life according to andria - embracing the Big C

November was a rather hectic month for me. I had to pack the whole house because we were moving to a new house. Unfortunately, my dearest hubby was away on work most of the time so I had to do the packing myself. However, on the actual moving day, Alhamdulillah, hubby was around. Moving is no easy task. A lot of things that one has to do... packing, loading, unloading, unpacking, clean up old house, cleaning up new house, decorating new house... and the list goes on. I was very fortunate that on that moving day, some of my students (JAD U1 boys) came to my aid :). I was very touched and happy with their presence. They help meant a lot to me (and still do). So I'm now settled in my new home. My kids are happy with the new place, so does my maid, Dewi. More spacious i guess. I do, however, miss my old house. Even though it's 'petite' in size, it carries a lot of memories. It was the first house that we bought after we got married. I believe new memories will be created i...

I've been wanting to share this for quite some time, but i've been rather busy lately. Last November, Safwan had his first 'gig'. His first concert. Every year, towards the end of the school term, Safwan's school (pre-school), holds a 'Majlis graduasi & Penyampaian Hadiah'(graduation n priz giving ceremony). So, this year, though he didn't get any prize, he was selected to perform a nasyid and he was the lead singer :) He was very excited about it. WE were excited about it. Our son's first concert. Ha ha ha. Everyday he would practice at home. The nasyid was in English, one of the nasyids that Yusof Islam's composed. Fortunately for Safwan, he has been listening to the nasyid before he was seleted to perform. So, he was very familiar to it. So, the day finally came. His performance was the first performance for the day. My hubby even recorded it. I was nervous for him. I was afraid that he might experience stage fright and fo...

I've been married for 11 years and i am blessed with four beautiful children and each of them is unique in their own way. Amirah Syafiah Saiful Amin. My first born :). She's 10 this year, in standard four and a prefect. She's rather competitive in everything that she does and she likes to try out new things, new food. She would drag me to whatever audition that she could get herself into. I sometimes call her 'drama queen' as she could be very dramatic at times. She's rather sensitive but very caring. She loves making cards for me and my husband. She would write letters to us apologising of the wrong things that she had done. I treasure every single card, letter and drawing that she has 'produced', and i'm sure there are more to come :). Amin Ridwan Saiful Amin, 9 years old. My second child. He's bigger and taller than Amirah. Unlike Amirah, he's not very competitive. He's content with what he has and he's very Compassionate . He will...

Lately Í've been thinking about my friends. My primary school friends, secondary school friends, university friends, etc. I have / had (?) a best friend. We've been best friends since we were 14. That's long huh... However, lately, these past few years, we've grown apart. We hardly see each other, or even call each other. I guess as you grow older and have your own family, you tend to have less time to entertain your friends. However, no matter how busy both of us are with our lives, we have never missed to wish each other 'happy birthday'every year, even only via sms. The last time we met was almost 3 years ago. The last time we actually spoke to each other on the phone was about a year ago. I guess through the years, studying and working at different places, we tend to make other friends, who eventually grew closer to us. Now, I find that sometimes I could not talk to her like before, her too. Before... we used to be able to tell each other everything, we shar...

I believe it's still not too late for me to wish everyone Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. I've not been blogging for quite a while..... been busy with kids, me being sick, classes, etc. Nevertheless, i had a wonderful Raya. This year we celebrated our first Raya at my hubby's kampung, Gopeng :). I love spending time in Gopeng. Whenever i'm in Gopeng, i gain weight. My mother in law and my sis-in-law are wonderful cooks...mmm, sedap. Everytime during Raya, i notice that families will have some sort of a 'colour theme' , where everyone in the family wears the same colour of baju raya, example, my brother's family (him, his wife and kids) wore silver this year. My family...he he he. We went 'rainbow', my hubby doesn't believe in colour theme... most important is kids have fun and wear whatever they want. So, this raya, my hubby and I wore purple, but our kids wore different colours. My youngest, Aina, didn't even want to wear baju kurung. She scr...

'Tension' is a famous word being used by human beings, especially the species called 'students':). There are many ways to overcome 'tension'. Below were the things that i did to release my tension when i was a university student (in no particular order); 1. recited Yasin & Quran 2. ate chocolate 3. ate more chocolate 4.lepak with my close friends 5. listened to guns n roses and U2 6. read novels 7. ironing 8. watched movie Below are the things that i do to relax now (in no particular order); 1. recite Yasin and Quran 2. watch my children play 3. indulge myself in a wonderful conversation with my hubby 4. ironing (i've always loved ironing...i find it to be very relaxing) 5. watch 'Friends' 6. listen to 'Daughtry', 'Guns n Roses'and U2 7. shopping / window shopping 8. eat (chocolate, Jco donuts, sandwich or cookies) Everyone has their own way on how to relax and release his / her tension. Whatever it may be, as long as it doesn...

