feeling small

Sometimes I feel like I just need a different perspective. This is the view from my temporary bedroom the last 2 1/2 weeks (Tyler's bedroom). From the 22nd floor things just look a little different than from my bedroom window in my suburban neighborhood.

I'm looking ahead at some situations right now and I have that "I feel very small" feeling. I wonder if I can handle the newness of a situation, can I be the helper that I want to be? Will I be able to grasp the situation with a firm grip, or will it always feel so slippery and dangerous and just a bit 'breathtaking'? What WILL be around the next corner?

I have great admiration for the city planners for the Marina Bay area of Singapore. This has been in the works for over 30 years. I marvel at the foresight of planning everything from open green spaces to artwork to offices and restaurants and residential towers to the MRT stations. And the malls and the number of escalators. Not only is the city built tall, it goes deep, deep into the ground for underground malls and train stations. So many details to consider and people to plan for. And then that makes me think of Someone else with a plan for a city...and a plan for me.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! you know when I sit down and when I rise up. You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word in on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me be night," even the darkness is not dark to you; and the night is bright as the day, for the darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

What starts with an "S"?

Kristen introduced us to the scrabble game again...so we played a lot of that last evening. Patrick has won multiple games, but I think his winning streak is just a temporary deal. Anyway, we had a full day on Friday. This is the end of the day after a morning of the Botanical Gardens (BEAuTifUL!) and afternoon of Mommy and Me gymnastics class. So these are some of the "S" things in Singapore.

Lots of STROLLING! I bet we walked a minimum of 6 miles yesterday.

more SHOPPING,

STARBUCKS on every corner! I'm having to cut back to Americano instead of Frapps.

The Sands Hotel in the background!

And then it started Sprinkling about 1/2 way to the hotel... We had a little late afternoon nap and then enjoyed our Friday night of Thai food and a late night Scrabble game. I think the NIGHT SAFARI is on the lineup today!

a walk in Little India

We are finding out that Singapore is truly a melting pot of countries and cultures... When I was planning for this trip, I read on tripadvisor.com that these walking tours were really great. So today we all went out for the Taste of India tour. It was a 2 1/2 hour walking tour thru Little India's street markets, the wet market (fish/meat/produce), the Hindu temple, the meanings of the flower garlands, an encounter with a fortune teller, a taste of unusual fruit and smells of the spices of India. I can't wait to do the next tour of Chinatown! William was a little less enthusiastic, but Katherine is hooked and promises to go on the next one with me.

Here we are at the meeting place, our guide is the woman in the background. Lots of fun information and facts about the area.

This old spice mill is about as tall as I am.

Our guide says it's not getting the sari on, but keeping it on that really defines how well you know your sari stuff.

The sari demo was the only thing that mildly competed with Tyler's attention to his ipod.

We finished at noon, headed to an Indian restaurant near Patrick's office and ate a great lunch of chicken, mushrooms and a cottage cheese with spinach sauce...all over rice. The spices in the sauce were amazing. I passed out for a 5 hour nap (that's why I'm up posting and everyone else has gone to bed at 11 pm). Then this evening we went out for satay and rice, more of that bread (naan?) and a great walk around the bay.

Patrick treated me to a cup of pulled tea and this is the vendor doing his demo...He really got into it for my camera. It was a mixture of hot tea and something like condensed milk. Pretty good!

Valentine's starts a little early here!

any suggestions?

ok, Tamera got moved out about 10 days ago. I've been setting up the 'home office'. I need some ideas about arrangements/painting the walls and decor! Suggestions on fabrics for my cane back chair, the bottom 1/4 of the drapes, etc... The walls are currently painted 'atmospheric blue' from Restoration Hardware. It's one of Tamera's favorite colors, it's pretty, but it's just too 'cool' for me. The rest of the house is a golden tan...almost peanut butter color. Sounds yukky, but I really like it.

I have thought about doing horizontal stripes in tone on tone color (not too much contrast b/w 2 paint colors). This is a pix from The Lettered Cottage and where I first saw 'striped' walls.

William prefers vertical stripes. He has a vote, of course, but this is really 'a girl's office' (ie. 'my' office). I'm loving having a place to keep all our home files, my lactation books and resources and now real estate resources and files.

So, taking all opinions and advice. I know it looks kinda boring, so give me what you've got!