A Season of Living with the Lord
Yesterday, I flew home at 4’o clock in the morning. I was so sleepy that despite my clogged nose and itchy throat, I fell asleep the moment I sat on my seat in the plane. Next thing I knew, we were in flight and the attendants were serving food to us.
Then, my left ear popped. I could feel it happening, a gradual buildup of pressure in my ear drums until one ear popped. My hands got clammy. I felt like it would be a repeat of my July flight experience when my blood pressure went up as 150 over 90. I calmed myself, prayed, invoked the Lord’s help. My inside voice talked to my body, assuring it that the worst that could happen was the loss of one ear’s hearing. There was nothing to fear. Fortunately, my body listened and I calmed down. For the rest of the flight I just sang silently, leaning on God’s sustaining grace.
I am turning 38 years old in a few days. I tell myself that this must be why I have new fears. The adventurous Valerie who could climb cliffs and dive into waterfalls is gone. I never used to overthink trips, I never used to consider that something could just go awry. Now, I do. I am not as spontaneous as I used to be. In order to be a better wife and mother I have had to change, I have had to learn to plan, prepare plans B and C.
I worry about this new change but I have to embrace this new me and learn to manage the accompanying side effects of becoming a planner. I realize now though that even if I become a planner, I should plan keeping in mind that I am not in control of things. Yes, plan hard and the surrender it all to the Lord knowing that His plans are far better than our own. As I write this, I take a deep breath. This is my new mantra, prepare for the worst and expect that the best things are going to happen.
Indeed, all things happen for a reason. I haven’t written in a long time. In part, because life has been good. Mom is in a good place now health-wise. Daddy too. I love my job, I can imagine myself doing what I do for a long time. My little family is all that I have ever prayed for and more. I have a doting, loving husband, a talkative, creative but stubborn almost 6 year old son and a sweet, precious one year old son. Life with them is a joy. We have enough, a house and car that are just right for our needs, dependable helpers plus lolo and lola live next door to us. I realize now that I shouldn’t abandon this. This is essential to my emotional health. So thank you Lord for leading me back to this place of comfort and introspection.
“May the God of peace…equip you with every thing good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.” Hebrew 13:20-21
A New Chapter
We are together now. After four years and five months of a long distance marriage, H and I are finally moving in together. E will grow up in a two-parent home. Tonight, we will be fixing our new home. I pray that the Lord will guide us so that we will thrive in our new home.
We left the house we boughtwhen we first found out I was pregnant with Ethan. The house that witnessed the growing pains of a new family. I will miss our old life, the afternoon walks around our subdivision, the visits to our neighbor’s pet monkeys, birds and iguana. Santorini-the place where our hopes and dreams were built.
As of June 1, 2015, a new family will be ushered in. While I am saddened by this change, I too am excited about the direction our life is taking. H and I are free to build a life together now in each others arms. Life is good indeed.
A Year in A Flash
Two weeks ago, our baby became a toddler! There have been marked changes in his behavior. He is now a little boy with strong likes and dislikes. Since he can now walk, like a tiny sized adult, he insists on doing things on his own.
Already, I miss the hours I spent cuddling him and cradling him in my arms. When I pick him up, a minute tops and he’s raring to be put down so he can resume his walking. He’s such a busy toddler. His toys can only keep his attention for a few minutes as he prefers to play where we dare not let him go and venture to the land of the “NO ETHAN!”s. The bathroom, the garbage can, the stove, the front door and the rice cooker, these are on top of his list of “to go/to do”.
Indeed, a child is a bundle of joy. Our days are filled with his shrieks of laughter and bubbly giggles. I thank the Lord for our little boy whose one year just went in a flash.
For his first year birthday, we thought of a birthday that would celebrate the first twelve months of his life. His Tita Lore came up with “A Year in A Flash” birthday that combined the elements of fun, celebration and adventure. Our little explorer loved his party and we have his photos to show to him when he’s a little older. (Photos to follow..internet is pretty slow at this hour).
