A-OK 2007 calendar nominations

Dasha Shamira Putri finally proved that her artwork is considered by the Department of State as one of the best drawings to be printed for the A-OK 2007 calendar... and she was only 4 when she did the drawing.... Her drawing was even used as the cover!!!! Go girl!
Nostalgic overview: This reminds Amie Uni of the time when she won first place at St. Joseph school, beating the elementary students for her 3 colored scenery drawing. And from that they she believes strongly on the power of Al-Fatihah and Al-Ikhlas... as Dasha's Neni always said, that time " Be confident adek (that time was meant for Amie Dasha)... work hard and pray ask for Allah's blessing... Insya Allah good things will come to you" and.. it worked before... it works now..

So Dasha.. and Aqila.. and 'another one' if ever going to arrive at our Rumah Batoe Puteh bunch.. this hopefully will teach you that as long as you have good and strong will, you focus, you work hard and believe in Allah.. it will come to you..

Congratulations Dasha! Keep up the good work...
[Note: A-Ok Calendar Competitions is a pretty challanging drawing competitions of children of American and local staff who works at the foreign mission. The theme was "Living Safely Overseas" Dasha was joining the competions among thousands of this group of children around the world. End Note]

Going to Meulaboh.. by small airplane..MAF airline,

see the lining of the coconut tree - I thought to myself.. my what a potential.. but then again.. nobody really cared.. or is it just the slow changes that we can do?

Labaik Allahuma Labaik

Ketika panggilan untuk beribadah telah berkumandang, terasa gigil kulit mengingat penggalan penggalan kisah hidup - kemaafan itu telah ada Ia berikan, nikmat yang berlimpah, masa yang penuh rasa... tapi apa kami sanggup untuk selalu menjaga?

Ummi, atau yang dipanggil Neni oleh dua peri kecil kami, dan kedua sepupu mereka yang seperti hilang ditelan lautan.. jauh... tak berbekas... - pergi menghadap panggilan ibadahmu ya Allah - begitu juga dengan Jaddi dan Jaddati...

Sore itu terasa kehangatan, ada keluarga, adik, tante, om, sepupu. Ada tawa, foto bersama yang sepertinya tidak pernah habis - ada kekosongan di hati, Daddy..atau Bucik, yang mungkin jika diberi kesempatan oleh Allah, mengintip kami dengan senyumnya yang khas dari Syurga... Insya Allah

Tikar yang terbentang dilipat, waktu kunjung yang telah habis... seandainya mereka tahu banyak jiwa yang berharap bukan untuk kebaikan mereka saja yang pergi, tetapi akhir yang baik buat kami semua dalam menghabiskan masa.. selagi ada kesempatan diberikan Allah.

Kalau saja semua yang tahu warga Rumah Batoe Puteh, apa yang mereka rasa dan pikir...

There are times for Angels..

SMA 8 Medan Plus and Pluses...

Silaturahmi ...the silly, the serious.. NOT! hee hee... (by Rachma)

Silaturahmi itu perlu.. paling gak bagi ku it is amazaing if one can keep friendship to last a long time.. Satu.. aku dan Sarah Anna.. sudah 16 tahun best bosom friend.. nah kali ini yang menakjubkan bagiku adalah pertemanan anak anak SMA 8 Medan yang tamat tahun 1991...

Begitu akrabnya sampe aku gak merasa kalo mereka itu temennya Putra, tapi seperti temen SMAku juga.. jadi serasa SMA di Medan juga.. dan kerennya, pertemanan yang sudah dijaga hampir 20 tahun ini, menular ke kami kami sang istri-istri.. (walau rasanya tua banget menyebut judul istri-istri...

hmm boys, hope it will be continued to our siblings.. the second generation of SMA 8 bunch... (dulu ex SMP 11...) go parbus!!!

Coolness!.. hee hee

Ada Julesta Putra, Ferry Drian, Mahmul Ahyar, Muh. Fadli [Pincuk], Muh, Syafri [Oom Sapi.. kata anaknya Ahyar..], Heri Budiansyah [Epim], Herianto Herlambang [Katong], Muh. Ihsan [ Oni Ombol], Wahyu Abdillah [Why...why...?], Erwan Mahmul [Opick... by Uni's version], Surya Suhendra, and Benny...

Keep it up!

Happy Birthday Little Lady Dasha !!!

Hmm.... this morning is great! feels like a special day already! Dasha is finally five and just yesterday she learned that she has to know how to count first before she "jajan di sekolahan" and ... Jajan is not that great really because it is better to save the money for something more useful... Hemat Dasha!.. :o)

"Amie, so is this mean I can tell my friends that I am five now? But in school I am six, right?" Correct! a big girl should know to finish her milk and eat nicely.. and know to do their homework without having her Amie telling her to do so...

Our girl is a little lady now... May Allah give the best for her.. as for now, time to hunt for birthday present and a little surprise party!

We love you, Dasha! Happy birthday, girl!