Christmas Reminiscing.......

How time flies! This will be my fifth Christmas here in NC and will also be the fifth one away from home. I sure wish we could spend Christmas with my family in the Philippines, maybe next year... This will also be our first Christmas here in our new home! I sure have a lot to thank for....my family, our new house, my job, good health. God is very good to us, HE always is...

I remembered Nikki's first Christmas. This photo captured all the excitement and joy of her first Christmas here in NC. She is still as excited and looking forward to every Christmas mornings (in fact, she gets up at 4AM), to see what Santa brought for her.

My Christmas prayers and wishes? I pray for continued blessings for my family here and in the Philippines and for God to always put all of us in His loving and watchful care; good health, peace of mind, a full time job for me, for our current work to "pick up", for our economy to get better and peace in the world.

I also pray for "Christmas Miracles" for all the people that needed it the most.

Merry Christmas and God Bless Us All!

Guess What....?

Yes.....we are now at our new home! We've been living at our new home close to two weeks now and we are loving it! We didn't get our Internet back until yesterday, so I have been out of loop for a while. We are settling down pretty good. I still have a few things that I need to take care of but life is good. Now I only hope and pray that I finally get a full time job that I so need very much.

God is good. I know that all of these won't be possible without His help. We do have a lot to thank for......

Celebrating Thanksgiving in our New Home! It is truly a Blessed Thanksgiving for Us.

What's up with C...?

I got me a JOB, finally! I started work last Saturday, October 25th, then had to work again the next day. It was good....I love it! The first day was tiring and painful (stretch muscles you know). You can say, that my muscles never get the workout it need. So that night, I said a prayer and asked God for strength and guess what....? I feel like a new person the next day, all the pain was gone.

Where do I work? I work at a Bed and Breakfast, not sure if I can mention it so I have to check with the Boss first. Anyway, I do breakfast and housekeeping for now and will train with the reservations and other office stuff later on. I really hope to get additional hours preferably during the week so I can skip Sunday work. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I get the shift that I am hoping on the weekdays or be transferred to the other business that my Boss owned which is closer and will be more "gas friendly" to us. I really want to have a 40 hour job. If I don't get more shift there, I will apply for another job that will let me work 30 hours on weekdays (M-W-F) so I will have T-TH off to do stuff at the house and spend time with Nikki. Actually, I already filled an application to a couple of jobs that I found online. I hope and pray that I get either one of them, it would be nice.....I know God will help me.....HE always do!

What else....I am busy packing and boxing our stuff. We are closing on our house on the 14th (November)! It looks like we will be in our new home for Thanksgiving. What a Blessed Thanksgiving will it be! So, I am busy boxing everything for our move and then will be busy unpacking and adjusting to our new home in the coming weeks. I can't wait....!

God is really good....GOD IS GOOD!

Do you...

believe in angels? I do! Ever since I was a child, I have always been fascinated with angels. I enjoy reading books and angel encounter stories. But am not going to talk about "heavenly angels" with halo's and wings today. I will talk about angels with invisible halo's and wings, those that don't have "the white, glowing clothes".

I will talk about the angels that we are blessed to have in our life. They are the ones who love us and accept us for who we are, what we are and what we have and don't have. They are the ones who hold our hands when nobody else would. They picked us up, walked with us, cried with us, laughed with us, dream with us, they praised us for doing good but also corrected us for doing wrong.

They believed in our talents and accepts our weaknesses. They give us room to grow and yet..are there when we needed a push, a pat in the back for our accomplishments and a hand to help us get up for our failures.

I am fortunate to have angels in life. There's Daddy and Mang, my brothers and my sisters, my husband and our daughter, Nikki. My in-laws, Jim and Rose and everyone at Rock Creek UMC. Thank you so very much for being my angels, may GOD continue to bless you and keep you. I love you all!

And then, there are those people that I get to work with in my business. They may not realized it, but I consider them my angels...for believing in my talent, for giving me a chance. I know that they can get others to work with them but they gave me a chance and believed in me and that is something that I will always be grateful with. Then there are the people that are helping us with our home, our own home sweet home and those that "finally give me that "elusive job" (I will talk about this in my next blog). You all know who you are, and I want to say thank you for being an angel to me...

