Extraordinary Blogger Award

Thank you so much Emzkie for this Award. For me all bloggers are extraordinary because we do some unusual things like staying up very late in the night, have a habit of jotting down every momentous times of their lives, and taking pictures always lol! My kids were always smiling at me whenever I picture an object, an occasion and especially them at their most beautiful and not so beautiful moments. Bloggers have a special way of recording everything online, every little thoughts worth sharing with a friend.

Aren’t we all XXXtraordinary? So I’m going to give this award to everyone in my list
because everyone of you deserve this XXXtraordinary Blogger Award. Come and get it!.

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Lola Has Passed Away

We were on Nanay Rosing's house last Saturday when we learned that my hubby's granny died early in the morning. It was a sad thing for me as Ed hasn't paid her a visit a couple of months now since his job took most of his time leaving him just the Sunday Fellowship to attend to, no more time for visiting relatives and his family in fairview. Lola Sima was a really nice granny, whenever I call her from my office she always has a lot of stories to tell, she even talked to me in Waray language forgetting that I won't be able to understand her but nevertheless it was always fun talking to her, I'll surely miss that.

After Sunday service we headed straight to Lola even if our backlight failed, we just traveled in moderate speed with hazard lights on. With God's guidance we reached the place safely but we never risked ourselves into traveling again at night, we waited for the light in the morning before we finally go home. We stayed the night there with Ed's Uncle giving hubby's important documents stored in their house, my hubby stayed with his Lola, Uncle and Auntie when he's still single before we got married. So his uncle is like a father to him also.

During our short stay there amidst the visitors who paid visits to Lola, Ed had a nice sharing with Uncle Floren about our faith and God's word. He has an open-minded heart so their sharing went smoothly. I just can't control my tired eyes and body and decided to rest for a while and after some minutes they also rested leaving Uncle and one relative to watch over. We wanted to stay more but the kids will go to school before 7am so at around 5am we headed home just in time for the kids' service and for me to prepare our things for our office works. Ed will be there later in the evening again and will stay the night again.

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Geng's Wonderful Thoughts Online

I'm so happy today seeing my friend Geng really serious about her journal. When we were still officemates she was very interested on having her own diary online, she has a flair for writing also and my journals inspired her into signing up to blogging. Now that she's already left the office world and chose to be a preparatory teacher in a christian school near her house she decided to start her journal. So friends if you have time and interest to take a look at her site please visit Geng's Wonderful Thoughts Online and you'll have a taste of her wonderful thoughts about life, parenting, childcare and special moments in her kid and family's life. You can also leave some comments on her.

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Ciudad Christia's Nine Waves

Had fun in Ciudad Christia’s Nine Waves, it’s like an outing of the Abug and Tebrero family. It’s also a birthday celebration of Ate Zeny’s daughter Megan who just turned 9 last January 24. As they flew all the way from England to have a 2-week vacation here they chose to celebrate Megan’s birthday here in the Philippines to be with her Filipino relatives especially her cousins. Got plenty of food – cakes, pasta, maja, biko, hotdogs, barbeques, lumpiang shanghai and ubod, adobo, egg pies, I can’t remember all lol!
The place was nice and the waves were great as the pool resembles a seaside with waves rolling down the pool like you’re in a beach. Kids were shouting and yelling as the watery waves splashed unto their bodies almost toppling them down. I didn’t swam as Ed wasn’t there to watch over them, I’m like a life guard watching my three kids’ as they endlessly swam the water. They only rest to eat some food and during the singing of happy birthday to Megan. Megan was also happy as she patiently blew the candle amidst the wind. Glad she liked my kids’ gift though it was only a Word Factory. Ate Zeny told me that she likes playing that game. Actually it’s my favorite game when I was a kid (until now lol). I had difficulty in convincing my kids to stop swimming to get ready for home as they really never want to go home J. Had lots of food so we all packed some pasalubong for those who didn’t make it to Megan’s birthday.

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Quirky Things About Me

I have been tagged by my new friend. Gamay thanks for sharing this to me.

Here goes - let me indulge you the 6 quirky or not so normal things about me-:)

1. I like to eat desserts with something salty beside it (e.g. fruit salad with lumpiang shang-hai) I felt incomplete when eating sweet foods without salty ones.

