the littlest notebook

goodbye snow, hello sunshine

The weather here is really something you can talk about. It changes in the blink of an eye. Two days ago, it was too cold to walk outdoors without our full winter gear, and now, there’s hardly any snow left on the ground. I would like to say spring is finally here, but dare I?

In Singapore, what sun, rain, and daylight hours we get are not something you think about or plan around. But here, it makes all the difference. We’ve experienced sleet pelting on our faces, watched the sun set at 4 pm, shivered through a snowstorm, slipped on ice. Winter is not an easy season to be happy in, especially if you’re used to a lot of sunshine (albeit under a shade). Yet, being confined to our little flat has forced me to be creative with entertaining Ian. On the mornings when we’ve had to cancel our trips out because of the weather, we bake cookies that look like snowflakes and snowmen, play hide-and-seek around the house, sing silly songs, and do art-and-craft.

Thanks in part to boredom, I’ve realised that I truly enjoy teaching Ian. To his credit, he is a good student. He loves to show off his knowledge, and his beam of pleasure at the right answer is my reward. It’s interesting to discover the boundaries of his grasp on concepts. Some things are still too abstract for him. I tried to teach him about the days of the week, but every day is Wednesday to him (because that’s the day I bring him to the library). I also tried to teach him how to tell the time, but every hour is 8.45 (because that’s the time we prepare him for bed). He says the funniest things. Once, we asked him, Ian what does the clock say? And he replied, Tock tock tock. That cracked us up. Another time, he heard a clock chime and he told me very seriously that there was a bell tower living in the clock. And it is amazing (and scary) when we realise he remembers things we have forgotten. He remembers songs I used to sing to him when he was less than a year old. I was singing to myself while washing the dishes one day, and I noticed he was very quiet. Then he asked me, Do you remember?, which is his way of telling me that he remembers. That will always be a precious moment to me.

I am glad to see the flowers blooming on the trees outside our apartment, but I must say spring brings with it its own set of discomforts. For one, what shall I wear? I was prepared to be big in winter, but I don’t have any plus-sized clothing suitable for the still-chilly spring weather. And the changing temperature comes with dust released from the melting snow, and pollen from the flowers, which are all bad for little boys with tropical constitutions. You also see a lot more drivers, joggers, and cyclists on the roads, which scares me when I am out learning how to drive.

There is one thing we cling to dearly here as a family. We’ve seen how God has provided for us from the day we landed in Urbana, and He has brought us what is arguably the hardest thing to find: friends. Friendships are befuddling things. Many are a hit-or-miss, and the slowburners need time to develop into really strong relationships. Yet miraculously, we’ve never had a lonely moment here.

So, we will continue to remember our God who lovingly provides. And to praise and rejoice in Him each and every day. I’m looking forward to summer, but I am even more excited to see what God will teach us this coming spring.

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