IF YOU ARE THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM --- YOU ARE IN THE WRONG ROOM

 

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Tacloban City --- I lived there for some few years with my parents and kid brother in my granny's home. I'd rather call it a house. Granny wasn't the granny people picture grannies to be. She was a mystery to me.... distant, circumspect, and I perceived her to be cold. So I never had that grandmother-granddaughter relationship which I saw in my friends' families. She never made a dent on my young mind back then except that she was cold. So much for granny. I hope she's having a great time up there. Maybe she would finally learn to party with the angels and saints.
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My kid brother was a nerd. Intelligent, even-tempered, good with people, great with books, and with his guitar. He could sing, too. Looking back at it now I think he sounded more like Don Maclean. My fondest memories of him were those times when we would butt heads exchanging facts.. insights.. observations.. opinions.. while doing our homework. Now our house was small that wherever you stood you would have the great advantage of seeing the living room, the kitchen, and the bedroom in one momentous mind-boggling instant. (we lived on the ground-floor) Before they invented the word 'open concept' in interior design, we were living in it with the bare necessities of life.
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But in that precious house and home I had the best moments of my life. And the biggest lesson learned from a mother who had the mind as expansive as the universe and a heart as limitless as deity.
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One evening, my brother and I were at our usual mental butting as we defended our respective turf on subjects which turned incessantly on the I-know-better-than-you wheel. We created quite a rumpus with our voices. Dad, with a knowing look in his eye and a secret smile on his face, simply took his cigarette out to the yard. But Mom, who was cooking my favorite chicken adobo in the kitchen, stopped what she was doing and turned to us with this........
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'I hate noise.. and you two get on my nerves like hell. But.... if that is the price to pay to see you learning. Carry on. Just lower your voices a notch, okay?'   (Spoken in waray, the dialect of Taclobanons)
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And I have never stopped learning hence.
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Love life.. love your home.. love your family.. love learning.
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God bless you, your family, and your home.

JUST A FEW SNIPPETS OF A BLESSED DAY WITH FAMILY, June 22, 1914

You don't look to your day thinking it's just another day. Because it is not! Even if it's just eating pancakes, it's special.

So the day started out as a plan for a simple lunch, no big drama on the horizon. As for me, I'm always content sharing family time with my children. So no big deal. These are simply my precious moments.

But a surprise was brewing somewhere....... Yeah, my kids are unbeatable at springing huge surprises. They've got a lot of practice through the years.... i.e. surprise lunch in Tagaytay, a vacation in Boracay, overnight stay in a grand hotel, etc. etc.  It's always the Great Conspiracy.

To sum it all up, the day was so blessed... I was feeling so blessed. My cup runneth over with joy ... grateful to a wonderful family. And last but certainly not the least to a Magnificent God for this lovely gift of family.

Memories one by one..................

 This and the rest -- 

All in the day's gastronomic delight.
P.S.  Pasta with Okra --- a special dish created by daughter Amchit.
Truly a gastronomic revelation!

......................................

 Great time!!

 Flowers --- I love them all....  

anyplace, anytime, anywhere.

 Gosh, can you imagine if they filled that up with 

all of 68 candles?!!

 Thank you, Marco Polo!

 The prettiest birthday cake in the whole wide world!

 Happy mother  :-)

 Amchit, eldest of three girls.

Christine, my daughter and Daniel's wife.

 

Youngest daughter Malen.

 With son-in-law Daniel.

 Lovely gift from Malen. ----  "Dance First. Think Later"

by Kathryn and Ross Petras, 

authors of  "Age Doesn't Matter Unless You're A Cheese"

 My treasures.

So very blessed.

Blessings all! 

 Happiness is spelled  F-A-M-I-L-Y !!!

So there you are...  a special day in the life of lil' ole me..... 

and shared with you all. Thank you. Blessings everyone!

EASTER GREETINGS TO EVERYONE

TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND VISITORS IN THE BLOG

(VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE).....


A HAPPY AND BLESSED EASTER
TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES.



THREE WORDS TO REMEMBER.....
GOD LOVES YOU!

