All the wedding business had practically consumes all time that we can spared from office life. And for 2 months we have left the house neglected. So, it is only natural that, the first activity we did after we got married is house visit.

This is how the facade of the house look like, 2 days after our wedding.

We are not happy! Left for 2 months, we expect more than a clean flooring and door frame. We were ready to see some works on floor tiling. But, seems the developer face some issues with the contractor that left our house abandoned for quite some time.

Some work has apparently started in front of our house. From 2nd floor, we can see that water drainage has been prepared for the road.

And when we are back 3 weeks later, we park our car right in front of the house. The photo below is taken from our kitchen window.

During my college day, I made a promise to myself: I will get married after my 30th birthday. Thirty years old is the age, in my opinion, where I hopefully financially ready, and more importantly, mentally ready.

And on 23rd January 2010, I fulfilled my promise.

Our wedding plan started on 28 February 2009, when I propose her. “I do” she said and we hugged. We made a decision that night for a simple wedding. Not the lavish one in 5-stars Hotel Ballroom with grandeur stage, from which you are wondering who are these people. We want an intimate wedding, where you shake their hands while calling their names, where all our friends who knows us shaken with tears of happiness.

Housing is the next one to address. We spent long weekends, from houses to houses, agents to agents, trying to match location and budgets. We venture to places we haven’t been before, calculating budgets, negotiating prices. Until one day, we are at this place. This is not the perfect house we dream of, but the most acceptable so far, and fit the budget. I look at her eyes, holding her hands, and said: “I want to move on with our wedding plan. Lets buy this one”. We still have to wait for a couple of months until it is completed

Our parents are the people we mostly grateful for bringing us to this day. We can understand and fully accept if they have their own will on how they want to deliver us to our new family. But what we can’t accept is the people around them, whose voice are very confusing that, we don’t know anymore which one is our parents’ own will, or someone else’s will. For those people, whom we met maybe once, twice in couple of years, or maybe in our lifetime, we just wishes that they would mind their own business

The day has fianlly come, the day that we ahve been waiting for almost 1 year. It is also in that day that, you can really tell which one is your friends, and who among them that you can count on for important day. There are those who shops for flower in the middle of midnight, so they can gave us the most fresh flower available. A friend was so busy running errand that, he was like being washed with a bucket of water when we met him. But, there are another friend who seems occupied to check, whether his loved on has made it to the venue or not. There are another friend who took the precious time to don her make up. It is really moment of truth, and we are grateful that we have a lot of accountable friends.

The drama is a happy ending, with us finally standing before the altar, saying the sacred vow. Our friend sing the most beautiful wedding entrance song that we ever heard. We got a lot of wonderful picture, and in the afterparty, we enjoy the company of those who have helped us, we will be in debt to them forever.

At 11:00 pm, 23 January 2010, we lie down in the bed tired after months long of labor, phisically and mentally. It is the end of the day. It is the time, where, no matter how glamorous the party was, there will be two of us: Me, and the lady I proudly call my wife.

23 February 2010 – Celebrating 1 month of our wedding

To be honest, it still feels weird to see my name written on the wedding invitation. My wedding  invitation, our wedding invitation.

Seven days to our wedding date, and we have been through the most tough weeks of the preparation. Last weekend wasn’t feels like weekend, as we so busy driving to test food, looking for parents’ dress, discussing make up for the bride, talking with the photographers, and watching our friends who will sing for us. Just to make sure that they won’t hurt anyone’s ear .

New Year was spent with finalizing the book for the holy matrimony, reviewing invitation list, printing labels, putting invitation in the envelope, and sticking the label. A little celebration in the middle of hectic chores, as we celebrate the passing year with a bottle of Champagne, and boxes of Royce.

One thought last week, that I think we have been cruel to our parents. We got a lot of helps from our friend, either voluntary or due to our request. But we never allowed our parents to contribute, to help in our big day.

We are grateful for what they’ve done for us. Taking care of us for 30 years was never easy. All we want is for them to give their blessings as we said our vows in front of the altar, with tears of happiness in their cheeks. But well, parents is forever parents, and no matter how old we are, we’re still kids for them.

Seven days to our wedding, we wish that we have through the lows, so that the days ahead would always better until the date came. After that, when all the guess have gone home, there will be only the 2 of us….

“So, what’s next”, I popped the question to her.

We are getting married in 3 weeks, in the first month of 2010. And marriage is not the end. It is a beginning of a new chapter in life, and we definitely don’t want to spoil it. There should be another great thing after marriage other than making babies.

That evening, we created our new bucket list. Not the list to be done in 2010, but a far greater list of what we want after the wedding. Some we wish to cross off  during the year, other might took years to complete. The list so far:

1. A travel book and travel literature library, with attached coffee shop. Travelers are free to read the travel guides and literature over a cup of coffee and plate of snacks. We will keep a corner for ourself, for us to write our travel story
2. To relive the nomad live, to live and work at a new city, country for at least 3-5 years before moving on. City list so far: Singapore, Melbourne, London
3. To be able to work and make money at anytime, anywhere
4. To have her own regular column about travel, architecture and food
5. To have a furniture shop featuring works of non-famous designer. New designer with great talent but little opportunity will have the chance to feature their works.
6. To travel round-the-world, fly to the east

Happy New Year 2010, hope that you cross off many things in 2009, and add even more in your bucket list for 2010

In less than 120 minutes, 2009 will become past, and 2010 will become present. They said count your blessings to be grateful. I’m grateful for this years, I feel blessed….

1. At the end of January, I was accepted at new company.
2. February, not long after 1 year anniversary, she said: I Do
3. March marks my first day at my new company
4. In May, I’m officially home owner – or land owner to be exact
5. In November, we are officially engaged
6. Closing the year in December, I traveled to Vietnam

All in all, 2009 has been a great year. I might not achieve all my goals this year, but just by counting my blessing, I know I will have another great year in 2010….

Happy New Year….