All About Baby

Baby came home yesterday bringing with him a small plant sowed on a clear, plastic cup. We were having lunch, me making the most of my time with him before I return to the training. His Tatay urged him to show me the different parts of the plants. Tatay related to me how Baby had been talking non-stop on their way home from school about the different parts of the plants.

Baby then turned to me and said, “Nanay roots ito,” pointing at the roots visible from the plastic cup. I nodded in response. Then Baby added, “These are the leaves,” this time pointing at the plant’s clump of leaves. Noticing that he missed out on the stems of the plant I asked, “What are these then?” Without missing a beat he answered, “Tingnan mo yung folder ko, Nay. Nandun kung ano tawag dyan,” making reference to their assignment folder which outlines the lessons they have every week. Hahaha!

These days, how Baby could communicate so well never fails to amaze me. There was one instance when I called home to ask Tatay something when it was Baby who answered. It turned out that somebody called me up at home and he very clearly told me, “Nanay, may tumawag sa ‘yo kanina dito. Sabi ko wala ka, nagwork. Tawag daw siya ulit.” It completely blew me away. I know it’s expected of three-year olds to be able to express themselves already. Still, hearing Baby communicate sans his usual, broken lines but still in his cute, baby voice could really tug at my heart. It must be a motherly-thing.

His logic is also faultless. One time I got irritated to find out the laundry is all over the floor and was urging him to help me put them all in the hamper. He readily helped me but while he was stuffing in the laundry he told me in his cute voice, “Nanay, sunod, sabihan mo si Tatay siya magpasok nito kasi siya man nagkalat nito, hindi ako.” Imagine that, coming from a four-year old.

He also has perfect taste (hehehe). I was tying my hair, getting ready for the Christmas Mass when Baby came inside the room and told me, “Wow! Nanay, ang cute mo.” He was looking at my dress. It was a new dress, bought with my “newly-acquired” pregnancy in mind. It had spaghetti straps and a very low neckline. To cover up, I put on a tube blouse underneath. The dress was really pretty, completely feminine and I was surprised at how he openly expressed his appreciation for it.

I was wearing the same dress last week but at that time donned on a short-sleeved tee-blouse underneath. I was tiptoeing inside the bedroom so as not to wake him up when I heard him say, “Nanay, sando lang isuot mo inside, ‘wag yan.” I nearly jumped but was really amused to hear him “advise” me on what to wear. ‘Seems like, I now have an in-house fashion consultant. And a four-year old at that.

Baby is indeed expressive and I find it truly refreshing. Last Sunday, we were settling down to sleep when he turned to me and said, “Nanay, masaya ako kanina sa binyag ni Baby Koi2x.” Eric’s youngest got baptized and the family spent lunch together at the reception. The venue’s ground was large, covered and with huts dotting the place. He and Janin had a field day running all over. When I asked him why he was happy, he replied that it’s because he was able to play with his Ate.

I am truly grateful for moments like these with Baby. I am grateful knowing how he’s turning out to be. I love the fact that Baby is open and expressive about his feelings. It is telling me that somehow, we did something right in rearing him up since he had no qualms about expressing anything to us. To me it means he feels confident enough to do so.

I am wondering how he is at school though. His teacher had told me he appeared shy and reserved. I guess it’s understandable really since he is not so used about being with other kids. He’s more used to hanging around adults. In fact he feels so much at home with my friends and showed every indication of how he considers himself very much part of the “barkada.” And yet I would very much want that to change. I want him to be confident around his peers as well. That is another reason why I’m grateful for this pregnancy since it’ll definitely be helpful to Baby to have another sibling.

Oh, and one last detail.. last night while lying in bed I told Baby how his Teacher Rose congratulated me for my pregnancy when his Tatay and I went to pick up his card for the 3rd grading. The smile he gave me was so huge, obviously happy at the news. He then sat up in bed and stoop to my bulging tummy. Making sure that his mouth is where my navel is (he believes this is where he should talk so his baby sibling could hear him), he whispered, “Baby, teacher ko yun siya, kaya huwag kang matakot sa kanya ha?” hehe Baby’s really so sweet and smart. I’m so grateful I have him.

Scare

Got a real scare today. Earlier this afternoon we had to rush Mama to the hospital. She collapsed while we were at the Shrine of the Holy Infant of Prague. Cebu was celebrating their Sinulog earlier in the day. Since we could not be there, we made up for it by going to the Shrine instead.

On our way there, we decided to drop by Bacaca to see if Mama Fely would be willing to join us. She was. We had to wait for a while for her though. That was already way beyond one o'clock in the afternoon and we haven't had lunch yet. We had a very late breakfast though and was not feeling any hunger yet.

While at the Shrine, it took us a while to finish the novena, light our candles and say our prayers. We were on our way back to where Mama was seated when Ms. Amparing who took the ride with us rushed to us to inform us that something happened to Mama. And there she was, utterly lifeless, white as a sheet. Looking at her, I felt my heart jumped to my throat. I feared the worst -- stroke.

Noticing her limp form, her seemingly distorted jaw-line, the fear I felt got worst. A thousand other things are running on my mind -- possibilities of Mama having a bad case of stroke and had to endure being tied to the bed.

She had our utmost attention. There were fellow church-goers who offered help. Somebody offered liniment, and someone was able to provide us a glass of hot water. I was so scared but was relaxed at the same time. I whispered soothing words to Mama telling her to relax. I repeatedly told her this and reassured her that we are doing everything to help her. I urged Tatay to get the car so we could take Mama to the hospital. Tatay took a while in coming back. It must have only been two minutes but to me it seemed like an eternity. Bee carried Mama all the way to the car, past the steps and the iron-wrought gates of the Shrine. I ran ahead of him with the car keys, so I could open the doors and fix the seats so Mama could recline comfortably.

Mama Fely and Mrs. Amparing took a while in joining us, probably with the old age and all. Tatay and I had been doing a lot of runs at the gym lately and being a lot younger, we managed to get everything settled at such a short time. And then, just as we were about to go, lo and behold, Janin cried asking her Lola Fely where she left Bolets because he was not with her. Imagine that!

I had to rush back inside the Shrine to look for him. He could be everywhere. I was not able to find him so I doubled back and asked if they have found him already. They said no so I had to run back again and retraced the places we have been to earlier. The panic and the crowd had me very confused. It was hard to keep track of all the kids there. I craned my ear for any sign of crying or any hint of "Nanay!" But every crying I heard were from babies, none of them my son. I was on my way back when I found him with Mama Fely. He was crying. Mama Fely informed me she found him walking towards the chapel from across the large expanse of the ground.

I deduce he must have walked towards the gate where the car was originally parked and retraced his steps when he found out the car was no longer there. (We were parked near the rear gate, farthest from the Chapel. When Mama collapsed, Bee had to drive all the way up to the entrance gate that was closest to the chapel.) I was so concerned with the time we've lost, Mama had to be rushed to the hospital after all. So while I was very worried about Baby and what happened to him, I knew that processing that particular experience would have to come later. Mama had to come first.