Becoming The Uncommon Reader
“The Uncommon Reader” is the first book I’ve heartily enjoyed in ages. I found myself laughing out loud at the awkward reactions of Her Majesty’s staff to the Queen’s sudden love for reading. Since Ethan, I haven’t really had the time to read for myself. I’ve read tons of children’s stories and parenting how to’s but I haven’t gotten stuck in a book as I often was in the good old days. The Uncommon Reader brought me back to that place, that magical space where only you and your imagination exist. Indeed, “A book is a device to ignite the imagination.”
And so I’ve decided to resume my reading again. After all, as noted by the queen, “Books are not about passing time. They’re about other lives. Other worlds. Far from wanting time to pass, one just wishes one had more of it. If one wanted to pass the time one could go to New Zealand.” Happy Reading! 🙂
Discovering Swim Bike Mom a.k.a. Margaret Atwood
Before summer officially ended, hubby and I went to Boracay on a quick beach vacation. Hubby biked all the way from Iloilo City to Boracay via Antique while I rode in a van with the wife of one of his bike buddies. Yup, hubby is crazy about biking and so are about 7 or so of his other friends, crazy enough to wake up at 2:00 in the morning to ride all the way to Caticlan.
Hard core stuff, I know. I must imagine it must give you a different high to travel all 250 kms or so and know that you did it solely with your bike powered your two human legs. I am proud of him. I often wonder if I too can do it, if I too can push myself to the limit, given my desire for shortcuts.
Yes, I was an athlete in high school. I did track, 100 m dash, 200 m dash, 400 m dash, long jump and high jump…but marathons weren’t something I particularly excelled at or enjoyed. Even in life, I have trouble preparing for life like a marathon..everyday is a short distance race for me. My mantra is to take each day as it comes. I have a vague view of the near future and I’m okay with that. I entrust everything to the Lord, and I go where the wind blows. So far, this has worked out for me. Lawyering, marriage, motherhood, they were all just vague ideas that eventually came to fruition when the time was right. But, I digress!
This post is not about life but about running marathons and completing triathlons. Hubby has been slowly convincing me to embrace the triathlete life. He’s struggling with his swimming but he’s slowly getting there. As for me, I have to work on all three..biking especially since it really has been more pain than fun for me so far. 🙂 Hubby’s convincing didn’t really make an impression on me until I chanced upon a blog mentioning Meredith Atwood of swimbikemom (http://www.swimbikemom.com/) fame. She is an inspiration to mothers and women everywhere. Indeed, there just might be a triathlete inside us all.
I’m hoping that this time next year, I’ll be able to share tips to would be triathletes. That’s quite a tall order but time will tell if I’ll actually be able to do it.
On that note, I thank the Lord for sports. Where else an we get a free dose of happy hormones. =)
Life with Ethan: An Update
My little boy is only 3 months and 7 days old and already I love him with a depth of feeling I never imagined possible. I am entranced by his little smiles and his quiet coos. My heart melts when he gazes at me with his adoring little eyes. When he breaks into a giggle, I feel my heart swell with unconditional love. I am irreversibly, truly, madly and deeply in love my little bundle of joy.
I realize now that indeed, there is nothing like parenthood. I am more appreciative of my parents now that I know what they had to go through. After all, hindsight is 50-50.
Every day I pray that the Lord blesses our little family. Parenthood it would seem is a long and challending path to navigate and I ask the Lord to guide hubby and me in rearing our little Ethan. May he grow up to be an intelligent, kind, loving and responsible man who will end up making a difference (the good kind) in the world.
A Celebration of Life
Life is precious. It is beautiful and what better way to celebrate life than with a party.
Last Saturday, my sisters organized a shower for me, in celebration of our coming baby boy. Hubby and I were overwhelmed by the warmth and love that surrounded us. In the company of family and friends, we rejoiced in the presence of this little one in me. We pray that all will be well and sometime in November, we’ll be holding a healthy, happy and normal baby boy in our arms.
