Hi folks! I know its been a looooong while since I blogged. I keep promising myself I'd write down this particular incident or that but then something always comes up to keep me from writing it. I do plan to blog in later posts how my birthday went (yup, its been that long) and how Father's Day went (yup, I still remember) and how generally life is shaping up for me here.
Those are for later posts though. Right now, I'm grabbing the opportunity to get a few words in before I continue the grind of working on the pile of stuff I have to do for Misyon that have been stacking up the past days. I am writing this post inside the Cecil H. Green Library in Stanford College. Yup, Stanford. This is not because I am now a student here (wish ko lang) but rather I am once a guest in this prestigious institution. :P At least I can imagine myself as being a scholarly individual again (even for just a few hours). The campus is beautiful and facilities are great and as usual its 5:20 in the afternoon but the light outside is more like 4:30 in the afternoon :)
Why am I in Stanford? Well for the simple reason that its the only place I can hang out in while waiting for my husband to finish up at work so we can go to Ikea together to pick out his chair. Since someone donated a rocking chair for me, he's supposed to have his own chair too (that's according to him of course). Since our good friend Eena studies and works in Stanford (which I learned is its own city, complete with its very own zip code) I got to spend half of my day here again. The atmosphere is so conducing to work though that I was able to work on three stories while I am here in contrast to when I am just at home working. Feeling Stanford student siguro :P Well, that's all for now.
I will post those promised kwentos next time but suffice it to say that in all the things that have been happening, I see God's loving hand in each of them. He always has a surprise for me within each day and though I miss family and friends back in the Philippines, I learn day in and day out that God is indeed sufficient. :) Hope all is well with all of you! 'til next time. . . :P
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
After three weeks...
Ok, its been three weeks since I arrived in San Jose, California and I have been meaning to write a post about how things have been but the combination of laziness and too many things happening have become a handy excuse to let the opportunities to blog slide :) Besides, what may I blog about? My days have been pretty ordinary but then I have been learning several things as I went about trying to adjust, etc. I've decided to make a list to come across as somehow being more organized (that being how I want my life and our little home to be the past days).
Stuff I learned in the past 3 weeks or so of being in the Land of Milk and Honey (or so most people believe):
1. Shy away from converting dollar prices to its peso equivalent. Yup, friends I've spoken to before I came here were right, so is my husband -- true you earn in dollars here but you also spend in dollars so however much you earn (especially when converted in peso), most of the things you spend for are also paid for in dollars. So thriftiness is still the key. Its a good thing Karen, Junby's cousin has been bringing me along to all the discount stores and shops here. I've been taking her word for it most of the time when she says something is a good deal. I have yet to know when something is truly a steal. :P
2. Coupons are the way to go. Coupons work here! If we ignore coupons in the Philippines, the opposite is true here. Coupons do help in shaving off several dollars in one's meal, grocery and even services (like getting your photo done).
3. They don't use a 'tabo' here :P I only got our tabo from the Asian stores, which are quite numerous in California since a lot of Asians have chosen to make this more temperate state their home. I still cringe at the amount of water wasted whenever we have to take a shower. One has to let the water run for a minute or two before the heater kicks in and I definitely, do not wish to bathe in ice cold water. So water is flowing uninterrupted while we wait for it to heat up. Sayang ang tubig! I recall the water rationing we have to do in the Philippines especially during summer months in Manila. Hayyy...
4. Leftovers are almost always a certainty when eating out. The portions here are so large that we usually end up taking part of the meal home. Only the Filipinos do that I think. I saw most people leave uneaten food on their plate when we went out and ate dinner at Chilis one evening.
5. In the State of California, driving is almost always a necessity. There were only a handful of cabs around and these I saw when we passed by the SFO airport on the way to Daly City. Most people drive their own cars and since they drive in miles per hour unlike in the Philippines where our speed limit is in kilometers per hour, taking a cab is more a rarity than a necessity.
6. I learned from our Ninang Liklik that the State of California, also known as the Golden State is called thus because the grass in California turn yellow from lack of water thus giving the hillsides its 'golden' color. Actually, if not for the irrigation, much of California would be desert.
7. The sun does not set until latest so far 9 in the evening! This is because its the summer months. They assure me that come October, 6 o'clock in the evening then would be pitch black. Its still disconcerting to realize that its already 8 in the evening and dusk is just settling in.
8. Their offices here are surrounded by trees and nature. Also, the cluster of buildings of a company are called campuses. As expected things are more technologically advanced (i.e. a motion detector is found in most offices. It turns off lights in the room if no motion is detected within the room for a certain amount of time. Part of their energy saving measures).
9. The microwave is an essential part of the kitchen and a wife's life. There are meals that you just pop into the microwave a voila! a meal in under a minute. As for me though, nothing still beats food that is cooked from scratch or at the very least requires some other steps before it can be palatable.
10. Lastly for this list -- cellphones here are used more for calls rather than for text messages. Only the Filipinos text. I guess it ties up with the American way of doing things -- instantaneously.
As Junby says, life in the US is not necessarily better than life in the Philippines. Its just different. Both worlds hold their own list of advantages and disadvantages. What is important I guess is to not forget who you are even as you venture out into discovering who else you can be. :) That's all for now folks! Will post pictures of my trip in San Francisco in my multiply blog. More posts to come in the future, I hope :)
Stuff I learned in the past 3 weeks or so of being in the Land of Milk and Honey (or so most people believe):
1. Shy away from converting dollar prices to its peso equivalent. Yup, friends I've spoken to before I came here were right, so is my husband -- true you earn in dollars here but you also spend in dollars so however much you earn (especially when converted in peso), most of the things you spend for are also paid for in dollars. So thriftiness is still the key. Its a good thing Karen, Junby's cousin has been bringing me along to all the discount stores and shops here. I've been taking her word for it most of the time when she says something is a good deal. I have yet to know when something is truly a steal. :P
2. Coupons are the way to go. Coupons work here! If we ignore coupons in the Philippines, the opposite is true here. Coupons do help in shaving off several dollars in one's meal, grocery and even services (like getting your photo done).
