3 Weeks : The Story of Us

October 2005

IVY : As you can imagine, I was really nervous to see Jeh again. He is back to Malaysia for 3 weeks!! All emotions coming together... excitement, anxiety, nervousness, happiness, scared etc.

Although in the last few months of emailing and calling, I almost feel I know him inside out. We have a connection. Everything seemed that it will just fall in place.

However, seeing him physically again since the last time we met whereby we were just friends, but now with all these feelings developed over the last few months, how would it be like??

Well, it was the most wonderful 3 weeks together. Everyday packed with new places to go, different food to enjoy, everyday a new discovery of each other. It was truly the most enjoyable and magnificent time spent together. Yes, everything just fell in place perfectly.

We even wrote a 58 pages of documentation of what we did for the 3 weeks spent. We wrote it together after the 3 weeks and we gave it a cheesy title “The Story of Us".

This love document is obviously for our eyes only but we will be sharing some snippets in the next few chapters with the heading 3 weeks.

So, keep checking us out here.

"The Trip" The confirmation??

IVY : If you know me well, I am a risk adverse person. And when it came to relationships, I am even more so. I don't even believe in dating guys if I don't think he is a "potential" person. Sometimes, I ask myself, if you don't give him a chance, how would you know he is not right?

Well, I tell myself, I go with my gut, if I don't think he is right, that's it! No chance! Why waste time in dating? So as you can guess, I do write off a lot of guys just from the first meet. No feeling, No chemistry, No go!

So obviously as I went into this serious electronic (sms, phonecalls, emails) relationship with Jeh, many a times I was doubtful. I only saw this guy a couple of times in a span of few days in US. We talked but it was like short casual conversations with a new found friend.

I was beginning to even forget what he even looked like.

But, our feelings developed after, in the writings, emails, phone-calls.

We knew it was getting serious, and a natural next...meeting face to face.

Jeh planned a trip to Malaysia in October 2005. This is like "the trip". "The trip" to see each other again. "The trip" to confirm what we have and where we are headed. We even told our parents about each other. I don't remember my parents reactions but I think they were silently excited and curious about this guy who is thousands of miles away.

Jeh will be back for 3 weeks. I had the whole 3 weeks trip planned out to the dot. So much to do. The excitement is crazy.

But my risk adverse self told me...No! No! We will decide if we can even be together when he comes back to Malaysia. Or at least, I will only decide if we are really meant to be together when he gets here! Or maybe I have already decided but just afraid to admit it.

Love is in the Air??

April 2005 - September 2005

How do you know when you are in love?

Your heart skip a beat when you think of that person?
Thinking of that person makes you smile?
You think of that person when you wake up and when you go to sleep?
You can't wait to tell that person even the small trivial stuff that happens to you?
You can't wait to talk or see that person?

How do you really know when you are in love?

IVY - It has been going on for months. From emails to SMSes to phone calls, my life has changed completely. Everyday, I look forward to his long emails. And in return I write back long emails. Then we added sms into our routine. And then we added phone calls.

Malaysia and USA is a thousand and miles apart. Infact complete opposites. Day and Night. When I am in the day, he is in the night and vice versa. But yet we found the perfect sweet spot to be with each other. Everything seems so natural. And we just fell into the rhythm.

He calls me up in his evening. He writes email to me during his night. I received it in my morning. I write to him and he receives it before he sleeps. I call him in my evening to wake him up and then I write him an email before I sleep. He gets the email in his morning. And then it is his evening, he calls me to wake me up........And the routine will start all over again everyday.

Haha, it may sound confusing to people outside (cos my friends could never ever get the day and night right) but to us, it became our lives. I wake up to his call, I receive his emails when I am at work, when I get home from work - I call to wake him up or he calls me when he wakes up and then he calls me before I sleep. A day in my life :)

But how do you know that there is something more than just friendship? We are thousand of miles apart??!! We don't get to see each other. We only read and hear each other. And yet, I feel so close to this person.
I feel him, I trust him, I know him and deep down I know I am beginning to fall for him.