Like any mother to be, I have moments when my mind is riddled with doubts and my heart is filled with fears. I worry that I may not know how to be a good mother. I haven’t even changed a baby’s diaper! We’ve been without small babies in the family and it doesn’t help that we’re isolated from our other relatives (Yup, my parents moved away from the rest of their siblings for work and found home in Bacolod.) =) I know that books will only get you so far and it’s the actual experience that’s necessary.
That said, I know that I have hubby (who’s a nurse), my two sisters and brother in law (a nurse, an OB res and a pedia, respectively), my mom and parents-in-law to help me embrace motherhood. More importantly, I have the Lord guiding me through this journey. I cast all my cares upon You Lord. Quiet my heart and grant me the grace to have faith in your wisdom. Amen.
p.s. Just some pictures from the party.
Slowing Down
I’ve always considered myself to be a pretty active person, robust and healthy, if you will. I seldom get sick. My visits to the hospital have all been due strange little freak accidents. I was rushed to the er when I was about three after a small portion of my ear was ripped, after getting snagged by the corner of the sofa table. When I turned about five, our house underwent some renovation and my toys were piled up on top of several drawers. I did what any kid would do, climb through the pile of drawers to get my toys. As luck would have it while making my ascent I just happened to sit on a nail. There’s not much I remember about my hospital visit except that I bled a lot and urinating was painful for a couple of weeks. Then there was my encounter with the sewing machine needle when I was twelve. I just happened to sew into my middle finger breaking the needle in the process. Again, I needed another trip to the E.R. and I recall my mom telling me to hold my finger tight as the needle particles lodged in my finger would go straight to the my heart. =)
In fact, the only time I’ve been hospitalized was when I got indigestion when I was about five years old. I was a picky eater and to encourage me to eat, our yaya then had my sister and I engaging in “eating contests”. I won, not because I ate fast but because I swallowed my food instead of chewing it. (That by the way is a skill I still have to this day.) This is why I’ve always believed that my guardian angel looks over me closely. After all, I survived all those mishaps, didn’t I?
However, I think I must have repressed a lot of those memories, I don’t remember the fear or pain of those visits. That may explain my aversion to hospitals. While I enjoy visiting hospitals, I don’t like being hospitalized. I fear medical procedures. My prayer has always been to be spared a “stint” in the OR. I guess that’s why despite having a lot of medical professionals in our family (I am married to a nurse, have a sister who’s an OB and another one who’s in 3rd year med aside from the titos, titas and cousins.), I don’t know much about medicine. I like getting my medical information on a need to know basis. =)
As my pregnancy has progressed, I have been pysching myself up to accept that I will be spending time in the Delivery Room. I will have to be admitted. This is something that will undoubtedly happen. However, I’ve been hoping to postpone any hospital trips til DDay. So far, I’ve had a relaxed pregnancy, no morning sickness, no gird, none of those awful conditions often associated with pregnancy.
Also, I’ve managed to work as I did pre-pregnancy. Day in and day out, I went through 3 flights of stairs (300 steps more or less) at least thrice everyday, hearings on Tuesdays to Fridays, at least 4 jail visits per month, pleadings galore and more. I felt like one of the lucky ones. However, we are mere mortals and the human body has its limitations. Unfortunately, I found this out the hard way.
After a busy week of travelling to Hinigaran, then Iloilo, then hearings on Thursday and Friday, my body succumbed to the stress. A visit to the DR last Friday night was quite an eye-opener. I was almost admitted (one of my top ten fears) and was allowed to be treated as an out patient after I made some promises, one of them being an ultrasound the following day. After the ultrasound where I was seen to have a shorter than desirable cervix, I have been advised to go on bedrest for a week.
I really thought it would be easy but bed rest actually means spending time in bed horizontally. I found this out when on Day 1 where I thought bed rest included some walking around, my condition didn’t improve. Since then I’ve been strictly spending time in bed except for bathroom breaks.
