Mimi's 11th Birthday & Celebrating Mother's Day

My sisters and brothers have been planning this occassion. They had planned this for weeks. I was the silent partner as I was too busy and bogged down with work. On top of that, the Weekend Seminar falls on the same weekend.

So last Saturday, after all the tedious planning with a bit of kelam kabut, we managed to organise a "Baca Yassin, Celebration for May Birthday and Mother's Day". It's a three in one occasion so to say.

Venue : Banquet Hall Level 2, Bangunan Getah Asli,
Jalan Ampang (next to KLCC)
Date : 23 May 2008
Program : 12.30 pm - Baca Yassin & Zuhur
1.45 pm - May Birthday Celebration
2.00 pm - Mother's Day Celebration
2.30 pm - Presentation of : Sajak , Slides, shows Songs
3.00 pm - Games

The beautiful banner that Jeman & Zie put up.

Since my brother Jeman who happen to be the PIC the banquet Hall at Bangunan Getah Asli, he had arranged this venue for us.

Mimi was excited since her birthday will be celebrated by her relatives from both sides of the family - that was what she always wanted and she had told me of that many times.

As food is concern, it was never a problem. As usual, each family member will bring one or two lauk. One thing about my family is that, whenever we have this kind of occasion, food will be abundance. The food provided is more than we could eat. I calculated that there were at least 15 lauk pauk or more than 10 kinds of deserts. How about that!!!! I brought cream caramel as a desert and of course the birthday cake as well.

Ulam-ulam, kerabu mangga and Telur Asin
is always my favourite. That's why I took this pic.


Ikan keli berlada, Masak lemak rebung, daging Kicap, Ayam Goreng, Pecal.. amongst the menu.. besssttttt...



The goodies for the kids and for the Mothers.

After the bacaan Yassin and Dzuhur prayers together, we proceed to the banquet hall for the celebration. Started with Doa by Pak Dak and the birthday cake cutting.

Syamsul, Mimi & Nazmi - May Birthday


The Birthday cake - dah kena potong.

Mimi with us.

After all the birthday guys had taken their photographs, we proceed with the Mother's Day celebrations. I got all the mothers to come forward and of course my 84 years old Mak is the guest of honour.

All mothers including my sisters and sisters in-law from both sides, some guests and also my bibik took pictures together. It was such a beautiful occasion to see them together. I guess this is the first time we celebrated them as mothers in one place.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers.

After the cake cutting and the "posing session" was over, it was time to eat since the time is already 2 p.m. The food were marvellously sedap. Of course I chose the lauk-lauk kampung my favourite instead of nasi beriyani. Too much food too eat with so many lauk and desert.

After all the makan-makan, we proceed with the rest of the program i.e. presentation by family members.

My sister invited a reporter from a new tabloid called Sinar Harian or something like that, to this occasion . Thus this guy interviewed my Mak - without her knowing what was it all about. Kesian Mak saya - rasa nya panic juga tapi dia buat cool aje.


Mak being interviewed by a reporter from Sinar Harian.
Ha..surat khabar apa? Tak pernah dengar lah..


My family with my 84 years old dearest Mak.

The presentation started with my eldest brother, Abang recited a poem/sajak. We were surpise that he knows how to read poem ... like a professional. My son, Angah accompanied him on guitar and the lights were dimmed to give some special effects.

Abang Amin @ Pak Long was the first one to read a Sajak for Mak.

Thereon, I showed a slides presentation specially prepared for the mothers. Next we have the boys (Aizat, Aqip & Nazar - all cousins) sang some songs. Thought it was not the best songs we heard but we applauded them anyway for being brave enough to perform.

After another 2 poems were read, I showed a slide presentation specially dedicated to my Sayang. Mimi did the announcement that she wanted to show everybody the slide presentation. I knew this would touched people's hearts and I want to dedicate it to my Sayang for being a special mother to my 4 children.