I believed that God gave you all and put you all in my life to always remind me that yes, GOD LOVES ME, GOD LOVES US!

Yes, there are angels among us. You don't have to look for wings, halo's and glowing clothes. You can hear it in their voices, you can feel it in their touch, you can see it in their eyes and you can hear it from their heart.

Give a smile, say hello, sing a song, give a hand.....you'll never know whose heart you're going to touch, your going to bless.....you can be their angel...God's way of telling them that they are love.

Photos N Slides

Ever heard of DVD Photo Montage or better known as DVD Photo Slideshow? I am sure you do. I am pretty sure also that a lot of people are into it. What is a better way of saving your treasured photos and memories than to have it on a DVD Slideshow... complete with effects, transitions, captions, music and titles. It's like you are watching your own life story. It will make a wonderful gift and keepsake for your children and your children's children.

Doing DVD photo slideshow is another passion of mine. Actually I started this even before I started designing websites. Making DVD Slideshow is more about knowing the person through their pictures. Every time, I make one....I have that wonderful feeling that I knew them even though some of them lived even before I was born. I feel that connection with them, with how they live, with their families. To me, this connection is what made my DVD Slideshow special. I make them, I design them like I am doing them for my own family. I want my clients to feel the love when they finally get to watch the DVD at home. I want them to cry with it, laugh at it, I want them to be proud of it...the first cry, the first walk, first day at school, the first dance, a day out with Mom and Dad....it is endless. Precious moments...special memories.....it's your life story.

Check out PHOTOSNSLIDES.COM and I will be glad and honored to make "your life story" into a wonderful, meaningful and precious DVD Photo Montage.

Reminiscing.....

On a cloudy, wet day like this, I can't help but think of the old days....

Mine is not filled with extravagant and luxurious things. But I am not complaining, in fact I am proud of what we have become.

Thinking about it now, I missed those days.....simple joys, simple things, simple wants, simple life. I remember playing with whatever things we have around and having good times with it. I remember having to go to bed early because we don't have television. We would lay down on the mat (banig) with the battery operated radio beside me listening to old "dramas" at night. I remember us eating together and being happy with whatever we have on the table. I remember my Mom having to feed us by hand so the food will be enough for us. I remember the good people who always have an open hand in those times that we needed help with money, with food.....people that we will forever be grateful with.

I remember how strong Mang was and how lovingly she took care of all of us. I remember how hard Daddy worked and worked harder for all of us.

Now that we all have a family of our own, I can't help but think how lucky we are. I am thankful for the old times, the simple joys, the simple life, the hard life that we used to have. I am thankful for my family, I am thankful to you Daddy and Mang. Whatever we have now, wherever we are now, its because of all your love and sacrifices for us. WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

Reminiscing.......time to look back...I'm not rich nor famous but am thankful and appreciate what I have and what I have become, it keeps my feet on the ground and made me realized how lucky I am....good for the soul, good for the heart...

To Daddy, Mang, Ate, Kuya, Diko and Doods.....I love you all! Thanks for everything.

Wishlist...

Or should I say dream list? I am not really somebody who is into collecting or buying
"expensive stuff". I am a simple, boring soul when it comes to buying stuff for myself. You can ask my family about it.

I am pretty sure we all have a "wish list", things that we either want for our self or our family. All the time, if somebody would ask me something like this, I always say, and these will always be on top of my wish list, no matter what...good health for my family, peace of mind, happiness, for us to be together for a long time. I don't really pay much attention to the material stuff, if you can call it that way. Until lately...With everything that is going on in our economy, higher commodity prices, company lay offs and in the case of my husband....work is pretty slow. I have been doing my best to find a job but me having no experience and with the large number of experienced people without a job....my chance of getting hired is, yes pretty slim. So I am at the point of giving up on this one....