I remember I was in Bangkok in July 2005 and had a blast celebrating Mira's hen's night with Deb, Sooks and Petrina. It was a 3 days 2 nights trip, the first trip away whereby we did not call each other due to the roaming charges. So the whole trip, we were texting each other. I remember I told the girls, I feel something special with this "guy" I met in Dallas. It was my first time actually saying it aloud and admitting something special happening with me and this "guy" who is ten thousand miles away. And like teenagers, my girlfriends and I giggled the night away.

But we were thousand of miles apart? Could this be love?



JEH : Writing and emailing to Ivy is something that I look forward to everyday. There is a feeling of joy and a sensation of completeness whenever I get something from her.....even a little sms message. The more frequent the communication go back and forth, the stronger the intensity of our feeling towards each other. It is the instance that I miss the email, calls and sms that I know that I have feeling towards her.

I remember the first time she travelled out of the country to Bangkok with her friends. We were not able to talk to each other only just sms. I just wanted to know everything she is doing over there and things starts to heat up and we started to flirt along the line that we "like" each other. I think that was the first time that I felt that there is something building up that is beyond friendship.

But there is also hesitation. Questions pop up in my head asking if I am doing the right thing? How can one have a relationship so long distance and yet survive? How can someone win over a girl's heart when he is not physically there? How How How?

The feeling is stronger that the logic....Love is in the Air? Grab it and put it in your heart. I learnt to trust my own feelings.

From Emails to Phone Calls to......Love??

April 2005

IVY - That was how it all started. Click for previous post - You've Got Mail.

One email to say hello.
One email of friendship.
One email of hope.
One email of an eventual love.

I was quite excited to receive Jeh's email. Don't really know why but I guess he was my one link to all the new friends that I got to know in Dallas. Even though excited about the email, I wanted to act a bit cool too. I decided to take one or two days before replying.

The funny thing was Jeh's email came a few days before I came back to Malaysia. He probably thought how come I have not replied his email after so many days? Did I get his email, or I was just ignoring him :)?

One day after I saw his email, Jeh sent me a 2nd email. I realized he was probably anxious on whether I received his earlier email or not? So I decided to email back quickly.

One email led to another and another and another and another and soon we truly were writing about our life stories, our interests, likes, dislikes, our families, fears, past, present and future. I felt a strong sincerely in his writings and I poured out the same in mine.

Before we knew it, daily emails were what we looked forward to and writing emails occupied most of our time. Trust me, we wrote a lot of emails!!

Then we started texting each other and yup there were a lot of texting.

The first phone call? After a month of writing pages and pages of thesis of our lives, I must say I was anxious to talk to him. I remember dropping some hints in my emails about calling each other but hmmm still no calls from him even though in his emails he has given his number and said to call him anytime. I waited for him to make the move but one day, I was in the office and feeling extremely bored and impatience, on an impulse I called him!!

I think I took him by surprise so the conversation was a little awkward. LOL!!

From then on, there was no turning back. Emails continued everyday, text messages, phone calls every day.

What was happening? Is this LOVE?

JEH - After the first email came back, I was extremely happy. Ivy seemed like she was busy and just got time to reply me an short email. She told me that she wanted to take her time to properly email me a long and deserving email.

When the second and long email came it was really breathtaking. It seems like we were on the same wave length and we both wanted to talk to each other. It just seemed easy. When I opened up to her with things that I do, dream that I dreamt of doing, she replied with similar intentions. We somehow clicked and it made things easy to progress.

After the emails starts pouring out both ways, my daily anticipation was just to receive her emails. Each and every little or long email....we got a little closer. It seemed so natural to want to talk and talk to each other. Almost like a big onion with a lot of layers being peeled piece by piece away.