Salam. Today is the second day of Ramadhan. For Muslims, Ramadhan is very special. It is extraordinary. There are lots of things that could only be found and experienced in Ramadhan that can't be experienced in any other months. Fasting is one.... it's wajib, or a must. Though Muslims can fast in any other month, fasting in Ramadhan is very special as Ramadhan is the month which is 'wajib'for Muslims to fast. Ramadhan is the only month that one can experience solat terawikh.This solat can't be performed in other months. The experience of performing terawikh is magical.... Whenever i perform terawikh i feel touched and blessed. I'm blessed to be a Muslim, and to be given the chance to live this year so that i can experience Ramadhan again. This Ramadhan, my 3rd son, Safwan, 6 years old is trying to fast for the first time :). The first sahur he woke up feeling excited and confident that he would be able to fast till maghrib. 1230... he came up with a proposal. He...

When i was about 11 - 12 years old, my parents got divorced. Though 'divorce' is a dreadful word, i must thank my parents for not making their divorce very messy. What i mean is, both of them were very honest to me and my brothers form the very beginning. They told us the reason behind it, and they made it clear that no matter what, they still love us. Of course at that time i felt clueless, helpless and my world was falling apart, but at that moment i grew up. Not long after, my father remarried. Again, i thought that i would have an evil stepmother just like snow white and Cinderella , but i was wrong. My stepmom , whom i now call 'mummy', is not like the stepmom like you watch on tv or read in fairy tales. Of course, it took me... both of us i think, some time to really accept each other, but now, we have a wonderful relationship . We are able to do things together and she has always introduced me as her daughter and not step daughter. My relationship and my brothe...

I had a great opportunity to go to Japan last March to accompany the first batch of JAD HELPIII students. It was certainly a magnificent trip, and i enjoyed every minute of the time spent there. Before going, i didn't really know what to expect. I thought i would die of boredom. Fortunately for me... it was the total opposite! I actually found myself in a wonderful adventure. I actually prayed in the open and to my surprise, i was really khusyuk and focused when i was performing my prayer in the open with no proper telekung. However, when the time finally came for me to bid farewell to my much-loved students, it certainly was a teary occassion. 3 years spent with them, they are more like my brothers and sisters than students. Nevertheless, i'm really proud of them and i believe that all of them will graduate on time :). Soon the time will come for me to watch another batch of students starting their journey in a foreign land. Like always, I pray for their success and i hope tha...

Today i had a wonderful lunch my my students - the TOEIC GOLD ACHIEVERS :). We had subway sandwich n Jco Donuts...Yum Yum....sedap... :). Here are the pics.

Yesterday my colleagues and I had lunch together... all 20 of us the local lecturers and staff. First time ever.... and it was because one of us is leaving. Later, we had a farewell dinner together with the Japanese lecturers for Anuar sensei. It is rather upsetting for all of us to lose such a great, experienced lecturer. It is actually a waste for the program. Nevertheless, for Anuar sensei, it is the right thing to do for the sake of his career. He'll be in a better institution which would appreciate his skills and knowledge more. I personally would like to thank him for sharing his wisdom and giving his opinions whenever i asked for his views on certain issues. So, sayonara Anuar sensei. May you be blessed always.

I've just come back from Bandung, Indonesia last week. It was not my first trip there. I enjoy going there as shopping is totally óut of rhis world'. Anyway, what i want to share with all of you is not about the world of shopping, it's more than that. I remember the first time I went to bandung about 3 years ago, i was very surprised to see a lot of small children begging on the streets. My last trip was no different. I was walking down Jalan Riau, where all the factory outlets are situated, when a small boy carrying a few 'batu lesung'on his shoulders came begging to me to buy his 'batu lesung' because he was hungry and had no money to eat. Now...what am I supposed to do with a 'batu lesung' and how am i going to carry it back to KL? Later, as i was buying some toys sold by the road side, came this cute, small little skinny girl begging for money. I think she must be not more than 5 years old. 'Kesian bu...'she said to me. The first thing th...

Salam. Hello everyone! For your info, i'm a first timer in this 'blogging world'. Reading blogs by the people i know n care has caused me to try out this blogging thing. I'll try to share my thoughts as much as i can. I do hope that u... my readers will enjoy sharing my stories with me. U r more than welcome to leave any comments.