So what have this got to do with my wish list? My wish list is pretty much an "offspring" of the situation we are in right now. You know, like they are connected to each other....

My Wish list:

Win the lottery - and I don't mean the power ball or millions of dollars. I will be happy with $50K to $300K (at the most). Why just this amount, you ask? I just want to have our house paid off, some debts paid off, the jeep paid off, get furniture for our new house, set aside some money for Nikki and have some money save for rainy days. I know, to some this amount is nothing but to me this amount will be a huge help and I will be very happy and contented with it....and I am not being a hypocrite either. I have never in my life wanted to win the lottery this bad until lately.....because of my fear of losing what we wanted so much to have....our house.

More design projects for me - more projects means additional income for us. I am at a point where I feel "useless" cause I don't get to help my husband as much as I wanted to financially. So, if I get more projects and get to do something I enjoy and bring in some money and get to stay home and take care of the family, I couldn't ask for anything more.

Regular-permanent job for me - means an additional regular-permanent weekly income for us.

And those are my wishes (what I consider my material stuff wish list). I do believe in the power of positive thinking but....I also believe that the final decision is NOT ours to make. Somethings just don't happen like we wish them to be. It could be because we deserve something better or perhaps it could happen at a much better time. For everything that is on my wish list...for all my worries...my fears, I hope and sincerely pray that whatever the future holds for us....that we may be blessed with understanding, patience, humility and acceptance.

I do believe God will see us through.....

Wishful Thinking...

I think the world will be a better and peaceful place if it will function NOT on money, power and wealth BUT on understanding, forgiveness, equality, love and support for each other...respecting and accepting each individual for who they are and not for what they have and how powerful they are.

Wishful thinking....?

Snapshots....

I love photography. I like it spontaneous. I like it natural. I like the un-guarded moments. My favorite model, can you guess....? Yes, my daughter Nikki. I also love nature, birds, insects, flowers and old barns as subject.

There is just something in photography that is very relaxing. You get to appreciate the beauty of nature and everything around us. You get to see the innocence in a child's smile. Simple things....simple joys....

Let me share with you all a few collage of just some of my favorite photos. Enjoy!

Worries......

Are you the worrying type? I am. I pretty much worry about everything, even the littlest thing. I will not bore you all, of what things I worry about. I am just a worrier.

Lately, I have a lot of things that I worry about, concerns that are putting a stress on me. What should I do? Am I trying enough? Should I give up? Should I do something else? What am I doing wrong? Questions that I am trying to find answers to. This have got nothing to do with my relationship, just the situation that we are in right now (finding a job, my business, bills etc...)

"[Cast] all your care upon Him,
for He cares for you."
~1 Peter 5:7~

I am at a point that I don't know what else to do, what and how to feel. Should I even be worried or am I just over reacting?

This morning I talked to HIM, I told HIM everything.....how I feel, my worries, my concerns, my dreams, our plans, my hopes, our goals....everything. I cried... I asked for HIS guidance, for HIS help, for HIS understanding and for forgiveness on how and what I am feeling. I do this a lot of times. All the time, it makes me feel better. I get to look at things diferrently. It gives me a better outlook in life.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?
And not one of them falls to the ground
apart from your Father's will."
~Matthew 10:29~

It gives me a newer strength to know that HE will always be there for us. He will not give us trials that we cannot bear, that is more than what we can handle. I might just be over reacting. I know we are fortunate, we are blessed. I have a lot to thank for. I know HE loves me, HE loves us and HE is always there for us. I know we will be fine. I might just have to work harder, try harder and make sure to offer everything to HIM. Everything will happen and fall into place according to HIS will, according to HIS plan and not according to how I want it or what I want.

"Come to ME and I will give you rest."

Van's Weather Kid

Yes, Dominique (Nikki as we fondly call her) get to be Van's Weather Kid (FOX 8 WGHP)! She had a blast! It was such a wonderful feeling to see her had so much fun and touching to see her fulfilled her dream of being a weather kid and to be on tv. To see her excitement and how much fun she had is just priceless.

