Our schedule today is for wedding rehearsal at St. Fransiscus Xaverius Church in Kuta.

We have send all the documents needed for the big day, both documents for the church and also for the civil marriage. That really kept us busy! Pak Nyoman from the church was very very helpful and willing to just print out all documents we sent via email. Oh yeah, he totally deserved a little bag of Hollandse stroopwafels ;)

It's something different, this.. wedding rehearsal. The pressure is almost on hahahahha..

But at least we kinda know what to do and where to go.. and we bring some of our stuff to the church already. Pheeew...

Well.. two more days to go! 

Busy. Super excited. Nervous. Panic. Overwhelm. and very very happy :)

Wish us luck! ;)

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The clock is ticking.......

Wow!!! Just 3 WEEKS left and it's there... the BEST day of our lives! The day we will unite as one and start our own family.

Time goes so fast. According to me, we have covered most of our activities and ticked all the boxes in our list... but according to her, there is still much to do :).

Well you know what they say, "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus".

I'm looking forward for this beautiful day to declare my love and soul to the women I want to spend the rest of my life with. But I'm also looking forward to meet my family (my brother, my niece, Paivi) and friends, enjoy and unwind in Bali, and leave the busy lifestyle and business in Jakarta.

The fact that it's only 3 WEEKS don’t really scare me (which some people have). Slowly,  day by day, well I think about the life we will have in the future and the decisions I need to make and responsibilities I will have towards my partner.

I look at the future... and it looks bright and positive and I know I want to be there with Valentina J

Well I hope to see you all in May and share this happy moment together with you.

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I saw this Facebook post from Iko, Ulma's hubby.. 
No, the image is not them. But it can be :) It can be any couple out there. 
The article posted was interesting. So i decided to post it here, too. Enjoy!

One of my persistent fantasies used to be of sitting at a sidewalk table at a cafe in Paris. I would be writing with my pen (la plume de ma tante) in a notebook (un cahier) while smoking a Gauloise. I would not be writing economics. One cannot write economics while sitting at a sidewalk cafe. Maybe that is why there have been so few distinguished French economists. I would be writing a novel, or perhaps poetry, or even a philosophical treatise. But I would frequently raise my eyes to watch the girls (les filles) go by.

I no longer have that fantasy. I do, however, eat from time to time at an outdoor table in front of a small restaurant on the street leading to the Kennedy Center. I don't try to write there. I can't write with la plume de ma tante. I am addicted to the word processor. I suppose I could use a laptop computer. But that mechanism would destroy the romantic illusion. Instead, I watch the passers-by.

I am not concentrating on the girls. I am concentrating on the married couples. How do I know that those men and women walking two-by-two up to the Kennedy Center are married to each other? Well, 75 percent of all men between the ages of 30 and 75 are married, so if you see a man in that age group walking with a woman to the Kennedy Center—which is not exactly Club Med—it's a good bet that the two are married, and almost certainly to each other.

I look particularly at the women in those couples. They are not glamorous. There are no Marlene Dietrichs, Marilyn Monroes, or Vivien Leighs among them. (It is a sign of my age that I can't think of the name of a single living glamorous movie actress.) Some of them are pretty, but many would be considered plain. Since they are on their way to the Kennedy Center, presumably to attend a play, an opera, or a concert, one may assume that they are somewhat above average in cultural literacy. But in other respects one must assume that they are, like most people, average.

But to the man whose hand or arm she is holding, she is not "average." She is the whole world to him. They may argue occasionally, or even frequently. He may have an eye for the cute intern in his office. But that is superficial. Fundamentally, she is the most valuable thing in his life.

Genesis says, "And the Lord God said: 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.' " And so, "made He a woman." It doesn't say that He made a pretty woman, or a witty woman, or an any-kind-of-adjective woman. He made the basic woman.

Why is this basic woman so valuable to the man whose hand or arm she is holding as I see them making their way up to the Kennedy Center? I think there are three simple things.

First, she is a warm body in bed. I don't refer to their sexual activity. That is important but too varied for me to generalize about. I refer to something that is, if possible, even more primitive. It is human contact.

A baby crying in its crib doesn't want conversation or a gold ring. He wants to be picked up, held, and patted. Adults need that physical contact also. They need to cuddle together for warmth and comfort in an indifferent or cold world. At least, they need to be able to do that. The plain woman and plain man I am watching do that for each other.

But conversation is also important. These couples may have been talking to each other for 30 years or more. You might think they have nothing left to say. But still they can talk to each other in ways that they cannot talk to anyone else. He can tell her of something good he has done, or something good that has happened to him, without fearing that she will think he is bragging. He can tell her of something bad that has happened without fearing that she will think he is complaining. He can tell her of the most trivial thing without fearing that she will think he is bothering her. He can count on her interest and understanding.

The primary purpose of this conversation is not to convey any specific information. Its primary purpose is to say, "I am here and I know that you are here."

Third, the woman serves the man's need to be needed. If no one needs you, what good are you, and what are you here for? Other people—employers, students, readers—may say that they need you. But it isn't true. In all such relationships you are replaceable at some price. But to this woman you are not replaceable at any price. And that gives you the self-esteem to go out and meet the world every day.

