Love Is...(Our Style)

LOVE is...
Sharing such a smelly fart with your spouse
Which inspires your spouse to sell it as a brand of perfume called "Heaven"
And you think that it's such a brilliant idea

LOVE is...
Ruining a movie plot together
By adding in crazy/unbelievable/yucky/over-the-top scenes 
Laughing together
And calling each other "a genius"

LOVE is...
Not minding the sweaty palms
That you hold while watching movies/TV series together


LOVE is...
Going back inside to write a note of warning on the door
When you go out to work and realize how slippery it is outside
To make sure your spouse doesn't fall down

LOVE is...
Telling your spouse "Shit happens" and "It's gonna be OK"
Whenever something bad happens instead of blaming him/her

LOVE is...
Hating the idea of hurting your spouse by doing back coining
Yet always giving in whenever your spouse begs for it
Because your spouse convinces you that it'd help
Even though that means whenever you do it
You always say, "Masochist!" to your spouse 

LOVE is...
Pampering each other when asked
And without being asked


LOVE is...
Knowing that whenever your spouse says that you're crazy
It's actually a compliment that shows how special you are

LOVE is....
Forgiving the weaknesses and faults
Because your spouse also forgives yours

LOVE is...
Keeping in touch regularly whenever you're out of town
To make sure that your spouse doesn't get worried
If a phone call is not possible, at least an SMS would do 

LOVE is...
Kicking infertility in the ass together
And believing that two is a complete family

LOVE is...
Driving each other crazy at times
Saying sorry sincerely when you've done something wrong
Still saying "I love you anyway"
And knowing you really mean what you say

On Being Unique

Note: I've saved this post in my draft folder for a while now...it wasn't properly finished yet, but I thought I'd just finish this right now and publish it.

There are advantages to having a unique face (read: the only Asian working in the store) in my line of work. For example, if I have done a little extra something for a customer, he or she will probably remember it better than if the deed is done by someone else. However, last year there was a surprising incident that happened while I was on my summer holiday.

Last year I earned 3 weeks of summer holiday, which was divided into 2 parts. After I got back from my first week of summer holiday, my manager told me that the other day a grandma came back and claimed that she had returned something to me, but I hadn't given her the money.

My manager checked my work schedule and found out that I wasn't working that day and then she found the receipt in the office (because everybody who returned things to get their money back had to sign a receipt) and she showed it to the grandma and asked, "Is this your signature?"

She said yes.

Problem solved...but I couldn't help thinking that because of my face and someone else's fading memory, I can also be accused of doing something or not doing something. Good thing there are receipts!!!

You see, many people living here are already pensioners, so I don't blame the old lady for her fading memories. But it was the first time that I felt the disadvantage of having a unique face: if I do make mistakes, it's easy for people to remember me! Fortunately speaking up till now people have been forgiving. THANK GOD for forgiving people!!! 


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3BT: Random Days

1a. Looking at my own reflection on hubby's eye (I told him not to blink for a while when I enjoyed looking at it HA HA....;-D

1b. Forgot to write this: On Sunday when I was about to go to work, after I put on my winter shoes and jacket, R2 knelt down, squeezed me, and playfully said, "Don't goooooooo!!!!" LOL LOL!!!!

2. Having a farewell Japanese dinner with hubby and my Japanese and UK friend. It was FUN FUN FUN. :-D

3. The sweet little girl came to the store with the daddy and she ran towards me and gave me a hug again. :-D

4. Making weird faces and making hubby laugh.

5. SO THANKFUL that our house isn't that far away from downtown, so I can walk to and from work easily (yesterday it snowed so much that biking to work was just impossible with all the thick snow everywhere).

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6. Laskiaispulla on a discount. YEAH!!!!

7. Making a stupid mistake at work, but the customers forgave me and I didn't beat myself too much after it happened.

8. Not beating myself too much about my own mistakes is a HUGE progress. In the past I could continue doing so for days or even weeks! Learning from my own mistakes isn't the same as beating myself about it.

9. Reading a very heartwarming love story/manga between a normal person and a deaf person that gives me more insights towards the life of a deaf person (the kind of insights that didn't even cross my mind).

10. Buying a pair of cheap sports shoes for work purposes (the current pair I'm wearing is starting to get worn out).

11. Finding two cheap, sturdy second-handed bags online that I need he he he...Two for only €10!

Peace

This is something I jotted down months ago and I'd love to share it with you.

Peace is being without trying to change, improve, or fix anything. Peace isn't devoid of troubles or sorrows. Peace embraces everything into oneself and letting oneself be comforted by the Higher Power. Peace means total surrender, knowing that someone will hold your hand when you fall. Knowing that you are not alone in this world. Knowing that someone understands your sorrow, struggles, and suffering. Knowing that no matter what, the sun will still shine tomorrow and that everything we are experiencing right now is merely a phase that will pass by in due time. Knowing that there is a time and place for everything: spring, summer, autumn, fall, strife, reconciliation, birth, death, sorrow, joy, etc.