Mimi later on read a peom/sajak specially for her Mak. I knew some people had tears listening to her and so did I. It was such a emotionally sad moment. Mimi read it well and I guess she the best reciter amongst the rest. Did I told you that she was the only one who was chosen by her teacher to read a poem at school for the "Hari Sejarah". That's my girl...

Mimi read a Sajak for her Mak. Many were touched when she could read the poem emotionally for her Mak

I didn't know that there were singers amongst our guests. such as the one in picture below. Mimi insisted that she sang a song for her.

Mimi :"Ayah cepat yah. Dia orang nak nyanyi kan lagu untuk Mimi."
Me : "Ha.. siapa dia"
Mimi : "Dia orang tu kawan Uncle Nazmi. Dia orang tu penyanyi yah".
Me : "Mana awak tahu".
Mimi : "Iya yah. Mimi pernah tengok kat Televisyen"
Me: "Iya ke. Ayah mana tahu!!!!!"

Anyway she was really excited that the singer ( ha... siapa dia???) sang a song with her. Probably that was the best birthday present she got that day.

Mimi sang a song with a someone she said is a singer. I didn't know that but Mimi told me she saw her on TV or something.

After all the songs and presentation, Fifi & Azura organised some games. They continued to have funs there. It's was already about 3.30 p.m. and I got to leave for a Seminar. I left the kids and bibik there. Along can now drive the Avanza and he'll take them home.

Ok smile everybody. Your pic will be in the newspaper.

By the way, check out today's newpaper. I was told that our story came out. Ina sms me just now that it came out in the Sinar Harian newpaper. But never heard of this newspaper before.

Kalau dah boring ... baca lah ni?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard when he lives in the jungle without a razor?

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?

What is the speed of darkness?

Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up every two hours?

Are there specially reserved parking spaces for 'normal' people at the Special Olympics?

If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?

Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Happy Mother's Day Sayang

I was browsing my old posting and I tumbled into this one here.

So I start reading it again after a year it was being posted. It's quite sad to know that we have no chance of wishing her Happy Mother's day this year or ever again. But I know she has been a good mother to my 4 children. Whatever the circumstance was when she was still around, her children are her utmost priority that she have.

Now my kids and I have felt her loss and that nothing can replace her. Unfortunate for her, cancer has robbed her life and our lifes has never been the same again after that.

But one thing I could say: My love for her will never die.

Happy Mother's Day Sayang.

Syurga Di Bawah Tapak Kaki Ibu

My kids wishing her Mak Happy Mother's day by visiting
her resting place and recite Al-Fatihah for her.
I believe reciting a verse of Al-Fatihah is more precious
than a million dollar for their Mak.

Remember 2 days ago when Mimi asked me who she should give the mother's day car to? And to remind her about her Mak, I made a point to take all my four kids to Ky's resting place which is just 2 minutes away from our house.

I had brought Acik & Mimi yesterday's evening to the grave, since we are on the way home from buying these 2 kids the books they wanted. And earlier today , all my sisters-in-law came to visit her grave. Abg Leman, Liza & her Aunt also came. Liza (Kak lllah's 2nd daughter) is leaving for Melbourne tonight with the rest of her family - after being her for about a month taking care of Kak Illah. Liza was in Melbourne when Ky passed away so she made a point to visit Ky's and Kak Illah's grave before she leave for Australia.

They scattered the colorful flower petals on Ky's grave ( that's why you see Ky's grave is so colorful).

While all kids were at the grave, I took the opportunity to tell them that if I'm not around anymore, I politely request them to visit me there like how I took them to visit their mom. Yeah who knows right. And for sure one day I will be there anyway. Maybe not at the same grave yard.

I specifically told Along, my eldest son, that if I'm not around anymore for whatever reason, he will be the head of the family - meaning that he should take the responsibility to take car of his other siblings and not forgetting to take his brothers and sister to visit his Mak's resting place.

I'm sure that my Sayang is the happiest person on earth oops underneath the earth.... when I took her kids to visit her during Mother's day especially with her kids reciting Al-Fatihah for her which I personally believe is most precious than a million dollars.

