In Bandung!
I still remember the time when Toni and I just met. We were in love, and we knew we wanted to stay together. My sky was bright blue, I was so happy I finally found someone I could share my life with. We had the same humour, understood and respected each other’s dreams, and felt at ease with each other. We were already a bit older both of us, and had already lived a few of our personal dreams. For me that was to study, get a doctoral degree, and travel around the world. Together we had another dream, and that was to have children, and be a family.
Then one cloud darkened my sky. My periods were irregular for a while already, and each time I was late my heart jumped for joy, thinking I would be pregnant. The doctor thought it was best to check my blood, to see I was in menopause or not. WHAT??? I was just 40 years old, uh … young, so that wasn’t possible was it? When I heard the results my heart sank, I was devastated. I could handle saying goodbye to those monthly periods, but no children? That was very hard to swallow.
But God had other plans for me, because soon after our marriage we had our first adopted baby girl, and two years later another girl. Our family was complete.
It was in those days we set up our orphanage and called it Lestari Sayang Anak, it was my third child.
We have 8 children in our care, and they all call me ‘mamma’, like my girls do. I feel blessed with two families now, my small family, and my large family.
Two families living under one roof, and it works. My husband and I live in a big room located in the back of the house, with our own bathroom, own kitchen, and own entrance. Two bedrooms, spacious living room, big kitchen, extra room for the staff, and a bathroom, is where my extended family lives. Most of the time we are all over the place, there are 8 children playing in my room, few kids elsewhere, all doing their own favourite thing. But sometimes, when I am working and really have to concentrate, or when I am not feeling well and want to take a rest, the kids go play in the orphanage and close my door for a while.
The children are amazingly good in understanding this arrangement. They even knock if they want to come in, well, most of them do.
I make sure to guard the boundaries of my small family. So I take Lisa and Emily out to a mall sometimes, just the three of us. And in the evening we have our special family time. While the little ones go to sleep, we have our shower, our snack and snuggle up in front of the TV or computer doing games. I like to cook for us, and most of the time we enjoy dinner among the three of us.
At the same time I make sure the children are not short of quality time, and can enjoy all facilities my daughters have. All kids go to the same good school, the same good hospital, and have the same outings. And most important of all, all children get the same cuddles, kisses, hugs, and love, as much as possible, the sky is the limit!