Welcome to the World, Daniel!

The 20th of January commemorates not only the inauguration of President Obama but also the birth of an angel to our family.

Last Monday evening, my younger brother informed me that his wife was scheduled for an immediate premature delivery when the Ob-Gyne found out that their baby had cord coiling and low heartbeat. I and my family were so worried yet we commenced our prayer brigade at once. At three in the morning yesterday, we received happy news that the operation was successful. We were ecstatic.

Daniel Marcus (named after his two grandfathers) came into this world at the most historic time indeed. My brother said the baby looks like our tatay. I can imagine him to be a mirror image of my first nephew NJ who resembles tatay as well.

(NJ at 1 & 1/2 years old)

The not so good news is, our little angel is still under observation. He is still depending on dextrose monohydrate, pulse oximeter, and oxygen mask. This morning my mother told me that the baby has contracted pneumonia.

I've never begged in my whole life but right now I’m begging to all of you who read my blog to please help me and my family pray for the recuperation of our baby Daniel. Please. I really need your prayers. Thanks.

An Ode to My Father

On January 12, 1954, a bouncing baby was born into this world. He came as the sixth child from a brood of ten. He was the most favored son by his doting parents. He grew up humbly in the rural agricultural town of Trinidad, Bohol. Twenty-three years later, he would become my father.

When I was eight or nine, my loving father gathered me and my four younger siblings in our living room to record songs on cassette tape. He played his guitar while I belted out ‘We are the World’ by Michael Jackson and “Mutya Ka Baleleng” by Max Surban. Then my sister and brothers hummed to Freddie Aguilar’s songs. Until now, that cassette tape remains an unrivaled highlight in our family gatherings as well as an ultimate source of never-ending family jokes.

My father is a musician at heart. He reads musical notes, conducts a chorale, and plays musical instruments such as piano, guitar, and harmonica. He leads an all-male group named MIGS that sings on weddings. I grew up listening to their wonderful voices. (MIGS was the choir at my wedding. They serenaded me with Petula Clark’s ‘You and I’ while I walked down the aisle which really made my childhood dream came true.)

Since the day I learned to be aware of things, he already imposed strictness unto me – in a good way, of course. He disciplined me to be responsible and prudent. He trained me to be self-reliant and upright. He encouraged me to read and be informed. He taught me how to be humble and generous. He supported my interests. He listened to my whines. He gave me comforts. Most of all, he showered me an unconditional love.

Today is his 55th birthday. We talked on the phone a while ago and I told him how much I love him. I heard his voice cracked as he told me he loves me too. At this point, I feel that I am the luckiest because I have the best father one could ever ask for.

Happy birthday, Tatay Chito!

Maximizing Time with Sisterette

There are certain things that I can’t freely divulge on my blogs as my husband’s job is very information sensitive. For this reason, even if I want to shout out all what’s cooking on my mind right now, I still have to filter things out. (Falling in love deeply with a gallant knight comes with a huge price indeed.)

So to make matters less risky, I just want to assert that Mark and I are going to have a big change in 2009. Whatever it will be, I hope against hope that the blue skies, fair winds, and following seas will favor us along the way.

My dearest sister Jill (Datski as I fondly call her) has to be left behind as I go on with my calling. I love her and I’m so protective of her yet it’s time for me to let go so that she can stand on her own feet and follow her own dreams as well.

Today, we had our year-end bonding moments together (i.e. maximizing) around the metropolis. We went shopping, sightseeing, picture taking and cruising in Manila Bay. We definitely enjoyed every minute of it.

(click pic to view the slideshow)

Love Brigade

There were exactly forty-five warm greetings pouring in from my family and friends on my birthday. Some were in form of graphics while others are in plain texts. Either way, I felt so blessed and loved.

They say friends are family that you can choose. I’m glad I choose mine well. Likewise, families are heaven-sent angels that you hold dear. I’m so grateful mine is the best one could ever ask for.

Thank you all for remembering my birthday. Rest assured that your thoughtfulness will always be carved in the soft tissues of my heart.

Excerpts:
Mark: Happy birthday, my wife, my friend, my everything! Tsupmwuah! You complete me. (he texted this while we were spooning on our bed at 12:03am, he said he wanted to greet me first via text.. cuteness!)