Bee and I were having a discussion as to which hospital is closest when Mama managed to speak and repeatedly say that she wanted to go straight home as she is feeling better. She said she just had a case of hyper-acidity and is starting to feel better. We had to argue with her telling her we could not take the risk with her history of hypertension. Why, on any given day, having a BP of 200++ over a hundred is somewhat "normal" for her already.

I asked her if she feel some numbness or distortion in the mouth and she said she does feel a bit numb in her limbs. That decided it for me. Her protests notwithstanding, we went straight to the hospital. Once there, I readily noticed that she had regained her color. Her lips are already turning red compared to its being as white as a sheet back at the church.

I'm not sure if it was just luck or our prayers. Remembering how Mama was at the church made me feel certain she really had a stroke. And she could have. And yet here she is feeling somewhat better. A bit weak yes, but definitely with some color now.

I do not dare think of what could have been's. I'm really just grateful that she was spared that. I could not imagine what being tied to the bed would do to her. And I can't bear the thought of losing her. There are still so many things I wanted to do for her and I wanted for her to experience. She had been through a lot. She had suffered several loses already with Papa and Nino... Plus she always have this pessimistic attitude over her person that I'm not convinced she had really been "very happy" for an extended period of time. I can't have her go that way. I want her to experience what it is to be truly happy, not having any worries of sorts.

Thank you God for turning what could have been the scariest point in my life into a point of salvation and gratitude. I know You again have worked Your wonders. What we had earlier was really a miracle. And I could not thank You well enough. Thank you for your faithfulness...

Roxas City Trip

For the longest time I’ve been wanting to take Mama on a trip somewhere. It’s high time that she starts enjoying the fine things in life. She’s always been hardworking, always bent on providing for and serving the people in her lives. It’s high time that someone starts thinking about giving her what is due her. Oh, I’ve always been mindful of her and all the sacrifices she did and is still doing for the family. But I never really had the chance to treat her big time. For one thing, I did not have the resources before. And when there were instances that I did have the resources, she would always decline the offer, saying it would just be a waste of money.

So this time, not to give her the time to refuse, I booked her plane ticket in advance. So I just broke it to her gently that she had to take a leave from work for two days as her ticket is non-refundable. I had booked her ticket two months in advance so she would have the time to have the whole idea sink in and well, to prepare for the trip.

For two months, there were times I would sense her excitement for the trip. But there were also times when she would express her misgivings for the whole thing, for the expense and for the time it would take her away from work. She bemoaned the fact that she would be away from her work and how the money that I would spend for her and Janin be used for a more worthwhile project. When she would get into this mood, I would immediately turn away lest we would again get into one of our arguments. In the end she lightened up especially when it was settled that Mama Fely will be joining us as well. It was one of her worries – who would be left with Mama Fely when we were away. I worried about that as well. Good thing Ate made arrangements for her to join us.

Choosing the Place. Baguio and Ilocos was one of the trip options. Actually I had a hard time deciding where to take her. But since Bolo and I had recently been to Baguio, I had certain misgivings about going there again. Ilocos is another thing though. The last time I’ve been there was some four or five years ago. So I was kind of toying with the idea. I could no longer remember how it came to be that I finally decided on Boracay. I think it had something to do with the available flights and the promo.

Boracay. I’ve never been fond of the place before. I’ve been there twice and I used to think being there once is enough. I’m fond of Panay as a whole though. I love visiting Iloilo and all its churches (especially those I have not been to yet). And I’m particularly fond of Kalibo or to be more apt, New Washington because of Sampaguita Gardens. And I had yet to visit Antique, Guimarras and Roxas City.

I’ve always been wanting to visit Roxas City. The last time I had a chance to visit Panay, I’ve been able to go to Miag-ao (one of my must-see places) despite the tight schedule I had. At that time, we were actually staying at Sampaguita Gardens for several days. Since we were real close to Boracay already, we decided to go there. But I would have rather visited Roxas City since I’ve never been there yet. Aside from the fact that I’ve always wanted to visit Pan-ay Church and its historic Bell (Biggest in Asia and third in the world). So when we finally decided on Boracay at this time, I fully intended to go Roxas City.

It was a little difficult deciding on the itinerary given the limited time we had. We only had 5 full days and I had intended we cover Roxas, Miag-ao, some other churches in Iloilo, New Washington and well, Boracay. Guimarras and nearby Bacolod sounded appealing and I know I would have squeezed them in if I only had enough time.

The trip. Landing in Iloilo on our first day, we immediately made a segue to the terminal for the bus that would take us to Roxas City. We passed by a portion of Jaro District on our way there and we saw the devastation left by Typhoon Frank. Yes, our trip was scheduled right around that time. Fortunately for us, our schedule was not on the week when the typhoon hit but around two weeks after its onslaught. Frank left such a big damage though so there were talks that Panay and Boracay would not recover in a month. Imagine that! Everything was plastered in the news and what was shown was not exactly a pretty picture. The olds were starting to voice out their concerns and so did our close friends who knew of the trip. But the owner of the resort we booked in Boracay was reassuring and so we went ahead with the trip.

It took some time before the bus left for Roxas and the ride was not exactly smooth. We arrived at Roxas at around 1 pm and we were actually starving having no decent breakfast but some packed cheese sandwiches. So we immediately hailed a cab. In Roxas, translate that to – tricycle. We headed straight to Gaisano Metro and into Mang Inasal. Ah, Mang Inasal is another story altogether. I intend to devote a separate entry just for it.

Anyway, since we intended to go around Roxas very quickly, given the limited time we had, we decided to hire the tricycle we hailed for the entire afternoon. So we practically went around Roxas city in our “tri-wheeled limousine” :)

Pan-ay Church was our objective in Roxas but since we were already close to the “Roxas Mansion” – Sen. Mar Roxas’ residence – we decided to visit is as well and take a few pictures. After which, we went straight to Pan-ay Church.

The church was located at some distance from the city proper. It took a while before we got there. I was happy to find out that the church was open. The olds and I immediately knelt down to pray. The kids however have different ideas. They were running about and shouting, much to my consternation.

I almost moaned out loud when I found out the belfry was locked. I was there for the Bell and it would certainly be a shame to miss it this time. Who knows when I’d have the time and the resources to visit again. I urged Bee to inquire at the cumvento whether we could have the belfry opened. We both did but we were informed that the caretaker left and would not be returning for some time. My heart sank but still I did not lose hope. And true enough, soon after the caretaker arrived and we were allowed entry.

The climb. It was quite a climb to the top. I got pleased and at the same time fearful when Mama displayed her enthusiasm to go up the belfry. Pleased because I was really happy for her. It also made me realize she is really hungry for such adventures and I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to give that to her. Fearful because not only was the climb long, the stairs were real steep as well. Even I had a hard time maneuvering the stairs (especially in going down!) And of course there was her hypertension to consider.

