I’m listening to Taylor Swift’s You Belong with Me as I typed this post to get myself in the mood to share our love story. Many of our friends are surprised that David and I have been wed 13 years, ‘That long!?” they usually remarked. Over the years, our love has mellowed into a deep, mutual commitment and affection for each other. We have grown to become the indispensable companion and soul-mate which God has designed husbands and wives to be…
Our love story started *er-hem* in the Christian mIRC chat room back when online surfing and chats were still relatively innocent back in the late ’90s! This Penang-nite boy, who’s educated in Melbourne and relocated to Singapore kept trying to chat me up but I gave him nary any attention till we met at a group gathering months later. I was leading worship and he said he was impressed by my independence and fervency for God.
Before the gathering ended, he requested for my pager number so we can be in touch (haa yes in those days, we had pagers not mobile phones yet). The cheeky me gave him the first few digits and told him to go figure the last one. Well, the persistent him finally got it right in a week. Soon, we started going on movie dates and before I knew it, I started falling irrevocably for him…I prayed to God for a husband who is Godly, who is musically inclined and who would love and accept me and my family…God answered all requests and blessed me with someone better than what I can ever asked for…
We started courting on 27 Dec 1997 in Sentosa; that was the very first we held hands and I felt so secure in his big, firm, fuzzy hands as our fingers locked…In the early days of our courtship, he would commute from his home in Tampines or his workplace in Sembawang all the way to the western part of Singapore (Clementi) just to have dinner with me and then make the long commute back alone. Back then, Clementi and Tampines were the final stops of the MRT East-West Line!
One fav memory of his romantic gestures was during his business trip to Jakarta. I received a handwritten love letter from him DAILY in the snail mail…he even posted the 1st few love letters before his trip so I would have a letter to read starting from the time I sent him off at the airport! After a 2 year courtship where we were madly, truly, deeply in love, we united in Holy Matrimony on 17 June 1999 in a Christian Wedding service where he serenaded me on the flute as I walked in accompanied by my Mom.
Actual Day Wedding Photography… |
Outside the Armenian Church on our Wedding Day (17 June 1999) |
Port Louis, Mauritius on our Honeymoon in (Jun 1999) |
Recently in March, he attended a 2 week-conference in the USA. Before his trip, he secretly and painstakingly prepared a postcard a day (complete with a matching photograph) and hid them in different corners of our home for me to retrieve each day with the clues he supplied during our nightly Facetime (look how technology played such an important part in our relationships!). He also pre-recorded 14 video segments of him reading a different bible story each night to be played for Dana before bedtime. Just so that the princess won’t miss Daddy too much when he’s away…
Little gestures like these overwhelm my heart…knowing that I’ve married a wonderful husband who loves me, accepts me, adores me and spares no effort to make me feel like the most special wife in the whole world…We may not lead a lavish lifestyle but we have no lack and contentment is our greatest gain. He is also the best Daddy to our daughter. His patience, creativity, energy level and hands-on approach never fail to make me so very blessed…How did a man who initially kept assuring me it’s ok if we do without kids evolve to be such a loving, fantastic, sacrificial Dad?
Our marriage is not a bed of roses…In our 13 years, we saw each other through major career transitions; we survived 3 child losses – 2 stillbirths and the death of our newborn baby girl in the NICU and went through nothing short of a miracle before we had Dana…My difficult pregnancy almost caused me to lose my life to septicemia and I was warded in KKH for 3 months (in 2007).
During that long, dark stretch of hospitalization, he slept on a sleeping mat on the cold, hard hospital floor to keep me company every night. He would then wake the next morning, shower in the hospital toilets and head to work. After work, he would rush right back to the ward to have dinner with me and spend the night. This went on for 3 long months…I guessed we are able to love and cherish each other so strongly because we have overcome so much odds and heartaches together…Out of the fire, we are refined as gold…In 2009, our love story was picked by the judges as one of the winning entries in Marriage Central’s Real Love Works Festival.