3. They don't use a 'tabo' here :P I only got our tabo from the Asian stores, which are quite numerous in California since a lot of Asians have chosen to make this more temperate state their home. I still cringe at the amount of water wasted whenever we have to take a shower. One has to let the water run for a minute or two before the heater kicks in and I definitely, do not wish to bathe in ice cold water. So water is flowing uninterrupted while we wait for it to heat up. Sayang ang tubig! I recall the water rationing we have to do in the Philippines especially during summer months in Manila. Hayyy...
4. Leftovers are almost always a certainty when eating out. The portions here are so large that we usually end up taking part of the meal home. Only the Filipinos do that I think. I saw most people leave uneaten food on their plate when we went out and ate dinner at Chilis one evening.
5. In the State of California, driving is almost always a necessity. There were only a handful of cabs around and these I saw when we passed by the SFO airport on the way to Daly City. Most people drive their own cars and since they drive in miles per hour unlike in the Philippines where our speed limit is in kilometers per hour, taking a cab is more a rarity than a necessity.
6. I learned from our Ninang Liklik that the State of California, also known as the Golden State is called thus because the grass in California turn yellow from lack of water thus giving the hillsides its 'golden' color. Actually, if not for the irrigation, much of California would be desert.
7. The sun does not set until latest so far 9 in the evening! This is because its the summer months. They assure me that come October, 6 o'clock in the evening then would be pitch black. Its still disconcerting to realize that its already 8 in the evening and dusk is just settling in.
8. Their offices here are surrounded by trees and nature. Also, the cluster of buildings of a company are called campuses. As expected things are more technologically advanced (i.e. a motion detector is found in most offices. It turns off lights in the room if no motion is detected within the room for a certain amount of time. Part of their energy saving measures).
9. The microwave is an essential part of the kitchen and a wife's life. There are meals that you just pop into the microwave a voila! a meal in under a minute. As for me though, nothing still beats food that is cooked from scratch or at the very least requires some other steps before it can be palatable.
10. Lastly for this list -- cellphones here are used more for calls rather than for text messages. Only the Filipinos text. I guess it ties up with the American way of doing things -- instantaneously.
As Junby says, life in the US is not necessarily better than life in the Philippines. Its just different. Both worlds hold their own list of advantages and disadvantages. What is important I guess is to not forget who you are even as you venture out into discovering who else you can be. :) That's all for now folks! Will post pictures of my trip in San Francisco in my multiply blog. More posts to come in the future, I hope :)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
God is Good
Hi folks! I'm writing this from the warmth of our bed in San Jose, California. Yup! I'm finally where I'm supposed to be -- with my husband and truly starting our family life. :) While thinking of an appropriate title for this post, I couldn't help but smile and thank God for His goodness to me and my family. :) After all the prayers uttered by you, our family and friends, God in His good time has brought me here to be by my husband's side finally. That, I think, is one major concern that is now lifted from Junby's heart.
We arrived last night, around 9 pm SF time. Leaving the confines of the plane, I thought I had entered a fully air conditioned building, only to learn from Junby that that was how it actually is outside in SF! Brrrr....I'm blessed though since I arrive at the beginning of summer. Another blessing is that one side benefit of being pregnant is having a higher than my normal body temperature. So I think baby is keeping me warm din :P So much so I can walk around in silk pajamas and feet shod in warm socks puttering around our kitchen kanina putting things away, etc.
We were met at the airport by Josh, Junby's handsome cousin (oh, Josh pinupuri na kita dito!). We first went to the condo to drop off our luggage then Josh drove us to Ninang Liklik's home so Junby can pick up our car. We were supposed to do it quietly so as not to wake Tita Liklik and Tito but Tito was up so we chatted a bit, Junby and I raided Tita Liklik's ref for a late night meal and we were on our way home at about 1:30 in the morning :) Junby and I were still feeling awake since it was just afternoon in the Philippines but we hoped to sleep since Junby has work today, the poor dear.
There's a lot to fix up here at the condo but I'm excited as the realization that this is my home is slowly sinking in. How this home turns out is up to me and Junby. I have to remind myself though to take it easy this first day. After all, I am pregnant (I sometimes forget :P unless I see myself in a mirror :P) and I'm still supposed to be adjusting with jet lag and all. Though at the moment I don't feel tired but still best to keep at a slower pace :)
For the first time, I got to 'prepare' breakfast for Junby here at our own place. I say 'prepare' since I don't feel I really did anything since most of what we did for this morning was to microwave stuff :P That goes against my traditional view of cooking but since we don't have pots and pans and stuff like that I'm experiencing the American way of doing things :P. Hopefully sometime this week I can get myself some kitchenware and try my hand at real cooking. I'm nowhere near a good cook as my cousin J, but they all say it's practice and since Junby is committed to me for life, he has no choice. Hehehe.
Anyway, this post is getting quite long. Will take a nap now since its supposedly near to 1 am in the Philippines. Hope my husband is ok at work since he doesn't have the luxury of sleeping like I do. All in all, God is good indeed. All is Grace, don't you agree?