I’m just blessed that I have a supportive hubby, family and friends. I know this is God’s way of reminding me to slow down. Our baby boy is growing in my tummy and I’m so thankful that his development is going quite well. The doctor said he’s a little acrobat, moving about so much that it was quite impossible to take a photo of his face during the ultrasound. Hubby and I keep telling him to enjoy his stay in my womb, while we’re excited to hold him in our arms, it would be best if he waited a couple of months more before coming out to the world. =)
I’m off to the ob again in a few hours. Bless us Lord, help us go through a full term pregnancy and a normal delivery. Thank you for a wonderful life. Amen.
The Mozart Effect
A week ago, a colleague of mine remarked: “Val, you should start listening to classical music now.” I’ve always been fond of classical music, a fondness developed because of years of piano lessons.
My dad dreamt of his little girls (my other sister and brother weren’t born yet) becoming pianists, so, while other kids danced ballet and had art lessons, we walked to the SOJ Music Studio every Saturday afternoon. It was a scenic 5 min walk away from our house where we would skip with glee seeing horses grazing on the empty lots in our subdivision. My younger sister and I walked on unaccompanied and unhurried by the concerns and fears of adults. (On a sidenote, I don’t think our kids will enjoy the freedoms we had as children. That walk from our house to the piano studio of Mrs. Javellana in the neighboring subdivision wouldn’t be considered safe, these days.)
I started at age 6 and quit at age 13. I say quit because if it were up to my dad, I’d have continued on til just before college. I wasn’t in love with playing the piano. While my sister had a passion for it, I just played because I had to.
We were blessed with a wonderful teacher in Mrs. Javellana. Her love for the art transcended her teaching and through her I learned to read musical notes. She even gave us random quizzes to test our learning.
I wasn’t a very dutiful student though. I memorized pieces so that I wouldn’t need to read the notes every time. I didn’t do much practicing at home and played the piano only when Daddy requested us to. I’m sure there were a lot of times she got frustrated with me but she remained gentle and patient with me. She employed old school methods to improve my playing style. For example, she used to hold a sharpened pencil under my wrists while I played to remind me to keep it up. (I had another piano teacher before her and had developed a bad habit of keeping my wrists down while playing).
My piano playing life lasted until I was in second year high school. One day, Mrs. J, getting a little exasperated at her student who after years of lessons didn’t seem to improve much, said: “Do you think your parents just pick up the money for your piano lessons on the street?. That marked my last day as a piano student.
While there are days when I wish I had taken my piano lessons seriously, I feel that they were meant to teach me a lesson life. Those early piano lessons taught me that practice makes perfect, that nothing in life worth anything come easy as success requires hard work. Mrs. J’s love for her craft showed me the importance of finding one’s passion, the joy of doing what you love every day of your life.
My dad tried to get to go back for organ lessons but I lasted only a mere month. I had yet to find my passion. I was a lost soul and would be for a number more years. It wasn’t until law school that I found myself. High school was a period of learning. College was all about belonging. I had a magical time with Kausap (my school org) finding out the person I was meant to be. It was a time where I tested my boundaries, found out what worked and what didn’t. I realized in college that I wouldn’t be content until I was able to live a life with purpose, to make some difference in someone’s life. And law school, and lawyering, well, it has allowed me to do just that. I guess my passion is that–to live life to the fullest, to have a life that matters. I am blessed to finally be in a position to make a difference. There’s so much more I need to learn and I am taking it one day at a time.
I listen to a stream of Mozart’s concertos hoping that my baby will grow up with an appreciation of the beauty of life. Once again, I say a quick prayer to our Lord to keep him or her safe and normal. A happy Saturday morning to us all.
Adventures of a Non Cook
A week ago, I made Dad a pineapple ice box cake for Father’s Day. =) I aced it. Who wouldn’t? After all, it was a no bake, no cook recipe. Four hours after chilling, my family was already feasting on it.
This week, I’m working on making different kinds of spread. It seems I haven’t been gaining weight and I am also anemic, a combination that won’t bode well for the baby in the long run. So, necessity being the mother of invention, I am forced to become more creative. Since I seem to have developed a kid’s appetite these days (the kind of “pida” kid I was, I was a picky eater.), I have to dupe myself into eating more. I search for “food for picky eaters” and decide that sandwiches will do the trick.