Thanks to Mr. Van Denton for doing the weather kid and giving all the kids a chance to fulfill their dream. I also would like to thank everyone at FOX 8 WGHP for being so nice and welcoming and for giving us a wonderful and memorable time. You can watch the VIDEO HERE.

Custom Wrappers By C

I have been making customized teabag covers and lollipop covers for almost 4 years now (not continuously though). I enjoy making them as much I enjoy doing websites. I got busy with other things like network marketing, online sales and the likes that it kind of take the back seat for a while. But, today, I will be adding this service to my Designs By Charina business. I will offer this service in addition to my custom web design service. These are the two things that I enjoy doing the most and I would be glad to offer these services to you all.

Customized Teabag Covers and Lollipop Covers are a good way to promote your business. Personalized it with your company logo, business information, contact info and current promotion. Include it in your gift baskets as a customer appreciation gift, as a giveaway or just to hand out at vendor events, fairs, flea markets or even leave it at your local banks.

Visit www.DesignsByCharina.com now and let me help you customized a wrapper for your business or special event. Just click on the Custom Wrappers by C in the left navigation of my SITE to find out more info about it.

Guess What?????!

I worked and worked on sample sites for Mr. and Mrs. F. today. And yes, I am back to my old creative self! Yes, the ideas just keep flowing and I am so proud and happy with what I come up with! I can't wait to work on the actual site! That will have to wait till I know for sure what design they want to go with.

The more I work and the more projects I get, the more I realized how much I love my job! Yes, I consider this my job and not just a hobby. It is something that I would love to do as long as I can.
It really made a difference that I asked for God's Blessings. I always pray and ask for blessings for my family and most of the time I forgot about myself. This morning, I asked one for myself too. I offered my day to HIM. I asked for patience and guidance. I asked for wisdom and understanding. It sure made a difference...

Isn't it nice if you enjoy what you do? If it makes you a better person, if it makes you grow as a person? This is my kind of job....

How about you? Do you feel this way about your job?

Exhausted Mind....

Well, it's been a while since my last post. I don't know what really got into me. It feels like my brain is empty and yet it's not. Weird huh? I guess I am just excited...and out of too much excitement, it stressed me out. I have so much things in my mind lately, so many design ideas for Mr. and Mrs. F's website. I feel like am so wore out that I don't want to think anymore. Have you ever had that feeling?

So, I decided to take a break. I finally decided to put my hands up for a while and just take it easy. And guess what, it was just what I needed! For the design dilemma, I finally was able to put together (incorporate) the designs that I wanted. I will just have to wait for their final approval on what design they want to go with. Then, I have another new prospective client that I am waiting to hear from, I hope and pray they go with me.

Construction of our house is a little slow. They finally poured the cement on the porch and have the roof trusses in there. Maybe in a few days there would be some additions to it.

Nikki's first week of school went very well. She is doing great and adjusted very well with the 2nd graders. Today she went fishing with her Dad, my hubby, since she is out of school for Labor Day. Then, we went to town to get an apple peeler, slicer, corer...let me tell you, this little machine is just awesome!

The job hunting? No luck yet. I am still looking. I am leaving everything up to God. I know he have better plans and knows what would be best for me and our family. I know the right job will come along. My goal right now is for Designs By Charina to get three new regular web design/redesign projects a month. I hope and pray that God will help me achieve this goal. I will be forever grateful... imagine, I get to do what I want to do most, I also will get to stay home to take care of my family and get to help financially. I am looking forward to it....

Until next time!

What's Up....

Well, I am done with my web re-design work for Ms. D. Her new site is now up and running. I am glad that she love everything and is happy with my work. This gives me a few days break before I start on another web re-design work for Ms. F. Though I love and enjoy what I am doing, this work can be painful in the back so I welcome the break. Oh, if you want to see my current re-design work, check out my site Designs By Charina and then click on the portfolio page and click on the Creative Weddings By Dee screenshot.