We arrived last night, around 9 pm SF time. Leaving the confines of the plane, I thought I had entered a fully air conditioned building, only to learn from Junby that that was how it actually is outside in SF! Brrrr....I'm blessed though since I arrive at the beginning of summer. Another blessing is that one side benefit of being pregnant is having a higher than my normal body temperature. So I think baby is keeping me warm din :P So much so I can walk around in silk pajamas and feet shod in warm socks puttering around our kitchen kanina putting things away, etc.
We were met at the airport by Josh, Junby's handsome cousin (oh, Josh pinupuri na kita dito!). We first went to the condo to drop off our luggage then Josh drove us to Ninang Liklik's home so Junby can pick up our car. We were supposed to do it quietly so as not to wake Tita Liklik and Tito but Tito was up so we chatted a bit, Junby and I raided Tita Liklik's ref for a late night meal and we were on our way home at about 1:30 in the morning :) Junby and I were still feeling awake since it was just afternoon in the Philippines but we hoped to sleep since Junby has work today, the poor dear.
There's a lot to fix up here at the condo but I'm excited as the realization that this is my home is slowly sinking in. How this home turns out is up to me and Junby. I have to remind myself though to take it easy this first day. After all, I am pregnant (I sometimes forget :P unless I see myself in a mirror :P) and I'm still supposed to be adjusting with jet lag and all. Though at the moment I don't feel tired but still best to keep at a slower pace :)
For the first time, I got to 'prepare' breakfast for Junby here at our own place. I say 'prepare' since I don't feel I really did anything since most of what we did for this morning was to microwave stuff :P That goes against my traditional view of cooking but since we don't have pots and pans and stuff like that I'm experiencing the American way of doing things :P. Hopefully sometime this week I can get myself some kitchenware and try my hand at real cooking. I'm nowhere near a good cook as my cousin J, but they all say it's practice and since Junby is committed to me for life, he has no choice. Hehehe.
Anyway, this post is getting quite long. Will take a nap now since its supposedly near to 1 am in the Philippines. Hope my husband is ok at work since he doesn't have the luxury of sleeping like I do. All in all, God is good indeed. All is Grace, don't you agree?
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thank you for all your prayers!
Hello folks! Only now do I have the time and the opportunity to write off a quick post about my visa interview last May 13, 2008.
I left for Manila May 5, 2008 so that I can have my medical examination at St. Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic at Ermita early the next day. Come May 6, 2008 I went to SLMC with my mother-in-law, Mommy Ester. We got there at around 7 AM and there was already a long line of people filing in. I was number 132. I filled out the forms required and waited for my name to be called. After the form was assessed I had my picture taken then lined up to pay. As of this month, they had increased the fees from $182 to $213. Yup, that's right -- the fees were in dollars, but we had to pay in its peso equivalent. Ouch! It was in payment mostly for the vaccines that they required us to have. Though as it turns out, I wasn't given any vaccinations due to my pregnancy. Wonder if I could get a refund? Hehehe
Junby and I had decided not to avail of the x-ray they asked for, as part of our precaution for the baby's health but as the lady in charge of the x-ray lab explained to me, I could opt not to have an x-ray done now but instead wait until I give birth then have my x-ray done. The only catch was my medical records will not be released and will have to reschedule my visa interview to a later date -- meaning when I choose to have my x-ray done. Talk about choices. What sort of choice does that leave me then?! I was silently fuming at that. If anything happens to my baby and I can trace it to that x-ray procedure, God help that woman...grrr....Left with no choice I submitted myself to the x-ray procedure. They did have a shield of sorts for the abdomen but still, I can just pray that such exposure didn't harm the baby in any way. I was done by 3 pm. I was asked to go back the next day at 9 am to pick up the results, so we happily went home with the knowledge that at least the next day, all I had to do was pick up the results. Wrong.
May 7, 2008 was a wasted day for me. I got to SLMC extension clinic quarter to nine, dropped my receipt in the designated box and chose a seat to wait for my name to be called. Though there was a warning that our results will not be given out on a first come, first served basis but rather on the complexity of our medical case, I didn't expect to be sitting there until 3:30 pm only to hear my name being announced on the PA system to proceed to the immunization center. When I followed up and informed them that the physician who saw me the day before had already indicated I was not to receive any immunization shots, they told me to go back to the releasing area to wait for my name to be called...again. All in all, I finally got my x-ray plate and immunization record (which were the only ones they released to me, the rest of my medical records together with my passport and 2 pcs of 2x2 pics were going to be delivered to the US embassy by SLMC) at around 5:30 pm!?!?! Hayyyyy....good thing I went there on my own that second day. Kawawa naman ang mother-in-law ko if she accompanied me pa. I ended up making friends with the people to my right and my left after sitting there for the whole day, it seemed like a better option than silently fuming over the waste of my time there. :P
Junby had decided to come home to be with me during the visa interview and I was glad for his presence that day. We went to the US embassy and were at the gates by 6:40 having been advised to show up an hour before our scheduled interview at 7:30. There was already a line there but thankfully it moved quickly. I was impressed by the efficiency of how the folks at US embassy handled the crowds. Though our numbers weren't called in order, the turnover was quick. Good thing we had gone there having prepared our documents the day before so there was no need to scrounge around for all the different documents we were supposed to submit. We were done with the interview by 10:30 am. I remember telling myself not to smile too widely as we left the consular office where we were interviewed. Thank God the lady who interviewed us was quite pleasant. She just confirmed some details, looked at some of the photographs we submitted and pleasantly said there were no problems and my visa application was approved! Praise be to God!
