Tuesday, December 28, 2010

full and overflowing

And just like that, Christmas 2010 came to an abrupt end. 
But my, what a lovely one it was.
From all the families gathered together Christmas eve, with enough food to feed all and still plenty more leftovers/ take home packs to tide us over for a couple more days; from all the shopping (last-minute or otherwise), wrapping and mailing and writing cards into the last few days before Christmas; from piling into Dale's (and Nikki's) playarea while enjoying a movie, sharing blankets and pillows and lots of hugs in between, and the baby chatter and laughter echoing through the house; from Christmas morning breakfast and church service with just us four; and of course, the abundance of love and presents under the tree for all.
What a lovely Christmas it was indeed.
But most of all, there was us, together and everybody else, near or far, sharing each other's company (in person, online or in thoughts) with happiness and joy.
THANK YOU! My heart is full.
And while we each may go head off on our own separate journeys, be back to the normalcies of our own everyday lives, I'll be here in my own little corner of the world, whispering my heartfelt thanks to YOU, with only the love and warm memories of this Christmas and all those past filling my heart's most treasured.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wanted to post thank you in pictures, however, even my laptop is full ... full capacity! It's not allowing me to load up pictures/ videos from the camera. The hub is still trying to edit previous videos to free up some space. Till then pictures would have to wait. =(
But allow me to thank you for all the messages, texts, phonecalls, cards, letters, gifts and love you've sent our way. We're so blessed. And thankful.
Papa. Mama. Manoy. Sario. Christian. Nicole. Jasmine. Daddy. Mama B. Lynette. Therese. Farli. Aileen Siroy. Chelo. Chichi. Morgans. Blackneys. Luchie. Bayon. Rhea. Mimi. Kaith. Patricia. Fil. Malou. Normita. Aileen Guirnela. Tita Lou. Tita Wi. Grace. Donna. Doris. Wanda. Mily. Alma. Robert. Arlene. Victor. Millie. Tita Merlie. Tita Lita. Tito Bong. Tiyo Paul. Tiya Lenlen. Tiya Fe. Milanas. Cangas. Aragones. Basas. Ricky. Ingrid. Juanita. Romano. McNamaras. 

Thursday, November 4, 2010

a bookie story



i grew up not owning a work of fiction not until i was in college. (unless of course, you'd count the stories in textbooks the school requires you to buy.) my meager allowance back in elementary and highschool didn't allow for such indulgence. 


what i would do is visit the school library (quite regularly) and gooble up fiction after fiction the shelves had to offer. at home, i remember staying up so late, using homework as an excuse, just to finish whatever page-turner i had at the moment. and brown-outs, which happened quite frequently then, didn't stop me either. the candlelight was my friend ... and the reason for my poor eyesight. 


i couldn't remember now what was the title of the first one i ever owned. i left quite a collection of paperbacks back home. they're probably gathering dust in my old room, or stuffed in an old box somewhere since nobody ever picked up on my interest. my nephew is into sports, tennis, while my nieces ... into music, the ukelele believe it or not, and the other one, well, she tells me she's into chocolates! LOL! forgive her, she's only 7. 


since the move, i haven't unpacked the boxes of books i have. there's the library, the internet and oh, fairies who sends me these new printed delights.


it's wonderful to find friends who share the same passion as you. and it's such a delight to have ones who spoil you and indulge you in your madness. hahaha!


i know this is long overdue .... from the bookprints, and now to ebooks, thank you. 

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

2nd home



yep, i sure did! pinoy represent!
taking part in the elections yesterday was quite surreal. it was like an exclamation point to the citizenship process we went through last month. US citizen, but a Filipino through and through.


ah, i miss home. after all, my heart belonged there. 


but this is our home now. the present. and this home has been good to us through the 7 years i've been here. 


as i casted my ballot, i sent out a fervent prayer that things may get better .... for our kids, for our family and for our second home.


during our oath-taking ceremonies

Monday, November 1, 2010

halloween thoughts

my little butterfly's pink & purple wings 



In a country that celebrates Halloween, I knew for sure the kids (or make that Nikki) would wanna join in the fun. Not that they really understand what it's all about. For one, we (our family) don't celebrate it and two, we still hold the traditions and beliefs we grew up in close to our hearts. We dearly miss the yearly "kalag-kalag" back home and miss the love ones (both alive and departed) we celebrate it with. 

The kids will grow up not knowing their Lola Lucia, or their great grandmas or grandpas. Yet, it warms my heart knowing I've got a few more "angels" watching over them.

"Eternal rest grant unto to them O Lord, 
and let perpetual light shine upon them. 
May the rest in peace."