KKH Ward 44 Bed 4 on my Birthday (Apr-Jun 2007). In my 3 months’ stay, I celebrated my birthday, David’s Birthday and our Wedding Anniversary all in this ward… |
Marriage Central: Real Love Works (Mar 2009) |
So there you go, our Love Story shared online for the very first time…This past week, I had acute allergic reactions to the painkillers prescribed by the dentist for my wisdom teeth removal. Once again, David demonstrated his love for me by rushing me to the GP’s clinic to get the anti-vomiting injection after work without any grumbling or grudges…Despite his hectic and heavy workload, he also ensured there’s a fresh supply of fresh flowers in the home to keep me feeling upbeat as I recuperate…I can never thank God enough for sending me such a loving husband.
So Dar, I’m dedicating this post to you. May our love for God and each other never stop growing as continue to build this household for the Lord. And this I hope the Lord will grant, that we can have good health and each other’s company to travel the world till we grow old hand in hand…
Mauritius on our Honeymoon (Jun 1999) |
Bosporus Straits, Turkey on our second Honeymoon (Dec 1999) |
Banyan Tree Bintan (Mar 2000) |
Blue Danube, Budapest (Jun 2006) |
For the past 13 years, we make it a point to renew our Wedding Vows to each other on our anniversary…‘For Better or Worse; For Richer or Poorer; In Sickness or in Health…till God calls one or both of us Home, I will love you…”
Our wedding verse :
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV) “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken”.
Jiahui says
So sweet! I’m tearing after I read your story! He who finds a good wife, finds a good thing. you are truly his good thing! =)
Mamamie says
Very touched reading your love story, mine is nothing compared to yours 😛
libpuritan says
Such a beautiful love story! And one that endures and persists even in the hardest of times. You guys are an inspiration. 🙂
Dominique@Dominique's Desk says
Love your story. It’s a real fairytale how you met your HB..really happy for you that you found your “perfect match”
Kless says
Oh wow what a touching story you have! I am so moved. 🙂
Susan says
Such a sweet sweet love story. You’re a blessed lady Angeline 🙂
MamaJ says
You are really blessed to have this man as your hubby ! Thanks for sharing your story, God has really blessed your marriage with so much love!
Madeline Heng says
So romantic! Aiyo cute lah u 2 =)
Adeline Oon says
You are truly blessed Angeline! With a loving husband! And despite what you both had gone through, you believed what He has planned for you. Dana must be an angel. 🙂
jean says
I am moved too by your sharing! God is good indeed. I love the pic which Dana pointed at something that caught her eyes 🙂 love her expression 🙂 Thank God for a loving husband you have and May the Lord continue to grant you both in good health till he cometh 🙂
June says
Yours is a moving story of love, a love that’s modelled after the love of God, a love that stands the test of time and trials. I can already picture the both of you growing old, happy and still in love. Thanks for sharing so generously and for inspiring all of us unto even greater acts of love!
Angie@Simply Mommie says
Oh my! Such a sweet couple! 🙂 you are blessed with a wonderful husband!
Delphine says
What an amazing love story!
Evelyn says
You two have been through so much together, thanks for sharing. What an awesome couple you are! Am truly inspired. 🙂
Jasmine Koh says
Just read this after a long day and was so touched by it. Indeed love is best shown in action and through times of testing. Thanks for sharing this!
mummybean says
What a great story, and a great love you both share! You are truly blessed! May the Lord continue to bless your family with plenty of His love and grace.
p2me1a says
What a journey you have had! May the Lord bless you, your hubby, Dana and your three angels in heaven always! Thank you for sharing your story with us!
pc says
Indeed a very beautiful love story, the most touching one in real life for me! (i’m tearing)
WendWinner says
What a journey and a testimony! You are one brave mommy! In God, we can always celebrate for the better things to come. Cheering you on!
The Kam family says
So touchy reading your stories 🙂
Summer Goh says
Angie, I can’t believe I read this only now! I am so so touched by all the loving bits of your story and also sad to learn about the child losses. My heart goes out to Nathaniel, Joash and Ashlyn and I know that they will be badly missed in your heart no matter how many years pass by. Thank you for writing out your story and inspiring others to cherish what they have. Hugs!