Getting to work wasn't easy. Not with my heart left at home with my 5 day old newborn and a streak of inadequate, intermittent sleep. Physically and mentally, I was not up to it and I suffered at work. I was only 3 working days away from the job but it felt like a long layoff. I experienced some body ache at the end of the day, along with the usual joint pains in the hands.
I received a hero's welcome when I reached the workshop. I couldn't remember how many hands I shook. All the night-shift team members I reckoned, including those who never spoke a word to me since I came. The others teased, smiled and ranted a bit, I wasn't used to this kind of attention. I knew I wouldn't experience this should Albany be born in Singapore. That's how differently things are here.
Prior to meeting the mates as I walked into the workshop, my mood was sombre. I called my mum at noon, knowing exactly where she would be. The noisy background reached me before mum spoke and I knew I was right. Mum greeted me "Happy New Year" first. Then we talked about the baby, naturally. She told me when Grandma saw Albany's pictures over Elder's sis's mobile, she cried.
Immediately I asked mum to hand the phone to Grandma. When she spoke her first sentence, her voice was already quivering. She told me that my dad and her prayed for us in church. My grandma and dad are Christians. I'm an atheist but I thanked her sincerely for it and told her everything was okay all thanks to her prayers. I could not remember her next words. All I felt was sadness from her wobbly voice.
I had never seen Grandma crying over me before. She was already a Great-Grandmother many times over. An additional great-grandchild shouldn't affect her emotionally, not to this extent. I was not the first one who spent a Chinese New Year overseas either and I was not quite her favourite grandchild. I promised her we would be back this year with Albany to visit her.
The phone was passed to my cousin, whose wife is pregnant. We heartily congratulated each other. The mood was slightly better after the mobile phone did a short petrol around the hall. After that phone call, I drove to work.
"Really? When?" asked Grandma. That voice and question lingered in my mind for a long time.
So touching to hear about your Grandma's reaction to baby Albany's pic, and I'm sure you made her day by speaking with her over the phone, too :) I'm sure she (and the rest of your family as well!) can't wait to see all of you when you next return to Singapore.
ReplyDeleteTake care of you, Jen, and Albany in the coming days!
Thank you SL. I can't wait to see my family again too
DeleteAnother touching one... Always follow your post but recently seldom putting a comment up. Anyway... you can start checking the public holiday in Australia. Not sure whether you prefer working for the double during public holiday but it is still good to have a trip back Singapore to see your parents and grandma.... Cheer up... see you soon in Perth...
ReplyDeleteAustralia Day just passed. I didn't work.
DeleteI had a webcam session with my family in SG on the eve of CNY, my bro set up the video conference in his living room so everyone can see me with the big LED TV. Saw my little nephew looking at me wondering who I am (too long never sayang him). Anyway, thanks to internet, we can talk and see each other making sure everyone is alright. That helps in making everyone closer although we are far apart. :)
ReplyDeletehaiz, so far never got something like that leh...
DeleteBro, webcam not expensive and not difficult to install leh, use MSN or Skype to video conference, just need someone who is good at this on the other side. Sometime it is better than sending just photos :)
Deletewanted to tease you about making grandma teared! I was next to mom who was holding the hp for grandma...she was so excited talking and started quivering. It was domino effect, mom started to, although she was spared coz no need to talk. I stepped further away to avoid the effect. BTW, we were all in the kitchen so Fourth uncle spotted the women tearing, disrupted the domino effect by saying in Hokkein : Mai gong liao (don't talk already)..don't know if you catch that. I told mom that I'm gonna tease you abt making grandma cry, when I went back on 2nd day. She was laughing.
ReplyDeleteI didn't hear 4th uncle saying that. Maybe he was about to cry as well? lol
Deletesorry for making u all worry. what i can do now is take care of ourselves as well as we can.
hope i'll get baby into her grandmother's (the nicer one) arms soon.
Hey, it's the same old crap every year, don't think you miss it so much if you were really here bro! It's only the folks you miss :)
ReplyDeletei miss the food for sure!
Deletewow, great grandma alrdy!
ReplyDeleteur grandma is sure fortunate to have 4 generations in the family tree!
looking fwd to seeing u, jen and of cos albany in sg!
let me know when too! =P
-Julia
we look forward to seeing u too julia!
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