Monday, April 26, 2010

therese

to one of the few i'm thankful for meeting in this lifetime ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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Thursday, April 22, 2010

this life


Monday I got to celebrate my birthday. Got hugs, kisses, letters, flowers, gifts, e-mails, voicemails, texts, FB & Multiply messages from friends and loved ones wishing me well which brought me lots of joy.

Well, another year, another number off the calendar. It's 34, if you're wondering. I still can remember when being "off the calendar" seemed so old, so settled, so way past its prime. But now that I'm at it, it's all good. Thank God life has taught me that old is only a state of mind, that old is only as old as you feel. By no means am I "old" but definitely there's this sense of being "older". And I believe that as I age, I am changing --- as a person.

I don't feel old, but what I do feel is happy and blessed.


Blessed. I feel very blessed and rich to have so many wonderful people in my life right now. Dwight, Nikki, and Dale. A wonderful family, could I ask for more? Then there's friends who are more like family too. Laughter and sharing life together (virtual or otherwise) binds the spirit of friends and my friends have all been godsend to me. We might not be able to get together, write often, chat as much or talk on the phone as long as we would like (as a lot do not live closeby), yet we are connected by modern technology --- which I am truly grateful for. Between paying the bills, dealing with life's pressures or concerns over love, marriage or raising children and just "living", with the internet or the phone (and throw in good old snailmail, which I love love love and miss), going through your days' a little easier, bearable and it sure feels like friends are just right there with you. I am fortunate to have these friends that understand this life I'm in. They make life better -- as we encourage one another to be better -- and for that I feel so blessed having them.

Happy. I am at a stage where life is good and challenging and just suited for me. Gone are are times when my life was built by ideas of what I or life should be, or when it was founded by somebody else's ideas or dreams for me. This is me, and this life is mine. As what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, " You are constantly invited to be what you are." And at age 34, I can say I am happy with who I am. I am made this way for this reason, and I'm going to celebrate it. Happy birthday to me.


Life is beautiful. My husband, my kids, my family, my friends, my soul sisters and kindred spirits alike --- you all have made my life beautiful. I am priviledged to know you and to be a part of your lives as you have been in mine.

Thank you and ♥ God Bless.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

goodbye betty


i'm no couch potato but i do love my TV shows. from medical drama, to suspense thrillers, to sappy soaps and goofy sitcoms. you see, when i do find something i like, i stick to it, follow it religiously and make it part of my daily routine of sorts. yeah, i'm loyal like that.

so imagine my heartbreak when i saw the last episode of my betty over at hulu. it seemed just yesterday (well, make that 3 plus years ago) when it first aired. it's funny and light and warm ... reminded me so much of my afternoons watching the gilmore girls back in pine ridge. how come when i get so attached to a show, it gets cancelled or they end it just like that? gilmore girls, friends, e.r., lie to me, ugly betty ... what's up with that?

ok. ok. this is a positive home, so i won't go on and rant about something as silly as a TV show. just let me say, today i'm thankful for ugly betty. it was good while it lasted. kept me company, made me laugh, made me root for the brace-wearing, bespectacled fashionably challenged girl from queens.

thank you betty, i really enjoyed you.


photo: becki newton a.k.a. amanda on the series, with therese, nikki & akio while malling at macy's at the beverly center, los angeles


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

romance in the air ...

and by that i meant the perfume.

got this, a nars blush and some other goodies for my birthday from 2 lovely ladies who spoil me to bits. thank you my dears!



i've mentioned before my love affair with anything that smells good .... perfumes, colognes, lotions and all other girly potions. i have this growing list of stuff i wanna try out too ... yes, i'm weird like that. my friend found it a little odd when i told her why i have a couple different ones on hand. i just love catching a whiff of my favorite scents throughout the day. and which scents i try on would depend on the mood i'm in after i hit the shower. or when my spirits need a little lift. didn't i say, i'm weird? =P

what can i say, it makes me feel good. me feeling good = having a good day. makes sense, right?


Monday, April 12, 2010

rare calm

it's just 10am and both kids are sleeping soundly, a rarity in our household. with dale in his swing and nikki upstairs in the bedroom still snoozing, i once gain enter the world of blogging.

it's been so long and i've got so much to say and so many thoughts cluttering my wandering mind. amazingly though, now that i'm here i am at a loss of what to write. a symptom perhaps of the "been out of it for so long, it feels like the first time" malady. there's so much in me that's been wanting to write and yearning to write, but a lot of me trying to hold back.

holding back for fear of sharing too much of oneself, of sharing ideas only to have them crushed or mocked. or having others find it silly, petty, unworthy. or of putting forth feelings and having them taken for granted.

or simply for fear that perhaps time will come when i won't be in the mood, for writing. that happens too ... a lot i must say.

for now, i just thankful for this rare calm that has descended our home this Monday morning.

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