Peace comes from letting go of the steering wheel and letting God work. Letting go of your need to control everything and believing that everything works out as it's supposed to be. Peace means accepting the fact that you don't always get what you want and that won't be the death of you. Peace comes from the fact that we can let go the things that we have to let go. Sometimes we hold on too dearly to everything we have that we lose sight of the bigger picture. We have to remember that everything in life is only lent to us temporarily and that God can take them away from us in just one swift moment.

Peace also comes from forgiving others and yourself and accepting the brokenness in us and everybody else. Peace also comes when you know that you're where you're supposed to be and that your life has a meaning.

I love peace in any possible form, but the best peace of all is the kind of peace from God that surpasses all understanding.

Ruining My Mother-in-Law's Tupperware

Remember about two weeks ago I told you that my mother-in-law gave me a kilo of reindeer meat? Well, she put the meat in a kind of tupperware. It's actually the kind of tupperware that comes with the fridge that she has. So the tupperware can be slid to its allotted slot on the fridge's door. It's more solid than regular tupperware.

Anyway, when I was preparing to cook the meat, I took it out of the freezer and "accidentally" put it on top of a stove that I had just used. Gladly I realized it a second afterward, but the damage was done. At the bottom of that tupperware there was a clear mark of the round burner. Yikes!!! I felt SOOOOOOOO guilty and embarrassed!

I told the incident to Arttu and he laughed when seeing my pitiful face. He said that his mother wouldn't be angry. Well, I had already known that she wouldn't be angry, but that didn't make me feel any better. After all, she's been SO generous and kind to me and all I have to do is take care of everything, but I have failed.

As you all know, last week we didn't go to my in-laws 'coz of Arttu's cousin's birthday party. So only last Saturday we went to my in-laws again. I had dreaded the day. I had practised saying, "Olen pahoillani" (I'm sorry) in my head over and over again just to make sure that I got it right.

On the way to my in-laws, my mother-in-law called. When I asked Arttu what she had said, he just replied, "We'll see." This is actually a typical Finnish attitude, not giving enough information to a question. I thought it was nothing big, so I just sat back and waited for the moment when I could say sorry to my mother-in-law.

About a minute away from my in-laws' house, Arttu turned left to a car park in front of a building (it looked like a house). I was stunned to see so many cars on the car park. Then we went inside the building and my mother-in-law hugged us (making me feel more uneasy 'coz I couldn't possibly tell her then and there about my stupidity). Turned out the building was being used to be a flea market. My mother-in-law introduced me to her friends and neighbour and then told me to look around in case I saw something that fit me. She also helped me picking the smaller sizes for me (there were many big sizes there). I finally chose two shirts and just as I had feared, when Arttu was about to pay, my mother-in-law said, "Minä maksan" (I'll pay). I thanked her right away, naturally, but her generosity only made me feel worse!!! AARRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!! I couldn't wait to go to my in-laws' house to say sorryyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!

Well, we left first while my mother-in-law stayed there to talk to her friends. I turned to Arttu and said, "Boooooohooooo...now I feel even more guilty!!!!!" He just smiled and told me not to worry.

About 20 minutes after we got to their house, my mother-in-law finally came back home. I took out the Tupperware right away and said those words to her. At first she was confused, but then I made gestures with my hand to show the bottom part of the Tupperware. Then Arttu explained what had happened to her. She said it was okay. She didn't look angry or shocked or anything, but still I felt stuuuuuppiiiiiddd. I was relieved, but I felt so SMALL.

Well, I learnt A LOT about forgiveness and generosity that day. You see, even after that, my mother-in-law still gave me a big piece of FISH (you know that we can't afford buying fish 'coz it's so expensive!!!). And then when she saw me browsing through a clothing catalog, she said something, went inside her room, and came out with a short-sleeved jacket. She told me to try it on and it fit me well (just a bit too big but that should be fine), so she gave it to me. It also had such a warm lining, so it felt so good.

I honestly don't know what else I can do for my mother-in-law. I know she doesn't expect me to repay her, but I just want to do more for her. We'll see what I can come up with. The only thing I've given her is the occasional dessert that I make (sometimes it's not even perfect though usually the taste is fine). I don't know what I have done to deserve all this, but it reminds me about God's love and forgiveness for us. I just can't believe my luck to have such a wonderful mother-in-law.

By the way, this weekend we're gonna spend a night at my in-laws (Saturday-Sunday). The thing is, my mother-in-law's going to go on a weekend trip with some other people (Arttu said that she was involved in some kind of village activities), so she asked us if we would like to spend a night there. I think she might be a bit worried about leaving her husband behind. You see, Arttu's Dad's just been diagnosed with Alzheimer. I don't think it's at a late stage yet, 'coz he seems to be functioning pretty well, but still I notice that sometimes my mother-in-law'd remind him to take his medicine. I LOVE spending time at my in-laws. No TV, no computer, just us, food, warmth, books, and magazines. ;-D I can't wait for Saturday!!! ;-D

OK, now I HAVE to start studying Finnish to prepare for my course tomorrow he he he he he he...