Junby's presence there also helped, I guess. Both for me emotionally and for the consular officer and the pre-screening personnel. At the pre-screening the lady asked him to explain how he got to be in the US if we had met way back in college, etc. So all in all, it went well. Thank you for all your prayers! Now we are waiting for my visa to be delivered, which we hope to receive in the coming days and then its off to the US by the 26th God willing. So keep us in your prayers folks and thank you, thank you, thank you!
I left for Manila May 5, 2008 so that I can have my medical examination at St. Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic at Ermita early the next day. Come May 6, 2008 I went to SLMC with my mother-in-law, Mommy Ester. We got there at around 7 AM and there was already a long line of people filing in. I was number 132. I filled out the forms required and waited for my name to be called. After the form was assessed I had my picture taken then lined up to pay. As of this month, they had increased the fees from $182 to $213. Yup, that's right -- the fees were in dollars, but we had to pay in its peso equivalent. Ouch! It was in payment mostly for the vaccines that they required us to have. Though as it turns out, I wasn't given any vaccinations due to my pregnancy. Wonder if I could get a refund? Hehehe
Junby and I had decided not to avail of the x-ray they asked for, as part of our precaution for the baby's health but as the lady in charge of the x-ray lab explained to me, I could opt not to have an x-ray done now but instead wait until I give birth then have my x-ray done. The only catch was my medical records will not be released and will have to reschedule my visa interview to a later date -- meaning when I choose to have my x-ray done. Talk about choices. What sort of choice does that leave me then?! I was silently fuming at that. If anything happens to my baby and I can trace it to that x-ray procedure, God help that woman...grrr....Left with no choice I submitted myself to the x-ray procedure. They did have a shield of sorts for the abdomen but still, I can just pray that such exposure didn't harm the baby in any way. I was done by 3 pm. I was asked to go back the next day at 9 am to pick up the results, so we happily went home with the knowledge that at least the next day, all I had to do was pick up the results. Wrong.
May 7, 2008 was a wasted day for me. I got to SLMC extension clinic quarter to nine, dropped my receipt in the designated box and chose a seat to wait for my name to be called. Though there was a warning that our results will not be given out on a first come, first served basis but rather on the complexity of our medical case, I didn't expect to be sitting there until 3:30 pm only to hear my name being announced on the PA system to proceed to the immunization center. When I followed up and informed them that the physician who saw me the day before had already indicated I was not to receive any immunization shots, they told me to go back to the releasing area to wait for my name to be called...again. All in all, I finally got my x-ray plate and immunization record (which were the only ones they released to me, the rest of my medical records together with my passport and 2 pcs of 2x2 pics were going to be delivered to the US embassy by SLMC) at around 5:30 pm!?!?! Hayyyyy....good thing I went there on my own that second day. Kawawa naman ang mother-in-law ko if she accompanied me pa. I ended up making friends with the people to my right and my left after sitting there for the whole day, it seemed like a better option than silently fuming over the waste of my time there. :P
Junby had decided to come home to be with me during the visa interview and I was glad for his presence that day. We went to the US embassy and were at the gates by 6:40 having been advised to show up an hour before our scheduled interview at 7:30. There was already a line there but thankfully it moved quickly. I was impressed by the efficiency of how the folks at US embassy handled the crowds. Though our numbers weren't called in order, the turnover was quick. Good thing we had gone there having prepared our documents the day before so there was no need to scrounge around for all the different documents we were supposed to submit. We were done with the interview by 10:30 am. I remember telling myself not to smile too widely as we left the consular office where we were interviewed. Thank God the lady who interviewed us was quite pleasant. She just confirmed some details, looked at some of the photographs we submitted and pleasantly said there were no problems and my visa application was approved! Praise be to God!
Junby's presence there also helped, I guess. Both for me emotionally and for the consular officer and the pre-screening personnel. At the pre-screening the lady asked him to explain how he got to be in the US if we had met way back in college, etc. So all in all, it went well. Thank you for all your prayers! Now we are waiting for my visa to be delivered, which we hope to receive in the coming days and then its off to the US by the 26th God willing. So keep us in your prayers folks and thank you, thank you, thank you!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Songs from the past...
When I hear the strains of these songs, I am brought back to the times I spent lazy Sundays with Papa. These memories now are a comfort. . .
Thursday, April 17, 2008
At it again...
I woke up early this morning, the second time for this week. The first time was last Wednesday to pick up my passport from the DFA in Iloilo and to have my Teacher's License changed from my maiden name to my married name. DFA wasn't so bad since I only had to pick up my updated passport, which I got by 8:30 AM. PRC was another matter altogether. We were unfortunate enough to join the mass of nursing students filing for their board exam in June so we found ourselves at the tail end of the line (which was on the street but began three floors up to the door of the PRC office) just to get a number so we could enter and get the steps from the information desk. Each time we had to go through the next step, we had to line up again for a new number. talk about inefficiency. The office was also quite small and so if your number isn't up yet you had to wait outside in the claustrophobic hallway with its limited seats. So more often than not, you find yourself standing for an hour or more just waiting for your number to be serviced. By God's grace we got to finish all the required steps by 2:40, and was able to make it back to the pier and take the 3:30 ferry back to Bacolod.
