Finally I can tell it here! Wow~ I'm so proud of myself to have successfully completed a surprised birthday celebration for my dear sister Min-D!
I'm so happy!
In fact the idea started last week, a few days after I started working. How to celebrate her birthday during MCO? So sad, I can't bring her to eat her favourite food and her friends also cannot. I thought, what about virtual party? Some people did and they felt blessed! But she said no oh... How ah 🤔
Through our conversation, I know she will feel happy if we can meet physically. Especially she said when L brought her basil leaves on Friday, she was so happy to see her physically! And she was so happy when I told her I might pass by her house on Saturday night but I didn't because of some timing issue. So, 💡 I thought why not we barge into her house and give her a surprise? CMCO says go out if necessary. It's necessary to keep my friend sane and happy! Haha😜
But at the same time I was struggling inside. Is it right for me to do this? What if her family members scared we bring virus to their house? What if we went the wrong time and interrupted her family's schedule? So many what ifs.... So, I open my idea to another 2 friends.
L said, she has class on Monday night, hmm.. so either earlier in the evening, or late at night. But E is working even though it's a public holiday. She is struggling whether to take half day leave to do this. But, but, it would be so nice if 3 of us can go together 🥺 how lar like that...
So how lar? Left E and proceed with L? What if after her class at 10pm? L needs to sleep early and I can imagine my mom screaming her head off when I leave home at 9pm to go out celebrate birthday. And another challenge is my family scheduled family altar time changed to Monday 8-9pm... Ah... Challenge after challenge 😣
My sis said why not celebrate on another day? Well, I was thinking of doing it before her actual birthday since 2 of us definitely can't make it on her actual day. So, I shared this idea and both of them is agreeable! Ha, so my worry if she might not feel good because it's after her birthday etc, is lessen, since it's supported by others. Phew~
Okay, set, Saturday it is. So, I concentrate back on my life for the rest of the Monday afternoon.
Throughout the week, everyday, I would think, how to do it? Should I make lava cake for her? But lava only lasts a few minutes and my house is 30 mins away... should I bring her kimchi since she likes Korean? Should I just resort to make a almond cake that is nice and special? But I've never bake a cake before.... Will it fail? Should I buy her 🍕? But she just had it for mother's day... All my plans has a problem.
So L suggested to get an ice cream cake which she knows where to source it. Wow~ great idea and though it's not inside scoop but chocolate ice cream, 2 of her favorite food in 1, okay lar. Not my perfect idea but it's a workable idea and doesn't burden any of us too much. So I let L handle the cake. In fact I think L loves her more than I do hahaha... When did this become a competition to gain a friend's love? 🙈
Anyway, the cake is settled but I still think not enough... So continue to day dream about the details and repeating all the what ifs scenarios in my head again and again... Actually no answer also...
Then on her actual day, things happened. Family issues, she felt so down. I thank God we did plan to go on that day and neither the day before because all the happiness will just be gone with the wind because of the family issue! Ah, God is more brilliant as always than my little brain. I'm glad I got this confirmation in my heart that the decision to do it on Saturday wasn't wrong. Although it's a little sadden by her family issue and I couldn't help at all. Just pray that God will carry them through.
Well, my mind didn't stop thinking, so I started asking questions about what we like to eat etc... And found out her dad doesn't like 🍕... So what does she like to eat? 🍗or🍕? She answered 🍔 from MyBurgerLab... My heart drown... How to get this? I forced her to choose 🍗😁.
It was so mind boggling to go through the details again and again. I decided to ask L & E for help. So L asked if I have a plan... Actually I have some thoughts but not really a plan. So, I quickly ecxel-ised my thoughts and ask them for a quick 30mins zoom. Then I could focus back to work again. Arghhhh~ sometimes I hate it when my mind think faster than I act. Which is why a lot of times I thought I've done something but I haven't in actual fact...
I'm surprised E was impressed by my excel... I was like erm... That's the only way I know how.... I'm very excel lady oh.... Hahahaha even I calculate spending using excel also hahaha....
During our zoom meet, I keep repeating the what ifs scenarios again and E stopped me. She said, those things not important. I was like what if I buy KFC but her dad doesn't like? I wish to please everyone of her family member but those are not important! What is most important is to appear physically in front of her eyes. Everything else doesn't matter. For the next couple of days, I had to keep repeating this whenever the what if comes into my mind. It helps. I admire E for her ability to focus!
Busy Friday I had, getting things ready, trying to finish work early to get the booklet from canaanland bookstore, getting my stuff from PJ, and yet to write something for her. I couldn't write anything to her... Aiyo... I feel like I keep writing selfishly which I should focus on her, not how I feel. I couldn't sleep on Friday night, keep peeling my nails off, my sis told me before it's an indicator I'm stressed.
In the end I had to sleep because of tiredness.
Saturday is D day! I woke up early, water my mom's plants and getting myself some breakfast. The breakfast burned of because of my nervousness within 1 hour of consuming, while writing a card for her and wrapping a book 'The Shack' for Lydia.
I was late and it is hot, I had to take a bath to cool down, then the deliveryman came to deliver my sister's parcel, I had to wash my hands before leaving. Then the car on the road was a lot causing slow traffic... Everything seems to be late but God's is always right!
Smoothly we reach her house, gathered and action starts but Min-D want feeling well and looks pale. But very quickly she acted according and slowly her face recover from paleness. Phew~ God heals through our surprise visit.
Had a great time with her family and I even left with some grass Beng Dai Wun to replant in my house for consumption!
The whole day ended with a solution for my mom to use her phone to connect to TV HDMI. So glad done so many things!
Felt a great achievement! We hugged even during CMCO. It felt so good to get not just one but 2 hugs, also from her mom!
Wow~ God's guidance and grace from within!
Actually I planned to bring her out or something special on the following Saturday, whole month is her birthday month, but am I too over?!
Up till here. To be continued...