I loved to eat cheese pimiento sandwiches. All through out the day, I would visit the ref in between games, take out the jar where mom stored our homemade cheese pimiento spread and make myself sandwiches. It’s funny how having a baby has brought back my old eating habits. I am only able to eat half of every serving. I’m even tempted to just swallow everything with a gulp of water as I used to do.
Side story: To get me and my sister to eat, mom and dad and our yaya made a contest of eating. The first to finish her food would be the winner. I knew I could never win against my sister, the voracious eater, so I had to adapt my own tactics. Day after day, I won by downing all the food with water. Eventually, I had to give up my position as top eater when I had to be rushed to the hospital for extreme indigestion. Suffice it to say, that I will never try that strategy again. =)
I am left with having to plan my meals. This is even more stressful than planning for hearings. Haha. =) Someday, I will learn to cook to my heart’s desires..someday..
Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy
On this cold Saturday evening, I am on a date with myself. The renovation of mom’s ancestral home is done and the rents are off to Bais for the blessing of the house. I volunteered to accompany them but apparently the road trip to Bais won’t be good for me in my current condition. Meanwhile, hubby has ER duty so he’s mandated that I stay home for the weekend. Which reminds me, I’ll be needing a medical certificate to get on the fast craft next time. Airlines and shipping companies are oh so careful these days.
I like the stillness of these moments. I welcome the introspection that accompanies the silence, it’s like I’m a bystander in my own life, seeing it through the eyes of a stranger. In my rush to meet deadlines, I haven’t had much time to feel thankful..to be thankful. I thank you Lord for helping me get through everyday. I get a little exasperated at the clients at times. There are times when I don’t want to care, so I don’t have to try harder. But I want to do good by them Lord and I thank you for giving me the strength to carry on. I don’t know how I’m able to manage it all when all I seem to want to do at 6pm is sleep, when I’m always so exhausted..but somehow things are working out. I know I owe it to You Lord. Thank you for being there for me all day, all the time.
There’s so much I still have to do Lord, so much to learn. “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” (Prayer of Jabez) Thank you for a beautiful life Lord. Amen.
Next Showing: The Island of the Gods
I have my permit to travel, our Garuda flight has been moved back to its original schedule, and all our tours are coming into place. In 11 days, hubby and I will be going on our first real honeymoon. Last year wasn’t really one since when we bought our tickets to Sing, we didn’t know yet, that we were getting married. We traveled with my Mom, friends and a friend’s tita. It was fun of course, but in a rowdy sort of way.
This time we are taking it slow. We won’t be pushing ourselves to finish up all the sites. This time it will be about reflection and introspection. I’m blessed because hubby is a history buff as I am. He likes visiting temples as I do..Our trips have always been about getting to know the culture of a country, befriending the locals, stumbling into quaint restaurants, and finding those serendipitous moments that new adventures bring.
This may be our last DIY backpacking trip in a long time after all. We’re welcoming a new person in our lives and that necessarily brings change. We don’t mind. We are ready for a different kind of adventure but we just have to have this one last one. 😀
In closing, I just have to say that my heart is so full these days. I am a child of God and I am blessed. Thank you Lord, for everything.
Thinking Beyond Me
So this is what it’s like. I feel ecstatic, apprehensive and thankful all the same time. This rollercoaster of emotions is something I’m not so used to but I will have to adapt. I’ve decided to stop reading technical books and just enjoy what’s happening as it happens. My strong imagination has always been scarier than even the scariest horror stories..so for now, I will feed my imagination with fanciful tales of ever after.
I pray for courage to prepare well for this, to be able to take care of the Lord’s gift in the best way I can. I pray for hubby and me. Help us find our way to the wonderful future you have prepared for us Lord. We love you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 😀
Hiatus
I haven’t blogged in a long time. I just want to say that this is truly a wonderful world. ;D Life has been full of surprises lately. There is still one major surprise hubby and I are waiting for but we can wait. The Lord has the most wonderful plans.