This second time, I lined up for my NBI clearance at 6 in the morning. Yup, 6 AM. And I was number 40 on the list already. Then we had to wait for the office to actually open at 8 AM. Then they called us by name according to the list, gave us forms then lined up for them to check if we filled it all out and then fingerprinting -- all the fingers on both hands! :-o then you go to the next portion of the building to wait for your number to be called to pay the cashier, get your photo done and hopefully your NBI clearance. If you are one of the unlucky ones like myself, and you get a 'hit' on your name, you are asked to come back after 15 days for verification. A 'hit', I learned is when they find amongst their records someone with the same name or last name as yours. So as luck would have it I had a hit and I need to go back to them on the 30th of April. That means another early morning lining up, and missing work until 10 am (if you are lucky) :P
O well, this is something I need to do since the NBI clearance is needed for the visa interview on May 13. Sigh. It's just that its so tiring and a waste of valuable time. :( May God give me strength when I'm at it again come the 30th. Keep my interview in your prayers! Thanks :)
This second time, I lined up for my NBI clearance at 6 in the morning. Yup, 6 AM. And I was number 40 on the list already. Then we had to wait for the office to actually open at 8 AM. Then they called us by name according to the list, gave us forms then lined up for them to check if we filled it all out and then fingerprinting -- all the fingers on both hands! :-o then you go to the next portion of the building to wait for your number to be called to pay the cashier, get your photo done and hopefully your NBI clearance. If you are one of the unlucky ones like myself, and you get a 'hit' on your name, you are asked to come back after 15 days for verification. A 'hit', I learned is when they find amongst their records someone with the same name or last name as yours. So as luck would have it I had a hit and I need to go back to them on the 30th of April. That means another early morning lining up, and missing work until 10 am (if you are lucky) :P
O well, this is something I need to do since the NBI clearance is needed for the visa interview on May 13. Sigh. It's just that its so tiring and a waste of valuable time. :( May God give me strength when I'm at it again come the 30th. Keep my interview in your prayers! Thanks :)
Friday, April 11, 2008
A Testimony of Gratefulness
Yesterday was a blessed day, as if every day isn't :P I got to confirm my visa interview at the US Embassy. It will be on May 13, 2008 at 7:30 AM. So now, its time to storm heaven once again so that when I go through my interview, they won't find anything wrong with my papers and will approve my application by the end of the interview.
That schedule was an answered prayer through the intercession of St Therese of Liseaux. Junby and I have been praying to her the past months for my visa approval to be given by the month of May. I see the schedule as part of her answer to my petitions. :) Today, as I pondered on God's goodness, a song from Touched by an Angel came to mind. Here is that particular portion of that episode...Enjoy and may your heart sing in praise of God even in the midst of situations that bring us to tears...:)
That schedule was an answered prayer through the intercession of St Therese of Liseaux. Junby and I have been praying to her the past months for my visa approval to be given by the month of May. I see the schedule as part of her answer to my petitions. :) Today, as I pondered on God's goodness, a song from Touched by an Angel came to mind. Here is that particular portion of that episode...Enjoy and may your heart sing in praise of God even in the midst of situations that bring us to tears...:)
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
A peek into my womb :)
Hi folks! Here is the first look at our baby. . . I think Junby's penchant for anime might be find expression in our kid...what do you think? When I first saw this I was amazed. There really is a live, human being inside of me. Amazing. . . Ang galing ni Jesus!
Monday, April 07, 2008
A Summer Afternoon
It's been a while I know since I last blogged. Too many things happening in the days since I last dropped a line here. I'm back living with my Mama, sister, niece and 91 year old grandmother. Junby flew to the US last Friday, after many delays brought about by his unexpected rise in Blood Pressure -- high enough to have the doctor forbid his taking the 11 hour flight two weeks ago.
Today is a holiday -- or so according to GMA who has a tendency to move holidays like it was just an afterthought. I've spent most of this morning either sleeping (my favorite pastime for the past days) or before coming online, going through the different boxes of stuff Junby and I moved from our apartment to here. I never realized I could accumulate so much stuff in the three months! Well, now is as good a time as any to fix up. It's a prelude to my fixing my stuff up for my eventual move to the US which we pray will happen by next month.
I'm also entering my second trimester which according to Ms. Anne, my second boss at Misyon, is pregnancy heaven. I agree. I don't feel as fatigued as before and I don't feel so bloated and all that. Haven't had any throwing up fits either for the past three days and I'm hoping it will continue to the end na. :) Junby will soon post a picture of our baby (an ultrasound actually).
Well time to return to doing some online work before going back to sorting through stuff. Take care everyone and welcome Summer! I'd love a halo-halo right about now... :p
Today is a holiday -- or so according to GMA who has a tendency to move holidays like it was just an afterthought. I've spent most of this morning either sleeping (my favorite pastime for the past days) or before coming online, going through the different boxes of stuff Junby and I moved from our apartment to here. I never realized I could accumulate so much stuff in the three months! Well, now is as good a time as any to fix up. It's a prelude to my fixing my stuff up for my eventual move to the US which we pray will happen by next month.
I'm also entering my second trimester which according to Ms. Anne, my second boss at Misyon, is pregnancy heaven. I agree. I don't feel as fatigued as before and I don't feel so bloated and all that. Haven't had any throwing up fits either for the past three days and I'm hoping it will continue to the end na. :) Junby will soon post a picture of our baby (an ultrasound actually).
Well time to return to doing some online work before going back to sorting through stuff. Take care everyone and welcome Summer! I'd love a halo-halo right about now... :p
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Good Friday thoughts...
Today, the whole of Christendom celebrates Good Friday. The day that turned the world upside down, when God who became man, seemingly suffered the bitterest of defeat. I don't have much to share being quite listless the whole day. It could be because I'm still more or less experiencing fatigue brought about by my pregnancy. (I find myself getting irritated with myself for being so weak). It's quite humbling actually to realize that for all that I pride myself at being quite energetic, these past months have proven that I'm not quite as invincible as I thought myself to be.
