Aleeyah's Bike Journey

Aleeyah has been riding her bike to school since the last week of August. She enjoyed doing so but to get to this point was quite a journey for her. 

Our landlady own an adult bike that looks like this photo below. We occasionally see it parked in front of our house. One week before she goes back to school, I (mom) purposely took a 1 week leave to specifically spend time with her. We were then planning for a 3-day family get away. One morning, I saw her trying to ride this adult bike. It is obviously big for her. Every time she gets on it, she tips over, then she gets on it again and tips over. As I watch her do this, i could see how she felt crying but she remained quiet and would try over and over again. Then she sighed and sat down just looking at the bike.

I was so moved. Then I said, "Aleeyah, do you really want to ride a bike?" "Yes", she softly answered. "You know, we could buy you your own bike if you agree to have our family get away for one day only," I suggested. With excitement, she jumped and screamed, "Yes, God answered my prayer!" "Huh, you were praying for it?" I asked. "Yes, dad and I were praying for it."

So we went to a resort outskirts of Phnom Penh for one day one night only. Though I wished it could have been longer since I myself was really needing a rest :)

On our way back to Phnom Penh the next day, we picked up her own bike, then the training began.

First week of training was very tough.  Mom and Dad would alternately wake up 5am to train her. This way, the street is still empty. Take note, neither mom nor dad knew how to ride a bike :) well.... just a little. there were frustrations, irritations and the like.

By the second week, she's already back to school but still can't drive her bike. She still wakes up early morning, training with dad and would still train after school. I was then back to work so I couldn't help her much anymore. There were very little improvement everyday. She wasn't very brave to try it by herself and yet when we help, she complains. We didn't say anything but we purposely left her alone, we made excuses, saying we're busy. She then tried to do it by herself. One evening, as soon as i got home from work, she was excited to show me she can now drive going round and round at our front yard. But she said, she could not drive on a straight path yet. So she continued to train.  

Finally, the last days of August, she drove her bike to school. She was very happy.

We were of course very proud of her!

She had some bruises and scrapes during the three weeks training but she didn't mind. She knew she wanted to be able to ride her bike to school.

Well... unfortunetaly, last Friday night, October 18, I came home to a grieving, crying and angry Aleeyah. Her precious bike got stolen, parked right at our front yard, while she was busy doing the dishes and while dad was busy making dinner. As parents, though it is also painful to us because this bike has so much meaning to us, we could only hug and  encourage her to experience the grace of forgiveness and the lesson on not putting her heart into her possessions. The next day, she woke up feeling okay. She hasn't said any word about it till now. I don't know what she might say tomorrow as she goes back to school.

Esher Finally Reading!

I (mom) am very excited to post this! Esher is finally reading.
August last year, i bought a very expensive English curriculum (Sing, Spell, Read and Write) package so that I could home school her. It was my goal that at the end of the school year, she would be reading then. By October, i got hired at an international school that admitted Esher to attend classes for free. The school's English curriculum was really good. By February, i moved to my current school which has a standard curriculum as well plus a very caring teacher. I did very little teaching at home then since I became very busy. Few months before she turned 5 in July, i was getting a little concern because she's not reading yet. I thought, "i need to do something." I started reading her the first reading of the curriculum i bought her. She loved it and she got all the books and kept it in her secret place. Though she does not know how to read yet, she likes to look at them and pretend she's reading. Greg and I read to her before bed time and almost every night she likes to read only  Dr. Suess's "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blues Fish." Seriously, reading this book every night for many months was annoying but she liked it so i did not make her notice that i was getting annoyed.
Last night, after dinner, i wanted so much to have my quiet time and read my book. So while the girls were taking a shower, i reclined in my bed and was having a fabulous time reading. Not long after, they're dressed for bed, all clean, came to my room and started making noise. I asked them to go to their room and make noise there. They did not! Aleeyah sat in my desk and worked in the computer quietly while Esher took a Bible story book and sat beside me. Then she started reading aloud. She read from one phrase to a sentence then more sentences. Instead of getting mad, I was shocked, put my book down, took my phone and started videoing her. This is just one of her stubbornness that i tolerated. I was so excited! She's finally reading! The goal i set for her has been reached! Ah praise the Lord! As a special reward, we're gonna visit the bookstore soon and she gets to choose few books for her to read! Then I thought to myself, "Ow, what fun, i actually just finished writing my article for my school's newsletter September issue entitled Raising Young Readers." I thought, "at least I practice what I write." :)

Now, this school years' goal is for Esher to write her stories by herself. Esher likes role-playing a lot. She likes to make her own stories. Recently, she likes to type her stories in the computer. She is currently working on a story "The Good Horse." The problem with it is that she does not really know how to spell yet. So she asked the spelling of every single word she likes to use, which can be again very annoying. But then again, i make it sure that she does not feel my irritation and patiently spell the word for her. Hopefully, after one year, she'll be able to write her stories without me helping her with spelling. :)

Family Holiday June 2012

 Aleeyah is in a 2-month holiday (June-July). The first day of her break, she asked, "Can we please go somewhere during the holidays?" I (Resie) told her to pray. It takes cash to go somewhere and finding the time is a challenge as i'm working during these months. Thankfully i had at least 4 days off from school before the second semester began. Greg and I decided we can have a little family get-away then.

am frustrated... i can't get these photos rotate :(

 The girls can't just get their wish easily... they have to at least earn a merit. I then ask them to help me do household chores.... and thati have a really huge surprise for them the next day. Here they are sweeping... oh well.... having mommy home... they decided they could have more fun doing chores....

 So their broom became a rock and roll microphone...

or a guitar.... and the house was then filled with a joyful noise :)

or a witch broom...

...and Aleeyah did the dishes

after sweeping Esher dusted the dish cabinet

the next morning...i told them the surprise... immediately they packed and boarded the car

Tadaaaa..... huge surprise! @ Kingdomg Resort and Spa

 

of course Aleeyah is extremely happy that mommy gets to turn off her phone...stay offline and just had pure fun time with her and her sister.

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..........................let the fun begin!!

story telling in the pool

more talking

role-playing with imaginary food

Esher learning to swim

great fun

posing for a picture before continuing to play again

swim Esher swim!

Esher trying the baseball

she can't quite trust that

baseball with dad

evening bonding together at the kids playground

kid's soccer field

balancing

more story telling

with more action

early morning.... 2nd day

learning the swim with the board by herself

Aleeyah racing with dad

sisters

absolute fun!!!

fun

She loves posing for pictures :)

Beings sisters :)

Dancing ballet

Singing with the loud background music... ♪ Rolling in the deep ♪

Hmmm... maybe not!