Happy Birthday To My Second Mother!

💌 Dear Dr Auntie,

Remember all those times when you said that no matter what happened, you’d always love me? From the day I was born, you’ve always been my second mother. Your warmth has always graced me, your kindness has always been present, and your love is like no other’s! There’s something about you that’s just naturally comforting. Whenever I feel down, just being next to you is enough to make me feel so much better! How do you do it? Perhaps it’s your motherly love. Your instantly engaging personality. Your witty sense of humour. Your abundant love. Maybe that’s your natural gift. You are a second mother, not just to me, but to Fatimah and Ali too. We are truly blessed to have not just one mother, but two! And you’re so much more than that! You’re a love-giver. A care-sharer. An adviser. A consoler. A best friend. You’re not just an auntie! You’re right there by our side through thick and thin. Wherever you may be, you’re just a phone call away, I know I can rely on you to be someone to confide with, anytime, anywhere – even now, when you’re halfway across the world! Still, that isn’t enough to keep me from missing you; please come back soon! Your love has never faltered for your parents, your siblings or your nephews and nieces. You are a joy to be with,  and you’re such an amazing person that even everything I’ve said here couldn’t begin to describe how amazing you are! You’ve done so much for us through the years, given us so much, sacrificed so much, and taught us so much. A thousand letters like this wouldn’t be enough to repay you! But from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of all the family, for everything you’ve ever done for us, I want to give you a genuine, heartfelt…THANK YOU! On your special day, may Allah shower you with His countless blessings, today and every day. May He reserve you a big palace with a beautiful garden in Jannatul Firdaus…

Happy Birthday,

Omar Mukhtar

p/s: And I promise that I will take care of you forever…and ever…and ever…and ever!

Sunday Without Adam…

💌 #DearMamajee @adamdidam,

You would have been 29 today…I wonder if it’s fate or a coincidence how the first birthday without you is on a Sunday? That must be more than a coincidence. Sunday has always been your special day, after all! You chose Sunday to start your journey in cookery, people waited for your new recipes every Sunday, you became a rising star because of Sunday…and then you left us on Sunday. People might think that now that your passing was so far away, we’d be on our way to getting over our grief. But in fact, the pain of the loss is greater than ever! It’s hard to think that your smiles and laughs will forever be out of reach, especially on your birthday! But though the pain of loss may feel strong, your presence is even stronger! Your smiles may be out of reach, but we can feel the warmth of your smile among us. That’s all it takes for us to smile, and I have a feeling that’s just how you want us to be…

Happy Birthday To My Beloved Mamajee,

Omar Mukhtar

#SundayWithAdam 💛

I’m Officially 13!

“Once upon a time, in the not-so-distant past, a blessing was sent from God to a couple, and they were warm and unbelievably kind to him. Despite the many challenges they faced, they did more than just take care of him; they cherished him and nurtured his talents! 

In fact, many of this boy’s achievements were only achieved because of the hours his parents spent with him to aid him. They were with him every step of the way – they enjoyed the ups and climbed out of the downs, and every single second, they enjoyed each others’ company.

Thirteen years – and a little brother and sister – later, the trio had become a, umm…five-o? 😅 And it was only with the UNBELIEVABLE  amount of help from his parents that he was admitted into his dream school and published his very first book!”


Does that story sound familiar? Yep, that little fairy tale is about me, and each little bit is 100% true! It may sound clichéd, but my parents are probably the most loving, caring and supportive parents in the WORLD, and trust me, there’s no way you could prove that statement wrong!

Dear Mrs Mom and Mr Dad,

It may be my 13th birthday, but it’s YOU both that deserve to be celebrated! Your love is beyond words, and you are always supportive of whatever I do. I mean, how else do I explain the time when I wanted to be a fisherman…and you both were all for it?! 😂

And that’s not all: when I wanted to write my first book, you made me believe that I could achieve anything! Mr Dad, you read (and reread!) my book COUNTLESS times and gave me feedback and ideas about what to include and tweak. Mrs Mom, you sat beside me from the start to finish and helped enormously, even though you were ill!

There’s physical proof of just how much you loved me – you’ve kept every little detail from each milestone in my life: things from as early as the pregnancy test to my first haircut!

Thank you both for always supporting me and believing in me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you! You’ve always been there for me, and I know you always will be. For my 13th birthday, I pray to God that He rewards you generously for how loving you have been towards me and reserves you the highest place in heaven! (And I don’t need any presents this year, coz they definitely won’t beat you!)