First phone call from Ivy was a shock. I did not anticipate that she will be calling. It just felt different. Because email we can pre-plan what we want to write and edit it before we sent it out. But the one to one talk LIVE was different. It is more personal but also a bit of awkward...at first. Not because I do not want to talk to her but just not prepared....like an email. We talked but I remembered it was short and a bit embarrassing. I think I was a bit shy shy lah...he he he. But I was happy...giddy and just bursting with joy at the same time. SHE CALLED ME. So cool right?

I think after months of communicating with each other, we could feel where it was leading to. I wanted it to lead there but is she also going to the same destination?

I wanted to believe this relationship will work but does long distance really work?? But strangely, I was not worried but just anxious and happy that we have progressed so far. Optimism maybe? Yes it was optimism. Optimism that we will be together soon...

You've Got Mail

April 2005

IVY : - The US vacation was fantastic- visited San Francisco, Dallas, Orlando Florida, Washington DC and New York before flying home. Truthfully of all the places I visited, I prefered Dallas the best. There was something about the calm and yet easy going life. I even considered maybe I should just give up my job and go over to Dallas to study a Masters program. I was kinda sick of my job at that point in time and that US vacation was much needed.

Dallas was fun namely because it was filled with preparations for KC and Tina's wedding. Also I was staying with family and got to live a "proper American life" for about a week, so that was good. As you read in the previous postings, I met Jeh as he was the best man at the wedding. We interacted a few times during those few days and then I left for the rest of my vacation in other US states before heading home to Malaysia. I did think about all the guys I met at the wedding (ahem!!) and was wondering how I could keep in touch with them. I remember I gave my email to Jeh during the wedding dinner, ah ha...my one link to all the friends I met there.

Well, I could ask KC but then too shy to ask him for his friends contacts, right?? Hehehe..

Anyway, I did not think too much of it cos after a 3 weeks vacation I was back to work, work and more work. As I was clearing the hundreds of emails in my office inbox, I saw an email from Jeh! Hurray! He wrote to me! *grin*

Even though I was esctatic inside, but I decided to be cool. Let me take some time to answer the email. Give it a few days. :)






JEH - Below is my first email to Ivy. This is how it all started.

Hi Ivy,

Jeh here!! So how was your trip to Orlando, NY and DC. I bet you are all exhausted and ready for some downtime again. Tell me all about your trip...tower of terror, a bug's life ride...and so on. Here has been quite quiet after you gals left, except maybe talking about the aftermath of the wedding. I really really really hope that things will be fine.

Just saw Sin City today....WOW! This is all I can say. I really liked it. It was ultra violent but the story and the characters are so rich and indepth. If you have a chance, catch it. It might not be your cup of tea though. So any good chinese movie out in Malaysia?

Class is over last Tuesday...YAHOO!!!! I will not be going back until Fall 05. Until then I can enjoy sometime off and do my own things. I have a tons of books that I bought that I have not had a chance to even start it. So sad...:((

Please send me the photo to this account or xxxx@yy.com. Work is xxx@xx.com. Any one is OK.

I am really glad that I get to know you. It would not have be so much fun if you were not there. All I can say is that I enjoy the whole time and it was a blast. Thanks again.

Jeh

How We Met? What really happened?

Jeh & Ivy. The Story of Us continues. Previous-click here

March 2005

JEH : The first time I met Ivy was when I was eating BBQ at KC's (Ivy's cousin, the guy who's getting married, I was his best man) house.

I still remember that Ivy had actually went out and came back later with some food stuff for the BBQ. Hmmmm... my first thought was "Who is she? Must be either KC's sister or his cousin sister that he has been talking about all the time."

Well, she caught my eyes but as a guy, you have to act cool a bit. No smile and not much interaction. Just stay cool and talk to the guys first.

On the first day we met, we did not have too much interaction. Basically just minimal chit chat because I are the groom's man and she was part of the helpers for the bride maids. But definitely she strike a very good impression on me and I wanted to know more about her.

