Where would you like to live: Singapore or Australia?

Its a question I ask myself quite often nowadays, not just because I have a choice of living in these 2 countries, but because I've been feeling rather restless and tired of the fast paced life in Singapore.

I spent the majority of my life in Singapore and I only really lived in Australia for 4 years when I studied in Melbourne. But because my husband's family lives in Australia, I've spent almost all my holidays in the past 13 years there. I don't profess to know Australia like I know Singapore, but I know this much: I love the country and I can definitely see myself living there.

Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) publish their findings on the most liveable cities from a survey of 140 cities using a score of 1(intolerable) to 100 (ideal). The 5 main factors that they considered are: stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Recently, they published their 2012 findings and the top ten cities are:

1. Melbourne, Australia (97.5)
2. Vienna, Austria (97.4)
3. Vancouver, Canada (97.3)
4. Toronto, Canada (97.2)
5. Calgary, Canada (96.6)
6. Sydney, Australia (96.1)
7. Helsinki, Finland (96.0)
8. Perth, Australia (95.9)
9. Adelaide, Australia (95.9)
10. Auckland, New Zealand (95.7)

Having witnessed for myself how great Australia is, I'm glad to see that 4 Australian cities made it to the top 10.

Here are some of my memories of Australia:

 

 

Love how beautiful God has made all things before He even made Adam. We were made to enjoy all these beauty!

My Journey into Motherhood: Super Ovulation + IUI

We laid off Clomid in June for the HSG procedure and we were a little hopeful to conceive naturally after that as we've read reports that the rate of conception increased in the 3 months after HSG.

However, that's not God's plan for us at that moment.

So we took the next step.

My gynae gave us some options regarding IUI which is essentially a procedure where sperm is inserted via a tube into the cervix so that the little guys are nearer the eggs. We felt this was the most natural procedure versus ICSI and IVF which requires the eggs to be extracted and some form of artificial fertilisation process. At this moment, we are not inclined to consider the other 2 options not just because it is CRAZY EXPENSIVE (at approximately US$12,000 per try) but because we just felt it was meddling too much with God's ways.

The 3 IUI options given are:

1. Natural IUI - to ovulate naturally whereby only 1 egg will be released, coupled with IUI
2. Clomid + IUI - to ovulate with the help of Clomid whereby 1-2 eggs will be released, coupled with IUI
3. Super Ovulation + IUI: to ovulate with the help of Clomid and 2 Gonal F injections whereby 2-3 eggs will be released, coupled with IUI

Weighing all things, we decided to go for the 3rd option as the chance of conception is the highest

I started my 5 day course of 50mg Clomid on Day 3 of my cycle and on Day 8, I had to go in to the clinic and check on the number & size of the follicles. I had 3 follicles in my left ovary and all was going according to plan :)

Next up:

This is basically to encourage the growth of the follicles to 18mm & above. The first jab was self administered at the clinic under the watchful eyes of the nurse. It hurt just a little when the needle went into the abdomen about an inch below the belly button. It hurt a little more when the solution was injected. Overall, it took less than 5 minutes for the injection.

I injected the 2nd dose myself in my bathroom on Day 10 of my cycle. Because of some fear, I felt the pain more intensely this time round.

I was supposed to go for a scan on Day 12 but as it fell on a Sunday, I went the following day. My 3 follicles were doing well and measured 16mm,18mm and 24mm. The gynae felt it was timely to perform the IUI the following day so he injected me with Pregnyl (5000IU) as my LH test was still negative that morning.

Day 14: IUI Day

Sperm sample was collected in the morning for washing.

About an hour later, the sample is ready to be inserted.

During the insertion, my gynae noticed that my cervix was too small and because of that the catheter could not be inserted inside the cervix so he just placed the sperm just outside my cervix. He advised that if we were not successful this time, he would have to do a cervix dilation the following month so that he could do a proper IUI.

The entire procedure was over in less than 10 minutes but I was told to rest there for as long as I wanted. In the end, I rested for a little over an hour before leaving the clinic.