Your ever-grateful son,

Omar Mukhtar

My Dadajee Is 69 Years Young!

dadajee's 69th birthday

This is one of my favourite photos of Dadajee, because I think that there’s some resemblance between me and him here – though I could never match his handsomeness…

Dadajee is one of my role models. I look up to him as the best person to ask for consolation when I’m feeling down. We practically share everything! Even though we live halfway across the world from each other, there’s nothing that we don’t know about each other! He’s also someone to ask for advice when in doubt. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as wise as him! He’s also really kind, loving, and funny. I would love to have all his qualities – in other words, I absolutely adore my Dadajee!

I find him very inspiring because of the fact that not only is he multi-talented and wise, but he is also very humble and down-to-earth, which makes him even more lovable! I don’t think our family would be complete without him, and we’re really lucky to have him!

In short, Dadajee is one of the people that I love most! Happy 69th Birthday, Dadajee! Hope your birthday is filled with lots of joy and warmth! We all love you so much, and we really miss you! On this special day, I pray to God that He gives you a long blessed life and grant you your heart’s desires. May He rid you of all troubles and make you the happiest man in this world and the next! May He give you peace and abundance! But there’s only one thing I ask of you: never stop being you, because you are the GREATEST GRANDPA EVER!

Your first grandson,
Omar Mukhtar
On behalf of all the family

Fatimah Turns 5!

Dear Fatimah,

You’ve grown one year older, and I’d just like to say

That I wish you a very Happy 5th Birthday!

Oh, how time flies! I can never forget

When I was all lonely and then we first met

You brought a smile to my face, you tickled me silly,

You gave joy to me and the family!

Now you’re all grown up, and I again say,

Happy Birthday! May God make this the best of all days!

Love,

Your Lalajee, Omar Mukhtar

a.k.a. The Pawsome Lion

Giving Thanks On This Special Day!

 

 

Twelve years ago, I was sent as a blessing from God to an amazing couple who I am now proud to call Mrs Mom and Mr Dad. They said I was their #LuckyNumber1, but really I am the one who is blessed to have such PAWSOME parents!

Some may think I was born with intelligence, but that’s not the truth at all! My parents were the soul source of all my skills. They identified my interests, and from day 1, they guided me and eventually helped to shape me into who I am today! I am often complimented for my skills, and I really appreciate it! But I must say, all this praise should be going to my parents! Behind every great child, there are two even greater parents! In my case, that is Mrs Mom and Mr Dad! They have made a lot of sacrifices to make my future as bright as it can be!

 

 

So for my birthday, I insisted my parents not to get me any gifts or even a cake. Anyway, it feels wrong after knowing that Mrs Mom endured more than 24 hours of labour pain to bring me into this world! Not forgotten, my parents had to go through a lot of challenges to raise me in a foreign country away from their families. If I told you all the things they did for me, from pregnancy until now, it would be endless! I couldn’t possibly repay them enough!

So today, on my twelfth birthday, I humbly ask everyone to pray for my wonderful parents, Mrs Mom and Mr Dad! All acknowledgement is due to them! Because honestly, they’re the ones who deserve it, not me! I mean, look at all the things that they have cherished over the years. They still kept most of the things from the pregnancy days up until now! Believe it or not, they have my lock of hair from my first haircut and even the pregnancy test! Not only that, there are lots of other bits and bobs too!

As for me, I’d like to give my parents a great big THANK YOU, a warm hug, kisses and prayers and, most importantly, the sincere love that only a truly grateful son can give! Thank you, Mrs Mom and Mr Dad! You’re the greatest gifts that any child could ever get on his birthday!

“The best presents are those that are given to you on the day you are born: your MOTHER and FATHER!”

– Omar Mukhtar
a.k.a. The Pawsome Lion
Sunday 2nd September 2018

 

 

BELATED SURPRISE…

once upon a time book

Once upon a time, there lived a Prince Charming from the kingdom of The Blissful Abode. He was widely known for his good looks and lovable character. He was also a man of many talents.

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As he grew older, he felt that something was missing from his life. So, one day, he told his father, the king of The Blissful Abode, about it. But, unfortunately, the king did not have any answers to his problems.

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A few days went by until the prince realised what he was missing from his life, a princess! So, the prince went back to see the king. Then, the king asked his court of advisors to throw a royal ball in order to find the perfect wife.

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Many willing admirers and hundreds of young maidens from near and far attended the royal ball. However, Prince Charming became disheartened of his failure to find a suitable wife. The king tried to comfort him as best as he could. He went to bed feeling frustrated.