The big wedding day arrived and I went to KC's house early in the morning to help out a bit before the show starts. Ivy, Krystal and Shen (KC's sisters) had to go to the in-laws home to prep for KC's arrival. Although they were part of the groom's side but they went over to the bride's side to be "chee mui" aka troublemakers to stop the groom from getting the bride. I volunteered to drive them there. We had some talks, laughes and fun during that 15 minutes drive. Btw, Ivy did not even remember this whole experience when we talked about it later.

But I know that today is KC's big day....so I had to concentrate on being the best man. There was a couple of occasion where the flower corsage on my suit was falling apart and needed some good eye to rearrange it. Naturally I would ask the person I want to get to know better to do that...he he he. Ivy saw that my corsage and totally knew that it needs some good adjustment. It was falling apart quick. Not sure why. Maybe it is God's doing.

Ivy was very attentive and put a lot of effort on making my dying corsage look better. I think I totally lost my corsage after a couple of run around with the bride's maid game in front of the in-laws house. Thanks to Ivy again, she is there to rescue me again with a new one. I think it was because of our close proximity eye contact that helped the sparks to turn to fire. At least for me that is. It was too late to pull back. I think I am infatuated with her by now.

When all the ceremonies were done, we were ready to party down with the Chinese dinner. As the best man it is customary to take a few drinks for the Groom...so I was prepared. But on the side I had to take the opportunity to get to know Ivy better.

When we were sitting down for dinner, I wanted to make sure I sat beside her. I managed to do just that. Some people were a bit suspicious because bride's maids and groom's men were supposed to sit together or side by side. But we were all off everywhere and we sat wherever we wanted or at least I sat exactly where I wanted to sit. We chatted a bit and I knew that Ivy would be flying off to Florida, New York and Washington for the rest of her vacation after Dallas.

My goal for that nite was at least get her email address. I had a couple of drinks and it helped with the confidence. So I leaned over and acted like I accidently asked her about her email, something about keeping in touch. I handed her my cell phone for her to input her email and she graciously gave it to me. HURRAY!. Step 1 succeeded. Time to party......

IVY :- We met at the wedding and since we were all helping out at KC's wedding, Jeh and I met a couple of times. So, what really happened? Fireworks!! Love at first sight! Uncontrollable passion!! haha! No such thing. We were very civil and polite and infact to me, he was just one of the guys at the wedding.

Honestly, my "men radar" was definitely up and about or should I say "scanning through the single men" at the wedding! You know me...30 something and single, my radar had to be up :) I was helping out with the wedding preparations and naturally I interacted with quite a few of KC's friends.

I was in-charge of the flower corsages. I remembered that Jeh's corsage was looking a bit droopy, I went up to him and volunteered to fix it for him. hehehehe....I think that simple gesture must have touched him. I tease him till now that he must have been smitten with me when I was fixing his corsage for him :)

Also, after the morning get the bride ceremony, everyone went back to KC's house for some food. I was talking to some of KC's friends and was taking photos. Hehehe.....I actually had one photo taken with Jeh at the wedding. Looking back now, this is only photo to proof that Jeh and I met at the wedding.

Photo : Jeh and I at the wedding. Look where his hands are!! :)

Anyway, that was it, I met Jeh a couple of times during the wedding, we talked a bit but then after the wedding, I left to for the rest of my US holiday in Florida, Washington and New York before heading home to Malaysia. I thought that was the last of my Dallas trip.

I went back to Malaysia. I received an email. That was how it all started.....

Jeh & Ivy : How we met?

March 2005

IVY : Jeh was in Dallas Texas since his university days, I was in Malaysia all this while. Thousand of miles apart...did not know of each other's existence. But yet....God has a plan.

In March 2005, I flew to Dallas, USA. It was my first time in the States and for good reasons. It was a much needed vacation and importantly to attend my cousin KC's wedding.

Photo : My cousin KC and I at his church wedding

Guess what? Jeh was the best man at the wedding.