Breakdown of the total cost:
Clomid (5 tabs): $14
2 Gonal F injections: US$166
Consultation:US$48
Pregnyl: US$70
Ultrasound:US$48
IUI: US$170
Total: US$516 (excluding the washing of sperm which was less than US$50)

After all is said & done, we put our hopes not on the procedure but on our unchanging Jesus.

For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.

Psalm 48:14

My Journey into Motherhood: HSG

We decided to go for the HSG test after 4 courses of Clomid as recommmended by the gynae.

HSG is short for Hysterosalpingogram and is "an x-ray of the uterus and fallopian tubes performed after the injection of a contrast material". According to the brochure, it is used to examine women who have trouble becoming pregnant. The procedure is usually performed during the "lull" period  after menses and before ovulation.

My HSG test was scheduled on 22 June morning (which was Day 10 of my cycle) and I was taken off Clomid for the month which according to my gynae, is bacause it is not safe to conceive in the same month as the procedure. I was told to take 2 panadols in the morning of the procedure just in case it was "a little painful".

While the brochure provided explained the procedure, unfortunately, it didn't explain the amount of pain and discomfort :(

The overall experience the radiologist was not what I expected.

First of all, when I got to the x-ray department and told them I'm on Day 10 of my cycle, the nurse said she had to check with the radiologist if I could still go ahead with the procedure as they normally do the test no later than Day 8 of a cycle. Ok, I understand that my gynaecologist & radiologist are not from the same clinic and unlikely to have a long drawn discussion about my case but I was not going to lose one whole month just because of a technicality!!! I assured the nurse that we have not tried for the month so it was very unlikely that I was pregnant. She went back to the radiologist with this information and I was given the go ahead!

I was put in a hospital gown and brought to an x-ray room. Then, I was made to lie down on a operating bed(??) and then... the nurses started having a discussion as to whether my blood pressure should be taken before & after the procedure or throughout the procedure. The senior nurse was very indignant and insisted "No, I'm very sure it is throughout the procedure. You weren't at the briefing this morning!".

After everything has been set up, the radiologist came in and was immediately impatient with the nurses and scolded them for attempting to measure my blood pressure throughout! He was very short with them and kept verbally abusing them whilst I was lying there.

For the first 10 minutes, he tried to insert the catheter up my cervix but had some difficulty as he realised that my cervix was too small. He then asked for a smaller catheter whilst biting the nurses' heads off.

Although he was seriously nasty to the nurses, he explained the above to me in a very nice doctor-ly manner. But all I can think of is "get the freaking speculum off me!!!".

So the nurse came back in 5 minutes with the smaller catheter and thank God it was successfully inserted this time!

And then the toture begins... he slowly inserted the water-soluble contrast material into my cervix and here, I cannot explain the immense discomfort except that it's not just painful but truly one of the worst things I ever felt. I can literally feel the liquid bloating me up inside and all the while I was so tired from lifting my legs up (there were no leg holders so I held up my legs for the whole time). I think I was close to fainting at this point.

The only good thing about a HSG is that the results are immediate. In fact, as I was lying there about to pass out, the good radiologist said "look at the screen... you can see the entire left ovary but the right ovary is missing". So I explained that it's not missing, it was removed when I had a growth on it when I was about 12. He made me turn to the left and right a few times to take the images but this part was relatively fast.

And then it was over! I was told to put on my clothes and take a rest in the waiting area and come back an hour later for the x-ray so I could bring it to my gynae. Immediately after the HSG, I had some slight spotting and then for the rest of the day, it was just some clear discharge which was probably the dye coming out.

The HSG procedure costs around US$210 which included the fees of the radiologist and the cost of the catheter.

My gynae took a look at the x-ray and declared that all was well and there are no blockages in my left ovary! YAY!