Surprise #1 – I’ve mastered the art of “pabati-bati”. The dictionary would say that the English term for that is hinting or innuendo. However, I don’t quite agree that the English terms conveys the same subtlety and ease that a woman directs on her love when she wants something without asking for it directly. Now, that, my friends, is an art.
In any case, after hinting that I missed the days when he used to bring me flowers or the little surprises he had in store for me, hubby finally succumbed to my pabati-bati. We were in Iloilo the weekend before Valentine’s Day for a pre-valentine celebration. When I got home to Bacolod, I found a Valentine’s card in my backpack. There he wrote that he was looking forward to the day when we would be spending Valentine’s day together and that he was sorry that we wouldn’t be together this time. (We both had to work on Heart’s Day). I sent him a quick thank you text for the card. After all, there’s nothing like the joy of reading your love’s handwritten notes. 🙂 In this day and age, I still insist on receiving the handwritten notes, the personal gestures that no amount of digital card and emails can replace.
The following day, Tuesday was Valentine’s Day. I had a very big trial coming up. I would be presenting my first witness in a reverse trial and my mind was on overdrive. I was up very early going over the questions I would be asking, praying hard that the Holy Spirit would be direct me all through out the day. My hearing started at 8:00 am and lasted until 11:00 am. I was feeling a little exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. I am truly glad to be practicing again.
One of the court staff, called me aside and told me that there was someone who was looking for me. I entered the staff room and received a hug from who else but hubby. Apparently, he had taken my hints to heart and had successfully executed the perfect surprise. I really had no idea he would be coming–with a bouquet of flowers, no less.
We had a quick lunch at Chika-an, one of the restos in Rob’s Central City Walk. Hubby had to report to the hospital at 7pm but we made the most the time we had before his 2:45pm trip back to Iloilo.
Surprise # 2 – I’ll have a nephew soon! My sister is finally out of the hospital and in two months I’ll be an aunt then. We pray for her and her baby Lord. Bless them.
Surprise #3 – Life just keeps getting better. I had another hearing this morning. I can’t disclose what happened but I must say that I feel like I’ve found my new home. I think this is where I should be. Thank you Lord.
The Week that Was
My whirlwind week started with a trip to Manila last October 16, 2011. Taking my Mickey Mouse trolley on its first outing since I bought it on our “not so honeymoon” trip to Singapore, I flew to Manila to work on my papers for a possible new assignment. I came back home on the 19th to prepare for our regional convention on the 20th and the 21st of October. It was wonderful to do an emcee stint again. It was exhilirating to host an organization that was so dynamic, where intermission acts and ice breakers came together on the day of convention,where the city mayor just happened to send two separate representatives with 2 different speeches, where there was not just one but two Masskara opening numbers! It was short of miraculous how together the convention seemed despite the “spur of the moment” planning.
I guess that’s what makes Bacolod a great host–the love for Bacolod inherent in every Bacolodnon. Come crunch time, everybody just embraces the spirit of things and individual concerns are forgotten. It was beautiful to see everyone working in harmony, making sure that all needs were met and going out of their way to make sure that the delegates would enjoy themselves. It is this love for our city that makes us, want them, the “tourists”, to see what we love about Bacolod too. I got quite “high” from the experience.
On the afternoon of the 21st, I rushed to the pier to catch the latest trip to Iloilo in time for my Corporations in Distress class at 8:00 am on the 22nd. During the next two days, I got to know FRIA or the Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act of 2010. An afternoon group activity got me into debate mode. Six years–that’s how long it’s been since I’ve last debated before an audience. I loved the rush of adrenalin running through my veins, the flurry of ideas passing through my mind. At that moment, I said a silent prayer to the Lord, thanking him for leading hubby to enrol me in the program.
On Monday, (24) I rushed to Bacolod to work on the urgent tasks on my desks before rushing to catch the last ferry trip to Iloilo. I had a 5:50 flight toManila to catch on the 25th and this, I did not want to miss. Waking up to a hubby-prepared breakfast was a wonderful start to an early day of non-stop activity. I flew ahead of hubby who had to get a later flight as he had a morning meeting to attend to. With Dee, I explored the streets of Divisoria, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of various wares and merchandise and trying my best to control my Christmas spirit (!).
