A graduated student of mine just got enlisted into National Service on Monday. Over the weekend, we were chatting on MSN about NS and he asked if he’d get the opportunity to go on overseas training trips.
That brought to mind something one of my officers said back about 20 years ago after we just arrived in Thailand on one such trip during my NS stint. He had just recently married – just two days before – and prior to his departure, he’d psyched himself up to mentally prepare to take off overseas immediately after the wedding. But as it turned out, it was crazily difficult in reality to do so and said it was going to be really tough without his new wife for a month.
That’s about the feeling I’ve been getting these few days – just a day left before I disappear off a month from our baby girl. As interesting as the trip is going to be, it’s still work and it’s time that’s taking away from Hannah:
It’s a pretty weird feeling. I had no issues disappearing for years to go abroad for my doctoral degree (albeit I flew home twice a year). But with Hannah, it’s different. A few days, about a week or so – like last December’s Kumamoto trip – is fine. But 3.5 weeks – ugh. That’s a lot of time to be away from her chubby cheeks and toothy grin – she still has just one visible baby tooth – and her increasing utterances of “bah bah bah” and “mum mum mum”.
The series of pictures here were taken yesterday morning: just before heading out for lunch at Jack’s Place @ Compasspoint, at the restaurant, and while waiting for Ling outside Kiddy Palace.:)
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