We went to the school open house yesterday and we found out that Nikki is in the "mixed class"!!!. This class is actually a mixed of the "upper level first graders" and the "upper level thinker 2nd graders"! We are just so proud and excited for her! At first she was sad and actually cried because most of her friends and classmates in kindergarten is in another class and another building but when we explained everything to her and told her that she can still see and talk to her friends even though they are not in the same class, it cheered her up and is excited to start and make new friends. We are just so PROUD of our little girl!

Our house construction is doing pretty good. We can't wait to move and Nikki is excited about her big girl bedroom, meeting and playing with the kids in the neighborhood and riding her bike in the pave road. Can't wait till we move and celebrate our first Thanksgiving in our new house!

How's Life?

Today is going to be a busy day for me (no complaints here). I am in the final stages of my web re-design project for Ms. D. You all know that web design is a passion of mine. I am loving every minute of it!

Next week, Nikki will be back to school. She will be in first grade and is pretty excited about coming back to school to see her old teachers and classmates as well as meet her new teacher and probably some new kids in her class.

Then, I will have a meeting with Ms. F. next Thursday to finalize things up on a web re-design project I have to do for their company. I am very much excited and can't wait to start work on the new look and feel of their website. So after Thursday of next week, I will be busy with design work again, which I am so grateful and thankful for. I hope and pray that after my work with Ms. F. is done, another web design project will come and will be waiting for me and another and another and another......

As you all know, I am also looking for a regular permanent job. Still no luck...still trying and doing my best. I am not giving up yet but I am also leaving it up to HIM. Why you ask? I believe that God always have a much better plan for us. Sometimes things just don't happen the way we want it to be and how we want it to be. Sometimes we don't get the things we want to have at the time we want it. Most of the time, we feel sad and frustrated if things don't turn out the way we want it to be...if we don't get the things we want to have at that particular time....if things takes a long time to happen.....only to realized later on that GOD have a much better plan for us. It happens to me a lot of times. Most times....I feel sad, frustrated, stressed out, worried....only to realized, that yes, GOD have a much better plan for me....for us.

It still happen at times, but I am doing my best to leave everything up to HIM. Every night, before I go to bed, I talk to HIM, I tell him my worries, I tell HIM about my concerns, what bothers me, I tell HIM about my plans and my dreams. I then asked for HIS guidance and help for me to accomplish my plans, to achieve my dreams, to understand, solve or let go of my concerns and of those things that bothers me. Most of all I tell HIM that I am leaving everything to HIM. For everything to happen according to HIS WILL, according to HIS PLANS and for me to have the understanding and courage to accept it.

I am going to do my best to do what I know I have to do for myself, my family and others, but....Knowing that GOD IS GOOD, and He knows what is best for us.....I am leaving and offering everything to HIM......for I know HE have a much better plan for us.

Life is beautiful.......if only we let GOD in it.

Starlight......Starbright....

"Starlight, Starbright....

Are you familiar with this poem? I am! I've recited this a countless times when I was still a little girl, well until my teen years. I love looking at the sky on a clear night and look for the first star of the night. I always wished to the first star that I laid my eyes on. Did my wishes ever come true? Yes, most of it! I think it was meant to be, perhaps it was destiny....fate.

The First Star,

I've Seen Tonight....

Every now and then, I would hear my daughter saying the same poem. At times I find her looking out our window and gazing at the stars. I knew that she was making her wishes.
The other day, she told me that some of her wishes came true. She had this big grin in her face and sparkle in her eyes.

I Wish I May,

I Wish I Might.....

Have you look at the sky and gaze at the stars lately? I haven't? Sometimes we all get caught up in our busy, stressful life that we forget about these little things.....little things that can bring a smile, a sparkle in our eyes, a feeling of gladness in our heart.

Have the Wish

I Wish Tonight"

Have fun looking at the sky and gazing at the stars....I know I will!

How are you feeling today?

What gives you a certain kind of "high". You know, something that makes you feel inspired and going? I am not talking about "bad stuff" here. I am talking about something that just gives you that burst of energy. It could be a job or a hobby....anything.