I'm looking forward to the end of my first trimester. This week is my 12th week and most books I've been reading have said after the first trimester, things will start to look up -- lessening of fatigue, disappearance of nausea (yessss!) and being able to eat more or less normally.
I guess I'm also listless because tomorrow Junby and I are flying to Manila. He's flying back to the US on Easter Sunday and I'm seeing him off. I'm going to miss him definitely but I won't make it more difficult for him by crying and asking him not to leave me (sounds like a line from a movie... :p ). He's having a hard time as it is. Its the least I can do to put on a brave face and take things as they are. Lesson I learned from my Mama. :)
All in all though, its been a blessing that he has been able to spend so much time with me after the wedding. Also another blessing is his new work which allowed him some extra weeks here rather than go back to the US by February. So, I may be in the midst of my own little Good Friday but I can join my private sorrow with Jesus' and hope to see an Easter morning soon. :)
I'm looking forward to the end of my first trimester. This week is my 12th week and most books I've been reading have said after the first trimester, things will start to look up -- lessening of fatigue, disappearance of nausea (yessss!) and being able to eat more or less normally.
I guess I'm also listless because tomorrow Junby and I are flying to Manila. He's flying back to the US on Easter Sunday and I'm seeing him off. I'm going to miss him definitely but I won't make it more difficult for him by crying and asking him not to leave me (sounds like a line from a movie... :p ). He's having a hard time as it is. Its the least I can do to put on a brave face and take things as they are. Lesson I learned from my Mama. :)
All in all though, its been a blessing that he has been able to spend so much time with me after the wedding. Also another blessing is his new work which allowed him some extra weeks here rather than go back to the US by February. So, I may be in the midst of my own little Good Friday but I can join my private sorrow with Jesus' and hope to see an Easter morning soon. :)
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
A quick pick-me upper
I know I haven't blogged much lately :) You could say the effects of pregnancy make blogging something that isn't top priority. Been going through the classic symptoms of the first trimester, including "morning" sickness. I placed that in quotation marks since going to the bathroom and 'worshiping the porcelain god', according to my husband, isn't limited to mornings. I won't bore you with all the details :)
Anyway, taking a break from working on our website, Misyon online, I decided to surf for some videos to brighten up my day. I found this. This is my favorite scene from the movie Raise Your Voice featuring Hillary Duff. The main character played by Hillary lost her desire to sing when her brother died in a car accident while she, the passenger, survived. The lyrics of the song help me now to remember that with everything considered, I can survive the next couple of weeks before my first trimester ends. Hehe. Enjoy!
Anyway, taking a break from working on our website, Misyon online, I decided to surf for some videos to brighten up my day. I found this. This is my favorite scene from the movie Raise Your Voice featuring Hillary Duff. The main character played by Hillary lost her desire to sing when her brother died in a car accident while she, the passenger, survived. The lyrics of the song help me now to remember that with everything considered, I can survive the next couple of weeks before my first trimester ends. Hehe. Enjoy!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Happy Birthday Pangga!
Today is the birthday of my beloved husband of one month and 17 days. Thank you for the love you show me everyday -- how you still open doors for me, carry heavy stuff for me (I draw the line when you offer to carry my shoulder bag for me), pray for my concerns, give me great back rubs, cheerfully go about the chores at home, tell me how pretty I am and how much you love me, listen to me, serve with me in CYA and even drop what you are doing to answer my requests for assistance -- the internet kind. Thank you for all that and more. Happy Birthday! I am glad God saw it fit for me to be your partner. It took several years apart for Him to work on us both but it seems God knew what He was about. As you celebrate your birthday today -- I'd like to bless you with my favorite prayer (one that whenever it is uttered, brings me to tears for it reminds me of God's most loving presence) :
The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! Numbers 6:24-26
Friday, January 18, 2008
Why God made Grandmas....
While I was looking for stuff that would lift my spirit today, I remembered that there is a Christian version of youtube. It's called Godtube. So I decided to surf that. I found several heartwarming videos but this one topped it for me today. My lola turned 91 years old last January 7, 2008 and the past days she has become progressively weaker. Now she can't stand nor walk when last year she could still quite manage to walk from the bedroom to our sala. She refuses to eat most of the time, that's why she nearly fainted last Sunday. It's heartbreaking to see her slowly wasting away. I guess it's also because we don't talk or interact with her much. I mean, I would literally die of boredom if all I did was stare at the ceiling while the rest of the family went about their own lives.
I love my lola and though I keep vowing to myself to spend more time with her, I am afraid I will wake up one day and find it too late. So tonight, we're eating at home for dinner. And I will make it a point to chat with lola even for just a while. Anyway, this little boy's final insight was what got to me. . .
I love my lola and though I keep vowing to myself to spend more time with her, I am afraid I will wake up one day and find it too late. So tonight, we're eating at home for dinner. And I will make it a point to chat with lola even for just a while. Anyway, this little boy's final insight was what got to me. . .