(I live to love you honey. You make my life worth living for. I love you so much. Thank you for the sexy Mario D'Boro shoes and the nice Kirin Kirin tops. Kiss. Hug. More kisses and hugs.)

Nanay: My loving and warmest greetings on your birthday. I love you and God bless. (4:38:21am)
(Thanks madir. I love you more than you love me. God bless. Mwah!)

Yoj: Happy birthday Manang! Does it mean you are finally out of the calendar? Bingo na lang ka! Hehe! Wish you get pregnant this year, good health and happiness. Love you! Mwahug! (06:01:26am)
(Thanks sis. Apil pa ko sa calendar woi! There are 7 months with 31 days pa baja. I refuse to join the bingo club yet. LOL. God bless sa board exam. I know you can do it. Luv ya!)

Tatay: Happiness, good health, and more blessings from God – these are my wishes on your birthday. May you have so many more birthdays to come. (7:45:26am)
(Thank you tatay gwapo. I love you so much. God bless. Mwah!)

Sir Roy: Jane, belated happy birthday. Wish you and Mark more happy times and your wish to have a baby to come true the soonest. I’m sure you had fun on your birthday. God bless. (11/26/08)
(Thank you so much for the greeting sir. I appreciate it a lot. We had fun last night dining out at Asiong’s, picture whoring at the boulevard, playing billiard, and singing karaoke at E-Place. I posted some pictures on my album entitled 31 at Friendster. What matters most is that I have Mark in my life. I really couldn't ask for more. Well maybe, a baby and more blessings. Hehe. Ingat po kayo sir. All the best.)

Here’s my birthday video..

Belated greeters: Allan, Bernadeth, Emmy, Richel and Mareng Joann.. Thank you!

The Nymph

My cousin May has an alter ego that is talking to her at SilentMoan and she named her “nymph”. I’ve never been spellbound on ethereal creatures until I get to know a nymph on her blogs.

According to Encarta Dictionaries, a nymph is a goddess of natural beauty such as woods, mountains, and rivers and traditionally regarded as a beautiful woman. Or it can be the larva of some insects such as dragonflies, mayflies, and grasshoppers.

If I would meet a nymph face to face on the eve of my birthday and she has the enchanted power to grant my wishes, I would gladly ask for the following:

First, a weeklong vacation in Palawan. It has been my yearning to indulge myself in the mantel of rainforests, majestic mountains, primeval caves, best diving sites, and pristine beaches of the Palawenos. It is where I could be one with nature completely.

Second, an all-expense-paid trip to any of the ATP Masters Series and Grand Slams events. To say that I am a big tennis fan is an understatement. I so love Nadal and Safina. I follow their careers religiously. It would be exciting to watch them live and experience the thrills of their matches in real time.

Third, a Blackberry. It’s a caprice, I know. However, if I could have one, it must be the Red Blackberry Pearl 8100.

Fourth, a Claude Monet’s painting. I like to paint but painting doesn’t like me. And so I only admire the works of the genius artists like Claude Monet. I was in awe of his paintings that were embellished on my stationeries in high school days. I would love to own one of his masterpieces and hang it on our dining wall.

Last but certainly not the least, a chocolate mousse tiara cake. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a cake on my birthday. Maybe three years ago? This time, I want to pamper my sweet tooth. I dream to get lost in the heavenly flavors of chocolate, cream, and nuts baked on tiara pans. It should be a tiara design as I want a nymph theme.

Well, these are just my whims. I could live through without these things but it surely is a bonus to experience them before I die. On the other hand, I fervently pray that God will continually bestow the true desires of my heart – good health for my loved ones, peace of mind, world peace, blessings and more blessings.

(Happy birthday, pretty May! See, we were born just 5 years and a day from each other that’s why we look and think alike. Haha. Rock on, cuz!)

Related Post: 10 Things I'd Like to Do Before I Die

I Left My Heart in Candijay

After the romantic garden wedding of Kenneth and Nina at Chateau de Busay last Saturday, Mark and I went home to Candijay for two days.

I was so excited to feel the breeze of my beloved hometown once again!

