Perfect 10

I Do

Letters to sons
Dearest boys

It had been 10 years since Daddy said the 2 words that would implicitly resulted in both your existence. To say that time flies is an understatement . With both of you around, it would seemed that time just flashed by. Like the saying goes,' time flies when we are having fun 'and for sure we had been doing that especially when you guys came into the picture.

A whirlwind 10 years had gone by since I held your mom's hands , say ' I Do' and put a ring on her finger. I guess since this milestone is upon us today, it is time to share our love story.

The meeting

Before we meet, I was in my late twenties. Having been though a few unsuccessful relationships, I thought I would not be able to find the one I would share the rest of my life with....until I chance upon your mom.

You must be wondering how your mom and I came to know each other. The first time our eyes met was in a dance class at Planet Fitness at Far East Square. Judge not your dad... I may look pudgy now, but I was a good dancer in the class, only second to your mommy who has an enviable dancing pedigree in her blood.

It was not difficult to notice her up front in class with her graceful moves. You know , your mom made ' those simple moves look so beautiful' . I used the exact words as a conversational starter with her, at the gym's water cooler no less.

I guessed your mom must be 'elated' by the comment and instinctively offered a dinner treat. Actually her words were " Thanks, maybe I shall treat you dinner." . Naturally my response was yes. After all how many times in life will you get when a pretty girl 'technically' ask you out?

Advice 1
If a pretty girl especially one that you like, ask you out in whatever fashion, just say yes!

In any case, the dinner date did not materialised, rather we had decided to have coffee/tea break and somehow it morphed into a 6 hours long conversation . Right there and then, on the very first date, I know I had found my soulmate. Long Lingering tea dates continued for over a month. We met and talked for hours almost every other day thereafter and on Apr 6 2002, we officially became a couple.

The proposal
Within a year, it was apparent that we were bounded to be together. Fate had bought us together and now it is time to create our destiny. Less than a year, I proposed. You could say we had a whirlwind romance. For one that subsequently lasted through these 10 years and yield 2 handsome boys, it was a blessed union.

Proposal

The proposal was done on Bon island off Phuket. It was part of the now defunct Evason Resort. I had booked the honeymoon suite on Bon Island and we had the exclusive use of island by ourselves for the night. Over a candle light dinner, along the beach. I pulled out the ring as it glowed under the moonlight.

With the sound of waves as the background music, I got down on one knee and proposed. I could not recall the rest of the night, but I do remembered the moment your Mom said yes. The sky was dark , but my smile shone like a beacon that night. There and then it felt like Heaven on earth.It may be hard to phantom from your perspective, but Daddy is a romantic at heart.

Advice 2
Be romantic . It never hurts to show you love and care for someone. Just add flowers.

Rom
We decided to register our marriage on this very day 10 years ago. We held off our wedding dinner and church wedding as we need to save up for it. In reality , I could not wait any longer to call your mother, my wife. We wed.

Why 27th November 2003?

This date was chosen not by any divine means. It is a combination of our birth dates (13th and 14th) and we are both November babies. This was indeed a Sweet November to remember.

Fast forward, 10 years had passed. Along the way we discovered more about each other. As much as we are similar , we are different. They say 'opposites attract' and it may be true in our case. Regardless the differences , there are more things in common than what we may have thought to be. For one or two, we have both of you. Our love for each other had borne a pair of handsome lads that we are proud of.

There are 3 important events within these 10 years that made me appreciate what we had today. The first, was when I almost lost your mom eight years ago when she fell very ill over a mysterious illness. It was so bad that in the middle of the night, I had to make a hard decision to replace her blood platelet as she was in a critical condition. It was then that I realised I could not be without her. It was also from that incident that we decided to start a family. 

The 2nd and the 3rd events are related to both of you. It is both your arrival that made the family complete.

Fruits of Love

There may be some hiccups , some doubts, some hesitations and a few quarrels along this path for the last 10 years. But it is one path I would take all over and over again. I would not want to miss the little kisses, the warm embraces, the conversations , the anticipation , the pleasures and the joy that we had shared as a couple and now as a family.

And to your mom, the love of my life. Happy anniversary my one true love, companion and best friend. Thanks for coming into my life and for making yours our life. You are the only one that knows me inside out , who stuck with me through the good times and the tough times. I may not show it all the time, but deep down inside, I know I am truely blessed to have you by my side.

You are my soulmate and no one could replace you in my life. If I could change one thing in our relationship, it will be to live it all over and over again. Looking forward to sharing more years, making more memories and loving you more everyday. 

I love you.

And to my boys, that is the story of your Mom and Dad, albeit in an abridge version. Love stories need not be complicated or challenging. It just need to be real and from the heart. That makes it perfect, a perfect 10 for us.

Advice 3
Remember this , love does not come easy. When it does come, cherish it, embrace it, protect it, live it, love it.

There you have it, our love story. 

We look forward to the next 10 years and more. With both of you around, it will surely be a journey worth remembering.

With love

Daddy