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
New Year, New Life
Welcome 2008! It's a new year with the offering of a new life in more ways than one. One major change in my life now is that I am now the wife of (hopefully) a very happy man :D We've been keeping a separate blog for all that is wedding-related but since I don't have the time to upload all the nice pictures that were taken during the wedding, I'm posting here the links to some of sites that do have pictures :) Hope you have time to visit them. If not, a murmured prayer for me and my husband, Leonides Saguisag Jr would be most appreciated. Here are some links:
http://junbyandmitzi.blogspot.com/
http://mtfr.multiply.com/photos/album/8/A_Day_to_Remember
Getting married, being a major undertaking, both in terms of preparation and the actual event I have been unable to post any of my thoughts and opinions. I hope to have more time to do that once I finish up the stack of work that piled up when I went off to our honeymoon in Palawan and the subsequent holiday disorders. Suffice it to say that now that we are back in Bacolod and starting to settle down to some sort of 'normal' living, I will have more time to ruminate on the past and to plan and aim for dreams with my husband this time. :)
Time to get back to work. Hehehe. Just couldn't resist posting one tiny thought before tackling this webpage I'm working on. I look forward to the coming days as Junby and I start to settle down to a routine and to the exciting world of Marriage. :D
http://junbyandmitzi.blogspot.com/
http://mtfr.multiply.com/photos/album/8/A_Day_to_Remember
Getting married, being a major undertaking, both in terms of preparation and the actual event I have been unable to post any of my thoughts and opinions. I hope to have more time to do that once I finish up the stack of work that piled up when I went off to our honeymoon in Palawan and the subsequent holiday disorders. Suffice it to say that now that we are back in Bacolod and starting to settle down to some sort of 'normal' living, I will have more time to ruminate on the past and to plan and aim for dreams with my husband this time. :)
Time to get back to work. Hehehe. Just couldn't resist posting one tiny thought before tackling this webpage I'm working on. I look forward to the coming days as Junby and I start to settle down to a routine and to the exciting world of Marriage. :D
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Who says you need to be great to make a difference?
I was reading my regular fare of inspirational stuff and decided to post this. Most of us won't ever get into key positions that can change the world in a major way but like this man, we can actually mean the world to someone else. It doesn't take much to do as well -- a little smile, a listening ear and heart, a few minutes of chatting. After watching this video, I am encouraged to look, really LOOK at some of the people I normally pass by or don't have much time for -- my 90 year old Lola who has alzheimer's , my talkative niece, etc. I just might be better for it. 
 clipped from www.beliefnet.com
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Monday, November 05, 2007
I need to get out more often. . .
While waiting for my turn, I was stumbling along quite happily when I stumbled upon this site that tests your knowledge of geography. Sad to say I didn't even get past the first level. Which is ok. It just challenges me more to get to know this place I call home, the earth. If you wish to test your own knowledge about our world, here's the game I was playing. . .
Thursday, October 25, 2007
. . . .
I want to go to the sea. Can someone take me there now? I suddenly long for the roar of the ocean, just like in Infanta. Confronted by the vastness of it, by the rush of the waves and their crashing upon the shore -- all that is unspeakable within me need not be spoken any more. . . .
I want to feel the rushing of a strong wind upon my face -- lifting my hair like a sail behind me. I want to be bathed by the light of a full moon, soothed by its quieting silvery light.
Yet all I can do tonight is sigh. . .a sigh that wells up from deep within me yet cannot be articulated beyond that. Let it suffice for now...Deep calls to Deep.
SIGH. . . .
. . . .
I wrote this post with this Relaxation and Meditation Timer I stumbled upon. It had a choice of songs which you can play in the background with a clock to keep time for you as you meditate or relax. It seemed appropriate somehow...
I want to feel the rushing of a strong wind upon my face -- lifting my hair like a sail behind me. I want to be bathed by the light of a full moon, soothed by its quieting silvery light.
Yet all I can do tonight is sigh. . .a sigh that wells up from deep within me yet cannot be articulated beyond that. Let it suffice for now...Deep calls to Deep.
SIGH. . . .
. . . .
I wrote this post with this Relaxation and Meditation Timer I stumbled upon. It had a choice of songs which you can play in the background with a clock to keep time for you as you meditate or relax. It seemed appropriate somehow...
Monday, October 22, 2007
History, anyone?
I stumbled upon this during my lunch break. It brought to mind my stint as a teacher in World History in my alma mater two years ago (gosh, has it been that long?) It's pretty neat. Wish I had this as one of my visual aid tools back then. It would have made an interesting jump off point for a discussion on the role of religion in terms of the expansion of society. :) Anyway, here it is...watch and learn...
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Getting rid of tunnel vision
When I become caught up in my little world -- with its seemingly BIG concerns, get weighed down by the things that are not going the way I want them to go, when my world seems to have shrunk to me being the center of it -- I need a way to rid myself of, what I call, 'tunnel vision'.
In medical terms, tunnel vision is the loss of peripheral vision with retention of central vision, resulting in a constricted circular tunnel-like field of vision
In layman's terms, it seems as if all that one can see is focused only on one thing, everything else beside it fades away. Well with the wedding day moving closer, I seem to be experiencing a slight tunneling of my vision. I find myself unable to think of the big picture as readily as I used to. Well tonight, while taking a break from wedding-related stuff, I stumbled upon this website with a very inspiring video . . . It's of a professor who was giving his last lecture. The highlights of his lecture helped me get rid of my temporary tunnel vision and restore to me a sense of what this is all for :)
The wedding isn't the end all and be all of everything (though at times I admit it feels like that :P). The whole world will not cease to exist if the invitations are not sent when I planned them to be sent nor will World War III take place if I forget one logistical detail. What is important is the marriage -- the new life I am entering into. Now that is something I need to keep touching base with. All these wedding preparations are actually showing me how I would most likely deal with the stressors that are part and parcel of married life. LIFE -- that is the operative word I have to remember. That was what Professor Randy's lecture was all about.
Thank you to Sara of Healthbolt, the site I found the video at. Thank you to Professor Randy. That was one great Last Lecture!
