Mervyn Hoe: My Daily Happenings

It's really thank god that we managed to complete the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk this morning with four children, Eve and I!   We just wanted a nearby trekking experience and it's very near our place.  Hence we started from Venus Drive and started on our trekking trail from 9.30am and ended at around 12.30pm! The trek towards the TreeTop Walk was one that was motivating because the sign boards just kept showing shorter and shorter distance. From 2.5km to 500m,  we were thrilled!  Initially Gwen didn't enjoy the trekking, when she reached the suspension bridge,  she was so excited and wanted to come again! The view was spectacular and we spotted monkeys on the supporting beams of the bridge!  Eve and I took turns to sling Sara. She slept midway and she woke up when we reached the TreeTop Walk! I felt a sense of achievement once we reached there as a family!  The journey back to the starting point was a challenge. It's around 3km of trekking but we jus...

This morning, as I was cycling back home from market, I skidded and fell on my back! One of the bicycle's pedal pressed onto my left ankle. I felt the entire weight of the bicycle on it and it's very painful. I couldn't move. I used my arms to push up the bicycle, but it's too heavy. Everything happened so fast. A moment, I was cycling and I'm just a few steps away from the house lift. The next moment, I was on the floor, stuck under the bicycle. I used all my might to lift the bicycle up slightly. And I managed to get my ankle away from the pedal. I came out of it eventually. A passerby came and asked if I'm ok. I was fine, sort of. I didn't feel any pain yet. When I reached home, Gwen saw me and told me I was bleeding. I said no because I didn't feel any pain. She pointed at my left knee. Indeed, she was right! I was bleeding. And suddenly, the extent of the pain slowly intensified. I felt it in my left ankle, my left shoulder and my left bleeding k...

Recently, we have dismissed our helper (21 Aug 2017) due to theft and things are back to normal. Now, we prepare meals for everyone, and do the marketing, household chores etc. Yes, we had much more things to do. However, we were pleased. We have gotten back our control of the house! The cooking In fact, I have missed cooking and preparing of the food for lunch and dinner. Most of the time, the helper had been preparing and I would do some of the cooking. For the past week, I managed to whip up 4-5 dishes within 30 minutes! It's amazing! I enjoy cooking so much! We grew our own mushrooms too!! It's really amazing! They took about 1 week to grow to this size Look at the amazing mushrooms! Breaded Almond Chicken Fillet Boiled Organic Asparagus, Potato Salad and the Breaded Almond Chicken Fillet  A meal served with brown rice The dining table Josh and Kate will assist in the laying of plates, utensils and making sure that the din...

Wow! On 24th May 2017, our 4th baby was born! It's a new milestone in our family! The day when we have a new family member in our family!! We were so excited and amazed that we witnessed the whole birth process! The Estimated Due Date (EDD) was supposed to be 22nd May 2017. We waited and waited and was so blessed to have God to choose such a wonderful date for the birth of the baby. Wonder Woman: Eve's pregnant at 40 weeks! Happy picture of us! However, immediately after this picture, she had contractions! Schedules of the Contractions Early morning, Eve woke up with contractions and they were not the Braxton Hicks contractions. They were regular and quite immense. I noted down the first timing, which was around 8am. Here is the list of timings that I noted till birth! It was very owl of me. However, it's important! 827am: Left home and took cab. 833am Contraction 837am Contraction  839am Contraction)  We went to the delivery ward. 842am Contraction 8...

I am thankful that everyday, I am able to spend time with my children. Teaching them mathematics, writing, reading, cycling, swimming, cooking, God's words etc and playing with them! And it's these day-to-day events that made me realize that I am a father of three! I'm amazed how both Eve and I are able to do it. Yes, I am very thankful and my children are God's gift. Recently I went to my nanny's funeral and caught up with many of my god siblings and god children. And many of the children have grown up to be early teenagers! This is very different compared in 2006, whereby they were just young children, running around and in Primary Schools! Linking to my children, now Josh is 8, Kate is 6 and Gwen is 4. In 10 years' time, they are 18, 16 and 14 respectively! I'll be 44! It's just a matter of a blink of our eyes, they too will be early teens! Wow isn't it? I'm just thankful once again that I am able to have both flexibility in my career and ...

On 24th April 2017, 145pm, my Godmother breathed her last...She left a great legacy. She is a great woman. The most recent visit was during this year's Chinese New Year. We were so delighted to visit her and to inform her about the good news on our fourth child. My three children were there too and I explained to them who she was. My godmother took great care of me as a nanny eversince I was one month old. I'm indeed thankful that her whole family took good care of me, especially my god sisters and brothers. The unconditional love that showered me all these years. When we departed that visit, I sensed something was not right, but I didn't ask. My mama was not moving much, different from the usual years whereby she would walk to and fro in the house. And my god sister told me to come by often with a little teary eyes. I thought I was thinking too much. I didn't ask anything because it was Chinese New Year, a festive period, and I kept it to myself, not even telling Eve...

Yes! The long awaited post! Recently, we went to the Children's Garden at Gardens by the Bay. It's been about 3 years since we came here! And it was fun!   Family picture of us at the dry playground. They have so many obstacles for the children to try out!  I want to thank my father-in-law who took his precious time to accompany us and took great photographs. We are in the midst of forming our photobook for remembrance. This is really a rare picture because to get 3 children to look at the camera is tough. Thankful that we can capture it! My baby Josh My baby Gwen My baby Kate Eve came at a later time to join us in the family picture. This is also part of our pre natal shoot! We want to thank God for the great and fine weather! This is amazing! My father in law managed to dig out our 2014 picture with Kate, versus 2017 picture! Look at how much she has grown! I could still remember both Josh and Kate were quite afraid of the water f...