After lunch, I went home to take a nap but there was still some pain on the right side of my stomach so I tool 2 panadol, cried a little (not from the pain but from self-pity which was pain induced) and fell asleep. During dinner, there was still some mild discomfort so I went to bed early. Thankfully, I was back to normal the next day and the bleeding stopped :)

AFTER the procedure, I read a little about HSG and some websites claim that it boosts fertility for a few months as the "debris" collected over the years are "flushed out" by the contrast material. Some people claimed that they got pregnant within the same month or the following month after the procedure. I don't think there are any scientifically proven claims and if it proves the same for me, I'll post a blog about it!

I'm grateful that the HSG result is positive and that we can proceed to the next step - IUI.

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3

My Journey into Motherhood: Clomid

So after 8 months of trying to get pregnant, we finally decided to see a gynaecologist in January this year. I guess we postponed this partly due to fear of what we might find out and partly due to blind faith (I thought that going to the gynae might indicate that somehow I have less faith)!

Because of our age (my suspicion) or the fact that we have been trying for 8 months (likely) or our desperation (most definitely), the doctor started me on a course of clomid immediately.

Now we didn't know anything about Clomid or any fertility treatment because we never thought we would have to think or know about it.  So after the visit to the gynae, my husband had to find out more about what clomid is, how it works, the benefits and side effects.   

Now, don't be worried about the side effects because Jesus has redeemed all the side effects on the Cross of Calvary.

From what I learnt on the internet, Clomid is not actually a type of fertility treatment. It really only induces ovulation so that if you ovulate regularly (every month one egg is released), Clomid will simply increase the number of eggs produced to 2 - 3 (hence the chances of having twins increased). I find it the least invasive since it's taken orally during the first few days of your period and the rest is really "as per normal".  The doctor also made me do a LH test to determine my most fertile date (I've never done it before so you can imagine just how ignorant I was!!). Clomid is also relatively cheaper than the other procedures and it cost us only about US$28 for 10 tablets of 50mg. The consultation fee was more expensive at around US$50.  

Here are some write-ups on Clomid:

http://www.justmommies.com/articles/clomid-and-ovulation.shtml

http://infertility.about.com/od/clomid/tp/clomid_information.htm

http://www.babymed.com/tools/clomid-ovulation-calculator

http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/268.html

All in, we tried 4 courses of Clomid over the next 4 months. The doctor actually advised us to go for Clomid for 3 months and if unsuccessful, to proceed to the next step of going through a HSG and thereafter an IUI (more on that later). Because I was not prepared to take the next step, we decided to go for the fourth course in May. The doctor prescribed 1 pill (50mg) a day for 5 days in the first course and he doubled it for the next 3 courses. I've read that some doctors put their patients on Clomid for 6 months to a year but that's obviously not what my doctor had planned for me.  

Unfortunately, we were still not successful so we decided to take the doctor's advice and proceeded to the next step.

During this time I did go for some tests and checkups and praise God, the reports all came back good. There was a period of waiting for the test results to come back and during this time, we just kept partaking of the Holy Communion and clung on to His Word:

 Isaiah 53:4-5

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

And His Word proved true. It always does.

My Journey into Motherhood: Guilt, Condemnation & Fear

My husband and I have been trying for a baby since May 2011. We were married in 2007 but had no serious desire to have children for several years as we were focused on building our careers, saving money and travelling. For 4 years, we put our plans to have children on hold whilst we pursued what we thought could bring us happiness. We were wrong.  

I was naive to think that I could get pregnant the very first time we tried (I thought I was full of faith...)! So you can imagine my utter horror and deep disappointment when I didn't. The feeling was compounded month after month. And then the desire to have a baby became a sort of desperation. What can I do to have a baby? Should I exercise more? Eat some miracle herbal concoction? (We didn't.)

After that, waves of guilt and condemnation hit us. Was it something we did? Was it something we didn't do? Was it because we waited too long? Then fear came in. Is there something wrong with my body? Should we have a medical checkup?

It was all very draining and I was beginning to lose faith. I was on the fast track to rejecting all that I believed in. 