I am in that kind of "high" lately. Why, you ask? I am currently working on a web re-design project and I feel so inspired and excited to see a new design come up from scratch. Coming up with a new background design, what color/s to use? How simple or fancy it needs to be? Do you ever have that feeling? That feeling where you are so inspired and motivated, that ideas are just running in your mind, you are so full of energy and you just want to keep on working. How I love this feeling! Custom designing, especially web design (not to forget making DVD slide show) gives me this kind of feeling, that certain kind of high. It gives me a chance to let the creative side of me come out, it makes my mind work...a different kind of work other than the usual budgeting, meal planning, paying bills, household chores etc.

It is the kind of feeling that I want to have and the kind of work that I want to do as long as I can. It is my therapy....my energy booster....my brain food....my passion.

Have you ever felt this way lately? How are you feeling today?

JOB.....

Yes, I have been looking and applying for a job outside of the home. I wish I could just be a Work At Home Mom but with my business, projects and work are seasonal. I want to have a regular full time job to help with the finances, especially now that we are building our house. New house means additional expenses, so I am really stressed out in getting a JOB. And, yes I have had no luck yet. Experience....experience....experience! I have none! But then again, how can I get experience if nobody would give me a chance. I knew that I can do what the job calls for.....that is why I applied for the job (and yes they are all entry level job). I might need a week of training on how things go in the office or how they want everything done but I know I can do it as good (if not better) as those with a year of experience that they required. What I am doing wrong? What do I need? I am at a point where I just want to throw in the towel and give up but I can't. I need a permanent, regular full time job and I knew I CAN DO WHATEVER JOB I PUT MY MIND INTO, so here I am still trying, doing my best and hoping that somebody will at least give me a chance to prove that not having a prior experience doesn't mean you can't do the job. Wish Me Luck!

Designs By Charina

Designs by Charina offers custom design services to individuals, organizations, entrepreneurs and small businesses. We are located in Snow Camp, NC and is proudly serving the Piedmont Triad and Alamance NC area, including Greensboro, Chatham, Burlington, Graham, Chapel Hill, Randolph and beyond... Web Design work from other states are also accepted.

We specializes in developing an affordable and excellent customized website that are professional looking, easy to navigate and fast loading to promote your company's image. Free Hosting and Domain Name Registration as well as One (1) Month FREE Maintenance and Email Forwarding are included in every package. Let Designs By Charina....Start Your New Website Today!

How is your budget?

It's Friday and yes it is payday....it also means bills (at least for us) and grocery shopping! How do you all budget your money? Is this something that you look forward to?

My Strategies: Bill Payment

• Bill Payment Calendar - how I do it: I have a bill payment schedule with Friday as the payment date. I made 4 columns for each row to correspond to the four weeks of the month (i.e. Aug. 1st; Aug 8th and so on). Under each column, I wrote the bills and amount that needed to be paid in that particular date. I also have an additional column for miscellaneous expenses and free week (extra week that we have no bills to pay). This has helped me tremendously in paying our bills on time, not missing any payment and staying in our budget. (note: I am also is way ahead of my calendar, I have up to April 2009 covered).


• Pay online - this will save you money on stamps, envelopes, gas (if you need a trip to the P.O.).


• If you cannot make a payment online, be sure to mail your check a few days in advance to make sure they get in on time to avoid late payment fees.

Grocery/Food Saving Tip:

• Grocery list - I always have a grocery list on hand and I make sure to just get what is on the list.


• ALDI - do you have an ALDi's in your area. This place should be in your list as one of the best place to get groceries if you want to save BIG and are on a tight budget! We always shop at ALDI's and we buy enough to last us for at least two weeks (instead of going on a weekly trip) to save us gas.


• Cook food that will just be enough for the family. No left over and no food is wasted(especially if your family is the type who don't want to eat repeats).


• Buy meat in bulk then divide it into 1lb increments and store(freeze) it in freezer bags or empty plastic containers you have around the house. This way, you will only cook what is needed.


• Use coupons and avail of the double or triple savings that the stores have.