After we had our fill of Divi, I returned to our hotel to await hubby’s arrival from the airport. It would be our first time to witness an international act perform..the BEP–no less. We would be celebrating our 1 year anniversary in 2 months’ time and new priorities would have to be put in place. This would be our last frivolous purchase for the next five years and hubby and I knew that we had to make it count.
Despite my aching legs (worn out from my Divi excursion), hubby and I along with some FFPs (“friends from the province”) danced the night away to the pulsating rhythm of the BEP. My heart soared with pride when they showed Apl de Ap’s infomercial advocating the education of children. I cried with Fergie when she spoke of missing “the brothers she never had”..I love the BEP because more than the beat, their music is positive and full of meaning. They have made “helping others” cool..something that is quite a feat in the often “selfish and egocentric” music industry.
As they said goodbye as the BEP for the last time, fireworks lit up the sky to signal the end to a wonderful celebration of the 10 years of BEP.
Bantayan: Welcome to an Idyllic Existence
It’s one windy morning in the Island of Negros. An image of the beach flits through my mind. However much I wish, I cannot do anything about the weather. I decide to revisit Bantayan in pictures and take comfort in the solace it offers world-weary travellers.
The Bantayan Municipal Hall –
The port of Bantayan – This is what the Spaniards saw when they first visited the island.
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Church – Located at the heart of the town, just across the town plaza, the church, like most Filipino churches of this time is made of coral stones put together by a mixture of tree sap and limestone.
Finished in 1863, the church is the seat of the first and, therefore, oldest parish in Visayas and Mindanao which was founded on June 11, 1580 since the Convento de la Asuncion de Nuestra Senora was at the time, under the direct supervision of the Diocese of Manila.
The town plaza is a testament to the municipality’s commitment to eco-tourism. Everything is green in Bantayan. Proper waste disposal is observed, even the markets are clean.
See how the dried fish sellers have organized their wares… =)
The Omagieca Mangrove Park
Kota Park Madridejos Walkway
After a long day of walking around the beach, we spent a chillaxing in town.
Another Bridal Shower
I’m a sucker for celebrations. Bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, birthdays are wonderful reasons to celebrate and I celebrate them with gusto. Last night, I was at a high school friend’s bridal shower. We had way too much fun chatting that the “naughty games” were forgotten.
In the spirit of giving back, I’m sharing pictures of my own bridal shower and that of my sister’s. Since hubby and I would be getting married in Boracay, my MOH/bestfriend/sister #1 came up with a luau theme for my party.
Aloha, Mrs. Alova
We all dressed for the occasion and thanks to Sister #2 had a great time with the games.
My “Goodbye to Singlehood” cake with real shells. =)
My friends and family came home with these sweet little things. 😉
In the interest of privacy, I’m withholding some of the pictures. I will not go into details but the surprise featuring hubby was a great hit that night. ;D
The Burlesque Party
Six months later, my sister also had her bridal shower. This time, we went all out and did a Burlesque theme.
Indeed, life is short. I have decided to say yes to all celebrations. I had a slight fever last night but I still managed to attend my friend’s wedding shower. I’m no longer saying no to moments. Life must be celebrated..that is the only way to live.
A Honeymoon with the Lord
Hubby and I just graduated from our Marriage Encounter Weekend. I’m tired and happily exhausted from all the eating, writing, laughing, dancing and crying we did. (I will not go so far as to spoil the surprise by revealing the details of the M.E.) In the words of hubby, it was “a blast, although of an emotional and spiritual nature”.
I was awed by the different faces of love at the M.E. Indeed, love transcends distance, age, race and even religion. Hubby and I have been changed forever. It is our hope that we will be able to live out what we learned during the M.E. We hope that with the Lord as our partner, we can make our marriage even BETTER. =)
1 Corinthians 13:13 says “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Changes
There is nothing permanent in life sans change itself. Just this week, my family celebrated the news of my younger’s sister’s pregnancy. A precocious new life is on his/her way.