That's why I'm so grateful that I am sitting under Pastor Joseph Prince's ministry because he constantly reminds us of God's goodness and mercy. The verses that lifted me up during this time are: 

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Isaiah 53: 4-5 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

I thank God that I am well fed and shepherded in New Creation Church during this period of my life because the truth of His word has given me life and hope. This period of waiting and trusting in His plans for me is quite possibly one of the hardest times of my life. Yet, it is also a time where I drew closer to Jesus and  my husband. Our marriage became stronger, our love intensified and our perspective on life changed radically.

I know that Jesus is on this journey with us and He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He has comforted me and loved me during my time of weakness and doubt and He has shown me that no matter what, I have the best thing in this life: a relationship with the Living God.  

Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

The Loft Sessions (Bethel Music)

For a while now I've been really obsessed with Bethel Music!! As a birthday gift, my boss gave me their latest CD, The Loft Sessions, and since then I've been a serious fan! A great worship album!
                                                                      
                                                                  Come to Me

                                                                 
                                                                You Know Me

                                                           Walk in the Promise

                                                         One Thing Remains

Pastor Steven Furtick

When my husband & I saw all the excitement that Pastor Steven Furtick has caused at Hillsong Conference 2012, we decided to check him out online.

AND HE IS SUPER AWESOMELY ANOINTED!

Ever since that day, we've just been CRAAAAAZZZYYY about this guy! Every night for the past 2 weeks, we watch at least one of his sermons online (except for last night which was movie night & we watched In Darkness which warrants another post). 

Check out his website where you can watch ALL his sermons FREE (and in HD). I must say I'm soooo glad that he chose not to charge them and it's not because I'm cheap but because I know most Pastors rely on the sale of their sermons to supplement their income (which I fully support because Pastors get too much flack for getting a salary from church, especially Pastors from big churches).

Go to www.stevenfurtick.com

Some of my favourites are:
Killswitch: The Cross was the Killswitch
Waiting Room: What are you waiting for? Get your own goat! 
Grey Matter: The Taurus & the Fox


I've also been reading his wife's Holly Furtick's blog which gives me an insight into his family, the sacrifices he made to follow God and a little bit about fashion, recipes & life in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I'm so excited about the young Christian leaders that God is raising up in these last days!

The Perth I Love

In April, we made a trip to visit the in-laws in Perth and words can't describe the beauty of that place. So I've decided to put up some photos instead.

Lovely walk @ Cotts

Picnic @ Scarborough

View of the city along Swan River

Beautiful skies

Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

Counting my blessings at 35

So I turn 35 today.

Frankly, I dont feel a day over 25! With the exception of my hair turning all curly & out of control in the last year, I feel exactly the same.

I think I should start by counting my blessings. From the time I gave my life to Jesus in 1999, He's moulded and changed me to a person that I couldn't even imagine Í could be before. Brings to mind Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

I was a young rebel without a cause, trying to find myself in a colourless & rigid world. Of course I did many things I now regret and that's why I find God's love so beautiful. His love covers all my sins. That's an amazing revelation.

In the last 13 years, I've really grown as a Christian but the revelation of God's love and Jesus' finished work on the cross only came about when I started attending New Creation Church under Pastor Prince's ministry. This revelation has propelled and changed my life entirely. In the 6 years I attended NCC, I got married, my marriage is blessed, my career sky rocketed & my finances have been abundantly blessed! All these came by hearing the good news!!! Wow!

When I just became a Christian in July 1999, I didn't know anything about God, Jesus or the bible. I was a baby Christian so that's completely understandable but I was quite lost during the sermons! I remembered I asked God for someone to teach me things concerning Him and a few months later, I met my husband!

I always knew he was God-sent because I was specific in my prayer. And..... he's serious Christian "pedigree" (born and bred in a Christian home and both parents were/are serving in church). So I have to say God really gave me a great teacher!! I've learnt so much and am still learning from him. You know how everyone says when you meet the one you're going to marry, you know? Well, I knew.