I am by no means an expert in budgeting but I do hope these simple strategies that I shared with you today will be of help in your budgeting. Please share with us your budgeting tips by leaving us a comment.

Life's Questions

What are your life's questions? What brought about these questions? Is it your need, is it out of frustration or is just a thought that pop up every now and then or, can we also say lack of faith?

I remember when I was still a child growing up in Bulacan ( province in the Philippines), there was never a time a "life's question" popped up in my young mind. If you remember in my other blog, I was grateful for the "hard life" we had for it made us a better and appreciative person that we are right now. Looking back, I think it is knowing and accepting the fact that we can not just have what the other kids have. I remember us not asking for toys, new clothes, new school supplies, of why is it that we only have little food in the table. I remember not feeling bad about not getting any gifts on our birthdays and Christmases. I remember not feeling any sadness about the lack of toys, new clothes and gifts. I remember not feeling any kind of envy to what the other kids have. All I remember is the the love and the contentment (of what we have). We are always thankful and feel blessed. We knew that Daddy and Mang were doing their best to give us a better life (and They DID!), we knew that they love us and that made up for everything.

Now that I am a mother myself, I am doing my best to instill the values and life's lesson that I learned while growing up to my daughter. I am doing my best to teach her that love is not all about getting new toys, new clothes, presents and all the material stuff that we kind of "associate" love to.

To go back to my life's questions, I guess what brought up these questions in the first place are our needs and the frustrations that comes with knowing that you are trying and doing your best and working hard but still...it seems to be not enough. That I feel like I am about to give up......

I questioned why some people have better lives than others? I questioned why is it that despite their good life, they don't seem to appreciate all the blessings that they have. I questioned why some people just have an easy life, like everything is offered to them in a silver platter.

I questioned why some people, despite of all their hard work, honesty, goodness and sacrifices never seems to move out of the life that they are trying to get out of.

I questioned why some people in spite of their hard life, still have a smile in their faces, love in their hearts and a helping hand to those that are in need.

Is it even right for me to have all these "life's questions"? I am still human. I get tired, frustrated and weak at times. Looking back, I think...I should apply what I learned growing up.

• Be thankful for everything that you have.
• Contentment on what you have at the moment.
• Be happy with what you have and who you are.
• Work harder and try harder to reach your goals.
• Have faith in God that everything will happen according to HIS plans.

Here are a couple of videos ( I found on youtube) that I would like to share with you all. These are two of my favorite songs (who the singer by the way is a fellow Filipino, Gary Valenciano) that I love to listen to when I'm at a point that I feel like giving up...

Just click on the link below.

Lead Me Lord

Lift Up Your Hands

Dominique

Dominique - French name meaning "belonging to God".

Meet Dominique, or "Nikki" as we fondly call her. She is 6, sweet, loving, caring, smart, curious, a chatterbox (this is in her own word), she loves school, loves to sing and writes her own stories. She also wants to be an author.

She is also quite an artist. She loves to draw and draw and draw. Below are resized copies of two of her most recent drawings.

She is everything that I have prayed for. She is my best friend, my joy, my life.

To you sweetheart, please remember that I love you very much, we love you very much. I do pray each and everyday that God will keep you in his loving and watchful care. I pray for you to always stay healthy and be safe. I pray for all your wishes and dreams to come true. I pray for you to be strong and courageous as you learn more things about life.

I'll do my best to be the best Mom that I can be, your friend, your teacher, your shoulder to cry on. Remember what mommy said, you should never keep secrets from me and I will always be here for you no matter what.

I will be looking forward to more stories from you, to your future books and to more hugs and kisses and laughter. I love you...

Finding Myself

What are the talents that you can be proud of? Do you consider yourself talented? Are you still in the process of discovering your hidden talents or in the process of finding out what you want in your life...what you do best?

Growing up...I am shy, timid girl..somebody who would hide in the room if there were visitors in the house. I am the school, then home type of girl. I am proud to say though that I am an above average student, who was always in the honor roll, the top five of the class. I am just not the outgoing, life of the party type of girl. I was like this until my college years.