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That night, he had a peculiar dream. In his dream, he saw an old man carrying a sack full of gold and diamonds which he gave to the prince. He then told the prince to travel to the Kingdom of Diamonds where he would find his true love. Then, without another word, he disappeared into thin air.

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The next day, Prince Charming rushed to talk to the king and tell him about his dream. The king suggested that he should take someone to accompany him for his safety. But, the prince refused and said that he wanted to go as a common man so no one knew that he was a prince. Then, as soon as possible, he planned out his trip to the Kingdom of Diamonds and set off immediately.

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On his journey, he had to dodge several obstacles such as thunderstorms, mountains, wide rivers, misty jungles and so on. After a few months time, he finally arrived at the Kingdom of Diamonds. Upon his arrival, the smell of frangipani greeted him and his nose. He then followed the smell until he found the sight of white, blooming frangipani on a tree. He decided to take a rest under the shade of the tree because he was worn out from the long journey and a while later, he dozed off.

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Suddenly, the prince was woken up by the sound of a sweet, beautiful singing voice. He turned his head to and fro whilst rubbing his eyes thinking that he was dreaming. Then, he caught sight of a gorgeous maiden with long hair just like Rapunzel. But, unlike Rapunzel, her hair colour was a glossy, shiny type of black. Little did he know that the fair damsel was Princess Leelowadee of the Kingdom of Diamonds.

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As soon as both of their eyes met, they fell in love at first sight! Without any delay, Prince Charming proposed to her,

“Here’s my love, take it. Here’s my soul, use it. Here’s my heart, don’t break it. Here’s my hand, hold it and together we will make it together. Be mine?”

Princess Leelowadee blushed and nodded her head in a gesture of accepting his proposal. The romantic moment turned sorrowful when Prince Charming had to leave so that he could make appropriate arrangements to take his beautiful bride back to his kingdom. As he was leaving, he turned to Princess Leelowadee and said,

“I’ll return soon with hundreds of horses and elephants to take you, my dearest princess, away.”

Then, the prince left and journeyed off to his far, far away kingdom.

♥ ♥ ♥

The long-awaited day finally came when the prince arrived at the Kingdom of Diamonds with hundreds of horses and elephants, as promised. He brought along with him his wedding entourage and 1001 gifts for his beloved bride. He then took Princess Leelowadee and helped her inside the golden wedding carriage and marched back to The Blissful Abode. 

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When they reached their destination, the people of The Blissful Abode welcomed the newlyweds with a grand celebration. There were singers, dancers, fireworks, peacocks and a large banquet on behalf of Prince Charming and Princess Leelowadee.

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Although the prince and princess came from different backgrounds and spoke different languages, they both tried their best to love one another until the end of their lifetime.

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Many years have passed and their marriage was blessed with 3 beautiful princesses and 2 handsome princes. Their life is now complete with the arrival of 4 charming grandsons and 3 gorgeous granddaughters. Everyone adores King Charming and Queen Leelowadee for their never-ending love. And they lived happily ever after…

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life is a fairy tale

Life is a fairy tale! We will come across many Cinderellas, Snow Whites, Rapunzels, Prince Charmings and Princess Leelowadees! We will also meet fairy godmothers and wicked witches too! No matter how high the mountains are, how low the valleys are or how wide the rivers are, it is up to us how we will spin our stories into GOLD!

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As for me, I am lucky to be part of Prince Charming’s and Princess Leelowadee’s fairytale. I am especially blessed to inherit Prince Charming’s (Dadajee) good looks! (#vain)

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As their first grandson, I can’t wait to pass on their great love story to my future children. One thing that I will never forget is when the newlyweds were going out for their first date! Since both of them couldn’t speak each other’s language, Dadajee had to search every magazine in the house just to find a picture of corn so he could ask Khun Yai Thi Rak Khong Phom if she wanted to go out with him and have some grilled corn! How romantic, huh? 😀

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If you’ve seen my Pawsome Dates page, then you would have noticed that other than Little Miss Diva’s birthday, Dadajee’s birthday is another important date in January. His birthday falls on the 7th of every January. This date is like a sacred date for our family!