On the way up, I kept reminding her to take her time and not to rush to the top. I assured her we had all day to conquer the bell and that she should not worry about her slow ascent. Of course we did not have all day but I can’t have her sick just because I was very much a stickler for time.

And then before I knew it, we were all on the top of the belfry. The bell was huge alright and the 360 angle view of Roxas was heavenly as well. I just got a bit concerned with Baby. The place wasn’t exactly “fall-proof” and it was quite a drop from there to the ground – a no-no place for a toddler who has boundless energy. So we made sure we always had a hand on him.

On our way down, I urged Bolo to make a donation. I urged him to make a bigger donation when I saw him take a bill of low denomination. I pointed out to him that we do not know when we will be able to come and visit the church again. That could very well be the only chance we get to make a donation.

We took a few more pictures of the church when we got down. Afterwards we headed back to downtown so we could catch our ride for Caticlan. Next stop – Boracay!

Some trivia: There are several bells at the belfry aside from the big bell. If I’m not mistaken, there were 9 bells in all. The caretaker told us that during special occasions such as weddings, all 9 bells will be rang and that the sound would be heard far and wide. Hmm… talk about declaring to the world that you’ve finally tied the knot : )

"Credit"

I sat at the edge of the bed, feeling a lot of emotions all at once. I was frustrated, disappointed, angry, and upset. It was one of those moments when I would ask myself whether I made the right decision for choosing Bolo to be my other “half.” Yup, there are definitely moments like that. One thing I learned about being married is that it isn’t everyday that you will feel thankful that you are married. Haha! Every now and then there are moments when I would ask myself what I was thinking the day I decided to get married. Haha!

It’s pretty much like climbing really. Right when you’re in the middle of an eight-hour long trek. Your shoes are heavy with mud; the trail is getting steeper and more difficult; and what was once a comfortable pack begins to weigh heavily down your shoulders and back. At that point you would certainly ask what made you forsake the comforts of your home and bed to haul yourself up to be in the middle of a mountain and endure hours and hours of walking while carrying not-so-few kilos on your back.

In mountaineering, however, past experiences would tell you that a glorious view at the peak would make all the sacrifices worth it. You knew that after the entire long, hard trek, the view at the top would make up for all that you’ve endured. Nothing sure beats the feeling of being up there, looking down in all of God’s creation. As long as one’s eye could see.

In marriage, well, it is a lifelong commitment, and a lifelong journey. This meant that the “peak” is nowhere around any immediate corner. One had to “travel” a lifetime before one reaches the peak. So who knows what awaits us there? What are the sights to behold? And what are the emotions that would course through us once we reach the summit of married life?

But I’m digressing again. I only wanted to write about a recent incident wherein Bolo and I fought again over a minute little detail. Sometime soon, to celebrate my birthday and our anniversary (and also to treat mama to a long overdue vacation), we are going on a family travel. Well, it had been a tradition of ours to travel at least once a year as a family. It is something we look forward to every year.

Anyway, I’ve been moving heaven and earth just to make sure everything would fit within our budget. Since this time, there wouldn’t just be the three of us. Mama, Janin and Mama Fely will be joining us. Having Mama and Janin meant additional expense of course. It meant extra air fare, extra terminal fees, extra bus fares and other incidentals. Not that I really mind it at all. If I could have my way, I’d bestow on Mama all the luxury that she truly deserves. But as it is, reality entails, Bolo and I could only afford so much.

So I’ve really been surfing the net overtime the past few months, looking for ways and options wherein we could save. I was lucky enough to have found a cheap accommodation due to some recommendation of a friend (Thanks Ruf! :)). Anyway, the reservation entails that I have to make a deposit to their Allied Bank account. Credit card would not do since there are additional charges.

Now, here’s why we quarreled. Bolo was set to go to Bankerohan for some ukay rendezvous. I had to be at the office the whole day. I had no time to flit off and go to the bank which is so totally out of the way. Allied Bank, however, is close to where Bankerohan is. So it makes so much sense to have Bolo go to the bank and make the deposit. But he would not.

There he was lying at the other side of the bed, covering his face with a pillow and like a spoiled child stubbornly told me he isn’t going to make the transaction. I was angry and felt so incredulous I swear I could have done something more than just seethe there in silence. No amount of cajoling would want him to do it. I tried drama by crying, appealing to his hopefully-present-merciful-side by pointing out to him that it’ll be much of an inconvenience for me. Then I tried bullying, trying to throw a fit just so he would agree to do it. When that did not work, I got rude and pointed out to him he only had to “deposit” and not bother about… well… looking for the funds to be deposited.

I’m not in the least proud of this. And this is certainly ugly but I was really disappointed that he refused to do it. That he wouldn’t mind if I had to go through all the hassles when he could do it himself. Anyway, finally getting ashamed of myself for having resorted to the lowest trick on the book, I tried diplomacy. I mustered all the patience I could get and assured him I’ll try my best to provide him with all the information he needed – the account details, the address, etc. I told him I would write everything so clearly so he wouldn’t have to commit a mistake.

Finally, I got to him and he stood up and stomped his way out of the bedroom muttering something to my face. It was a full sentence but all I could hear was the word, “credit.” It was hard to miss since he kept repeating the word. It was only when I followed him downstairs that I understood what he meant by “credit.”

I was lucky enough to have secured a deposit slip from Allied Bank since that is where Mama Fely keeps a checking account. I knew pretty well that his reluctance to do the transaction was Allied Bank being different from PS Bank and Banco De Oro. What both banks had in common is that he often transacts there for me. So he’s pretty much familiar with the forms and all that. Allied Bank, however, was a new one. Haaay. What is it with guys, anyway? Their being so scared about asking questions when they don’t know what to do about something? :p

I patiently explained to him that I already wrote down the account details of the hotel in the sample deposit slip. I pointed out to him, however, that since he’s making an inter-branch transaction, he’d probably be asked to fill up another sort of form. I reassured him that it shouldn’t bother him since all the details needed would be in the sample deposit slip. I reassured him there is nothing so scary about all of it actually and that he could always ask questions if ever he is unsure of anything. Then his reply totally made me smile. He told me in not so many words that yeah he is willing to do the transaction himself. What he is upset about is that his efforts would not again be “credited,” that it’s as if he did nothing at all. I was amused and sad all at the same time.

So that was what he meant by “credit.’ It saddened me to think that I’ve probably been not vocal about my appreciation for all the little things he did for me. Well, not as much as I’ve been so vocal about his “misdeeds” and shortcomings to me. In hindsight, our first year had seen me always vocal about my appreciation for him. I would often text him my “thank you’s” for taking care of our son, for his doing errands for my Mom. Come to think of it, “thank you’s” then were often exchanged between the two of us. I could distinctly recall a touching incident wherein Bolo turned to me and thanked me for bearing him his son… Now I wonder where all of that have gone to.