As for talents, I never considered myself talented. I don't have much of a good voice, to join any singing club or choir. I danced at school programs but not much of a dancer to join a dance club. I love to read but can't write good stories. I am not an artist either. I can draw simple flowers, houses, simple stuff so I am not somebody you would consider "an artist".

When I moved here in 2003 from the Philippines to be with my husband and be a stay at home mom to our daughter....it was a big adjustment for me, but it comes with the opportunity of discovering myself.....who I am and what I am capable of doing.

I discovered that though I can only draw simple stuff, I am creative enough to come up with good designs for my projects, wonderful stories for my slide shows, perhaps good and interesting article for my blog. But no, I didn't realized this until 2005 and later this year.

I still have a long way to go, a lot to learn.....my grammar may not be perfect, but I am proud of what I discovered about myself.

Do you believe in what they say that we all have a purpose on why we are here on earth? I do! I can't say, I know or found what my purpose is, but I know that when the right time comes, I will know that purpose. For now, I am just going to continue with my quest of discovering my talent and knowing myself better.....then I can be the best of what I can be.

Grateful

What are the things that you are grateful for? Is it your family, new house, your job, your new car, your friends, being famous, money? I am sure we can come up with a lot of things that we are grateful for.

Me? First, I am grateful for everything that I had experience and went through (from childhood to present). Why? All these experiences are the keys as to who and what I am today. If somebody will ask me or grant me a wish to change something in my life, I would say I wouldn't change a thing. If I changed something, I would probably won't be where I am today and will probably won't have what I have now.

Second, I am grateful for my parents, my brothers and my sisters. I am grateful for all the hardships that we went through growing up, for it made us a stronger and better person. I am grateful for what we learned and accomplished despite all the hardships we had. I am grateful for all the love, the guidance and the support my parents gave us. I am grateful for the principle my father have, that in spite of the hard life we had, he overcame all the temptations at work and showed us what a great and principled man he is. Something that we will always be proud of. To you Daddy and Mang, thank you so much for everything, for all the love, the support, the sacrifices (you had to endure), without expecting anything in return. Mahal na mahal po namin kayo (we love you very much)!

Third, I am grateful for my family, my husband and my daughter (who are the loves of my life and my bestest gift ever), my in-laws and for everybody at our church (Rock Creek UMC) who love me and accept me for who I am and who never let me feel like a stranger. They are my family away from home.

Fourth, I am grateful for who I am, what I am and where I am now. I may not be rich, I may not be famous but I am grateful for all the little things that I have accomplished. I am still a long way to be considered "successful, rich and famous" but I am doing my best to be the best that I can be.

Last, but definitely NOT the least, I am grateful for all the everyday blessings that God is giving my family and I pray to God to continuously bless our family with peace of mind, good health, happiness, love, trust, faith and hope. For God to always put us in HIS loving and watchful care. The rest will follow......

Green Cards

The recent increase of stolen SSN and identities by illegal immigrants make me pondered this thought. Why is it that "Green Cards" are not required to be presented or shall we say, asked to be presented by immigrants when applying for jobs, benefits and other transactions that require proof of legality of an immigrant?

Don't get me wrong, I am not against immigrants as I am an immigrant myself. The only difference is I did it legally, complete with all the expenses and aggravation that comes with coming here legally.

Back to the green card issue, as far as I know, there are no issues yet of tampered or fake green cards, much as we hear of fake or stolen SSN. My point is, why not ask for Green Cards when we all know what is it for, to prove your legality to stay and work here in the United States? Can I say that Green Card is not doing its purpose then because authorities are not even asking for it?

It states at the back of the card that, "The person identified by this card is authorized to work and reside in the U.S." Wouldn't this be proof enough to present to authorities when applying for jobs, benefits, among other things that require proof of legality of an immigrant?

Aren't authorities and employers not aware of the existence of "Green Cards" and what is it for? It might save them a lot of troubles and this will probably help some in getting the illegal immigrants and give the job back to who it really belongs.

Just asking......after all this is just a pondered thought!