Dear Second Son,
On your Third Birthday,
May your next year of life
Be full of Love, Laughter and Learning.
May you flourish and thrive
In your new homeland in the north.
May your boundless exuberance
Discover limitless potential,
As Baby becomes Boy
And fills his parents with pride and joy
On your Third Birthday
(from your Daddy)
Yesterday was Jerome's Birthday. We were not doing anything special yesterday. I just made a wonderful breakfast in the bed and gave him some nice presents including coffee-makers, next shirt dan framed family picture. I asked Zach to make a hand-painting in the framed family picture and wrote Happy Birthday for Daddy. Jerome brought the framed family picture to his office and showed to his colleagues, everybody was very like it. I got so many compliments from them.
We are going to Bali tomorrow and will meet Leanna and Jo there. Bali trip is for Jerome's birthday too.
For my best friend and husband, Happy Birthday Say. Hope you had a good day yesterday. We love you so much. Thank you for being a good husband and the best daddy in the world. Thank you for these wonderful years together. Love you ...
Galuh
Today is my birthday.
Yes, I am 31 years old now. Yesterday, I contemplated what I have done so far and try to remember what my future plans include my career, my family, my kids, and other priorities. I felt that I did not achieve any significant progress yet, I could still not realize most of my dreams. In my birthday, I always feel that I did not do anything and my dreams were far from reached. But I have someone, my lovely husband, who always remind me that I have done so many great things and I have a lovely family. Yes, he is true … I have a wonderful husband who always love and support me, a healthy and smart boy who always lighten up my life, a lovely family who always love me, and an upcoming baby boy who will come in our life in next 2-3 weeks.
Zach celebrated his 3rd birthday at Kidzone with 38 friends from his schools and daddy-mommy's friends's kids. After some rigorous playing at the play area, the kids played games and sang songs. Zach had a dinosaur cake and blew out the candle without help.
Yes, it's true. I have reached the ripe old age of 40. Many people have commented that I appear much younger than my age. In fact, I was recently in Washington, D.C. where I was asked to prove my age at a bar (the first time in 15 years)! In the west, youth is idolized. Yet I live in an asian country where age is respected. So it seems my youthful looks are not much of a boon since I can neither bask in western idolization nor get asian respect.
My birthday was on a Monday this year and as usual I bought lunch for the office according to Indonesian custom. I ordered my favorite ayam bakar from Ayam Ganthari. Somehow, I feel that custom should be suspended for your 40th.
The highlight of my birthday was the amazing gift from my brilliant and creative wife, Galuh. For months she had chasing friends and family from all the various corners of my life to contribute comments which she compiled into a book for me! It's like a chronicle of my life with pictures of my childhood (stored away faithfully by my Mom all these years), and comments from highschool friends, university buddies, Greenpeace pals, family and NDI collegues. It's a magnificient and moving gift of memories. Thank you, Galuh.