Have I become so petty? So shortsighted? Or is there also some “lack” in his part that made me become one? Was it the “injectibles”? Post-partum blues? Stress? Feeling of discontent? Or all of the above? I think these are things that I ought to seriously think about. If there is one thing I learned from the incident it is that appreciation sure could go a long, long way in any relationship. It will always be a good company to keep rather than constant fault-finding and petty quarrels over nothing that serious really. Ah, this, I should keep in mind. Always.

Siblings

It’s 3:57 A.M. I’ve been awake since 3:00 A.M. And ever since, I’ve been texting my sister-in-law who’s due to give birth anytime now. She said she couldn’t sleep since the baby has been moving a lot since 1 in the morning. Being a first time Mom, she doesn’t really know what to expect so anything slight of the ordinary already worries her. The fact that she turns to me first hand is something I appreciate. And as always, I’m glad to be of help any time.

In a way I pity her. Her mom is out of the country, so she lacked that kind of support. It’s always good to have one’s mom around in a time like this. Even if only to make you feel there is someone you can count on, someone who had been there, gone through the experience of giving birth. I remember in my case before, I would listen intently every time Mama would tell me how it was with her when she was pregnant with me. She told me I’m a lot luckier since I did not have any vomiting phase or any difficulty while pregnant. Well, I guess being active and vegetarian helped.

I’m thinking now, I really feel a certain fondness towards this sister-in-law of mine. She had always been solicitous and kind to me ever since. Well, it’s refreshing to me since I never really had a sister. I’m close to my cousins but we were all really too cooped up with our respective lives while growing up that we never really had the time to just bond with each other. There was the age difference to consider really and my female cousins who are around my age are living far away too. I grew up mainly around my uncles (Papa’s younger brothers) and my male cousins.

Anyway, I remember feeling surprised to have the hubby’s siblings take to me from day 1. They were simply, accepting… nope, welcoming I think is the more apt word. It was also a surprise to me how they are to each other. Loren or Cristina would be at the farthest end of the city from where we are but they would always oblige their Kuya who would ask them to go home and fetch something for him. Bolo is also the same. It would be 4 am in the morning but he would drag himself out of bed to go to his sister living at the other side of the city who needed to borrow a back pack for an early out-of-town trip. And you wouldn’t hear any word of complaint or misgiving. They just do it automatically. And that generosity they have for each other was also extended to me. From day 1. Imagine that.

I guess that’s what I missed – growing up around siblings. Niño and I are six years apart and as different as night and day in preferences. Our needs are different too so there was never really any instances wherein we needed something from each other. And we always did fight. I’m the perfectionist Ate, always expecting something outstanding from a younger sibling. I was strict, always nagging him to shape up, be more diligent, be a better student, be a more thoughtful son to Mama.. I think I was overly critical of him while growing up.

There was a time when I was much older that I regret being like that to him. I was young, too caught up with the drama of sibling rivalry – jealousy is more like it – to really be the more loving Ate that I should have been. Well, I was also kind to him of course. I wasn’t always the monster Ate. But it was only when I was much older that I shifted into the role of the loving, nurturing and caring older sibling.

I would always worry about him and always try to be more inclusive. I would always urge him to join me in some of my trips but he would always decline. Mountaineering was never his cup of tea. Basketball was his passion. And I guess he was also at the stage wherein he prefers to be with his friends than with family. He was always out of the house that I was tempted to build him a room right next to the basketball court.

In the last few years, especially following his failed marriage, I was the much better ate who was always solicitous around him. At this time, I knew better. I have already learned enough to know the real value of relationships.

I am just truly grateful that I was given that time, that period wherein I was able to show Niño how much I value him. At that time also he was more open to me. He would openly ask me for favors, to buy him some stuff and all that. And I always felt the urge to oblige no matter what. So that is why.

I just truly wish though that I had matured in that aspect of my life much sooner than I did. I think of all the wasted time being the strict Ate when I could have been more loving towards him. But I have also learned to forgive myself. I was young, too hurt, too caught up with my own drama about being unwanted by my parents thus their need to adopt. I did not know any better. Thank God I woke up from the drama in time to be able to make up for all the time that was lost…

Truly, God gives second chances. We just have to be more sensitive and more awake to be able to recognize it for what it is and be able to make the most out of it. I think it’s a tragedy when one is being given a second chance and just did not know it. Because sometimes, that’s all we’ve got. There wouldn’t be any third or fourth chances… So my advice to everyone, life is too short. Let us spend it to be more loving towards the persons around us no matter how unloving they may be. Let us be less critical, less judgmental… In the end, it is always the love that matters. When someone close to you dies, you don’t think about everything that s/he owed you but what you owe that person… Hug the people around you now, draw them close. You’ll never know when you’d lose them.

For Gladys (On Karma)

I could tell you a hundred things about the philosophy of karma and of God's love as well. God will never wish anything bad to fall on you no matter how long you have "ignored" Him. He is above reproach. He, after all, is God.

"Bad" things, however, happen to our life for one reason or another... And one could say it is "karma." But karma is a lot more deeper than your being "punished" for whatever wrong you've done or committed in the past. Karma is a Hindu or a Buddhist "concept." If you translate it in simple terms, it really is just a case of "cause and effect" -- what you sow, you reap. Our universe is designed that way. You plant a seed of an apple and you will naturally grow an apple tree, not a mango tree. In other words, if you sow good deeds then good deeds and good things also come back to you, whether you like it or not. So there is also such a thing as "good" karma.
Colloquially, "karma" is always seen in "negative" terms. That is why if something bad befall us, we would readily think that maybe it is "karma." In truth, anything good happening in our lives is karmic as well. It just so happens that it is "good" karma.

I feel for you and all that you've been through. You've worked so hard for all those things you've lost, not to mention some of them have sentimental value. But I am happy too that you've realized that revenge is not the way to go. It will, in fact, just accumulate more "bad" karmic account for you. It's not always easy to deal with loss, whether it's the loss of material posessions or of loved ones but it won't help things any if you go out there and wish ill on the person/s who were responsible for such a loss. You we're right. Better to pray for them instead.

Cheer up and move on =) If anything, let us be thankful that it were material posessions you've lost and not any of your lovedones. The former you can still find and accumulate while the latter... It's important that you let go of those possessions, not with a heavy heart. Forgive and be grateful that you we're not there when it happened and could have been hurt in the process. For sure, in time, you will earn back all you've lost and even more.

On Loving Better

Funny. I sit here finishing an entry to my travel blog when Akon’s “Blame on Me” came blaring from my head phones. I felt being taunted by it. I felt like a character in some Greek mythology with the gods looking down and playing a trick on me. I could almost picture them hovering above me in some cloud enjoying the fact that they have yet found another victim of their very dry sense of humor. Well, I am amused by the coincidence myself.