2. I love to cook but I’m not that keen on tasting my final cooked menu, now I’m studying cooking without tasting (just like Jewel in the Palace)

3. I can’t stand the sight of a bird locked in a cage, I like them flying on open spaces. Small cages for bird or some animals seem like a very hard habitat for them.

4. When I’m over pressured it only takes one chocolate bar or a strong cup of coffee to wipe the pressure out of my system

5. I always take pictures whenever I want especially now that I’m a blogger I take pictures of almost anything worth writing for – foods, funny moments, places, babies and many other things, believe me I’m always like that lol!

6. I can’t seem to breathe on closed-door places or confined rooms. I’m a claustrophobic person.

Actually I have many other quirky things about me. I’m tagging everyone on my list here. Feel free to get it if you want.

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How Filipino Are You?

Got this tag from Butchay its all about being a filipino and how strong we are about it.

Here it goes:

1. you can speak Filipino (erstwhile Tagalog)
2. whenever necessary, you take the hand of an elder relative and pat the back of the palm of that hand to your forehead and say “mano po”
3. you know "bayanihan" and had witnessed it personally at least once
4. you've seen a bahay kubo at least once
5. you've ridden on a jeepney at least five times
6. you have separate clothes for in-house and outside use (pambahay at panglakad)
7. you've eaten adobo, dinuguan, kakanin, tuyo, dilis
8. your meal is incomplete if without rice
9. you hear Sunday masses and attend Misa de Gallo with your family
10. you can sing "Lupang Hinirang" very well, with no lines missed
11. you don't care donning ragged and torn clothes exclusively for use inside home
12. you have bought items in a "sari-sari store" at least ten times
13. you have played patintero, tumbang preso and piko during your childhood
14. you can sing at least five OPM songs, and know what OPM means
15. you know the Philippine presidents from the year of your birth onwards
16. you have witnessed "balagtasan" at least thrice
17. you've been recounted with stories involving aswang, tikbalang, manananggal, nuno sa punso
18. you've been read, have read or have heard Filipino legends (Ang Alamat ng...)
19. you've lived, stayed or visited Philippine places other than your city or town at least seven times
20. you've visited local (or public) wet market at least five times
21. you text message more instead of calling.
22. you always bring pasalubong to your friends or family when you went out of town or out of the country.
23. you’ve read Funny Comics during your childhood.

So I've got all! Well, I'm a true Filipino in thoughts, in words and in deeds :-)

Here's the gauge to tell how Filipino you are:
----------------------------------------------
20 - 23 = The Filipino blood, spirit and flame burns intensely in you. You are the typical Filipino, who takes pride of your nationality.
15 - 19 = You are proud of your being Filipino and that the traits unique to most Filipinos live in you.
11 - 14 = You are the Filipino who, even adopting strongly the cultures of other nations, still don't forget some old ways of the Filipino life.
7 - 10 = The Filipino culture has little by little been forgotten by you. You need to at least try some of the items mentioned.
4 - 6 = The Filipino culture has substantially faded in you, or that you have not been exposed to the true, authentic traits of being a Filipino.1 - 3 = You're a Filipino, only that you may have not been born and raised in the Philippines and had not lived up or been accustomed to the ways of Filipino living.
0 = You're not a Filipino.

Now let me test some of my blogger friends! I'm passing the tag to the ff: JennyL, JennyR, JenGlomar, Darlene, Lutchi, Yen, Cherry Rose, Tere, Garf, Emzkie, Recel, Ritchiela,Ivy, Roselle, In-In, Genelyne and Beng! Kindly inform me after you finish answering this tag, I want to know you better!

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A Wonderful Morning!

"The beauty of the morning is not the sunrise
but the thought of God giving us
another day to touch other lives"

Upon waking up early dawn I received this text message from our Pastor in the church and this simple message made my simple morning a very special one acknowledging the true essence of being that God is always giving us time to do something good for others. We all have unique purpose in life. Realization should come to us that another day was given to us as another chance to correct our wrongdoings and an opportunity was thrown to us to fully understand our role in life. Our role is to touch other lives so they can also share it with others. So start this beautiful morning in touching other lives. Be blessed always!

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Reminiscing Ed's Birthday

It’s hubby's birthday today and I can’t help to remember 13 years ago when he had his first birthday with me, can’t forget Jan.22, 1995 just a month and a half after I committed myself into a different stage of relationship with him and that’s accepting his love proposition. We were best friends for nearly two years then and just realized that we can’t be just special friends, he wanted a deeper commitment and that’s entering the bf/gf relationship. After we committed ourselves to each other he asked me right there and then when will I want to marry him because he’ll start saving for our wedding. He then gave me his ATM so I can handle his finances for a better saving plan.

