Manila bound

It's been a while...

I that is how the past few blogposts of mine have started! the combination of full time university and a being at school is taking its toll. Something has to give. And soon! My well being is taking a knock from the amount of stress. I have blood tests to prove it!

Nate is playing footy in Manila this weekend, and I decided to tag along! Won't miss a chance to see a new place. So we are on our way to the LCCT to catch a flight.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy mother's day to my mum and my mum-in-law. Thank you for being so full of love, so supportive and so caring to Nathanael and I. We love you both very much and hope today is restful and relaxing.

Melaka

To celebrate being married for a whole 365 days, Nate booked a fantastic room in the town of Melaka for 3 nights. He took 4 days off work, I took a few days break from school and study. Its a short hop from Kuala Lumpur, across through the picturesque plantation country.

Melaka is a really well known place - its one of Malaysia tourism industry's trump cards thanks to its Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial history. It was a rich cosmopolitan port long before it feel victim to successive colonial invasions vying for its strategic location. As you walk the streets and visit museums, its plain to see that Melaka's wealth and influence are now a thing of the past. It has so much potential though and Nate and I found ourselves dreaming of what it could be, with a bit of tender loving care. I don't know what it is about Asia or the mentality here - things could be so great if preserved. We found ourselves talking about how Asia views the west, and if for them, preserving things which they may see as being plundered or stolen from them, was a priority. I guess not! Why would you want to celebrate, look after, preserve something which has causes war, flighting and pain to a nation?

It is beautiful, in a neglected kind of way. Like take a look at these little places on the river. If this was anywhere else in the world, well, western part of the world, this would be prime property. The river would be cleaned up and not stinky, the houses would be renovated, and they would sell for heaps!

We did a lot of relaxing when we were in Melaka but did a bit of touring around too. The area is super rich with history. My favourite spot was St Paul's Hill. A winding path leads from the town square to the ruins of St Paul's Church (1521) built on the site of the last Melakan sultans istana. From 1567 - 1596 the church was used as a fortress by the Portuguese, but it was badly damaged during the Dutch siege in 1641. Inside are gravestones, all propped up in the interior - all reminders of the epidemics and early mortality that early settlers had to face.

 We had a really lovely time. Eating, drinking, walking, joking, laughing... I am so grateful for the opportunities God is providing for us to travel and get to know each other. Nathanael is my best friend, being able to hang out with him so much has made me love him even more with every sunset and sunrise. It was a magical time, one I know I will look back on with fond memories.

Happy 1 year my sweet pea. You are the only one for me x x x

Sunday Night Market

we usually come down to our local market on a Sunday evening. there is the most delicious food, local street style of course, and the freshest veggies. I tend to do my weekly fruit and veg shop here. it's cheaper and the produce lasts a whole lot longer!

it's a cultural experience too! where else could you go and have a live "band" performing whilst you shop? that photo of the guy with crutches... local street market pop star!

27 years on...

twenty seven years old today. my goodness me. where has the time gone?

looking in the rear-view mirror my twenty sixth year has been full, fun and fantastic. with the love of my life by my side, as my husband, we did so much. grew so much. loved so much. my love has always spoilt me on my birthdays, we have been together for three of them now. today has been no exception. last night we went to the most incredible restaurant where we ate amazing food and drank deliciously fine wine (a little too much!).

A place called Dish, not too far from where we live, was where he took me to celebrate 2 years of being together.

The decor was cool, the food and service was outstanding. I am one lucky lucky girl. We chatted about all sorts of things - the experiences we have had so far being one of them. I have had my ups and downs, but being in KL has been an experience, and opened up the doors to so many other things I never dreamed I would see or do. It's been a magical time so far with just me and Nate. I will look back on this time and treasure it always. 

This morning I woke to my sleepy husband mumbling happy birthday. After reading my card, which left me teary and wanting to squeeze him to death, he said I need to go and find my present. I went to the kitchen first, thinking, its that mustard yellow kitchen aid blender... nothing. I went to the lounge next, thinking it was that beautiful converted rice chest coffee table... nothing. He directed me to my study desk and low and behold a giant box covered with a blanket awaited me... and underneath that blanket...

Crazy hey? My laptop is literally on its last legs, so this was something I went crazy about! If I did not have to go to school today I would have spent the morning setting it all up. 

How spoilt am I? Thank you honey :-) Thank you for your love. You are my best friend and I still cant believe I get to do life with you. 

2 years on

This day, 730 days ago is still a very clear day in my mind. One I love remembering.

There was this boy, this really really hot, tall, scruffy aussie boy, that I was super keen on. It was a Saturday. It was my birthday the following day.  This boy invited me over to his house to celebrate the beginning of the "festival of Ruth" - a weekend to celebrate my 25th birthday. I think he was flirting with me.

I woke up, super early. After not sleeping at all. I was that excited. I had consistent butterflies in my stomach ever since I had met him a month previously. And now he had invited me over. Eeeek. I remember that feeling so well. 11am was when I was too arrive. He had something planned. But it was like 4am, what the heck was I going to do until 11am?

I arrived at Milkd cafe at 8am, got a coffee, bought a magazine. Sat there for an hour. Then decided to get something to eat. I didnt feel like eating. I was so nervous. I got a muffin. A white choc and raspberry muffin to be exact. I sat there for another hour. Clock watching. Then I felt sick. Literally sick to my stomach. What was going on! Why was I so nervous? After having a little yack in the rustic bathrooms of Milkd cafe in North Perth, I called a friend. Chris Noonan. "I am so nervous. I am so so nervous. What happens is he doesn't like me and he is just inviting me over as a friend and I am reading into it". Babbling. I was babbling.

11am on the dot I pulled into 121 Orrong Road. That was probably the first time I had ever been on time for anything. And there he was. Safetly glasses on. Earplugs. Gloves. Moving the lawn. In old rolled up baggy jeans, a dark green holey button up shirt, a blue trucker cap and a pair of dirty white dunlop volleys. Who would have thought moving the lawn could look so hot!

He was selling his house, and had a home opening on, at 2pm. But first, over a couple of Little Creatures and pies we watched the footy. A perfectly aussie way to open the "festival of Ruth". After cleaning up, Marcus arrived to make sure everything was ready for the home open. Another car pulled into the drive. Out got Jess, Mike, Rach and Belle and a very new baby Eli. After 30 mins or so, Marcus suggested we all leave, home open was now... open.

I am not 100% clear on how it came about, but Nate decided to take me on a drive. I had never been further than Joondalup so he took me to the furtherest north I have ever been... I think it was just past Burns Beach. We had a nice walk on the beach. I remember thinking what he was intending! There were were strolling on a windy day along the shore. My heart was soaring. I honestly do not remember a time where I was happier :-)

Nathanael Christopher Olaf Buma, asked me to be his girlfriend on that day, 1 May 2010.

One of the first photos we had together