So this "ordinary" woman—one like about 50 million others in America—has this great value to this man she is going to the theater with. He surely does not make a calculation—doesn't mark her to market. He probably never says how much he values her, to himself or to her. But he acts as if he knows it.

I see that I have written these views entirely from the point of view of the man. That is only natural for me. But I don't for a minute think that the relationship I have been trying to describe is one-sided. On the contrary, I am sure it is reciprocal.

I can hear you saying: "How do you know all this? You are only an economist, practitioner of the dismal science. You aren't Ann Landers." That is all true. But my wife and I walked up that hill to the Kennedy Center many times.

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Source: Slate, for Valentine's Day. read more

What are you doing on Valentine's Day?

Romantic dinner with your lover? Finally giving that chocolate heart to that boy you like? Surprising your best-friend/girl-of-your-dreams with dozen of roses? Carrying a signboard "Longing for the one"? Hanging out with other single friends having fun or maybe boycotting those pink heart balloons everywhere and hating the romantic songs all over the radio?

I don't care much about Valentine's Day. Most probably because I kinda have a part of it on my name.
It's only funny because most people will come up to me to congratulate me for a birthday hehehe.. I suppose not a lot of people can have two birthdays in a year.

Me and him, we are doing nothing special today. Just regular working, browsing, working, eating, eating more kind-of day.

I just suddenly remember the lovely cards he sent to me when we're still living 1153 miles apart. Although I couldn't.. and still can't read his hand-writings, i just find it really sweet :) I actually couldn't remember if it was intended for Valentine :P

I even put it on my pinterest and my instagram!

Basically the big heart says (in Dutch): "I think you are funny, tough, interesting, cute, fantastic, sexy, pretty, unique, scrumptious, special, cool, beautiful, incredible, extraordinary, and kind."

I'm no romantic girl who demands something special for Valentine's. No need for chocolate (I can take it on daily basis, anyway), or flowers. I like it more when my man surprise me in a normal and totally regular day. I survived my Valentine being alone, being with a friend, and I think I'm quite lucky to be able to say Happy Valentine's Day to a special someone.

Valentine's gifts can be out-of-the-box too. Like these naughty gifts or maybe these geeky gifts or even these geek-chic jewelries. I personally like the binary code print and the 8-bit heart ring! 8)

Nevertheless.. Have a lovely Valentine, everyone! Go grab those chocolates!

P.S. But then again, I always accept Valentine's/fake-birthday presents! ;) read more

My sister asked me about my chosen wedding colours: Orange and Purple. "WHY?", she said.

"So many reasons why...", i replied.

He's from The Netherlands with orange a.k.a. "oranje" as their so-called national colour. Oh you must see how Amsterdam turns bright orange every year on Queen's day! You wont shake the colour of your eyes for the next few days hahahaha..

We have something together by the name of oranje, too. Coincidence? Not really. But it's a reason solid enough to be put here.

No I'm no expert of the psychology of colours, but this is how my mind pictured orange and purple...

Orange is the colour sunrise and sunset, the juicy orange and oh-so-sweet mango, of movement and dynamic and youth. A dash of orange will freshen your dull eyes. It's out there and engaging and extrovert.

While purple.. is my favorite colour :) It's dark and sexy and mysterious.. Like dusk and dawn. It goes deep into your imagination, calm, an introvert. It's all the things the orange won't do.

Together, orange and purple look odd and yet dashing! Almost the opposite of each other, but not really. There's only red comes in between. Passion ;) 

I suppose that's how I want to remember our wedding. Using the colours that are most likely represent us both. ... and both are (as i quote from my friend Ulma in the guestbook) "un-mainstream" colours.

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It's a whole new year!
Means we've survived the 2012 Mayan-apocalypse after all!

My big fiancee and I were lucky enough to attend a lovely wedding of his brother, spent some quality time with the family during Christmas and New Year, and do a little wedding shopping and wander around for ideas. I was quite annoyed tough, by the fact that the snow stop falling the day we arrived and start pilling up again after we left for Jakarta... :(

A cup of Winter Special bubble tea at 8tea5 Den Haag :)

We managed to get some documents needed from his side for the wedding too. 

Hopefully it all will go well.

So last year, I was only toying around with all the wedding stuff.. Went to the Jakarta Wedding Festival and was stunned by.. nothing. Having this and that idea and twisting it all around. I don't realize that it's actually only... 4 months to go and I still have toooons of things to do and arrange :)) :))

At this point, we start arranging for the paperwork and other stuff that needs to be done from religious point of view. I believe we're gonna have the premarital counseling in 1-2 months, the sooner the better! In the mean time, I have started here and there with my little DIY-Projects: printables, designing invitation, glues and scissors . Cheap-o but neat-o ;) 

My wedding dress is faaaaar from from done. Instead, it just on scratch phase hahaha.. but I do know now that it's gonna be in a shade of GOLD! ;) No white dress for me, I know I look pretty awful in white. I'd better be in a good shape for my kebaya! Any ideas on how to shake off 10 KGs in 3 months? 

Well.. Next thing in line.. Any ideas for pre-nup?

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