate , Passport

  • For Divorcee : Original or certified true copy of the Decree Nisi Absolute will also be required.
  • For Widowed Person : Death Certificate of late spouse.

Witnesses (2 Persons)

  • full name as appeared on NRICs or passports
  • NRICs or Passport numbers

Solemnisation Details

  • Date & Time
  • Venue (full address as this will appear on your marriage certificate)
  • Solemniser's name & license number
  • Solemniser's consent

Marriage Fees

  • Acceptable mode of payment is Credit Card.

Other advice

  • As the choice date for solemnisation of marriages may not be available as it had been fully-booked by others, it is advisable to choose alternative dates before you file for your notice of marriage.
  • It is advisable to shop for your wedding rings at least 6 weeks before your wedding date. This will ensure that the jeweller has ample time to re-order the rings that you want, if they were out of stock.
  • Etiquette towards the solemniser
    • 1. Language preference for solemnisation
    • 2. Requirement(s) such as meeting up and/or pre-marriage preparation
    • 3. Invite your Solemniser personally (third party such as a relative or wedding planner is not entertained)
  • Note that your Solemniser sacrifices personal time and efforts when he/she accepts your invitation to grace your joyous occasion as Guest-of-Honour. As a gesture of appreciation, please ensure that he/she is warmly received, entertained, and reimbursed for transport to and from your wedding venue.

Web site: http://www.rom.gov.sg

Address:

Registry of Marriages
7 Canning Rise Singapore 179869

Main line: Tel (info): 63387808 Fax: 63393328

Operating Hours :

Mondays to Fridays : 8.30 am - 12.30 noon/ 2.30 pm - 4.30 pm

Saturdays : 8.00 am - 12 noon

Sundays and Public Holidays : Closed

Marriage Life Is a Big Jigsaw Puzzle

Marriage life won't be a typical fairy tale forever although it may end with a happily ever after.... There are many ups and downs along the way. Most of the time, you will feel like you are trying very hard to manage all the jigsaw pieces, you are trying to form the jigsaw puzzle but just can't find that missing pieces.
When you are single, life is a piece of empty canvas, you are born to be a painter, you can use whatever colour you like to paint the canvas of your life, every single canvas of life is an art work, sure there is someone in this world know to appreciate it. Until one day, you meet your another life partner, you finally decide to go into marriage life. From the day you say "I Do.", there are no more canvas art, only left the jigsaw puzzle, both of you must work hard to match all the jigsaw pieces, and you can't bear to lose any pieces along the way...
Once you get into marriage life, it does mean you have chosen your jigsaw puzzle. You have decided what picture you want. Yeah, you may find some other beautiful pieces in the future, but I can say it is impossible to be fixed into your exiting one, marriage is like the jigsaw puzzle, every one of the jigsaw piece is unique and can't be replaced.
Marriage life is a very demanding life.... it is not just about you alone but your partner, both of your family, the people around you... and much more. They are all your jigsaw pieces, you can't finish you jigsaw puzzle if you have missed any one piece.
There is nothing worse than finding that your puzzle nearly done, The very last piece is missing. You wonder where it's gone.

Creating Slideshows For Your Wedding Photo

Apart from uploading photos of your wedding or engagement to the Internet, you can also put in interactive slide shows with animation.

One of the best method is to upload your photos to the free slide show website like slide.com

You can even add in the music to play when your slide is being viewed. Isn’t this cool?

A Good Husband

When a wife has a good husband it is easily seen in her face.

Happy Marriage

All marriages are happy. It's living together after wards that is difficult.

8/8/08: It’s A Big Date

The number of 8 in Chinese pronounce as "FA", it means "Rich" . August 08, 2008, 888 has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

After the frenzy created last year on 7-7-07, a popular wedding date considered lucky by many, wedding vendors and engaged couples are looking out for the next extra-popular date. August 8, 2008 falls on a Friday, since 8 is an extremely lucky number in Chinese culture, watch for huge numbers of Chinese weddings this day. There will be a lot of wedding cars on the road the day.