At this point whenever I tell our story, I would start getting the "ooohhh and the aahhh....so romantic, like in the movies! "

But reality, that was really how we met. In a wedding, he was the best man......hmmmm... all my girlfriends still think it is so romantic to meet your loved one in a wedding. I tell them, there is hope....attend weddings...it is now a proven place to meet the man of your dreams. :)

Photo : With the lovely bridesmaids at the wedding

JEH : Actually the first time we saw each other was at the barbeque party that her cousin KC had organized to talk thru his wedding plans on March 31st 2005.

I believe Ivy was not at the party when I got to the house. She probably went out shopping or something. So when she came back to the house, her cousin was kind of telling me and my friends that Ivy is his cousin and she was here for the wedding.

I can still remember her heart melting smile. So inviting and so warm. Just cheerful whenever I think about it. I told myself that she sure know how to smile and make the people talking to her feel the closeness and friendliness.

"I have to know her....have to....have to." But I acted cool and did not smile...show cool...show confidence...well she was mostly talking to my friends more than me... he he he...not so cool then. But, essentially that was how we met. More details of the fireworks :) to come. Stay tuned.

Ooops...I am still looking for a photo of the best men and me at the wedding.

How we Met? ....The Prelude

The Story of Us (Jeh & Ivy) continues.....

JEH : As you read in our earlier postings, both Ivy and I were in our early 30s, not in a relationship and wondering when we will meet The One?

I was residing in USA and Ivy was in Malaysia. Miles apart. Did not know of each other existence. Yet God had a plan.... eventually.

But even way before we met, we were already somewhat connected.

Remember this photo from previous my blog entry. This was Ivy's brother's graduation in 1995. I only met Ivy in 2005. So what was I doing there?

Believe it or not, more than 10 years before I met Ivy, I already knew her brother who was in the States studying at the same time as me. We stayed in the same apartment block and being Malaysia students in a foreign land, we naturally hung out together once in a while. Actually I got to know Ivy's cousin KC first and then was introduced to Sam, her brother. But Sam left to go back to Malaysia after he completed his Masters. KC and I stayed on and worked in the USA after we graduated.

KC has mentioned about his cousin sister (later I found out as Ivy) who had promised to come and visit him in Arlington TX. But unfortunately, she was always busy with work and every year she did not manage to come over. So, I have only heard of a cousin sister but had no idea who she was or how she looked like.

Patience my padawan.....as Yoda always says.

IVY : Haha....yeah I still remember that I promised KC every year that I would visit him in the States... from when he was studying to his graduation to eventually he started working. But somehow, it just never happened. I was busy with work all the time and never got to plan the trip to US. Eventually KC gave up on me that I would ever visit him :)

So, my brother knew Jeh way before I met him, Jeh is my cousin KC's friend but I had to wait for more than 10 years before I got to know this person called Jeh.

So, how did we eventually meet? Ah...ha....next posting.

Before we Met....The Ivy Story

Between 1980s and 1990s

IVY : I was nerdy as a young teenager, shy, quiet and a bit reserved. With a set of really horrendous looking teeth that needed orthodontic treatment, I would say my braces saved me. :) Suddenly being able to open my mouth without hesitation, probably took a lot of the shyness away. hehe! I blossomed in my late teen years (yeah I was a late bloomer) with my first serious crush. Haha.. a crush that I never acted upon, it was fun and torturing at the same time :) all the works of an innocent infatuation. But the best memories were still the fabulous times, just being carefree and acting silly as school girls.

I am third from right. This is fun photo we took during a class excursion.

I had fun in my 20s. University life was just fantastic, I was busy in projects and had many guy friends (some... in hot pursuit for me..haha) but we just ended as good friends. I don't think I was ready for a serious relationship and everyone to me was a good friend. Some of my guys friends from university days remain my best buddies till now.

Tuan Keat and Kon - 2 of my long-time male buddies. This was taken probably 10 years ago (my birthday) but yeah..we still look the same now.