There I was a moment ago, wallowing in my “tampo” to Bolo. I was contemplating the soundness of texting Bolo a very “hurting” message, painting him a very dramatic picture of how I spend the last three days practically sleepless tending to a very sick Baby while he did not bother at all to move heaven and earth just to text me how he was.

We have just gotten off the phone. I’ve been trying to contact him all day, owing to the fact that Baby really looked so bad this morning I wanted to take him to the hospital until Mama told me to observe him for a little more time. When I heard a very irritated voice explaining to me why he could not text and asking about how Baby was, I felt my temper rise.

I don’t know what I was expecting really but I sure did not expect to hear that tone of voice from him. Maybe I was expecting to hear a hint of concern, or him asking me how I was too… So when I got that reception instead, I think I blew my top a little.

Seeing how bad the weather was the past days, I have also been worried about how he was. It had rained the whole weekend here so I could only imagine how it was up there. I’ve spent the entire weekend erasing the thought of him slipping from some boulder and lying hurt in the ground. I keep reminding myself that thoughts become things and how much I wouldn’t want any of that to happen to him. Every night for the past three days I’ve been praying that he come home to us whole, alive and well on top of praying for Baby’s getting well real quick.

So when I got the message asking me to call him, I was quite ready to ask him how he was and to share with him Baby’s condition but instead we got into an argument. I guess we were both tired and sleepless. I guess he and I are both exhausted and thus quite short of patience.

I felt stung after our phone conversation. I was really fighting the urge to send him an “emotionally nagging” text. But of course, common sense eventually prevailed. What good will that amount to anyway?

This was not the first time this happened. More often than not, our arguments stem from some kind of misunderstanding. Most of the time it’s me blowing my top for him not being able to meet what I’ve expected of him.

I’ve been observant enough to know that this happens to a lot of couples too. My friends tell me about it. So do my peers and the women I work with. Often times, women wail about the significant others’ insensitivity. Detaching myself from the situation I ask myself, “But what is being insensitive really?” Can someone please give me a clear definition of the word?

In my experience, I accuse Bolo of the crime when he would fail to acknowledge the “sacrifices” I’ve made, no matter how “little” it may seem. In some cases, it’s his not being able to give me special attention on special occasions. It’s him putting other people’s comfort over mine. And so on and so forth.

Unattached, I could see that it’s all drama really. I guess this is what reading all of those fairy tales and love stories do to a woman’s psyche. We tend to believe we are all damsels in distress and it is the men-in-our-live’s job to “rescue” us and to give us everything that we need. I guess this is also the reason why there are women out there who think their lives incomplete if they don’t have a love life of sorts.

In truth, it is really just up to us to complete ourselves. Well, we are pretty complete as we are. Broken maybe, but never incomplete really. I guess it’s not really the “lack of something” that haunts us or that makes us unhappy. It’s really just the failure to acknowledge that life in itself is a wonderful gift already. It is one’s being unaware that there are a lot of things in life that we ought to be thankful for. It’s being ignorant about the fact that we only need to look within and not out there for the very thing that would make us happy.

I’ve known this truth a long, long time ago and yet every now and then I still find myself right smack in the middle of a melodrama that at times I even orchestrated myself. I ask myself now, “for what?” Why is it that despite learning this truth I still fall and stumble and commit the same mistakes? Most especially so if it concerns my relationship with my significant other?

Is it some kind of a chronic need? To be constantly a figure in a love-hate melodrama? Is it to answer some kind of need to be reassured that the man in my life loves me like Prince Charming would Cinderella? Or is this borne about by years of conditioning reading all those love stories and watching far too many telenovelas? By doing so, have I unwittingly fed my mind with some distorted notion of what love between a man and woman should be?

For all my uncertainties, there is only one thing I am certain of. It’s that I would not want to waste a lifetime feeding some kind of distorted need. Spend my life chasing some kind of fantasy in my head, moving heaven and earth -- making the lives of the persons around me hell – just so I could satisfy the need to make my reality fit the “perfect” picture I’ve conjured in my head. I think, looking back, I’ve been guilty of that. Only, I wasn’t too aware at that time. And it is causing me sorrow now to have realized that. Because, those people that I could have loved well are no longer in my life now. I could no longer atone for all the unloving actions I did in the past borne out of my own ignorance.

Now, I have grown over the years and have learned to love better. And it’s just sad that there are some persons in my life who have gone ahead and not benefited from this change in me. Persons who really matter like my Dad and brother.

I love them so dearly and I’m sad knowing that they were in my life when I was still groping with truth and trying to define who I really am as a person. If there is one thing I regret in this lifetime it is that I feel I was not able to love them well. Oh I know that I have, somewhat. It’s just that being a mother myself now, being a wife, having gone through so much in life than I’ve had in the past, I am somewhat a better person. And things are a lot clearer to me now than it was then. I just wish they have come to know the love I could give them now… I love you both Pa, Nin and I sincerely wish for your peace. The soul is eternal and I know we will come to meet each other again some other time. I look forward to the day.

Happy Heart's Day Everyone!

I was busy leafing through a pile of what appears to be rubbish but are actually my clothes in my closet to look for something to wear for today. For several days now I’ve been wearing skirts to the office. Not for any other reason other than I’m trying to save my slacks for the training our office will be holding next week. It’s a four-day course and I don’t want to spend the weekend before it, seeing to the laundry. I’d rather devote it in paying attention to the other details for the training.

I was mulling my choices when I heard Bolo’s voice from the other room. In very earnest tones he told me, “Nay, huwag ka talagang magpula ngayon. Huwag na huwag.” (Nay, don’t wear red today. Simply don’t). It wasn’t the words that threw me but the earnestness I heard in his voice. From the sound of it, he was dead serious about it which makes it the more funny. I’m not sure whether he’s referring to the fact that I’ll be joining a thousand others outside should I decide to wear red or he’s “warning” me about being mistaken as someone “still-in-search.”

Still in search, indeed! =) These days my heart is filled with gratitude every time Baby would seek me out and sit in my lap to render me yet again another of his nursery rhymes medley. In broken tones and broken-words hehe would serenade me starting with ABC, to eensy-weensy spider, to Babah, Black, sheep…And I would sit there feeling as if my heart is soaring and twinkling along with the stars he is singing about =)

These days it’s a common scene in the house to have Bolo or me turning to Baby and kissing or hugging him for the sheer joy he is giving us. In search huh? Nope, while sometimes it may not appear to be so? But I believe I have just found my home in my son. He’s the one who taught me the depth of the love I could ever feel and give… I love you Baby “Wod Lowen Abeiya Bolo” =)

Happy Heart’s Day Everyone! Take this day (and everyday hereafter) as an opportunity to sow, give, show your love to the persons that matter in your life. (And if I may add, to one’s country as well.)