Also this is a good time to thank you for visiting my blog whenever you can. It's appreciated and thank you for leaving me your wonderful comments, messages and for sharing your wisdom and insights too. And those who simply are passing through, blessings to you all.

A FAMILY IS WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE FOR YOU FOR A REASON, BY GOD'S DESIGN

None in the world or in life can compare to a FAMILY. So I don't understand why still some of us seem to hate our families so much. Why? Is it because they are not what you want them to be? or expect them to be? is it because they are not pretty nor wealthy nor educated nor well-positioned .. or whatever else you think they should be for you?

Sorry to disappoint you but truth is we never really get the family we may want. Because God does not always give us what we want. But He does give us what we need.

And what is it that we need?

True Humility ---- to avoid pride or egotism or narcissism.
Good Perspective ---- to avoid putting down our priorities on the unessential
Unflagging Hope ---- to trust in our abilities to survive and achieve goals and dreams
Steady Faith ---- to fall back on when life gets tough and tougher
Common Sense ---- to see and recognize our gold... in life, in things, in people
Courage ---- to be who we are when the world aims to turn us into clones & zombies

And who else can teach, show, or remind us of all that? By being just who they are, our families (they may know this or not) become the reservoir from which we pluck out all the good stuff for our own learning. That is ..... if we are paying close attention.

God gave us our families not just for the visible roles that they are tasked to play in our lives but to serve the purpose God intended to serve the bigger picture of our existence. A family is who and what they are.......... by God's design.

May God's grace and blessing pour out on all families here in Blogspot and out there in the world. Love your families. They're not perfect, true. But they are what you need.

THE WEDDING DAY - (View From A Mother's Eyes) --- " YOU DON'T FIND LOVE, IT FINDS YOU"

Christine with her dolls - 1983

With elder sister, Amchit (L) and younger sister, Malen (R)

With her Mom (L) and the three sisters - apples of their mother's eyes.

And here she is now, Christine: "You don't find love, it finds you." (Excerpt from her wedding vows)












The groom - Daniel C. Salapong













The reception at the North Forbes Pavilion with family, friends, and guests.




The godparents (L) Fr. Tanseco (R)



The couple's wedding dance, with the proud mother/happy mother-in-law looking on.




Enjoying a light moment




Groom serenading his lovely bride



Daniel and Christine thanking everyone who in every special way have helped create the day's wonderful memories -- precious memories to last a lifetime.

Sisters' one quick pose before wrapping things up... a magical night!

Back at the hotel so tired - exhausted - HAPPY!!











"Forever and Longer"

Yes, my story ends here but nope, this is not the end but the beginning for them.. for my Christine. If I may say something....

Dear Daniel and Christine,

Marriage is a lot of things to many different people but what it is is this --- A marriage is defined by what you do or not do with it.. as individuals and together as husband and wife. A marriage is learning from each other -- is taking care of each other -- is being each other's best friend -- is loving each other with heart mind and soul -- is living an honestly truthfully shared life. To get the best out of marriage, you give it your best no matter what, inspite of, regardless. The challenges are many but you work at it because it deserves no less from you. And when at times you feel you have lost your strength, get down on your knees and be strengthened by HIM who alone truly loves you beyond measure. God listens with His heart and never fails -- All you have to do is pray. Remember too that a little bit of fun and laughter won't harm, in fact it softens the rough edges of a mundane life. You may be creating a new world of your own now, yet you cannot isolate yourself from the rest of the world, family, friends, people, and life. You bring it all together where you can and where you should.

I pray for you Christine and Daniel -- May God pour out His grace, light, peace, and love upon you both and may your marriage be twice as blessed with joy, happiness, peace, health, abundance, faith, laughter.

Love you... forever and longer,
Mom




(Sincere thanks for some of the photographs used in the blog to: Malen A. Santos Diaz, Alan K. Santos Diaz, Jason Magbanua, Joahn Mari Callao, Min Lopez-Pozas, Cors Fernandez, Mary Alix, Jessica T. Cruz, and our old reliable digital camera alternating with the new digicam sent by Sonia Torredes Miller. Thanks everyone and God bless.)