Then my work life began and there was no turning back. Working in a multinational company meant that I spent a lot of hours at work even weekends. It was by choice but that did not mean I did not have a personal life. I partied, I went out, hung out, social-social, travelled... all the works. In and out one or two relationships that I knew would never last and then by mid twenties, I decided that no more relationships unless it is the ONE. I am also very picky and very choiceful on whom I dated. Time flew by and then I hit my 30s.

I travelled to Europe, Japan, across Asia for work but somehow never to America? I wonder why? Haha God has other plans.

Hitting my 30s and not married, and with not even a "potential man" in sight has its ups and downs. "Ups" are when I am having the time of my life with my friends, "downs" are when others are nagging me about when I am going to settle down. As days, weeks and month go by, conversations with my single girl friends would be..."where is the ONE? What happened to all the good men? we gotta do something, organize a singles party, let's meet up with this guy/that guy etc etc. " No matter what, me and my BFFs always have a great time hanging out and gossipping!

Me and Janice (my BFF - Best Friend Forever) looking our best at the F1 circuit in Sepang KL.

So, where was my Mr Right? I knew that God had a plan. I just needed to be patient and have faith.

Before We Met.....The Jeh Story

Between 1980s and 1990s

JEH : I was the studious boy....nope not the bookworm type but definitely not the lady's man either. You can call it the typical Malaysian Chinese - parents wants me to make a good life through a good education. I was not fortunate to advance myself to local university and had to go to USA. Freedom!!

My dad was adamant that I go to US to get a good education and not come back until I get a Masters degree. Time flies and finally graduated in 1998.

Notice anything interesting in this photo? More stories in another post.

Off and on, I had hits and misses with the girls. I think it is more misses than hits. :) I was more of a happy go lucky person that does not worry too much about girls or finances.

I was a car nut (still am!!) and has often referred to as "new car per year" guy. he he he. It was an experience that I will never forget. I would like to own all the cars that I like...just like a little boy with his matchbox car collection...but in the real world, it is more expensive than just a few dollars per car. Ha ha ha. So, instead of a new girlfriend every year, I had a new car every year. Sometimes even 2 cars!!

Mom and dad has been pressuring about the girlfriend thingy and I told them that if they do it one more time, I will get an American girlfriend! he he he...I think that shut them up for a while. For myself, I still question if I am positioning myself as a good candidate for someone to love.....

When I turn 30+, the question becomes more prominent. It is not only that my parents were worried, I was becoming worried about the situation. I always told myself, "why am I in the US? Asian girls are scarce and they are often in hot pursuit by a lot of guys"....:(

But an enlightenment came....I want to be myself, and I want to be someone that loves me for who I truly am. I began to accept that I am me and there will be someone for everyone. Just be patience....but the patience is running short.....but there is another One....as Yoda said in Dagobah. Yup! I am a Star Wars super fan too. Did I forget to mention I am also a computer games nut!!

Alright, between cars, playstation, nintendo, Yoda, Star Wars...where is my Princess Leia??

Picture Perfect

JEH : Publishing the first photo in our blog. We always like this photo...enjoy..have a nice day.

IVY : This is one of the first few photos we took together, taken by ourselves with the digital camera, looks like the "perfect couple" don't we?

Tune in to our next entries.....The Story of Us...continues.

Jeh & Ivy Revisited

Ivy : Hello everyone! Both Jeh and I started blogging 2 years ago and this is our first blog together. We have written our journey in bits and pieces, on and off but now we have decided to revisit our blog entries and ensure we have a consistent and chronological event of our story. The Jeh & Ivy story.

Therefore as you continue this journey with us, you will find we will repost some entries we have done before but more so, we will be updating it with more details of how we met and our journey together.

Join us in our love journey. The Story of Us....Jeh & Ivy.

Jeh & Ivy Blog

Jeh : Hello all! You have arrived at the Jeh and Ivy's Blog. This is our first entry into the world of blogging. The reason that we create this blog is to capture the experiences that we gone through and all the efforts that brought us together. This is the story of us...Jeh & Ivy.