We kept this commitment a secret to our friends and church mates (my family knew of course!) so when his birthday came up and my church mates asked and teased him for some blowout they caught him asking me for money to buy food. They were puzzled as best friends don’t do that - sharing money you know lol! – That’s the time that we have to announce that we’re ON. So his birthday turned into a real celebration because our friends were so happy for us and their speculations were confirmed as they sensed something different in us for the past weeks.

This incident of breaking out news led to a schedule of counseling with our Pastor, in our church we have counseling for girl-boy relationship to set out the rules and the Do’s and Don’ts (really strict lol). Commitment is a very special thing as when you say I Love You it’s vowing to God that you and the person you love will promise to be loyal to each other. It’s a serious kind of thing for born-again Christians to profess love for a fellow christian. The promise must not be taken for granted. We prayed for this relationship and love to be guided by God and to carry us through our lives. And here we are married and still deeply in love for nearly 12 years. GOD is Really Good …….All The Time.

Picture - Ed and Me at Picnic Grove April 1996 before our wedding

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Blessings In My Life

JennyL tagged me with this one, Thanks Bes for allowing me to share my blessings. God is good all the time.

1. I am thankful for all the spiritual blessings that God is always giving me and my family, for the faith that he’s always rekindling in our innerself.
2. I am thankful for Ed giving me love and understanding always, he is one of the best blessings I have in my life.
3. I am thankful for my three angels Ruth, Genesis and Joshua, they’re my inspiration.
4. I am thankful for having the best mother and siblings who assists me in caring for my kids.
5. I am thankful for the friendship me and JennyL have shared through the years.
6. I am thankful for having the best Pastor who always guide us spiritually in our daily struggle with life. For treating us like his own children and giving us the best support ever.
7. I am thankful for the good health He’s bestowing on me and my family.
8. I am thankful for my work- 15 years here in DSI-BT&T and for discovering blogging and meeting my online friends, I didn’t just gained money but friends as well who keep visiting me online and keep me company.

I would like to pass this to Emzkie, JennyR, Darlene, Dauphine, Lutch, Yen, Chikkai, EmmyRose, Tere, my friend Geng and to all my blogger friends. Just snag this is if you want.

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God's Loving Hands on Gen

It’s Genesis’ birthday today, my child to whom God showed His mighty love and healing power. It was indeed a miracle to us. We can never forget that last day of June 2000 when she was a year and a half. She slipped from the bed and dropped to the floor and her nanny hide the accident to us. After a day or two the left side of her head began to swell and became very soft that it pains me to even touch or look at her. I was in the office having some deadlines for bidding proposal and I got a call from my husband and cousin that they’re getting ready to go to hospital because she was suspected of having hydrocephalus. I was shocked, got cold feet and was very sad to hear that, I told them to wait for me and got out of the office in a trance. As I board the vehicle going home I talked to God to help us in that crisis and at that moment I felt God’s presence in my being reassuring me that He’s just there beside me. Our Pastor hurried from Cavite and together with Pastor and Ed we offered a request prayer to God for Gen’s healing and recovery. That prayer was a congregation’s prayer too as all of our brethren in the church whether they’re in work or houses joined our prayer at the same time.

We felt God's loving hands on us as Gen’s head stopped becoming bigger and slowly became harder. We let the Spirit of God take in-charge for this as we wouldn’t want her to be in the hospital because doctors might diagnose hydrocephalus and they will open her head. God saved us from suffering all those anxieties and burdens. The next day in our Sunday service we offered our thanksgiving to God for His miracle and the second life of our dear baby Gen.

After three days Gen returned to her normal healthy condition and appearance. You know when this accident happened to her she turned into a chinky-eyed girl with super big head but when she got healed she returned to a cute baby with big beautiful eyes, big cheeks and bedimpled face. When finally her pediatrician checked up Gen she was diagnosed as perfectly healthy.

Now she's 9 years old and I keep thanking and praising God for His wonderful blessing to us. She's turning into a big girl and growing up as a very nice and obedient kid, a super charmer to everyone in the family, in her school and in our church.

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