As I still remember she once said to me that there is only 3 things that she wanted to do/have:
1. To do Amal Jariah
2. To teach some knowledge/Ilmu to others so that it can be used and practiced by others.
3. Her children prayed/doa for her.
And I'm trying my level best so that our children will pray and doa for her.

Happy Mother's Day Mak

Happy Mother's Day Mak

There's no words to express how grateful I am for having a mother like my Mak. This September will be Mak's 84th Birthday.

I'm sure all of us love our mom so much. But what if I were to ask you to list down 10 things what make you respect and love you mom so much, what are your answers. Mine is simply these:

1. She is such a determined person. She will get all out to get anything what her children wants.
   
2. She loves her children more than anything else. She took care 11 of us alone after my father passed away in 1968. When I was still very young, I once heard her best friend asked her to remarry but she flatly said no because she want to take care of her children.
   
3. She make sure we get some education despite she herself was educated till standard 6.
   
4. She would go all out to feed all her 11 children despite being a full-time housewife and with no jobs after my father passed away. I remember she had to sell kuih at the nearby food stall and I and my sister had to send the kuih very early in the morning to that stall.
   
5. She loves to cook and is a great cook. She would prepare food for all of us even after we got married and have our own family.
6. She always remind us to be good with each other. She is the arbitrator when there is a siblings misunderstanding and rivalry.
   
7. She is a thrifty. She always reminded us not to waste money on things that we don't need. Till now I still remember her telling me that instead of going to see the movies (during my bachelorhood days then), I might as well use the money to buy salted fish (ikan kering) so that we can still eat it.
   
8. She is so humble. Whenever I ask her what she want me to buy her, she would say, "takpayah lah. Mak taknak semua tu" despite we know she would want it.
9. She would attend all the family functions and all the relatives weddings until she is unable to move around anymore in a wheel chair. I used to drive her almost every where I could just for her to meet her relatives.
   
10. And most of all, I love her so much and because she is my Mak. And till now I still believe that she loves me more than the rest of my siblings he.he.he....Anak kesayangan dia kata kan.
    

Happy mothers day Mak!

Happy Mother's Day

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY SAYANG

Mimi : Ayah, gambar mak ada tak?
Ayah : Ada. Mimi nak buat apa?
Mimi : Mimi nak buat card Happy Mother's Day.
Ayah : Pegi cari kat drawer dalam bilik bibik tu. Tengok dalam file tu mungkin ada.

So my little girl went to Bibik's room and brought back the white box file.
I tried looking for Ky's passport size photo but I couldn't find any. I've taken all the things in the file but yet I couldn't find the photo.

Ayah : Mimi tak de lah. Ayah ingat itu hari ayah ada letak kat sini.
Mimi : Ha... nanti Mimi carik kat atas.
So she went upstairs and happily brought one pic of her mom down and showed to me with grinning smile.

Suddenly what she was going to say really kills my heart.
Mimi : Ayah, nanti kalau Mimi dah buat Kad Mother's Day, Mimi nak bagi siapa ha? Mak dah takde.

And I nearly cried when I heard that. With tear starts rolling in my eyes but I tried to hide from her, I told her.
Ayah : Mimi bagi lah Anjang. Kan Anjang pun macam mak Mimi kan.
Mimi : Oklah.

I didn't talk much to her after that. Probably both of us understood that if we talked further about her mom, it will bring more hurts in our hearts.

I know Ky had gone for more than 4 months now and I could take it. But when Mimi said who she can give the Mother's Day card to, I suddenly felt pity for her . I pity her for not having a mother to wish happy mother's day to, as she usually did for years. She would be savings some money to buy something for her mother eventhough it was just a stalk of cheap plastic red rose she bought or a musical jewelery box she had been aiming for.

I don't know how many people would understand how a 11 year olds girl would feel loosing a mother a young tender age. When everyone can wish their mother "Happy Mother's Day" on 12 May, she would felt the lost when she couldn't find anyone that she can call Mak! Even I still has a mother who is now 83 years old and I could see her on Sunday to wish her Happy Mothers Day.