I’ll be an aunt soon. I think of the untold children’s stories that have been lounging in my head for some time now, waiting for the right time to rise from my imagination. I hope that my little niece or nephew will enjoy my stories.
On the career front, changes are brewing too. I am excited about the changes. Everything will reveal itself it God’s time.
“To change your life: Start immediately, do it flamboyantly, no exceptions.” ― William Jones
God’s Little Miracles
On a limited budget and with two month’s preparations (but with the abundant support of friends and family), the Lord gave us the wedding of our dreams. As a bonus, he led a lovely couple who just happened to be publishers of a travel magazine, to notice us while we had our sunset photoshoot near Willy’s Rock. The result of such a joyous happenstance is this article:
Life is full of miracles. Our wedding was God’s gift to us and this article, well, this is a testament to the wonder of God’s love.
Life is a Marathon
“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.” – Oprah Winfrey
I remember Saturday mornings spent running from our high school to Capitolville and back. I remember afternoons spent at the oval of our neighboring school (Yup, we had a tennis court and a softball field but NO oval..just showed you where track lay in the hierarchy of sports in our high school .. =). We didn’t let that get to us though. We loved to run and that’s what mattered.
I remember my chest heaving heavily,cold beads of perspiration trickling by my forehead, my feet sprinting at the sound of the gun going off, the chill of the wind on my face. I remember the soft cheering of my teammates (There weren’t so many people who’d stay behind to cheer us on , they’d usually go off to more “interesting” sports) and the swelling of pride that came with crossing the finish line.
Unexpectedly, running is enjoying a renaissance. It is finally getting the attention it deserves. New runners have found out what the runners of old have always known, that there is a joy in running that other sports cannot bring. Thus, there are organized runs held every month, in every major city of our country.
When you run, you run against yourself, you run to forget and to remember, you run against everything that is a mess in your life and for everything that is good and wonderful. In running, there is freedom. You are no one else but yourself.
My new life has given me the luxury of time to run and I am making the most of it. I have finally reconnected with one of my old passions. I pray that the Lord will lead to discover my other passions. I have time…
A Daring Adventure
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.” Helen Keller
I remember reading a book where the writer espoused the view that inspiration isn’t found, it is not something you look for. He said that inspiration is something inside you, it is something that comes from within. Today, I awakened to the truth of that statement.
All my life, I have been a restless soul. For so long, I’ve been so worried about not having figured things out, about not knowing what I want from life. I’ve fretted about dying before finding my real and all-consuming passion. Recently though, I’ve found myself inspired by life itself, by the strength of love, by the enduring bonds of family, by the beauty that seems to abound in everyone I meet. I don’t know if this will last. This feeling of knowing that everything will be right in the world, that things may not be perfect now and they never will be, but that eventually, the imperfections won’t matter at all.
I thank the Lord for taking me on this journey. It’s has been one thrilling adventure after another. I haven’t been spared the hurts and tears that come with a journey but I have also been blessed with joyous moments and loving memories. After 30 years, my heart is finally at peace. =) Indeed, life is beautiful. =)
His Vows
In the rush of planning our wedding, I wasn’t able to prepare my vows. It totally slipped my mind that when the priest actually asked us to say our vows, my mind went literally blank. Hubby went first. My heart fluttered and tears of joy fell from my eyes. Clearly, I had married a man after my own heart…someone who’d write me “sweet nothings” hopefully until I’m old and gray.
I busily composed my vows in my mind. There were so many things I wanted to say. However, come crunch time, I stuck to what I knew, afraid that I’d disintegrate into a mess of tears if I actually spoke from the heart. Indeed, God knows best. He sent me Raymund, who is as assertive as I am passive, who is as oc as I am disorganized, who’d consider living in Big Brother’s House while I shun publicity. He sent me a man who is as curious about life, as eager to go on adventures, as passionate about travelling/backpacking as I am. As such, I feel blessed and I pray that we will grow old with each other, with the Lord in the center of our lives.
Sunset in Boracay
Life with Raymund and Valerie 