Baby is now a "Delighful" Two!

Last Sunday, November 18, Baby turned two years old. Same as last year, there were a lot of things that needed my attention at work. I had to submit liquidation reports to the org that funds the project I’m handling now. I am not exactly fond of administrative work hehe But I had to do it. So I had to accomplish a particular form, check our budget, compile all the necessary supporting documents. This includes receipts, SOAs, quotations, service contracts of RPs and documenters, etc. etc. It did not help that there were some supporting documents that were not with me yet and I had to wait for some of the concerned persons to e-mail them to me. It made the process took a lot longer than it should.

I so like to digress, don't I? Hehe Actually, the point is, I had but little time to prepare for Baby’s birthday. In truth, Bolo and I did not intend to hold a party at all. We were trying to save for some big purchase we’re aiming for before the year ends. We only planned to buy some cake and ice cream or to eat out. But Bolo’s Uncle Loloy volunteered to donate an entire “goat” for it and some buko for the salad. That changed the whole thing. So it became an opportunity for us to turn the whole affair into something that both our side of the families can share.

It was tough preparing “bag of goodies” for 50 kids. Yup, 50! Bolo has such a large family. He has like more than a dozen very “prolific” cousins hehehe who seemed to take very seriously the that part in the scripture that says, "Go forth and multiply." Just kidding! I wanted to invite a few more friends to the party as well but was afraid I might lose the opportunity of mingling with B’s family. The opportunity, after all, doesn’t always come…

Jeni was there though. So was Candy. Both we’re such a dear, acting more like hosts than guests. Jeni made it more fun for the kids by bringing along 15 beach balls. She helped me shop for goodies for the giveaways and the pabitin the day before as well. Dane’s absence was still very much felt though :) At one point we all wished she was there to share the experience with us. We were all in agreement though about how happy we also are for her for everything that has been going on in her life right now. For my part, looking at the pictures below, I'm looking forward to having one with her and her little one :)

I also missed some of the family who were not there… Ate and her kids… NC Neneth and her kids… Niño…

But enough of that… It was a fun day. Baby was all over the place, running about, dancing… without much of a clue that everything going on was actually for him. I’m hoping we’ll have another chance such as that one…below are some of the pictures taken that day.









With Tita Loren and Tita Cristina


The Abique's


Baby: Nanay, I want Barney, Let Go!


Ang galing ni China! Kinoach mo ito Kends ano? Kaya pala late kayo dumating hehehe joke :)




Baby: Nanay, bakit kina Ate China at Ate Asia, marami? Ba't sa akin isa lang?






Hm.. look at Bolo bing his usual self... mangantyaw ba? :)




















Like mother, like son...


Baby: Hmm.. I did not know Barney could also taste this good...

Baby Goes Trick or Treating

Ever since Bolo and I saw some of the kids in their costumes trick or treating during our vacation in Cebu last year, we could not wait for another year to have Baby experience the whole thing too.

For the entire year, we've been discussing what Baby's costume would be. We were also keeping our fingers crossed that work schedules and similar concerns would not prevent us in participating in the event. It turned out I have a training to prepare for this year. And I wasn't exactly 100% with Baby the whole time. Bolo was there though to see him through the entire experience. I went with them to SM though where the event was held. I left when I had Baby and Janin registered. I only joined them again after office hours.

It was difficult finding a suitable costume for Baby. I did not want any of the "scary" stuff because of the "bad" energy it entails. I woudn't want any of the bad vibes for Baby. Luckily, I chanced upon some cute costumes while visiting the mall for an entirely different errand. I fell in love with the "Bat costume" which had some cute headpiece bearing the erect ears. Baby however, would not take to it no matter how the saleslady and I urge him to try it on. On our next visit to the mall, this time with Bolo who just came from his climb, we saw this really cute "Robinhood" costume. Good thing Baby also took a liking to it.

I was tired that day since I was practically all over the place with all the things that I needed to oversee but all the tiredness melted the instant I saw Baby in such high spirits and his basket filled with goodies :)

Morning Walk

This morning Bolo and I did our morning walk after a long time of not being able to. As usual, our destination was the market to buy some stuff for the house. We like the idea as it is like hitting two birds with one stone. It allows us to accomplish our marketing for the house while at the same time give us the opportunity for exercise.

What’s different about this morning though was aside from engaging in just senseless chatter, we playfully talked about our plans and dreams. At the start of our walk, I told him that he help me in visualizing that we are driving our dream car. I asked him what type of car he wants and what color. He played along with me and said he wanted an “off-road” type in black color. I scoffed and said he should concentrate instead on a particular type of vehicle since we have very recently participated in a raffle draw and the grand prize is far from being the “off-road” type he wants, hehehe Talk about being purposive and particular :)

He must be in a good mood that morning since he took my hand and told me he’s imagining that we are cruising along. Then he looked down on my feet and pointed out we’re walking at a rather slow pace so what kind of driving is that? Hehe

For the rest of our walk, I was the one who did all the talking with him just commenting every now and then. I launched on a long speech about a make-believe-life which includes moving out of the country, taking annual out-of-the-country trips and taking our respective families for travel abroad. Every now and then we would talk about the realities that our families face and how we want to change that for the better. Then I would again talk about “our”…err… “my” fantasies and dreams…

Moments like this are what makes me appreciate what Bolo and I have. While our relationship is definitely not “fight-free,” moments like these makes up for the time when we’d be fighting tooth and nails. It makes me appreciate our being friends other than being sweethearts.

I guess it’s really inherent for Filipinos to include in one’s grand plan also the well-being of the entire family. We are just brought up that way – to be inclusive, to think not just of our own but the entire family, if not clan altogether.

In a way I envy a friend who really pursued her plan of working abroad just to help her family. Back in my younger days, when I’m still the idealist that I was (I still partly am), it never occurred to me to pursue life outside of Mindanao. For me, I feel some kind of tie to this land I’ve called “home” ever since I could remember. And for the longest time I desired nothing but to dedicate to it the whole of me and what I’d become. I used to tell my Mom before, every time she would ask me if I have plans of going abroad, how my talents and my brains would be for Mindanao alone.

Now, however, having a family of my own, I feel that I have changed a bit and have reordered my priorities. Now -- while the desire to serve is still there -- I have slowly began to dislodged my head from the cloud I’ve been in for the longest time to direct my eyes and heart closer to home.

Lately, I’ve been noting how my Mom is getting old. More than ever, I’m thinking now of how I could give back to her all that she had given me, us. Mama is one of the most self-less person that I know. Well, to some extent. She gives her all to the persons that she loves. And by all, I mean everything.