Probably I will take Mimi to her Mak's grave on Sunday so that she can wish her "Happy Mother's Day" and may her Mak rest in peace.

Al-Fatihah to Kak Illah

1st May is a holiday to most of us. It's the workers days and most of you are holidaying somewhere or just resting at home.

But for me, 1st May is the day when I lost someone dear to me. It's almost 4 months after I've lost the most dearest person in my heart. Now I lost another person whom I have so much respect for.

Fondly known as Kak Illah to me, Auntie Illah to my kids or Datin Fathilah to some, is my sister-out-law. She lost the battle against cancer after almost 4 years. Started from breast cancer then spread to the lungs. She never give up to stay alive and give other people the reason to survive as well. But Allah loves her more than we do and she had her last breath at Maghrib time yesterday at Damansara Specialist Hospital after 3 weeks on the life-support machine.

She was laid down to rest in peace at Bukit Kiara Cemetery at about 11.00 am today, Friday 2 May 2008.

Kak Illah will be remembered for her kindness, her concern
for others, and supporting others when they need it most.

It won't do me justice if I didn't write good things about her. If you were to ask me how should she be remembered, I would simply summarize her below:

1. Kak Illah is a caring person. Since Kak Illah is having the same predicament with my late wife Ky, she would share with Ky whatever she had. If she is going for a traditional alternative treatment, she would get Ky to go together with her even to Indonesia. I had always be grateful for what she had done for Ky.
   
2. She never allow a guest leaving her home with empty stomach. Whenever we visited her, she would take the trouble to prepare some food for us. It doesn't matter what the food is. But she'll make sure that we ate something before we leave. I remember the last time I went to her house to drop something and she and Abg Ad was having tea. She make sure that I sit with them join them for a drink. Not only that, she would give me something whatever she has at home at that time. If it's durian season, I would be bring back home some durian. Worst to worst, she would packed me some frozen curry-puff or kuih badak she just bought from somewhere. The point is "she has to give us something when we visited her".
   
3. She is a person with traditional value. Being part of this big extended family, you never get away from weddings of nieces or nephews. And when Kak Illah is healthy, she would go all the way to make sure that the traditional wedding should take place. She would be our "adat istiadat" adviser. Especially when her children got married. She would go to the details so that things would turn out properly.
   
4. Love to do "amal jariah". I remember when my late wife and I voluntarily organized a talk by Ustaz Yassin on "Redha Menghadapi Penyakit" at KGPA but she can't attend due to some other commitments. She knew that we needed the money to cover the rental of the hall, notes, speakers fee and all that. And she donated a few hundred ringgits to cover the rental of the hall. But she didn't want other people to know. We tahnks her for that.
5. She love malay oldies. With this side of the our family who love to sing karaoke during family gatherings, Kak Illah would gladly sing some malay oldies. Believe me, she do have a good voice that suit that malay oldies.
6. She is a good participant for family events. You see in this side of our family, we love to have "theme" nite during the family gathering. For example, we once had to dress "black and white". And she will wear what supposed to be worn that night. And I believed she won for the best dressed woman.
   
7. She and Abang Ad attends almost all functions. Believe me, she and Abang Ad will attend all invitations whenever they could and when times permit. What amazes me most is that they will attend even there were 3 or 4 invitations in a day. You be grateful when people like them attend your function knowing that they had been to 3 other functions before yours.
8. She is gentle. I never heard she raised her voice even though she is angry. She will keep quiet and only speak few words.
   

I know there more things to write but I'm now out of words for her. But I know she is a great person at heart.

The last few photo of her during our Tambun Trip last year.
We knew she wasn't that well either but she didn't want to
disappoint others, so she came along. She was admitted to
the hospital immediately when she came back from the trip.



The loving couple- Kak Illah & Abang Ad.

To Kak Illah. May Allah place you amongst the chosen ones. You'll always be remembered as a person who cares for others and at times goes beyond what is expected from you. May you now rest in peace after struggling with this battle of cancer for years. All of us will miss your dearly Kak Illah. Al Fatihah.