ilyani.net

Hi. I’m still here.

In case you’ve been thinking that I have officially closed ilyani.net once I got married.

It’s been more than a month seeing myself as a wife to Az, I am surprised with myself that I managed to abandon my blog for this long. I wanted to give an update from the very wedding day, but kept forgetting (read: procrastinating) and weeks passed by with so many events happening I could no longer catch them in track and it now seems almost impossible to write every single thing from the beginning.

Among the reasons, well, was the final departure of our beloved grandmother (whom we fondly called Cik), exactly 2 weeks after seeing her all healthy, smiling ear-to-ear during my wedding meeting relatives and guests.  And imagine one day Az and I were having a day out with her, eating pizza and such, and week later seeing her warded in ICU, unconscious, and simply a few days later, a news that this only grandma I’ve ever got, has eventually passed away. It happened so fast, unexpected and drastic. Needless to say within a few weeks with my wedding. The twist of life has put me into a deep confusion I no longer had any idea how I could write happy stuff and put all smiling wedding pics in this blog in those days, however much I had planned to do so even before the wedding.

Anyways. Sad story aside, I have been living in KL for a couple of weeks now, attending some interviews. I only managed to start applying job once the wedding thingy was over. Believe me, it’s tiring. Thanks goodness that the reception at Az’s house will only be in May (note: in Malay culture there usually will be two wedding receptions, one is bride’s – this is also when the marriage solemnization takes place; and another at the groom’s, usually held a few days to a few weeks after the bride’s reception) otherwise it’d be too hectic for another immediate event. In between me seeking a job, adjusting in being a housewife,  we’re now finalizing our India trip plan. So many things, so little time.. *happy sigh*

Right now we’re in PJ Community Library, me studying some thick computer books for tomorrow’s interview, and Az with his work (at this point of time I love the fact that my husband is a freelancer as he can follow me like everywhere :P).

No wedding picture in this post yet. Maybe next post. Heck, I havent even got time to sort the album as yet. Only one pic in my Facebook if you like. Only one, yep.

Beijing

Right now my family – mama, abah and my sisters – are in Beijing, China spending holiday there, playing snow and shopping like mad.

Everyone but me.

I’m still here, stuck in this deserted boring campus struggling for my viva preparation.

Is that even fair? T_T

Malay Engagement

I’m making this post for my friends outside Malaysia who might be clueless of the photos I put in last post regarding our engagement ceremony.

First off, the Malay engagement is more a family event than just a marriage proposal. Az’s family came all the way from their hometown for this purpose, bringing a number of gifts called hantaran. They are usually sweets like chocolate and cakes, fruits, clothings, accessories, as well as the engagement rings, all decorated prettily in a container. I dont know why this custom exists but it’s been around as long as I can remember. I’m personally thinking those are unnecessary, but since the family seem to ‘take over’ our engagement, therefore we just have to follow what they prepare for us =_=

And the ceremony usually begins with discussion among the parents or family representative, regarding the fact that their son & daughter are now engaged, followed by discussion of when and how the marriage (wedding!) will be held. So theoretically, they have come up with a date (or at least, month) but in between workloads of my master’s project right now I’m still in denial about it =.=; fearing that the expectations will turn from happy to nightmare, if I cant seem to get my Master’s done on time. Yep, we do agree that this came in a very wrong time. But as how I met Az, everything has always been unexpected, surprising, totally out of the blue! I really dont know, whether I’m so much ready for all these, then again I realized that it’s not important to think about that anymore as long as I’m happy.

After the discussion, there comes the time I received the engagement ring from Az’s mother.

Yes, it’s the mother who gives me the ring. Not him.

And same goes to Az, he received the engagement ring from my father.

And after that, the photography sessions, though mostly among the bunch of the family members. And then comes the food :)

Now you might be wondering, where’s the time of him proposing to me? Isn’t engagement is when a guy proposes to his girl? Yup, it’s practiced, but I guess it’s optional here since the family may be the first to suggest that their kids should be engaged. And even if a guy proposes to a girl beforehand, this kind of famiy-ish engagement ceremony will instantly come later.

So by the time this event ended, he still owed me the “typical” proposal. Of course, there have been talks regarding marriage plan and he wants to marry me and blablabla but I was expecting a proper romantic proposal like you see in movies!!!!!! ^_^

And during our quick escape to town after the family event ended, before I dropped him to car, and even though it was (again) unexpected, he did it. Proposed to me :)

031010: Engagement ceremony of Az & ilyani :)

This is the surprise I was meaning to tell ^_^ I hope it’s not too shocking :)

To My dear friends, readers and strangers who pass by ilyani.net,

Az & I are officially engaged :)

Please pray for us.

p.s. these are the only photos from my Nokia =,= too busy to take pics, so let’s wait to get photos from other peep’s camera later.

Random

1. I am back home for Eid holiday.. yes I took early holiday coz I practically manage my own time now hehe.. havent even told my supervisor but I dont think she really minds anyway. And I’m home til 16th. Hmm.. is it enough? No?

2. Regarding the serviced apartment: aircond, water heater, fan, lamps have been well beautifully installed there. The mini fridge and microwave oven have also been sent, though still in boxes. We went to try up a curtain from home, only to find it’s about 1 foot too short. Hmph. Wanted to bring another dark pink curtain from home but when I measured it, it’s still half a foot short.. aiyo. I found some new curtain still in bags at home, from the shopping my family had early this year in Dubai.. and this exotic looking curtain with brown color which I guess.. can be suitable (or not?).. but Mama says, “hmm, eh that’s for my room lah. Or.. save that for your wedding“.. erk. Hehehe. And today went to Tesco with Mama, singgah this Honyi textile center and found a great bargain of a ready-made quality and pretty curtain of less than RM100! Mission accomplished :D

3. Though we got a bad news, that the tiles in the bathroom werent installed to let the water run to the drainage properly.. I mean, you get the lopak air bertakung.. =,= which is.. gross! Got to report to the management to fix it, though I dont know how long it will take them to get it done.. hmm.. planning to start overnight/start the business as fast as possible, but with the bathroom problem it’s unlikely to be in that soon.

4. Yesterday Az and family took a road trip  from Sydney to Melbourne and are spending a few days there. They will be coming back home on 4th day of Hari Raya. His sisters apparently are purchasing this quality Corelle dinnerware to bring home to Malaysia to ship along with the sister’s stuff who’s moving back home for good. I understand that the brand is really cheap in there.. and actually I made a website on their behalf for promotion.. so please check corelle.azharhamid.com if you’d like to get the offer ^_^

5. I love it when Az does spend some time uploading pictures and writes in his blog & our blog, therefore I am following his trip updates almost everyday, apart from the emails and chat. I so much feel like being there too!! >.< (BTW please note that Az’s personal blog & azhar.ilyani.net are both private and recently have been made hidden from Google search – well, coz I know some curious peeps happen to be searching for them every now and then – for whatever reason they may have.. I mean, please dont waste your time anymore, okay?)

6. I haven’t got my baju raya ready T_T.. it’s been as if so many years I didnt give much darn about preparing for Hari Raya.. the clothings included. Is there such thing as “malas nak beraya”?? Well, it did happened to me lately, especially last year.. so I kinda forgot to be excited about the festive this year.. oh well. I dont have anyone to visit here anyway apart from the grandma’s home, & Abah’s kampung. And it hasnt been as good as the old days anyway. My friends are far away.. or exactly, I never have any friends in my home town.. or actually, not anymore.. and I never really get any guest or friends visiting me. Those Hari Raya guests are either friends/relatives of my parents or my sisters, but never mine. So there, Hari Raya is pretty much just another day to me, personally.