Firstly, we had dinner in Cogtong with my family. We feasted on Nanay Daisy’s cooking – deep-fried crabs, vinegared fish, grilled bangus, adobong baboy (seasoned pork), native chicken in coconut milk with lemon grass, and for the dessert, the mouthwatering fruit salad!

My mother is irrefutably the best cook in the world! Just to think of the feast she prepared for us makes me want to go home right now.

The following day, we spent some quality time with my widowed mother-in-law in Sagumay. (By the way, Mark and I are from the same town. We were classmates in high school as well.) Mama Doring, though not much of a good cook, managed to treat us with the yummiest adobong native chicken (more delicious than nanay’s) and fried shrimps; with the mixture of red vinegar, chili, kalamansi and salted fish as sauce. It is something that I look forward to every time I am there.

Then we went driving along the countryside (as we always love to do). I forever love the lush mountains; the green fields of rice, corn, camote, and many other crops; the serene riverside; and, simply the whole laid-back environment.

We also went to Ubay to buy dried danggit, my favorite pure tableya (unsweetened chocolate from cacao), and calamay (concoction of sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, and some peanuts) as pasalubong for our friends and neighbors in Cavite City.

I miss home. I miss my family especially my nephew, NJ. Sigh!

One thing for sure, wherever I may go, my heart will always be left in my beloved Candijay.

>drivin' around

>dried fish
>hanged to ripe

>the dam
>so heavenly

>visiting the dead
>shooting with an air gun

>the window
>askal andrew

>the landmark
>the roadside

YouTube in Heaven

On our way back home from the church this evening, we passed by the old town library that looked like a ghost house. We were discussing about the homily when all of a sudden, the streetlamp flickered as if it was sending an eerie message to us. It was spooky. I felt chills zipped up my spine. I wanted to run. At that point, Mark sensed my fear and said, “I think no one is going inside that library to read or research anymore because almost everyone, including ghosts, is using Google nowadays.”

Yeah right, honey. You always know how to amuse me even in an odd situation like that.

As we celebrate All Souls’ Day today, I honor the wonderful memories of my loved ones by creating a video message to them. I know it’s kinda weird to do that but I supposed there’s also YouTube up in the heavens. Hey, it’s the new millennium, all right?

To the souls who, in one way or another, guided me in my life's journey and to the little angel who went back to the arms of God before he was born into this crazy world.. I miss you all!

Half-Awake in Subic

The alarm went off incessantly at 3 o’clock in the morning that prodded me and my sister to get up and get ready as we would join my husband to his official tour of duty in Subic Bay, Olongapo City yesterday.

While waiting for the van, we watched live the match of Rafael Nadal and Gael Monfils on Star Sports. As expected, Rafa won and he advanced to the quarterfinals in BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, France.

The van arrived an hour later. Typically, I get excited when I go to see a place for the first time but I was so heavy-eyed and subdued. If only it wouldn’t break my sister’s heart, I wouldn’t go.

I just slept until we stopped over for breakfast in Pampanga. Then, I said to myself that since I was halfway through the trip, I might as well enjoy it. I tried to buoy up myself but still I drifted in and out of sleep the rest of the way.

When we were near Subic, Mark woke me up because he wanted me to see the picturesque view of the lush mountains. Indeed, it was like a Claude Monet’s painting that came alive. It was so nice and just to look at them is a destination in itself. I was briefly pepped up to discover the rest of the city.

When we arrived, we visited first the premises of Mabuhay Corp., the first Filipino company that launched a satellite in space. They were talking very technical things that I couldn’t understand, so I told Mark that I would just stay at the lobby so that I could drowse off again.

After that, everything became blurry as I wasn’t able to come out from the dreamland completely. All I could clearly remember is that I was so relieved to get back to the comfort of our bed at home.

This morning, I only have the pictures to remind me that I was undeniably half-awake in Subic. For the time being, I can only wish that I can go back there and enjoy its beauty once more.

>me and sistah jill

>the double-decker bus

>through lethargy

>shoppin' flowers

>with a zombie

>and, a dead man walking

Happy All Saints' Day everyone!

It's Datski's Birthday!

my joy, my friend, my confidant, my listener,

my angel, my sidekick, my nurse,

my clown, my idol,

and my beloved

sistah!