Thank you Lord for blessing my marriage.

My best friend sent me a verse today, something we've done to remind us of His plans in our lives ever since our friendship started in 2000. It's always the same verse:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Thank you Lord for kingdom friendships.

I'm believing God to complete our family this year, the year of unceasing fruitfulness, and I know He's already given me the desires of my heart.

Hebrews 6:13-14 For when God made a promise to Abraham,

because He could swear by no one greater,

He swore by Himself, saying,

Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.

Audrey Assad: The House You're Building

For the past few weeks, I've been listening to Audrey Assad's "The House You're Building". She's one of the latest Christian singer-songwriter I've been listening to and I like her poetic lyrics and her voice is just original and other-worldly.

I just can't believe that there are so many great Christian singer-songwriters!

It's so difficult  to listen to secular music which has little meaning besides love and sex and most of the time the lyrics are non-inspiring and repetitive.

Funny thing is I can't find her albums in Singapore but I finally found it in Perth's Koorong!

My favourites are:

                                         The House You're Building

                                          Restless

We are the four walls and You're the Cornerstone ~ Audrey Assad

Downton Abbey

Lately, I've been really obsessed about Downton Abbey. The script and storyline fascinates me no end!! I love a good story and there're very few good story tellers in TV these days. Julian Fellowes has done a marvelous job of creating the characters and their lives. I wish I was born in that time where change was imminent yet everyone bore it with such grace and dignity.

This ranks as one of my favourites!

Warning: You may be addicted and then you have to wait a few months for Season 3!

And of course the show is largely carried by the amazing Dame Maggie Smith who is the only actress who can pull off this role.

Enjoy!

The Excellent Wife

So I'm on a bible plan that covers Psalms & Proverbs in 372 days.

The wisdom that God gave Solomon simply amazes me. I'm only at Day 30 and I've learnt some incredible truths that only God can give. And they cover anything from how to manage a kingdom to how to manage a household, how to differentiate between a fool and a wise man, how to choose friends and...

and this really is my favourite part....

HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE!

Proverbs 12:4 (NKJV)
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones

Proverbs 19:13 (NKJV)
A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping

Proverbs 21:9 (NKJV)
Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman

Proverbs 21:19 (NKJV)
Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.

Proverbs 27: 15-16 (NKJV)

A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike;Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.

So I gather that the opposite of an excellent wife is a wife who is contentious (and angry!).

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of contentious:

1. tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome: a contentious crew.

2. causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy: contentious issues.

3. Law . pertaining to causes between contending parties.

  /kənˈtɛnʃəs/ Show Spelled

So wives, please dont argue, don't strife and don't quarrel. With the husband.

 

 

Kari Jobe: You Are For Me

Her songs are definitely anointed and so helpful to bring you to that place of worship, that place where you meet Jesus face to face.

Enjoy!

Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Jeremy Lin

Everyone's crazy about Jeremy Lin these days. Me included.

What's not to like about his story? He's come up against all odds.

I love his testimony and I love how he's preaching the good news with his life.

To know more about him:
Jeremy Lin's Official Website

Or watch him share his testimony:

And, in my opinion, the real reason behind his phenomenal success:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Time

The last time I posted anything was in 2008!!!

Time just flew by.

Sad to say, all I've been busy with is WORK. It consumes almost all my time.

But that's not to say my life is not good... I'm very blessed in my career. God has provided many opportunities so I'm really grateful for it.Anyway, this is the year that my priorities change. This is the year that I focus on my Saviour and my family.

Yes, this is the year I turn 35!

Yikes! When did I even hit 30? Why do I feel like I'm really 25 inside? I don't think I've aged at all since 2002! Is that how everyone over 30 feels?

Wait, I haven't even thought about what I wanted to accomplish in my 20s!!

I digress...

This is the year I turn 35! And I'm praying that my family will be more than just the 2 of us.

Although the first half of my 30s have literally flown by but my God is the one who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalm 103:5)