I see her now, taking care of Janin and I say to myself how I admire her for taking on the role of a parent to Niño’s daughter without any hesitation. She had done that long before Niño’s death. I’m thinking, now should be the time that she would just think about herself and pursuing things that she really wants to do with her life. But no, she just continues to give herself and her support to her family – to us, to her sisters, to her nephews and nieces. Even Papa was like that – very inclusive. I guess some of that rubbed on me too. Well, I would like to believe so...

So in view of all of that, I now find myself directing my eyes outwards, mulling the possibility of looking for opportunities outside this country. I feel a part of me grow sad at the thought. I wish things were different, that I’d still be able to work for my country and for development while at the same time be able to give my family and my extended family the good life that they truly deserve. In an ideal world, such should be the case. In an ideal world, that is very much possible… I hate to think that life in this country is now far from being ideal… But that is how it seems like. Just read today’s headline…

Ah, but that’s an entirely different topic altogether. Life is short. There is no room for negativity in my thoughts and in my life. I pray that I’ll be able to achieve all that I’ve dreamt about this morning. Most of all, I pray that I maintain my attitude of always taking a positive outlook in life...

Extended Weekend

Nope, there wasn’t any holiday of sorts but it sure felt like it. The city experienced power interruptions the whole day today thus it was pretty much impossible to do any work. In my case, our sister organization had a whole day conference-meeting thus most of them were out of the office the whole day. So I was given the rest of the day off. Good thing I did some paperwork over the weekend that I was able to finish my end of the “dirty” liquidation work and was able to turn everything over to our Admin Officer. So it certainly felt like having my weekend extended. And what a weekend it was!

Synopsis (The short-cut version)

Friday, Candy and I saw a movie together. It wasn’t such a great movie in my opinion but Candy and I truly enjoyed each other’s company. But it was nothing compared to what we had last Sunday – almost a whole day of ukay frenzy! And it was such a treat, both literally and figuratively. There were lots of good stuff that day at really low, low prices. Enjoying that with Jenny and Candy – and Baby – sure was an added treat. We capped the day by enjoying some good conversation at Dunkin Donuts.

Oh, I correct myself. That was how I capped the day. I had to leave ahead of them when Baby did his “thing” hehehe I did not fancy cleaning him up in the tiny bathroom they had there so I decided to go home right away.

Apparently, Jeni and Candy spent some more time at the Ukay-ukay over at San Pedro and capped their day eating kwek2x! Both told me the experience was truly fun for them. Something they’ve never really done before. I’m glad to know they had so much fun.

I learned about their so-called escapade only this afternoon over pizza at Picobello. Yeah, sure was an extended weekend. Another long weekend well-spent with friends :)

The Longer Version (Complete with all the details, hehehe)

Pizza Monday. By three o’clock this afternoon, I was already enjoying a few slices of Pizza Marinaio and Siciliano along with Jeni, Candy, Bolo and Baby over at Picobello – another one of our fave local Italian resto :) We took advantage of their buy-one-pizza-take-one promo. It was still quite costly though but the promo lent a “you’re-getting-a-good-deal-out-of-your-money” feeling. And you are actually, given that you’re paying for just one of the really good pizza you’re having.

You can actually choose another “flavor” from the first one you’ve ordered so it’s really such a treat. Whatever is the more pricey one, that’s what you have to pay for. Not bad at all. And come to think of it, over at La Toscana, we usually pay twice as much for whatever we order there. So I take it back, it wasn’t really that costly, hehehe.

Marinaio, as expected was really good. It had seafood as toppings – squid, shrimp, and tuna. Siciliano, on the other hand, was good too. I particularly enjoyed the added flavor and texture lent to it by the slices of hardboiled eggs as its topping. It also has slices of artichokes, eggplants and bell peppers. It was really good. In the past we had sampled their ‘Four cheeses” pizza. As usual, the blue cheese was an acquired taste. It was good but I liked what we ordered today better. But enough of the pizza review :) I intended to write about how it turned out to be another good weekend.

Movie Friday. Friday night, Candy and I had a date of sorts. We went to see a movie. For the first time, we were actually able to catch a movie we’ve been really wanting to see. There had been countless of times when we kept on putting off watching a movie we liked till it’s no longer shown at the theaters-- always to our great disappointment.

We’ve also invited Jeni along but since it was a Tagalog movie we’re watching, she wasn’t quite convinced about choosing it over the report she had to finish. Bolo and I actually had a tiff over my going out that night. Nope, he wasn’t at all against it. In fact, he was really all for it and quite encouraging. It was I who was feeling a bit off at the thought that I was watching a movie without him.

Since we got married and even before that, watching a movie had always been something that we do together. So I was kind of wanting him to come along too. But when he found out it was Candy’s treat, he balked at the thought and said he’d stay home and watch over Baby instead. I made a great deal of out his “rejection” that we ended up fighting over it.

Hmm.. I’m about to digress again here. To me, it’s worth reflecting over why I always feel this need to make Bolo a part of “almost” everything that I do. But that’s an entirely different topic altogether. I’ll reflect and write about it later.

To cut it short, I tremendously enjoyed my time with Candy. I could not relate to the movie which was about infidelity – having an affair outside of marriage. But that did not stop me from sharing insights with Candy as we watched the movie along. It amused me to note that Candy took that of the wife’s perspective. She seems to always have an opinion to say on certain scenes that have got something to do with the wife’s reaction over her husband’s having a mistress. It sure was funny seeing her that way. I can’t help but think if we’d view the movie differently if we were “mistresses” ourselves hehehe I’m pretty sure we would have felt pity for Maricel’s character have we been mistresses instead of the wives that we are.

At one point Candy told me that “mistresses” should see the movie for them to realize that there are not enough excuses that would justify their having to break marriages. She said that while the wives have certain “imperfections” they are not enough reasons for husbands to take on a mistress, or words to that effect. I’m thinking, mistresses watching the movie would think differently. They’d probably see that what the mistress and the husband share was deep and “beautiful” and thus they should have pursued it till the end.

What I “saw” from the movie, however, was not about that. I saw that marriage is really a union of two different individuals. It’s about two persons with perhaps different background and different set of values deciding to start a life together as a couple.

Come to think of it, if one look at marriage that way, marriage is really like making something impossible work. Seeing it in that light, marriage indeed is such a daunting task. So, it would definitely be more difficult if you get married with someone you hardly knew in the first place. That was the case in the movie. I think it is the same thing as getting into something without knowing what it is that you really want.

But anyway, more than the movie, I was glad that Candy and I had that time for ourselves. We truly enjoyed each other’s company. Well, I speak for myself, hehehe.

Uneventful Saturday. Saturday, I just spent it at home. Around lunch time, Candy called and we sort of toyed with the idea of going out and meeting somewhere. I was momentarily short of funds, however, so I was not that keen about going out and Candy was sleepy too so that decided it. Sunday, however, was a different thing.