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On his birthday, I always like to surprise him by calling him on FaceTime call and singing Happy Birthday to him. Even though I can’t give Dadajee any presents because he lives all the way in Malaysia, I always keep him in my prayers every day! But I’m sure that my Auntie Kawaii will bake him a special birthday cake and Mr OCD Uncle will never forget to treat him with something special! And Khun Yai Thi Rak Khong Phom will definitely cook a special birthday feast. No doubt about that! 😉

bff

My Dadajee is my best friend! He is handsome, charming, loving and a man of many talents. He is also a great, funny grandpa with creativity and PAWSOME personality! He is one of the most lovable characters you could ever meet! Dadajee is a man that can do anything. He can speak many languages, he is very skilled when it comes to gardening and he is a good cook too. He can make delicious Biryani and the best Milo in the world! He is the best husband, father and grandfather!!!

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At a very young age, he travelled all over Malaysia to seek more knowledge and experience! He was only 15 years old at the time. He had made lots of friends during his expedition which he still keeps in touch with until today. He also travelled to many other countries for business purposes.

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Once, he did something that I was grateful for the rest of my life! I was only 2 & 1/2 years old at the time. I was out in the garden, playing, running like any normal kid would do. As I was playing, I was running back and forth to get fruit to treat myself. Suddenly, I put a grape in my mouth and I don’t know how it got stuck in my throat! I was choking and my face turned blue according to Mrs Mom. Thankfully, Dadajee managed to get the grape out of my throat! What a miracle!!! I owe my life to you, Dadajee!

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The greatest memories were when we travelled all around the UK together. We went to London, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Manchester, Blackpool, Lake District, Glasgow, Edinburgh and many other places too. I wish that we could do it again in the near future!

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Some other times, he will tell me the stories of how great my forefathers were. He taught me lots of things too. I enjoyed sitting down with him exchanging stories. I love listening to him because he is very funny and I love it when he sings! He is also a good listener. He will always show excitement every time when I tell him my stories. I always look forward to his visit every year. I can’t imagine to live without seeing him in a year!

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One thing for sure is that Dadajee is very generous, romantic, charming, super duper protective, supportive and ROARSOME!!! He is also a very hard-working man. He will never sit still. He will always find something to keep him occupied. Dadajee is a YES man too! You can ask him anything and he will always say yes. He will never say no to your requests! All these great qualities make Dadajee a PAWSOME grandpa!

Thank_you

Last but not least, I would like to take this golden opportunity to thank my Dadajee for all the extraordinary skills and knowledge which he has passed onto all his children. Mrs Mom and Dr Auntie always share with me all the tips and techniques that Dadajee used in the past when they were young. I have to say, the communication technique that Dadajee used with his children is phenomenal! Both Mrs Mom and Dr Auntie have proven that practicing their communication skills in front of a mirror really helps! I too will use the same old technique to brush up on my communication skills. Many kudos to Dadajee for all the time that he sacrificed to help all of his children to excel in their studies! Now I know where Mrs Mom got all her skills from. Perhaps one day, I will write a book about all of Dadajee’s skills and techniques so that the whole world could benefit from it! I am honoured to be one of his descendants! For me, my Dadajee is definitely the best grandpa in the whole wide world!!!!!

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Happy 66th Birthday, Dadajee!

(A poem by: The Pawsome Lion)

You’re one of a kind,

Dadajee, the best grandpa in the world,

You could take me round Earth 66 times, with great, big wings unfurled!

I walk with you

All the time,

Smelling the fresh scent of the thyme

You tell me tales

From far and wide,

From the states of Malaysia to the first aeroplanes that flied

You show me books and pictures

From the olden days,

You showed me when you were at school

And was making lots of friends

My wonderful Dadajee,

You always wear a smile,

You did that for very long, I reckon that’s your style

You’re a jolly grandpa,

There’s no chance you’re not!

You have happiness inside you, that is what you’ve got!

My greatest Dadajee,

I’ve learnt so much from you,

Although my favourite colour’s purple and yours is yellow, we still make the perfect crew!

Dadajee oh Dadajee,

You’re the most supportive person on Earth,

All of your hard work is really really worth!

Dadajee, you’re extra helpful,

You’re a grandpa with good looks,

You’re also filled with lots of knowledge, that makes you a walking book!

My dear Dadajee,

You have many talents,

You should share them with the world!

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p/s: God doesn’t count the candles on your cake or the money in the bank, but the love in your soul. Fortunately, He can count really high! May God grant you a long blessed life and give you the desires of your heart. May God make you the richest man in Heaven! May God remove all troubles from you. May He give you peace and abundance. May God make you victorious. May He neutralise your enemies and make your friends closer…

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p/p/s: Dear God, please do not take my Dadajee away from me…forever…..

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*Media Source: Google Images*