*Click on the video or the logo WSJ to start the video if pressing on play doesn't work :P
In medical terms, tunnel vision is the loss of peripheral vision with retention of central vision, resulting in a constricted circular tunnel-like field of vision
In layman's terms, it seems as if all that one can see is focused only on one thing, everything else beside it fades away. Well with the wedding day moving closer, I seem to be experiencing a slight tunneling of my vision. I find myself unable to think of the big picture as readily as I used to. Well tonight, while taking a break from wedding-related stuff, I stumbled upon this website with a very inspiring video . . . It's of a professor who was giving his last lecture. The highlights of his lecture helped me get rid of my temporary tunnel vision and restore to me a sense of what this is all for :)
The wedding isn't the end all and be all of everything (though at times I admit it feels like that :P). The whole world will not cease to exist if the invitations are not sent when I planned them to be sent nor will World War III take place if I forget one logistical detail. What is important is the marriage -- the new life I am entering into. Now that is something I need to keep touching base with. All these wedding preparations are actually showing me how I would most likely deal with the stressors that are part and parcel of married life. LIFE -- that is the operative word I have to remember. That was what Professor Randy's lecture was all about.
Thank you to Sara of Healthbolt, the site I found the video at. Thank you to Professor Randy. That was one great Last Lecture!
*Click on the video or the logo WSJ to start the video if pressing on play doesn't work :P
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Deep thoughts on a Windy October morning...
I was going through our forum at www.misyononline.com and saw an old post by my boss. It had a link to an article entitled, 'A Glint of Sapphire' and it was a reflection of sorts by the author and his wife as they celebrated 45 years of marriage. Wow! In this day and age, such longevity in marriages is to be celebrated indeed.
I'd like to share some lines from the article which struck a chord in me and got me thinking about certain things. They quoted the old marriage rite (Pre-Vatican II pa ata) :
“You begin your married life, by the voluntary surrender of your individual lives, in the interest of the deeper and wider life you are to have in common. That future, with its hopes and disappointments, its pleasures and pains, its joys and sorrows, its successes and failures, is hidden from your eyes now. Yet, these elements are mingled in every life. They are to be expected in your own.”
An iron-clad commitment follows: “And so, not knowing what is before you, you take each other for better or for worse; for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in health, until death do you part.”
I hadn't realized until reading this quote that the Church has a very balanced view of life and what it entails. The quoted portions of the rite acknowledged the elements that would be needed for a fulfilled marriage. One element that I found significant is found in the line... "the voluntary surrender of your individual lives, in the interest of the deeper and wider life you are to have in common". Voluntary surrender is an act of the will. You choose to give up your preferences and wants. What for? I know nowadays, there is a strong advocacy for individual rights but then marriage according to these lines is not about individual rights but about a communal life. I used to see surrender as synonymous to defeat but I have been learning that isn't always the case. Surrendering, especially in the context of giving up for something better makes one a victor and not the vanquished. What for are we called to surrender in marriage? We are called to surrender in the interest of a deeper and wider life that is to be lived in common.
No one can quite say, they weren't fairly warned :P I like the line "voluntary surrender of your individual lives" -- yup it is indeed a choice and a choice made everyday I think... :)
And what reassures me is the line that says despite not knowing what is ahead, the couple takes each other as is in all circumstances. No ifs and buts about it. Now that is commitment. I used to want to be 100% sure of my choice of a mate. But then I cannot see a 100% into the future and how things will be but as the article stated,
“And if the unselfish spirit of sacrifice guide your every action, you can expect the greatest measure of earthly happiness that may be allotted to a person in this life,” it pledged. “The rest is in the hands of God.”
And I think that's the safest place for my marriage to be at. :)
I'd like to share some lines from the article which struck a chord in me and got me thinking about certain things. They quoted the old marriage rite (Pre-Vatican II pa ata) :
“You begin your married life, by the voluntary surrender of your individual lives, in the interest of the deeper and wider life you are to have in common. That future, with its hopes and disappointments, its pleasures and pains, its joys and sorrows, its successes and failures, is hidden from your eyes now. Yet, these elements are mingled in every life. They are to be expected in your own.”
An iron-clad commitment follows: “And so, not knowing what is before you, you take each other for better or for worse; for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in health, until death do you part.”
I hadn't realized until reading this quote that the Church has a very balanced view of life and what it entails. The quoted portions of the rite acknowledged the elements that would be needed for a fulfilled marriage. One element that I found significant is found in the line... "the voluntary surrender of your individual lives, in the interest of the deeper and wider life you are to have in common". Voluntary surrender is an act of the will. You choose to give up your preferences and wants. What for? I know nowadays, there is a strong advocacy for individual rights but then marriage according to these lines is not about individual rights but about a communal life. I used to see surrender as synonymous to defeat but I have been learning that isn't always the case. Surrendering, especially in the context of giving up for something better makes one a victor and not the vanquished. What for are we called to surrender in marriage? We are called to surrender in the interest of a deeper and wider life that is to be lived in common.
No one can quite say, they weren't fairly warned :P I like the line "voluntary surrender of your individual lives" -- yup it is indeed a choice and a choice made everyday I think... :)
And what reassures me is the line that says despite not knowing what is ahead, the couple takes each other as is in all circumstances. No ifs and buts about it. Now that is commitment. I used to want to be 100% sure of my choice of a mate. But then I cannot see a 100% into the future and how things will be but as the article stated,
“And if the unselfish spirit of sacrifice guide your every action, you can expect the greatest measure of earthly happiness that may be allotted to a person in this life,” it pledged. “The rest is in the hands of God.”
And I think that's the safest place for my marriage to be at. :)
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