Not-At-All-Desperate-Housewives’ remedy for bruised pride and ego: Ukay Sunday! Very early, I was already nursing a hurt pride. Bolo was off diving but as early as Friday we have already agreed to go hear the anticipated Mass over at the Ateneo. But since he saw to the laundry the whole of Saturday and was tired, he begged off from our plan. Of course I did not take to it lightly. He appeased me with a promise we’d hear the first Mass the next day.

We both woke up real late that by the time we arrived in Church, we were too early for the second Mass. So we just offered some candles and decided to go home again. To appease me, Bolo said he’d really try his best to come home early in the afternoon.

It wasn’t until I reached home that the whole thing dawned on me. I pretty felt like a kid fooled, asked to dress up and promised an ice cream treat only to be given a popsicle in the end. I was so irked I called Bolo to tell him just that. That I felt I’ve been had. In response he said that he’d really try his best to come home early.

It turned out Candy was also somewhat irked with Archie, hehehe. We’ve decided that we had to remedy our somewhat feeling low. We agreed to go on a ukay frenzy that morning. I’ve been urging her to go to Bankerohan for some cheap but really good finds but we never came around to doing it. Finally, there was the opportunity. I called up Jeni who came and joined us later on.

I had to tag Baby along since Mama decided to go home to Empress that morning. So I was not really able to do any decent ‘hunting.” But it sure was great. When we came across a pile of Old Navy, Gap, Anne Klein, Mossimo, Banana Republic, etc. of really cute dresses, Candy and I almost fainted in delight, hehehe

The fainting was not due to the brand really or the fact that they looked brand new, some even with tags still. It’s more because of the fact that they are on sale for thirty pesos each. Imagine that! We were really like having a feast of sorts.

By the time Jeni arrived, Baby was already feeling up and perky. He was always toying with my hair, making a mess out of it. I was hardly dressed for anything that morning. I was in a hurry to meet the always prompt Candy that I had no time to think over what to wear. I grabbed a pair of old hiking shorts, don on a favorite kayaking shirt and grabbed the very first flip-flops I saw.

So I guess it was really no wonder when at one time, I was mistaken to be Candy’s yaya, haha! Really funny. I was carrying Baby at that time and helping him feed from his bottle. Candy on the other hand was busy leafing through the little girlie sundresses hung on a rack. Then this lady who was also sifting through the piles of clothes gestured to Baby and asked if he’s a “baby girl.” I said no. Then she gestured back at Candy and asked why she is looking at little girlie dresses. I almost laughed out loud when I realized what she was driving at. I politely told her Candy’s looking for dresses for her little girls, clearly implying that the baby I’m holding is my own.

After the lady left I told Candy how I suddenly became insecure about how I looked. She laughed off the incident and told me I was probably just mistaken. I told her I was most definitely not. But it was no big deal to me really. In fact, it was something that I regard as one of the highlights of the day.

Another highlight was Candy’s “Gap-pants-incident.” I’d rather not divulge what happened though as I could end up losing a very good friend haha! Sure was funny though and quite clever of Candy, I’d say.

All in all it was a great Sunday. Even baby’s wrong-timing-pooping was something I appreciated. Because it made me come home early. By the time Bolo texted me that he was already on his way home, I was already well-rested.

We ended up hearing the last Mass that day. Nonetheless it made me happy knowing Bolo was keen about keeping his word to me. One of the highlights that night was watching Baby’s beaming face as he dropped his one peso coin in the collection box :)

Long Weekend

"Tita, I think, when Baby grows up, he's going to be the happiest man in the world!" China, Candy's eldest and really cute daughter quips at me. I smiled at her and asked, "Why?" She quickly responded -- "Because he is always smiling!"

That brief exchange certainly placed a smile on my face for the rest of the evening and everytime I'd remember the conversation. The kids had just spent the whole late afternoon and night together then. And looking back, it seemed that they were having so much fun together, Baby included.

It was a long weekend -- we had a Friday holiday because of the Kadayawan celebration and a Monday off, in remembrance of Ninoy Aquino's death. So by Thursday night, I was urging Candy to go watch a movie with me. We've been wanting to watch HP but never gotten around to doing it. But on the last minute Jeni texted and urged us to have pizza and pasta instead.

La Toscana is always a welcome treat. So we had a change of plans and enjoyed two kinds of pasta -- my favorite, Arrabiata and Pomodoro. We also sampled 2 kinds of pizza, one being Marinara with crab meat and shrimps on it which was really good :) At first there was just Candy, Jeni, Towi and I. Later on Bolo joined us just as the second pizza was served. Archie also arrived but just when we were about to go already.

We started a conversation over pizza -- initiated by Jeni about certain "arrangements" in her life. Owing to the fact that there is still so much to talk about and with Archie not able to enjoy the pizza at all, we decided to move the "rendezvouz" elsewhere.

And so we did. We moved to MTS and things started to become really interesting owing to a confusion brought about by a certain "5 + 1" promo they are having there. Right Kends? Wink, wink haha! Interesting indeed. The whole time, I was like kicking Bolo under the table and pinching him at his side hehehe But everything evened out when Jeni arrived after taking Towi home. The conversation miraculously turned sober and funny once again. Well, it also helped that Bolo's tongue seemed to have loosen up a bit after two bottles of...err...redhorse. So he was like making remarks and me trying my best to cover up what he just said hehehe It was fun though :) But I think what really eased the tension then was the chocolate oatmeal fudge bar that miraculously appeared at our table hehehe

Friday was the greatest though. By 5 PM, Candy, Jeni and I met for an "Ukay" rendezvouz. We've talked about it before and so owing to the free time, we finally managed to do it. When Candy informed me she was tagging along her two daughters, I was like wondering if she could manage that fine. It turned out I was the one who had difficulty trying to keep my "kiti-kiti" one-year old from being all over the place. But I certainly enjoyed seeing him having so much fun. Below are some of the pix we had with the kids playing around while we Moms are busy going through some "ukay goodies."































After a few finds, we opted to go to Victoria Plaza to continue our Ukay hunt and to meet up with Bolo who was manning a wall and a scooter activity area at the carpark. It was an Edge activity in coordination with Coca-Cola for the Kadayawan festivities. Anyway, we rode the jeep in going there. The whole ride saw China and Asia taking turns singing some of their songs from school. Baby was singing along too and showed off some of the "action" songs he knew. It felt pretty much like we were on a field trip something hehehe I was afraid that some of the passengers found us a bit noisy for comfort but we could see them smiling, obviously finding the kids' whole tirade cute. Well, who wouldn't? They're all cute kids haha! Spoken like a real Mom huh? :)

At one point Candy and I discussed how different our lives have become now. If before there used to be just us going around, now we have our little ones in tow which is cute really. It's fun watching our kids grow up and witnessing their own personalities evolving and taking shape right before our very eyes. I feel blessed that we have some opportunities to share experiences such as this with each other. It's good to note that the friendship we have shared in college extended to this very day and to our little ones as well. I hope these kids will grow up to be friends as well :)